A regular level 40 mount in WoW Classic costs around 90 gold total, and a level 60 epic mount costs around 900 gold. That splits into the riding skill and the mount itself: 20g for Journeyman Riding plus ~80g for the mount at 40, then 600g for Artisan Riding plus ~800g for the epic at 60. Exalted reputation with the vendor's faction cuts those numbers meaningfully.
Mount cost breakdown
| What you buy | Level 40 (60% speed) | Level 60 (100% speed) |
| Riding skill | ~20 gold (Journeyman) | ~600 gold (Artisan) |
| The mount itself | ~80 gold | ~800 gold |
| Rough total, no discount | ~100 gold | ~1,400 gold |
| Rough total at Exalted | ~90 gold | ~900 gold |
Things that change the price
- Reputation is the big lever. Prices drop as you climb from Friendly to Exalted with the race that sells the mount. Exalted gives the deepest discount, and it stacks on both the skill and the mount.
- You buy from your own race's vendor by default. Buying another allied race's mount requires Exalted with that race, which is why people grind rep for a specific model.
- Paladins and Warlocks get quest mounts. Their level 40 mounts come from a class quest chain instead of a vendor, so the gold cost is far lower — mostly reagents and travel. The epic versions at 60 are longer quest chains, some with their own gold costs.
- Riding skill is account-visible but character-bound. Every alt pays the full price again. Plan gold per character, not per account.
How to actually afford it
- Pick up two gathering professions early — Mining and Herbalism sell steadily on any Classic economy.
- Vendor grey trash instead of hoarding it; it quietly adds up to several gold per session.
- Do quests in zones you're already grinding. Turn-in gold from a 35-40 questing loop covers a large slice of the 90g.
- Don't buy blue gear upgrades at 38. You'll replace them in a week; the mount pays you back for the whole rest of the game.
How long does it take to earn a level 40 mount?
Most players hit 90 gold naturally somewhere between level 40 and 44 if they haven't overspent on the Auction House or on skill training. If you've been buying every recipe and gear upgrade, expect a few extra hours of dedicated farming or a run through mid-level dungeons for vendor trash and greens.
Is the level 60 epic mount worth 900 gold?
Yes, if you're raiding or doing world PvP. 100% speed versus 60% is roughly a third off every travel time, and in Classic you travel constantly. If you're purely a casual leveler with alts, the money is better spent elsewhere — the 60% mount already solves the worst of the walking.
Why is the epic mount so much more expensive than the first one?
Almost all of the jump is the Artisan Riding skill at roughly 600 gold — the mount itself is only a couple hundred more than a regular one. That skill cost is deliberate: it's the classic level 60 gold sink designed to give endgame gold somewhere to go.
Can I get a mount before level 40?
Not on a standard Classic character. Level 40 is the hard requirement for Journeyman Riding, and no vendor will sell you the skill early. The exceptions are cosmetic or event-related, and they still require the riding skill to actually use.
Grinding out 900 gold for an epic mount while also gearing for raids is where a lot of people stall. If you'd rather spend your playtime raiding than farming, PewPewShop's vetted human players offer coaching and play-together progression help — real people who've run these routes for years, no bots, no cheats. We'll happily just tell you the fastest farm for your class if that's all you need.