How Much Does It Cost To Travel Around Australia In a Caravan? (2025 Guide)
Travel around Australia Caravan Budget for 2025 (Updated)
Are you curious to know how much does it cost to travel around Australia in a caravan? Firstly, I want to say we’re not millionaires, we haven’t won the lotto or found a long-lost relative’s inheritance… We’re just everyday Aussies, with a pretty standard average income. The point is, if we can do it, so can you.
It’s great to have an idea of how much it will cost per week/month so you know what to expect while you’re away. This is a guide only, I’ll let you know our personal experiences but a budget can be the same as the length of a piece of string.
What are your expectations?
Is your holiday a see-everything, do-everything fast paced adventure, and you have no desire to work while away? Or is it a lifestyle choice – slow travel, take it all in, eat home cooked meals and find the (free) nature based activities?
This will make a big difference to your budget.
In other words, if you’re considering your lap a lifestyle change, it’s easier not to get carried away in all the experiences and fine dining options. If you’re in a holiday mindset, it is easier to spend more! Travelling around Australia can easily be done in many ways. It’s up to you.
Either option isn’t wrong, it’s all about expectations. Make sure you and your family are clear on what to expect prior to travelling.
For a guide on how to plan your lap around Australia, click here
On the road costs (when travelling)
These are a list of the biggest costs and hidden costs we found when travelling around Australia. We are a family of 4 – 2 adults, 2 young kids. Our style of travel is slow, we look for the free options and eat at home in our caravan.
There are many similarities to living at home, if you budget well at home, you’ll be fine on the road. If your saving skills aren’t fantastic, then have a look at what you can do at home to start making a few changes now for your travels.
Biggest costs when travelling around Australia
Fuel
Weekly Budget: $100-$1500+
For most travel families, fuel is the number 1 cost. We actually found fuel to be cheaper than we planned, as we travel very slowly. A 200km day for us is the max. We also plan to spend at least 3 nights in each spot, but 1 week was the sweet spot.
Have a look at how long you want to travel, and what distance you would like to cover. It doesn’t have to be exact, just get a rough idea. Work out how much your vehicle uses per 100 km. Now, plan on $2.50 per litre (diesel and unleaded.) This is extra cautious in most places. Divide this amount for the time you want to travel for a weekly estimation.
To work out how much your vehicle uses, next time you fill up, press the reset on your odometer. At the next fill up, write down how many km you have done on your odometer, and how many liters you add. Divide the liters by distance, and times by 100. This will give you how many liters per 100kms your vehicle uses. This should be done while towing your caravan. Repeat a few times to get accurate data.
Check out petrolspy.com.au for pretty accurate prices. The more remote the petrol station, generally the more expensive. Have a look at locations such as the middle of the Nullarbor, North-western Australia, and remote north as these tend to be the most expensive.
Tip: If you plan on doing 500km per day 5 days per week, that is a total of around 2500km per week. If your vehicle uses around 18l/100km (or $45 per 100km), that could be up to $1125 for the week.
Shop around but always have a comfortable margin. If there is a headwind, you will burn more fuel than your average. Know how many kilometres you get from your tank and consider bringing a jerry. Plan your fill-ups at the cheaper places where possible.
Food
Weekly Budget: $0 – $500 (On average, we spent $150)
Again, the more remote the towns are generally more expensive. Keeping in mind your caravan weights, stock up in big towns when you can.
Get creative! Buy non-perisable, long life, canned food. Buy what’s in season. My best find was some delicious fresh avocados from a roadside stall 5 for $3! If you’re not fussy, then explore the local produce.
A go-to for ours is Aldi, so whenever we’re in a town that has Aldi, we stop and do big shops. Flour is a must – you can create anything from cakes, pancakes, thicken soups, and make a pastry. With the help of Google, anything is possible!
Have a loose meal plan, freeze in portions. I’m a big fan of cooking once, eating twice! Always have a few frozen meals premade. Put them into your fridge on a long drive day, then dinner just needs to be heated up.
Pack lunch boxes every day for all family members. We even buy bulk ice cream to shout the kids. Ice cream stops can really eat into your budget. Same goes with coffee. I always made a double batch in the morning, then we have a second coffee later in the morning in a travel mug.
What drinks do you like? Take a water bottle and refill it always. If you love your soft drinks, fill up a smaller bottle from a big bottle.
We also have a few beers in the car fridge and create our own picnics and ‘takeaways’. Of course, it is also lovely to help the local economy and stop at a pub, just be mindful when you do, and be aware of where your budget is going.
Accommodation when travelling around Australia
Weekly Budget: $0 – $1500
This cost can be a big variable on your lap around Australia. Do you love resort-style caravan parks or free/low-cost bush campsites? This can depend on the type of caravan you have and what you enjoy, but just budget accordingly.
Remember caravan park prices go astronomically high during peak season. If you’re on a budget, then book off season and plan to be in lesser-known places during peak time. Also, be aware some caravan parks charge large amounts for extra kids. Check first and shop around.
Using apps/books like Camps Australia Wide can help with planning and keeping costs at bay. This has been our go-to for finding awesome campsite gems.
Our Tip: Laudry can be a hidden cost – a typical washing load is usually $4-$5, and drying is much the same. Utilise the washing lines for drying. Yes, this includes at the caravan parks!
Many smaller towns have free RV stops that are right in the middle of town. While these are generally not the prettiest, they are handy to sightsee and stock up on everything. Get in early as they tend to fill up fast. There is usually a 24 hour limit to these stops.
Experiences
Budget: $0 – $3000+
This is another big variable. The good news is you can plan to do zero experiences and still travel Australia! My suggestion is to pick a few top experiences you really want to do.
Some of the top picks are:
- Swimming with the whale sharks at Exmouth
- Croc tours in the NT
- Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef
If you have a tour in mind, then you can budget for it. Just be aware that many of these popular tours get booked out fast, so you might need to plan ahead.
When you travel around Australia in your Caravan, there are many experiences that you don’t have to pay for. Australia has some of the best beaches, nature walks, and community events.
Our Tip: Look up local Facebook groups in the areas you’re travlling to find the inside goss on what’s happening near you.
Car and Caravan costs
Budget: $50-$500+
Some things to consider with car and caravan costs are:
- Insurance for both your car and caravan
- Roadside service (check distances that you can tow)
- General maintenance
- Repairs (always have an emergency budget or access to money as this one you can’t always budget for)
- Emergency accommodation (if your caravan needs repairs)
Everyone’s budget is different for this category, as setups can vary hugely. You’ll also find other travellers, including car and caravan loans, in the car budget. It’s up to you how you budget, but just be aware of this cost if you have any loans.
Phone/Internet
Weekly Budget: $81
We travel with:
- Telstra phone ($99/month) Telstra have pretty good coverage, but it’s not perfect.
- Optus phone ($30/month) We found Optus coverage to be way less than Telstra, but we decided to travel this way as you can always hotspot from a Telstra phone.
- Starlink ($195/month) This is our most expensive ‘splurge’, but for us we wouldn’t be able to travel without it. We homeschool, have therapy sessions via Zoom and I work remotely. This means we can plan any campsite without worrying about coverage. When we are at home, we change the plan to residential and it’s a fair bit cheaper.
Travelling around Australia: back home costs
Home costs
These are other costs to consider, but everyone will be different depending if you sold your house, rented your house, etc. This list is just to get you thinking:
- Mortgage repayments
- Insurance
- Rental income (rental fees)
- Storage costs
Memberships
Some other costs include things that some people choose to not be without. Again, it’s just to get you thinking:
- Health insurance
- Gym memberships (can be a good idea to keep if your gym has locations around Australia)
- Phone apps
- Netflix, Disney, etc
Sneaky hidden costs
Even the best budget-er can find a few of these sneaky costs creeping into your budget.
- Buying coffees
- Buying hot chips when you fill up at road houses (yep, guilty!)
- Buying icecreams on hot days
- Laundry, those $4 add up!
- Beer/Wine (read: holiday mode…)
- Eating out when you can’t be bothered cooking
- ‘Kid fees’ at caravan parks
- National park fees
- Gas bottle refills – shop around. Some towns are expensive.
Be aware of them, and try to have alternatives if you’re on a budget.
How much does it cost to travel around Australia in a caravan:
If you’ve planned the basics, then you’ll have a great idea of what to expect on the road.
Use local Facebook groups in the towns you’re visiting to find out what community events are happening. Drop into the visitors centre and have a chat with the local residents.
Travelling Australia in your caravan can be as on budget or extravagant as you’d like. The biggest tip is just to be mindful of how you spend your money so you know where it’s being allocated and make adjustments before it gets too late.
