The only answer to how much a stroller costs is – pretty much as much as you want to pay for it.

Buying buggies can be like buying a car in many ways – the choices for many of the different features drastically affects the price, as does the brand, popularity and the style compared to current trends.

The bargain basement-type of pushchairs are just that – simply pushchairs. That is, they do little more than provide you with a seat on wheels. While these are not particularly versatile or heavily decked out in features, the price point is the selling point. You can get baby prams as cheap as $20 if you are looking for a bargain. While this may be very beneficial to your wallet, make sure you check that these very cheap strollers are in good working order before you use it. You would not want your child to fall from their pushchair if it tears or breaks unexpectedly.

When you get to the more mid-ranged strollers, you’ll find these contain a few extra features beyond just a basic chair. For strollers that are over $100 you can start to see features such as extra storage space for shopping and easier folding mechanisms. You might start to have more options in terms of colour and patterns on the fabric, and you can start to get strollers that have safety harnesses, sun protection and even possibly braking systems.

It is only when you start to reach the more expensive strollers, going upwards of $300 that you would start to see removable/convertible cots (which often double up as a car seat), higher quality materials, designs that enhance suspension and stability and more complex braking systems. You may also find strollers in this price range often accommodate more than one child, and can even have carriages that can be converted from baby pram bassinets into toddler-sized chairs.

Then there is the premium strollers that can cost anywhere upwards from $800. These will often contain advanced technology that can measure the speed you are walking, how far you’ve walked and even the temperature and weather forecast. Thought and creativity will often be put into the design, ensuring not only that features such as lights are placed in strategic locations, but that the style is also in vogue with current trends. Automatic folding systems with safety sensors, docking stations for your iPod or DVD player, reclining seats, and technology that provides stability through the roughest terrain are just some of the sophisticated features you can expect from spending that extra lot on your stroller.

If you choose to go down a custom-made, handcrafted completely unique option, then you can expect to pay thousands of dollars for your stroller. These are the designer-level of prams for only the most lucky of children! That said – if you and your child – and your subsequent children – are going to spend hours each and every day using the stroller over the next two years – it could be a worthwhile investment.

Remember that in addition to the cost of the stroller itself, there are also accessories that you may want to purchase when you go into the baby shop. Baby stores can stock a huge range of different accessories, but some accessories are designed for specific models of pushchair. Make sure you have a think about what accessories you want (and can afford) before deciding on a stroller in order to save yourself from disappointment later.