Everyone planning a Big Lap asks the same question: how much will it actually cost? The internet is full of answers ranging from $30,000 to $150,000, which is about as useful as “somewhere between a bit and a lot.” The real answer depends on how you travel, what you drive, and how honest you are about your spending habits.
We built Ready2Roam because we were asking this exact question before our own trip and couldn’t find a tool that gave us a straight answer. Here’s what we’ve learned from the data.
The Big Three: Fuel, Camping, and Food
These three categories account for roughly 70% of most Big Lap budgets. Everything else — insurance, vehicle maintenance, activities, phone plans, pet costs — fills in the remaining 30%.
Fuel is your single largest variable cost. A typical lap covers 25,000–35,000 kilometres depending on how many detours you take. At current Australian diesel prices (averaging $1.85–2.10/L across states in mid-2026), a vehicle consuming 15L/100km — fairly typical for a mid-size SUV towing a caravan — burns through roughly $7,000–11,000 in fuel alone. A motorhome running at 18–22L/100km pushes that higher. A solo campervan at 10–12L/100km brings it down.
The price difference between states matters more than people expect. Fuel in WA’s remote stretches regularly sits 30–50 cents above capital city prices. Filling up strategically — knowing prices before you arrive — can save $500–800 over a full lap.
Camping varies wildly based on your style. Free camping and national park sites ($0–$15/night) are abundant if you’re self-contained. Powered sites at caravan parks range from $35–55/night. Resort-style parks with pools and camp kitchens run $55–80/night. A full lap of 6–12 months with a mixed approach — some free, some parks — typically costs $4,000–15,000 in accommodation.
Australia has over 5,100 government rest areas and thousands of national park campgrounds, many with basic facilities and stunning locations. Most camping apps don’t list half of them. The travellers who save the most on accommodation are the ones who find these hidden sites instead of defaulting to the highway park.
Food depends entirely on your habits, but $400–600/month for a couple is realistic if you cook most meals. Eating out regularly in regional towns pushes this to $800–1,200/month. Grocery prices in remote areas are 20–40% higher than capital cities — stock up before you leave populated areas.
The Costs People Forget
Vehicle insurance, registration, and roadside assist don’t stop because you’re on holiday. Budget $2,000–4,000/year depending on your vehicle and caravan. Caravan-specific insurance for a $60,000–80,000 van runs $600–1,200/year.
Health insurance is the elephant in the room. If you’re selling or renting your home, you’re still paying premiums. Budget $200–500/month for a couple depending on your extras level.
Phone plans, streaming subscriptions, and memberships add up. $100–200/month is realistic for a couple who want reliable mobile data and entertainment.
Vehicle maintenance on a 25,000km+ trip is not optional. Oil changes, tyre rotations, brake checks, wheel bearing inspections, and the occasional surprise repair. Budget $2,000–4,000 over a full lap. Tyres alone can cost $1,000–2,000 if they need replacing mid-trip.
Putting It All Together
For a couple in a mid-size SUV towing a standard caravan, here’s the realistic range for a 9-month Big Lap:
Category | Frugal | Comfortable | Luxury
Fuel | $7,000 | $9,000 | $11,000
Camping | $4,000 | $8,000 | $15,000
Food | $3,600 | $5,400 | $9,000
Insurance + rego | $2,500 | $3,000 | $4,000
Health insurance | $1,800 | $3,000 | $4,500
Maintenance | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000
Phone + subscriptions | $900 | $1,200 | $1,800
Activities + dining | $1,000 | $3,000 | $8,000
Total (9 months) | $22,800 | $35,600 | $57,300
Per day | $84 | $131 | $211
Those numbers assume you’ve already got the vehicle and caravan. Purchase or financing costs for the rig itself are not included — they vary too much to generalise.
The Single Biggest Variable
Camping strategy is the single decision that determines whether your Big Lap costs $23,000 or $57,000. A couple who free camps 60% of nights and uses budget parks for the rest will spend $4,000–6,000 on accommodation over 9 months. A couple who stays in powered sites at commercial parks most nights will spend $12,000–15,000.
Everything else — fuel, food, insurance — falls within a narrower band. Camping is where budget discipline pays off the most.
How Ready2Roam Helps
We built Ready2Roam’s Budget Builder specifically for this question. Enter your vehicle, camping preferences, daily budget, and the app models your total trip cost before you leave. The Go/No-Go verdict tells you whether your savings will last the entire trip. On the road, it tracks actual spending against your plan — so you know by week three whether your budget is holding, not by month six when it’s too late to adjust.
Download it free and run the numbers for your own trip.
