How Much ‘Big Brother’ Star Elena Davies Spent to Go On the Show and How Much She Got Paid

Big Brother Season 19 star Elena Davies opened up about the financial specifics of going on the show to Bachelorette alum Jason Tartick on his podcast on Monday. Here’s how much the reality TV star was paid to go on Big Brother, and how much she spent to get ready.  

Elena Davies spent $5,000 to go on ‘Big Brother’

Davies wanted to look good for her Big Brother debut. The cost of hair, makeup, Botox, and clothes adds up.

“I probably spent like close to $5,000 if I’m being honest,” she told Tartick on his Dear Media podcast, Trading Secrets. “Like if I really, really am being honest. But every little thing, and then like my Botox and then like getting my hair done to perfection.”

The reality star also spent money on outfits for all the interviews she had with production.

“I’m also like dressing up and buying stuff for these different interviews,” she said. “And like, I had to fly to LA for seven days and like lie to my job. I couldn’t tell any of my friends where I was. I’m like buying all these clothes to look good in my like multiple interviews. So I spent like thousands to be on this show probably if I really did break it down.”

At the time, Davies rationalized her spending on clothes thinking, “I’m gonna wear that to the club later, too.”

As for what contestants get paid, Davies said she received a stipend of $1,000 a week.

“$1,000 a week for as long as you film,” she said. “Say you are the first person sent home and you only spend six hours in the house, you get $1,000. I was in the jury house, so I technically filmed the entire season. I got paid the entire 13-week stipend.”

‘Big Brother’ contestants have to pack/buy enough supplies for three months

Davies told Tartick that producers don’t “encourage” contestants to buy new clothes. But there are so many rules about what they’re allowed to wear, most people make purchases to expand their wardrobes.

“They want you to wear clothes that feel like you, but then they’re also camera testing everything and have like a million rules about what you can pack, what you can’t, what you can wear and what you can’t,” she said. “So you do have to invest a lot of money in things that you need.”

Davies said the contestants who wear makeup have to spend even more money.

“Especially for girls, like think about makeup,” she said. “Like I had to buy three months worth of makeup. I had to buy three months worth of like expensive hair stuff.”

Bills don’t stop for ‘Big Brother’ contestants

Davies also noted that going on a reality show is expensive because, for however long a contestant is on a show, they’re not getting paid at work.

“Especially for Big Brother I think more specifically, we film for three months,” she said. “So that’s three months of not getting paid your normal salary in life, but still having to pay your insurance, your car, your mortgage, like any other expenses, bills. Those things accumulate.”

The reality star goes on to say people almost need to “be set up already” financially to even go on a reality show.

While Big Brother wasn’t the most profitable experience for Davies, she says she’s made “way more than anything that I made in the year 2020” recently thanks to her OnlyFans page.