The Hidden Costs of Living Aboard No One Tells You About

The Myth of a “Cheap” Sailing Life

Sell it all. Move onto a sailboat. Live for free. Sounds simple, right?

When we sold everything and moved aboard, we knew it would be cheaper than renting an apartment in one of Canada’s most expensive cities. And when we set sail for full-time cruising, we figured the costs would drop even further.

We were wrong.

What we didn’t realize were the countless little things no one really talks about — the hidden costs of living aboard that sneak up on you once you’re actually out cruising. Things like visa fees, port charges, random permits, and other small but steady expenses that don’t make it into most “sailing budget” breakdowns.

When we first shared our real costs of living aboard, we focused on the basics. But what we didn’t factor in were all the sneaky little costs.

Have wind. Will travel for free..except that’s not the case.

Paperwork Costs: Visas, Customs, and Clearance Fees

Obviously, we didn’t think it would be free to travel from country to country, but we underestimated just how much the bureaucracy adds up.

When we first left Canada, checking into the U.S. was easy and free. We didn’t really face visa or paperwork costs until we reached Mexico. In Ensenada, the check-in process was straightforward: the marina arranged most of it, we hopped in a van, went from office to office, and handed over cash for our temporary import permit, tourist visas, and port fees.

El Salvador was even easier. Free visas and a simple dollar-a-day charge to keep the boat in the country. But it varies widely by location. Some countries are inexpensive, while others (looking at you, Bahamas) can quickly eat into your cruising budget.

Then there’s the issue of time limits. Visas and boat import permits often expire after six months, which means most cruisers eventually have to do a “visa run”, leaving the country temporarily and re-entering to renew their stay. Those quick trips come with added costs: buses, car rentals, hotels, and meals.

We eventually applied for temporary residency in Mexico. It wasn’t cheap, but now we can travel freely in the country for four years without worrying about visa renewals. For us, travelling with a dog, it’s a worthwhile trade-off.

Dinghy and Transportation Costs

Our dinghy is basically our car, and it runs on gas. We expected to spend a little on fuel, but we didn’t realize just how often we’d be topping up the tank. Some anchorages are far from shore, and sometimes paddling or swimming just isn’t practical, especially in places with strong currents or crocodiles.

And then there’s the generator. We use it during cloudy spells or short winter days when the solar panels can’t keep up. That means more fuel. It’s a small expense, but it adds up over time.

Getting around on land isn’t always free either. We often take buses, but when it’s time for a big grocery haul, it’s not realistic to lug a month’s worth of food onto a packed local bus. So we call taxis or rent cars. And yes, we’ll occasionally take water taxis — especially in Mexico, where they’re convenient and fun. The 60-peso ride in Barra de Navidad doesn’t sound like much… until you’ve done it twenty times in a month.

Cars need gas. Dinghies are no different. Same with that piggy little generator.

Boat Maintenance Beyond the Obvious

We all know boats require maintenance. We planned for haul-outs, bottom paint, and routine upkeep. What we didn’t plan for were the small, constant surprises that chip away at the budget.

Things like buying multiple dinghy repair kits only to find our old paddleboard patches worked better. Or replacing seized zippers, restocking endless filters, and hunting down composting toilet medium in countries where it doesn’t exist.

Even our watermaker, which saves us money long-term, has its own hidden costs. We go through filters faster than expected, especially when anchored in silty rivers. And supplies that were affordable in Canada, like these filters, are often double the price in Central America.

It’s not the big breakdowns that hurt (kind of); it’s the small, steady ones that keep surprising us.

We could use a sealant sponsorship please.

Comfort and Connectivity Costs

We’re not trying to be crusty sailors who do laundry in a bucket or chase free Wi-Fi signals across town. We like a bit of comfort. And comfort costs money.

Laundry services are a small but regular expense when we’re not using our portable washer. We buy local SIM cards in every country for reliable internet, because working remotely means we can’t rely on café Wi-Fi. Yes, we’ve got Starlink, but sometimes it’s nice to leave the boat.

Propane refills are another hidden cost. Sometimes we pay extra to have someone deliver and refill our tanks, and other times we take a taxi to the nearest shop. Either way, convenience adds up.

And then there’s coffee. Our most non-negotiable expense. We can find ground coffee almost anywhere, but whole beans are harder to come by. When we do find them, we stock up. Right now, I’m waiting on six kilos of El Salvador beans being delivered to the marina from the City.

These little comforts weren’t in the original budget, but they make life afloat a lot more enjoyable.

Coffee. Makes life better.

Bureaucratic and “Random” Fees

Every cruising area seems to come with its own surprise costs. Fishing licenses, marine park passes, anchoring fees. They all vary by region.

In Mexico, for example, we needed fishing licenses even though we haven’t caught a single fish. El Salvador didn’t require any.  But in El Salvador, almost every hike required a local guide. If you plan to explore, plan to pay.

These costs are minor individually, but they’re worth noting in your full-time cruising budget.

Fishing. Not free in Mexico.

The “Social” Side of Cruising Costs

Social life at sea is both the best part of cruising and one of the sneakiest budget breakers.

Sundowners, potlucks, and beach barbecues sound free, and they mostly are, until you factor in all the extra snacks, beer, and wine that come with them. Even cheap local beer adds up over time.

We also didn’t expect to fly back to Canada as often as we have. Renewing licenses, visiting friends, and helping family meant several unplanned flights. Those trips are worth every penny, but they’re something we’d plan for next time.

Cheaper than a bar. But beer still isn’t free for some reason.

Budgeting for the Real Sailboat Lifestyle

The freedom of cruising full-time is absolutely worth it, but it’s not free. Knowing now what these unbudgeted costs look like has helped us plan better and stress less.

We’ve learned that the freedom is totally worth the trade-offs, especially when you find creative ways to keep the cruising fund topped up. In How we keep cruising: making money at Sea, we share how we keep the cruising going.

Living on a sailboat is still cheaper than city life, but it’s not the zero-cost dream some make it out to be. It’s manageable, rewarding, and deeply fulfilling... As long as you plan for the things no one tells you about on YouTube.

Plan to fix it all. By yourself.