Is Camping Cheaper Than Airbnb? How to Save on Adventures
Photo by Scott Goodwill on Unsplash
If you’re considering the nomad lifestyle like I am, then you may be wondering, is camping cheaper than Airbnb?
My goal is to save $10,000 in six months, so I need to cut costs where I can. My lease is up in March. I’m not tied to an apartment after that, which means I have to decide where I’ll go to maximize my savings.
Camping vs Airbnb
The first question you have to ask yourself is whether you want to go camping. You might have concerns about it, like whether you’ll freeze to death, be eaten by bears, or get stranded in the middle of nowhere.
The good news is that if you do your research, you can reduce the chances of any of those horrific things from happening.
Camping Takes More Preparation
For the most part, camping will take a lot more preparation than living in an Airbnb.
In Airbnb, most basic amenities are covered, like a shower, toiletries, and sometimes, even meals!
For camping, you’ll have to evaluate everything you might take for granted at an Airbnb.
More preparation equates to more time, energy, and money.
If you want to not worry about where to sleep or how to get your food, Airbnb is the way to go.
How Much Does Camping Really Cost?
To be honest, camping isn’t as cheap as you would think.
You have to factor in:
- Where you’ll camp
- Where to sleep
- How to get food & water
- How you’ll make money to sustain this lifestyle
- Where to pee and poop
- How you’ll shower and how often
All of these have associated costs.
For example, where will you camp? Only some campsites are really free, and nicer campsites have a nightly fee from $10 to $40+.
Where will you sleep? Do you have a mattress in your car you can sleep in it? Do you have a tent? Is it big enough? Will it be cold? Do you need to get a sleeping pad?
In my case, I’ll be working full-time while I travel. That means I need a reliable source of internet and power. After researching options, I’ve found that reliable solar power can be an upfront investment of $1-2000.
For internet, data plans can be $1-200 a month! And you might need specialized equipment to get the best signals, and that’s another upfront cost of $700 to $1600 dollars (Mobile Must Have).
As you can see, camping costs can add up quickly, so make sure you really think through what you’ll need when you’re out there.
How Much Does Airbnb Really Cost?
The benefit of Airbnb is that the costs are relatively straightforward compared to camping.
Of course, you have the nightly price of the listing, but don’t forget to factor in the cleaning fee and taxes. The most accurate way to see how much it will cost you are to put in the information for a specific listing. Airbnb will show you the final cost.
One thing to play around with is long-term stay discounts. Some Airbnb owners apply either weekly discounts or monthly discounts. You can save quite a bit of money this way. Always play around with the live view after you click on a specific listing!
Other than the nightly price of the listing, you just have to take care of your own food. Depending on the Airbnb, they’ll cover everything from toiletries, kitchen, fridge, etc.
Look at the listing and make sure you have everything you need!
Is Camping Cheaper Than Airbnb?
So at this point, you’re probably thinking that Airbnb is the better route to go.
But that’s not necessarily true.
On average, nightly fees for camping are less than Airbnb; so if you compare night to night, camping definitely comes out on top.
Even if you have to buy a lot of upfront camping equipment, you can make up the cost difference the longer you camp.
For example, say your upfront investment in camping equipment is $2000. If you stay at an Airbnb that are, at minimum, $30 a night, that’s $900 a month. However, if you stick to campsites instead, at an average of $20 a night, you’ll spend $600 a night.
That means you’re saving $300 a month if you camp. If you divide $2000 by $300, it’s about 6.67 months.
So if you camp about 6-7 months, the savings of camping instead of Airbnb-ing will make up for your initial upfront cost.
In reality, it’s a bit more complicated than this. Airbnb can provide other amenities which could be worth it for you in the long run.
On the other hand, it’s possible to find free campsites or camp on public land. This cuts your time to a third of what it would take for you to make your money back.
It’s Not All or Nothing
Of course, you don’t have to sign your soul to camping or Airbnb.
It might be worth it for you to stay on campsites for half the month. Then, stay in an Airbnb the other half of the month.
Personally, that’s the route I’m going (especially when I’m on my period)
You’ll make up the cost a bit slower. However, if you’re in this for the long haul, it could be worth it for you to camp instead of Airbnb.
