How to Live Cheap in Melbourne | How Much For Van Life?

How to Live Cheap in Melbourne

Like, Share and Subscribe if you enjoyed & hit that bell for me too 🔔!
I've toured North America out of a Mazda 3, spent 2 years exploring the United Kingdom out of a broken down Citroen Berlingo, lived out of a Volkswagen Transporter in Australia during the 2020 lockdown, and the year after renovated my dream van a Ford Econoline named Moe.
Now I'm back in Australia inside Tony the Transporter performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
This week I break down how to Vanlife for $500 a Month.

Every Wednesday, I release a video update in the life of this comedy cowboy, so you can get a glimpse into what people are calling 'living the dream.' Laced with an original score by Andrew Watson, grab a front seat beside this pavement pounding comic that never leaves the road.

Follow my adventures right here:

Melbourne just edges out Sydney for the most expensive city to live in Australia so keeping my day to day living as cheap as possible allows me to really appreciate the moments when I decide to splurge. Just like most other human beings I’ve got monthly expenses that include a phone bills, food, petrol, the occasional paid parking, public transit, and rent (or as you probably call it car insurance).

First off let’s start with the Phone Bill. This is one area I encourage Vanlifer’s to spend a little extra so you’re not dependent on wifi limiting where you can park or hang out. Both Australia and the United Kingdom have phone plans that make my home country look atrocious. Despite our dollar being quite similar here I’m paying $55 a month for 40 gigs of data where as for your typical unlimited domestic calls and texts in O Canada that would cost $95, and no that doesn’t come with a bottle of maple syrup.
In the UK right now for 20 pounds a month (roughly $35 bucks) you get 120 gigs.
Which is why for the entirety of 2020 I was a Canadian, living in Australia, with a British phone number and enough data to hot spot a greyhound bus.

Let’s talk food. Now unless you’re just eating rice it’s gonna be hard to match me in this category. A restaurant meal in Melbourne averages from $20-$50 per person with the average person spending $100 a week on groceries.
I currently work in a hotel which feeds me one of the two meals I eat per day, that job also provides me with my shower by the way… there’s one for staff, I’m not busting into guests rooms and using theirs… anymore.
For my second meal I go to groceries stores in the afternoon which is about the time the employees have labeled discounts on food that needs to be sold by the end of the day. Typically adding a can of tuna to a random half price salad will only cost $4-$5. That’s only $140 a month but lets tack another $100 there for the days I’m not working at the hotel or decide to splurge.

Despite the price of fuel being at a level where I’ve released a video looking for a vanlife roommate, I only put $140 worth of gas in Tony monthly as I don’t move him much around the city and only burn gas driving an hour down to Mornington weekly to see my lady.

I’ve found a good balance for paid parking and public transit
To avoid atrocious parking fees I stay where it’s free here in Brunswick and use public transit to and from work 3 times a week, then on the weekend I’ve found $5 24 weekend parking right in the core where public transit is free.
So let’s call it $35 for both.

Car insurance. Thanks to my squeaky clean driving record, spanning as far back as they check, and oddly low amount of kilometres I drive especially for a vanlifer my yearly insurance is $350, which works out to roughy; $30 a month.
Now insuring someone who’s use to driving on the opposite side of the road for that price is insane, but I’m not gonna complain. While my rent is $30 a month, for the average 1 bedroom apartment Melburnians pay $1600.

Just to recap per month I spend:
$55 for the phone
$240 for groceries
$140 for gas
$35 for transit/downtown parking
and $30 for insurance.

And that’s how I’m living in the one of the top 3 most liveable cities in the world for $500 a month.

Cut Costs Living in Melbourne | How Much For Van Life Melbourne | Travel Australia on a Budget

#vanlife #standupcomedy #vanlord
van life melbourne,visit australia for cheap,travel australia for cheap,travel australia on a budget,how to visit australia on a budget,how to visit melbourne on a budget,visit melbourne on a budget,melbourne on a budget,melbourne living on a budget,melbourne australia cost of living,melbourne living alone,melbourne living alone costs,cut costs living in melbourne,melbourne van life,how much for van life,how much for van life melbourne,real van life australia

[fairyjasmineshouse]

Very clever Matt. Great video as always 🙂

[juliaspence]

I'm still shocked about the price difference for the data..holy crap!!

[MikeBrownRehobothBeach]

Was enjoying the holiday yesterday (April 20th) and thought of funny possible future episode where you hire a maid to clean the van.

[philliproberts]

Great timing I was just asking my self I wonder how much all up it would cost laundry water and car repairs rego and shower would all add to that total so my guess and it's just a guess but 900 for most would probably be average 😮

[edmaher]

Hi mate, love your video. I was wondering if you could please tell me where the 5 dollar parking was ? Thanks so much 🙏

[jedics]

If you manage to escape being a rent slave, life gets surprisingly easier all of a sudden. I will likely never live in a house again, I like my freedom to much though I also live in a truck and a much bigger space which makes it practical long term compared to a van.
If your parking in the same spot a lot people always find out your living in the van, do you get hassled ever?

[Merc-Rover]

You've definitely got the numbers working for you. I'd love to see you try this in London.

[quash]

I'll never score a job that feeds me, nor an insurance deal like yours, but thanks for showing how cheaply it can be done in a big city. "Anymore..." 😂

[ShikamaruTKD]

Nice $500 is really good. I was averaging $800 a month before these gas prices. But in the U.S van dwelling in the cities is a nightmare so most of us stay on public lands which are always 20+ miles away from the city. Do the math.
Van lifing in the city in USA is very stressful. People here are nosey. I probably spend at least 300 a month on gas now which sucks! Basically upped my rent by double!

[Lesueurfly]

Tell us how much do you save and if there is van life community in Melbourne please :)

[MandyJArt]

You're paying too much for your phone. I was getting 60g for $35 with gomo and recently switched to belong, where I pay $45 and get 100g (doubled to 200g for 12 months for free)

[tstocker]

For $500, you can sit in one spot and do nothing. You dont mention incidental expenses, or maintenance issues.