Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. “The less money you spend, the less you need to make” is our motto. 🙂 At the beginning of each year, I produce an expense report for the previous 12 months. This is the most recent one, for 2024.
Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 is here, the one for 2018 here, our 2019 expenses are located here, our total costs for 2020 are documented here, those for 2021 are detailed here, and 2022’s financial summary hides here.
These reports include ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and a 60-pound dog. We adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the US East Coast. The internet costs is for Starlink hardware and monthly subscription fees. We bought our satellite dish in Lima, Peru, in September 2023.
In 2023, Mark, Maya, and I drove from Colombia through Ecuador and Peru into Bolivia with our truck camper Thirsty Bella. During this multiple-year South American overland journey, which started in November 2022, we have visited Colombia for six months, Ecuador for three, Peru for five, and Bolivia for over a month so far. That’s a lot of driving.
So, it is no surprise that the biggest expense category for last year was, once more, our vehicle, with over $3,200 going to fuel. We also bought a new hub for one of the wheels ($250), a safety kit required by local police, a cow horn just for fun, caliper pins, fluid, and cleaners for the brakes, a new taillight, grease, and oil filters. We also reimbursed the baggage fee for a friend who brought a sharp tool back from the US for us.
Other big car repair items were two oil changes ($200), which are more expensive in South America than in the US, security film for the car windows ($160), and an ignition coil ($85) with another one going towards this year already. Plus, we needed a mechanic to check a tire issue and someone else to fix six malicious punctures. Furthermore – and surprising – is the fact that we paid $151 in tolls, mostly in Colombia. These sure added up!
We extended our vehicle insurance in Colombia after deciding to stay an extra 90 days, bought liability car insurance for six months in the Mercasur countries (Bolivia and south from here), and spent a total of $55 on parking – in SA and in the US when Mark went back for a visit.
Groceries cost $2,585 (averaging $215 a month). Not bad. Probably because the dining out amount is high, at over half that ($1,542)!
Being in “cheaper” countries means that we are splurging at restaurants much more than in the US, which is reflected here!
The computer category is substantial, due to Mark requiring a new laptop and accessories, me needing a new smartphone (Google Pixel) as my original one was stolen in Cusco, and our decision to buy a Starlink satellite internet system for almost $500 in Peru. Hooking it up in our camper required extra parts and cables as well. Usually, our hosting fee is higher, but thanks to donations from you, dear readers, those costs related to the Roaming About website are taken care of.
Another higher-than-usual category is accommodation. In the US and Mexico, we pretty much boondocked (wild camped) for free 100% of the time. Because of logistical and safety issues, we have paid for campgrounds in Colombia and Peru. A third of the almost $1,000 for lodging went to renting Airbnb apartments and hotel rooms during the visit of my cousin and her husband in November and December and a two-night stay in Quito with friends.
Of course, most of our nights we still camped for free on the edges of towns or in spectacular natural surroundings. Otherwise, this lifestyle would be unaffordable for us.
Maya has lots of allergies. This means she eats a specific diet and dog food brand, which is more difficult to come by and much more expensive on this continent than in the US. Therefore, the dog category went up compared to last year. Despite us bringing three big bags into Colombia. Vet visits, on the other hand, are affordable here and our dog – touch on wood – has been pretty healthy on the road.
Even though we have our own mode of transportation, we end up spending a chunk of money for that category, no matter the location in South America. Mark has to fly back to the US once a year for health check-ups (I skipped mine in 2023) and, once we are camped near a main city, we use Uber, InDrive, taxis, minivans, tuk tuks, and cable cars to get around. Those forms of transportation added up to over $600 last year.
The category one expects to be high when traveling the world is entertainment. Yet, we often find free activities, like hikes and viewpoints. I feel we didn’t skimp on excursions in 2023, visiting plenty of volcanoes, ruins, canyons, museums, and hot springs.
Other tourist attractions that stood out were the Three Colored Mountains, the reed islands of Uros, and the Sacred Valley archeological sites in Peru and, of course, the biggie: Machu Picchu.
Our trio also paid to visit the Nazca and Palpa Lines, Gocta waterfall, a salt cathedral, and a bird sanctuary.
We used the cable car in Bogota, joined a few “free” walking tours, and I jumped off a bridge in Banos, Ecuador.
Mark and I could do better with our alcohol expenses. But, especially when hanging out with friends, it’s nice to have a drink. Or two.
A massive change regarding utilities is our acquisition of Starlink in September 2023. We now have internet at our fingertips everywhere and all the time. The price for that is $70 a month, half of which is paid by our business. Since we replaced the RV’s propane fridge with an electric, compressor fridge, our cost for propane gas went down to $50 for an entire year, compared to $180 last year. Our potable water expenses were negligible.
Every home needs maintenance, including a camper. Last year, we spent $342 on camper improvements inside and outside, like a propane hose, fridge thermostat, wood for a platform in the bed of the truck, water filters, screws, glue, caulk, and plexiglass for the Starlink installation.
More than $200 went to drinking out in 2023; either with friends or just the two of us. This includes hot beverages and juices as well.
The next categories down the list are birthday and Christmas gifts for family and friends, Customs and Immigration, mainly our three-month extensions in Colombia and a Bolivian visa for Mark, and medical, namely medicines at local pharmacies (no prescriptions are needed in most of Latin America) and a tooth exam and X-ray for Mark.
Clothing and household items had the same number attached ($125) and enriched our cabinets and drawers. I bought a wool alpaca poncho, while Mark purchased a couple of alpaca sweaters in Ecuador and shorts in the US. Other (extra) clothing was obtained with gift money from my parents. They also sponsored a biking activity and two dinners out. Our household purchases contained a new router, vacuum cleaner, camping chairs, cutting boards, ice tray, and dishtowels.
Every year, we pay a $90 fee for the use of our Chase visa card. This allows us to collect points, which then can be redeemed for flights or other items, meaning the card is essentially free.
The miscellaneous category contains more than random expenses and toilet visits, or the amount would be lower. This is where we include souvenirs, mostly for me: a leather purse from Colombia, small paintings from Ecuador, and a Pachamama (Mother Earth) statue in Peru.
We also ran into a few obstacles with our “giant” camper, like a roof in Villa de Leyva in Colombia and another person’s car (his fault) in Huaraz, Peru. We reimbursed the owners for their tiles and side-view mirror.
The two remaining items in the report are laundry – quite low on a year basis, because we stayed with friends at times, who let us use their washing machine – and health & fitness, which resembles two haircuts for me, one in Colombia and one in Ecuador. Mark and I have clippers to cut his hair every other month.
(It might be easier to read the table when turning your device in the horizontal position.)
And that’s a wrap! If you are enjoying these posts and would like to help out with our expenses maintaining this blog, please click on the donate button underneath, in the side bar, or in the menu bar on top. I promise Roaming About will remain an ad-free website. Thank you!
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
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January 25, 2024 at 14:50
Hi, Liesbet, Mark and Maya – You continue to live a very BIG life for relatively little money. I greatly enjoy following your adventures.
January 25, 2024 at 15:36
Hi Donna!
Thank you for reading and commenting to my latest post already. I sure love having you in my cheerleader corner! I’m just happy we stuck to our annual average of around $16,000 a year. Although, it’s a bit disappointing that we can’t do better in a less-developed country. Maybe this year?
January 25, 2024 at 15:12
A fabulous bottom line, you guys! Though you may beg to differ, you are living large on a small budget.
I like the Button on the dash to make the cow horn moo along with happy times with friends and good food–yay!
January 25, 2024 at 15:39
Hi Marian,
You are a positive, fun, and happy person! That’s what your comment confirms. You focus on the fun parts in every post, as well as in life, which really makes me smile and feel large. 🙂
And, yes, we have greatly been enjoying the dinners out and exciting attractions along the way. That, we seem to be able to afford down here. Now let’s hope fuel becomes more affordable again, so we can keep driving and exploring!
January 25, 2024 at 15:57
So many great pictures! What an amazing year.
I love being in a place where we can afford to eat out. We ate out every day when we were in Mexico City until we got sick. It seems like one could live more cheaply in the US with boondocking and lower gas prices but in the US you don’t get all these amazing splurges.
It is amazing with the higher price of gas, your accommodations fees, and equipment replacements that you still managed to keep you expenses so low.
January 25, 2024 at 19:14
Hi Duwan,
This expense report took forever to create, so, to save some time, I grabbed photos from the twelve monthly expense reports before. 🙂 I can’t believe there were still 140 photos to post and caption! If I ever want to catch up on my blog posts, I really have to make them shorter and faster! 🙂
You make some good points! The food splurges are awesome and we don’t want to give those up. But, yes, there were quite a few extra/unexpected items we needed to buy in 2023, while keeping the budget in check.
January 25, 2024 at 20:03
So glad you got your phone replaced. The Google Pixel I think is pretty good! Maya looks great–no need for a diet like my big dog needs!
January 26, 2024 at 08:03
Hi Jacqui,
After being in a campground – with other campers – for over a month, Maya now looks like she could lose a few pounds! 🙂 And, she hasn’t had any exercise. It’s one of the reasons we really need to leave La Paz ASAP. From the moment the road blocks clear…
My first ever smartphone was the Pixel 6a, which was stolen a year later in Peru. I liked it – and Mark as well – so he replaced it with the Google Pixel 7a, which is very similar. If I really need a phone, then this one certainly does the trick!
January 26, 2024 at 03:50
Liesbet, you and Mark live such an adventurous, amazing life. I particularly loved all the photos in this post, it took me on a tour with you of all these beautiful places. You show us all how it is possible to live a great life on a small budget, you don’t need to be rich to live such an awesome lifestyle.
January 26, 2024 at 08:23
Hi Gilda,
You hit the hammer on the head: you don’t have to be rich to see and experience the world. That has been one of my mantras.
Of course, it would be nicer and easier and less stressful to embark on these multiple-year journeys without having to worry about money and work assignments, but then we would have to return to our home countries and work for many years in a row first. This (still) seems the better path and approach for us – to live on the road forever. Until we get too exhausted and burned out again, like after our sailing years.
January 26, 2024 at 15:43
What a bargain for all the adventures and experiences you have achieved! Safe travels for 2024!
January 26, 2024 at 21:07
That’s a great way to look at it, Susan. At $1,300 a month, we are seeing the world on our own terms. Not always in a relaxed or comfortable manner (if ever), but always in an exciting one! 🙂
January 26, 2024 at 19:50
Amazing. I hope that 2024 will be even better!
January 26, 2024 at 21:08
Thanks, Margie. We will see what happens. I do believe our cost of living will be similar or cheaper this year, but we are considering a multiple-month break from the road to finally visit friends and family, so that will leave a financial impact.
January 27, 2024 at 07:11
Such an interesting summary! You have achieved so much on very little, and seeing all the photos together of places you have been is amazing.
January 28, 2024 at 14:47
Hi Anabel,
I’m glad you enjoyed this summary post. It was hard to choose photos and I had to delete more and more pictures as I realized the post wasn’t loading well for some people. We did see a lot of amazing sites in 2023, for sure. It’s nice to finally travel and live abroad again. 🙂
January 27, 2024 at 14:53
You did really well, considering all the ‘surprise’ expenses that confronted you! Here’s hoping this year will be full of good (and inexpensive) surprises for you. 🙂
January 28, 2024 at 14:49
Hi Diane,
Like Mark observed: every month – and certainly year – has a lot of unexpected expenses and gear that needs replacing. Maybe I should stop calling them “surprise” or “unexpected” expenses, as, one way or another, they will keep happening!
January 30, 2024 at 21:18
Wow, what a year! I sometimes laugh under my breath at your cheap groceries. I live alone and can’t get away without at least $150 a week! And nothing fancy is in that. Gas is brutal for everyone. I’d say you’re living life to its fullest, and getting away with great cheap prices, despite all your unexpected expenses. Keep on truckin’ 🙂 <3
February 3, 2024 at 16:44
Hi Debby,
Eating healthy in the States and Canada costs a fortune when buying food in the grocery store, like gluten-free or organic items. Maybe that’s why your bill is so high? That, and rising prices around the world, of course. Almond milk still seems to be cheaper in the US than down here, haha.
Yes, I’ll have to repeat what rednecks in the US claim: the high price of gasoline for our “thirsty” truck is the price of freedom! 🙂
February 3, 2024 at 22:57
Amen! Godspeed my friend. 🙂 x
February 8, 2024 at 06:33
🙂
February 6, 2024 at 07:03
We all need to treat ourselves every now and again, so eating out and having a few drinks with friends is something I’m pleased you guys do while on your travels
I think you’d make a great podcast series on household and everyday spending, Liesbet.
And I love the photos of Maya. She sure knows how to pose nice for a photo (unlike my two).
February 8, 2024 at 06:39
Hi Hugh,
There have been many moments when we struggled with the splurge versus saving the money balance. But, we are not the youngest anymore and we both work much more now than a couple of years ago, so that makes it easier to treat ourselves more often with meals out and excursions. 🙂
Podcasts, articles, ebooks, memoirs, I could write and create a lot, Hugh, but I lack the energy for that while on this adventure. All I can muster now is my daily diaries and almost weekly blog posts. Barely…
Yes, Maya is pretty good when it comes to posing. Although she often sticks her tongue out and I’ve noticed in a few photos she is either peeing or pooping. I refrain from posting those last actions. 🙂 Toby and Austin seem more happy go lucky in photos when they’re out and about. As long as they’re all having fun!
February 10, 2024 at 07:45
That’s true about Toby and Austin, but trying to get them to pose for a photo is a difficult job as they will always move just before I take the photo.
And I agree that the most important thing to do is enjoy your travelling. Podcast etc can come much later. I’d passed 50 before sitting down to write everyday.
February 10, 2024 at 14:39
Sounds like you thoroughly enjoy the writing process, Hugh! I used to love writing as well (and I do write every day for about one hour in my diary), but it has become a chore on the road to write more seriously, since I lack the energy and when my bed time comes around after a busy day, I am too tired to do anything but “write for fun.” 🙂
February 11, 2024 at 09:12
Writing for fun is what’s it’s all about for me, Liesbet.
February 13, 2024 at 12:41
Perfect, Hugh!