How much it costs me on the trail
About every 40-50 miles I’ll resupply. At a dollar general four days will run about $40-$45. Better grocery stores will cost more.
If I get town food every 40-50 miles it will cost between $15 (burgers at McDonalds) and “more”. Easy enough to spend $20 on a pizza or restaurant hamburger with a soft drink and if you toss in beer it can cost more.
More if I get breakfast too.
Hostels will run between $25 and $50 for a bed, sheets, shower and laundry. Again maybe once every four days/50 miles or so. Double if you take a zero (and more town food too).
That is $40+$15+$40 every 4-5 days x 7 times a month. More for beer or better food.
That is where the $1000 a month goes. Add more for shuttles, gear replacement (new shoes every couple months or so) and such.
Gets more expensive in the north. Some real deals in the south (donation hostels that only expect $20 a night, that sort of thing).
I’ve met people who were really spending very little until they discovered town food and beer. Made a huge difference in their expenses.
Sharing a $70 a night hotel room can drop the price rapidly. Getting a private room can kick the price up.
Add in fuel cans every so often, and extras here and there, insurance, paying for your cell phone and it all adds up.
But if you start breaking the cost out that way it helps to show where the money goes and why the trail costs what it does.
(For practice go to a dollar general and price six thousand calories a day of food for four days. Now price that at a Kroger’s or similar store).
That is where I originally posted this.