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Life Nomadic: How Much Does it Cost to Be a Nomad?
One of the big barriers between most people and becoming a nomad is money. It sounds expensive. Most questions I get about it have to do with affording the trips.
Here's the big secret: being a nomad is not expensive. In fact, without knowing how much money you spend monthly, I can confidently say that you can probably comfortably become a nomad and spend less.
I don't have exact numbers, but I'd say that Todd and I each average spending under $3000 per month. That includes everything including lodging, airfare, food, entertainment, and small gear purchases along the way.
There's a big difference between "cheaply" and traveling "cheaply and well". I have little interest in eating ramen in a hostel or taking buses across the country.
That's backpacking. Nothing wrong with that, but being a nomad is different.
The key is not treat it like a vacation. Many people spend money outrageously "because I'm on vacation". Life Nomadic is a lifestyle that's intended to be sustainable.
One big advantage the nomad has is that he has no expenses back home. The tourist is paying nightly for a hotel, but he's also paying rent, electricity, and cable back home.
That's like trying to pay for two lives at once.
A basic hotel in Tokyo will cost at least $150 per night. That's not a great hotel, and it's definitely not in a great location. $1050 for 7 days.
Renting a large room with a fridge, two beds, and a couch cost Todd and I $1000 for a month in the most desirable neighborhood of Tokyo. That's cheaper than it would have cost us for a mediocre hotel for a week.
It's almost always cheaper to rent an apartment for a month than to get a hotel, but you can also just choose cheap destinations. Thailand is full of great hotels for $20/night, either in downtown Bangkok or on the beach on an island. In Panama City you can get a solid (but not exceptional) hotel for around $30 a night.
If you really have a limited budget, go to any of the countless cheap-but-awesome destinations. You'd be shocked at how cheap great places in Southeast Asia are.
The savings you create by living in such cheap locales can easily pay for the plane tickets you need to get there.
If you really have NO money, go to Ko Phi Phi in Thailand. You can hand out flyers for the big reggae club for four hours a night and make enough cash to pay for all of your food and hotel forever. And that little island is paradise, believe me.
Every country you visit will have a whole tourism industry centered around creating an America-like experience for you at a premium price.
Avoid that. Live like the locals.
Take the train, walk, or buy a bike like the locals. Don't take overpriced cabs. Buy food from the grocery store and cook for yourself in your rented apartment. Ask around and see which beach the locals go to. It's usually much better than the one that tourists are whisked off to.
Spend time in nature. It's usually free or cheap and some environments you'll see are unlike anything back home. Even something as simple as the deserts of the Middle East are breathtaking to a foreigner.
If you're going to be somewhere for a month, don't feel like every day needs to be filled with sightseeing and adventure. Spend four days a week practicing your language, working, and walking around town like you would back home. Then on the weekends go white water rafting through the rain forest instead of seeing the latest disappointing movie.
Above all, don't let money stop you from living the dream. Being a nomad can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be, and the sheer adventure of doing something almost guarantees that the money you spend on a monthly basis will be well worth it.
Filed under: Budget Travel, Life Nomadic
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Philip Lilly Mar 17th 2009 2:24PM
I am curious how you find an apartment, what sites do you use. Do you get there first and then find one, or do you rent it and hope it is everything that was promised? Language is an issue also, for example if you are in Thailand how easy is it to find and rent something if you don't speak the language?
Thanks for any information!
Peter Sergeant Mar 17th 2009 8:21PM
re: the photo;
Jesse and Victor say hi - was just in to get a suit fitted. Jesse said someone had printed off an article from your blog about his shop to show him, but seemed a little bummed that you said he needed to lose weight ;-)
-P
nismo334 Mar 17th 2009 10:09PM
@joe are you spamming Gadling!!! Say it ain't so Joe!!!Seriously that link is like the exact opposite mentality to this entire post.
David Mar 18th 2009 1:35AM
I think that while it is true that many people do not understand the relative affordability of long term travel, coming up with even $3000 a month while not staying in one location is not something most people know how to do. I myself am up to about $1000 per month, but that is after a year of steady working building things up. I imagine I'll be able to get to a good healthy number (say $5k) in another year. We shall see, but it is certainly not a quick and easy thing for most people.
Mads Mar 18th 2009 3:59AM
Finding a home in Thailand is possible even if you don't speak the language - just be prepared to pay twice as much as you would pay if you were native/could speak the language.
Take Bangkok as an example. There are lots of ads on English websites for apartments costing around 8,000-10,000 baht/month - but hook up with a native instead and have him/her help you find an apartment that will cost around 4,000-5,000 baht/month (that's less than $150/month).
brian from nodebtworldtravel.com Mar 18th 2009 11:32AM
The costs are definitely manageable. I spent 4 months on the road on a round the world trip and I spend about $500US per month. Plan accordingly and your budget can go a long way.
jose Mar 19th 2009 12:40PM
Hola, amigos, donde estan ahora?
the candy trail ... Mar 20th 2009 10:43PM
Hi
I agree - travel simple, live similar to the locals, have few possessions, work along the way ... fun; easy.
I have been totally nomadic - across the planet - around 100 countries, since 1988 ... Am presently in Korea.
http://www.thecandytrail.com/
Dane Apr 6th 2009 1:12PM
This is really excellent. I've passed it along to my friends. Thanks!
Anny Apr 8th 2009 2:15PM
I'm from Santo Domingo, DR, and I can't wait to hear about your experiences there (I'm currently in the US). =)
Jose Sep 4th 2009 6:13PM
"If you really have NO money, go to Ko Phi Phi in Thailand. You can hand out flyers for the big reggae club for four hours a night and make enough cash to pay for all of your food and hotel forever. And that little island is paradise, believe me."
What are the chance of getting that job?
What if you are too ethical to hand out flyers to a bad place? Do you have any other suggestion?