My boyfriend is getting ready to start his own business and I was wondering what the price is to get licensed and bonded. He is starting a painting business

Around where I live, you don't have to be licensed or bonded to do a painting business. So, the first thing that I would suggest to you is to see if he really does need to licensed and bonded.

If he really does need to be licensed and bonded where he will be working, then the cost of those things will depend on where he will be working, so it would be good to know where he will be working so that you might have the best answers here.

Well first he does not have to be bonded unless some company he is going to work for requires it, ** there are dozens of types of bonds***

A city business license and in some places a county license or a state license may be needed, just depends on where you live.
I lived once outside city limits and had my shop there, there were no county and state license, and since I lived outside city, I did not need a city license.

But to start a tirp to city hall to see on city business license is first step.

After that what about liability insurance, if his ladder falls, hits a power main, catches the house on fire and burns it down, can he write a check to rebuild the house?

If he is going to hire any workers he will need workers comp insurance, since if one of them is on that ladder as it falls, he has to pay their medical bills and salary for loss of work.

Also if he is using his truck to haul supplies, he will need to talk to his auto insurance agent, the work trucks will have to be changed to commercial insurance, if not, and he has a wreck while on a job, they can deny the claim.