Everybody wants one number. There isn’t one. Opening a pizzeria in the US can run anywhere from about $75,000 for a small takeout spot in a second-hand space to well past $400,000 if you’re building a full sit-down room from bare walls. Where you land depends mostly on one thing: how much work the space needs before you can cook in it.

Where the money actually goes

• The space — deposits and the build-out. A unit that was already a restaurant (hood, grease trap, drains in place) can save you fifty grand or more.
• The oven and the line — your oven alone can be $10,000 to $30,000-plus. Add refrigeration, prep tables, a dough mixer, and a hood system.
• Licenses and permits — business registration, health permit, food-safety certs, sign and occupancy permits. Small dollars, big delays if you start late.
• The stuff nobody budgets for — POS, signage, insurance, opening inventory, and a few months of payroll before you’re breaking even.

The mistake that hurts most

Running out of cash in month three. Plenty of places have the money to open and nothing left to survive the slow first quarter while word gets around. Budget your opening costs, then set aside enough to cover three to six months of bills on top. If that number scares you, better to know now than in November.