There are four Great Fairy fountains in Breath of the Wild, and opening all of them costs 11,600 rupees in total. The detail people get wrong: the price is set by the order you open them, not by which fairy lives there.
The Cost Is About Order
The first fountain you open costs 100 rupees. The second costs 500, the third 1,000, and the fourth 10,000.
Whichever fairy you happen to find first will ask for 100, even if it is the one a friend told you costs 10,000. There is no “cheap fairy” and no “expensive fairy”, only a first and a fourth.
That means there is no wrong order, and no reason to hunt for a specific one before the others.
Cotera, Near Kakariko Village
Northeast of Kakariko Village, in Necluda. This is usually the first one players stumble across, simply because Kakariko is early in most routes.
Kaysa, in Tabantha
In the Tabantha region, best reached from Tabantha Tower, which sits just south of Rito Village.
Mija, in Akkala
In Akkala, just east of Akkala Tower and Akkala Lake. From the tower, glide east across the lake and land in the small wooded area on the far side.
Tera, in the Gerudo Desert
Far southwest of the map, past an area called Dragon’s Exile. Her fountain sits beneath an enormous dragon skeleton, which makes it unmistakable once you are close.
The desert is punishing heat by day and serious cold at night, so go prepared. Our guide on how to get into Gerudo Town covers the outfit that helps with the heat.
What They Do
Great Fairies upgrade armour, and each additional fountain you open raises the tier available. All four have to be awake to reach the highest upgrades.
Upgrades cost materials alongside rupees, and the late tiers want monster parts from the hardest enemies in the game. Our guide on how to beat Lynels covers the best source of those.
The Champion’s Tunic upgrades individually rather than as part of a set, which makes it one of the better things to spend early upgrades on. Our guide on the Champion’s Tunic covers getting it.
Funding It
11,600 rupees is a serious sum, and that is before the materials. Our guide on how to farm rupees covers the three methods worth using, including the Lurelin Village chest game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Great Fairy fountains are there? Four.
How much does it cost to open them all? 11,600 rupees in total.
Does a specific fairy cost 10,000? No. The fourth one you open costs 10,000, whichever it is.
What do they do? Upgrade armour, with higher tiers unlocking as you open more fountains.