One of the biggest questions people ask me when planning a lap around Australia is, “How much is this actually going to cost?”
An Australia road trip can feel overwhelming to budget for because there’s no single number that's the same for everyone. How much you spend depends on how long you’re travelling, how fast you move, and the way you like to travel.
After living on the road for three years and travelling full time around Australia, I’ve broken down the main ongoing costs you’ll need to consider. This will help you build a realistic budget and understand where your money is actually going.
If you’re still early in the planning stage, you might also find my guide to the best time to visit Australia by region helpful.
The Biggest Costs of an Australia Road Trip
While everyone’s budget will look slightly different, most Australia road trip costs fall into the same main categories. Once you know your main expenses, budgeting becomes much less overwhelming.
Fuel Costs (Your Biggest Expense)
Fuel will almost always be your largest ongoing cost, and it’s also the one you have the least control over.
How much you spend depends on:
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how far you drive
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how often you move locations
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the type of vehicle you’re in
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and where you’re travelling
Fuel prices can vary a lot across Australia. In remote outback towns, fuel can cost almost double what you’d pay in a major city.
If you travel at a slower pace and stay put for a few days at a time, you might only need to fill up once a week. On long driving days, especially in the outback, it’s not unusual to fill up multiple times in a short period.
For us, fuel was a consistent weekly expense, and planning our route carefully helped keep costs manageable.
Groceries (A Cost You Can Control)
Groceries are another major expense, but this is one area where you have a lot more control.
If you cook similar meals to what you’d make at home, your weekly grocery budget will usually be comparable. On the road, we kept things simple and cooked easy, filling meals that didn’t require lots of ingredients.
One of the biggest money saving tips is to stock up in towns with major supermarkets like Coles or Woolworths. Remote stores are often very expensive, and prices can add up quickly if you’re not prepared.
Cooking most meals yourself makes a huge difference to your overall budget.
Accommodation Costs (Where You Can Save the Most)
Accommodation is where budgets can vary dramatically depending on your setup.
Free campsites and roadside rest stops aren’t always glamorous, but they’re one of the easiest ways to keep costs down.
National park and council campgrounds are another great option and usually cost somewhere between budget friendly nightly rates, while still offering toilets and basic facilities.
Caravan parks are more comfortable and great for the occasional reset, but they’re becoming increasingly expensive. Many travellers balance this by staying at free or low cost camps most nights and mixing in a caravan park once or twice a week for showers, laundry, and power.
Apps like WikiCamps are essential for finding free and low cost camping options.
Eating Out and Treats
Eating out is one of those expenses that can sneak up on you if you’re not careful.
We treated cafés, bars, and restaurants as an occasional treat rather than a daily habit. Setting a weekly allowance for eating out helped us enjoy it without blowing the budget.
This is one of the easiest categories to adjust depending on what you value most while travelling.
Alcohol
Alcohol is another area where costs can add up quickly.
Some travellers enjoy a drink at the end of the day, while others barely spend anything in this category. If alcohol is something you enjoy, it’s worth factoring into your weekly budget early on so it doesn’t come as a surprise.
Monthly Bills You Might Forget About
It’s easy to focus on day to day costs and forget about ongoing bills.
Things like:
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phone and internet plans
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car insurance
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vehicle registration
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streaming services or subscriptions
These costs continue while you’re travelling and should be included in your overall budget.
Tours and Experiences (Worth Budgeting For)
A lap around Australia is a once in a lifetime experience for many people, so some activities are absolutely worth splurging on.
Big ticket experiences like swimming with whale sharks, scenic flights, or reef tours can be expensive, but they can often be balanced out with free activities like hikes, waterfalls, and beaches.
Costs also vary by state. Some regions have more paid experiences, while others offer incredible free attractions.
Car Maintenance and Unexpected Repairs
With the amount of driving involved in an Australia road trip, regular servicing is unavoidable.
Most vehicles will need a service roughly every 10,000 kilometres, and costs vary depending on your vehicle type. On top of regular servicing, unexpected repairs can happen, so it’s important to have a buffer set aside.
Roadside assistance is essential, especially if you’re travelling remotely. The yearly cost is small compared to the potential cost of a tow in a remote area.
So, How Much Does an Australia Road Trip Actually Cost?
To give you a general idea, our average monthly spending while travelling Australia was around $2,500 for two people.
This covered our core living costs like fuel, groceries, accommodation, bills, and daily expenses, but it didn’t include unexpected car repairs or big one off experiences.
Your own budget may be higher or lower depending on your travel style, but this gives you a realistic starting point to work from.
How to Budget for Your Own Australia Road Trip
The easiest way to budget is to:
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decide how fast you want to travel
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work out how often you’ll move locations
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choose where you’re happy to save and where you want to spend
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leave room for flexibility and unexpected costs
Plan Your Australia Road Trip With Confidence
If you want to see our exact lap budget and exact road trip routes, must see stops, travel tips, and ready to follow itineraries, I’ve included everything inside my Australia Travel Guide.
👉 View the Australia Travel Guide here: https://www.rexby.com/lolahubner/australia
It’s designed to help you plan realistically, avoid surprises, and feel confident about your trip before you hit the road.