[PUP] Costs of living and cruising worldwide, cost of food, cost of cruising

[hannu venermo]

Some information and thoughts.

I come from Finland, Europe, and am under national health insurance by 
the government for life.
I have traveled all my life, to central/south America, Africa, all 
Europe, the us, Thailand. I have lived 19 years away from Finland. I am 
an avid diver and have been diving since 19, and have been to Honduras, 
Santo Domingo, grand cayman, extensively Mexico, etc. so I consider that 
my experiences may be relevant and / or interesting.

In my case, and many others in Europe, my insurance costs are limited. I 
can get additional health insurance, at my age, 39, for 300  / yr 
worldwide travel, from sprain, that includes unlimited travel and 
medical care, including diving accidents and helicopter evacuation cover 
if needed, as long as I maintain a postal address in Spain (100/yr to 
free with friends).

Food costs worldwide are low.
In Barcelona, Spain, one of the most expensive cities in Spain, dining 
our for 2, with drinks, wine etc. is 60-80  for 4-5 star restaurant. 
Some of the best food in the world, in my experience. A good lunch is 
12-15 , and a decent one 8-10 , includes dessert and beer or wine.
An excellent dinner even in Barcelona, non-tourist, for 2, when you know 
where to go, in a good restaurant, can be had for 30-35  for 2.
In sprain, out of Madrid and Barcelona, locals would not pay more than 
6-8  for a restaurant lunch, and 10-5 for fancy dinner, pp.

In Mexico city, local food, also excellent, in my experience, is 3-5  
per meal.
The most expensive restaurants, like "Tony Romas for ribs" or 
"chipotle", can run 20-30 per person. Locals seldom eat in these, as 
the cost is extravagant.
Likewise resort cities in Cancun, or playa de mujeres, mexico.
In all of these places, I mostly prefer local food, and seldom spend 
more than 6-8 , and will often eat local style for 3-4 .

In Honduras, island of roatan, or the capital city, a local meal is 3-4 
$, and a good restaurant meal, white tablecloths etc. 10-15$. Best 
imported meat, on the island, is 25$. Always with beer wine etc. 
included. A whole lobster by the seashore is 12 $. A corona is 1.50 $. 
Renting a 3-4 room private cottage with seaviews, on the shore, is 7-800 
$ per month. Note. The standards will not be as good as Europe or the us.

In Thailand, phuket, a local meal is 2-4$, and excellent, with a beer.
The most fancy, gourmet lunch in phuket with world class views is 20 pp 
with wine, wine is half the cost. The best meat/steak house with 
Argentinian imported fillet is 15  pp. Rental cottage, cheap, away form 
phuket is 2-300 /mo. A very nice house, 3 rooms with private pool and 
garden in phuket is 800$-1000$ /mo.

Grand Cayman lives from the offshore banking industry. The food was ok 
to excellent, but a seashore cafe, for lunch, with crab meat, a steak, 2 
beers is 40 $. Its outrageously expensive compared to any of the other 
places. Again, local food is cheap, but fancy places have a very, very 
high cost.

Santo Domingo - hotel fare was decent, not excellent, between 10-12 $. 
Local cuisine poor-to ok, 3-6$.

At home and traveling, where possible, I prefer to cook, it4s something 
I enjoy.

Groceries for 3 cost 600  / month, for an excellent, balanced diet 
heavy on lean meat, high quality, salads and European / asian and 
Mexican cooking. A whole fillet is15 -20  / kg, Argentinian imported 
file 22-24  kg. Very good Spanish wine 3,50  (Montecristo Camillo 
Castilla, 2000, crianza) / bottle, if you know which one. This would 
compare to a 30 $ Australian, Chilean or Argentinian wine. Most cheap 
wines poor to quite poor. An excellent one, 16  (Martin & Cru) compares 
favourably to 100 $ french ones.

My suggestion for costs:

1. Boat
a. Licensing - no yearly fees, in Europe, if not in charter use. Depends 
a bit, but under 200$/yr.

b. Fuel/oil: 1000 mi/month @ 0.50 mi, 500 $

c. Other maintenance: 450 $ /month

2. Other
Health insurance: 400 $/year

b. Prescription drugs: 300 $ /year

Note: these are cheap worldwide for all common, usual stuff. I am 
excluding dialysis, cancers etc. as exotic and unusual.

c. Food: 800 $/month

d. moorage country fees etc. 800 $/month (this is a good estimate if 
using marinas etc)

For me, about 400$/mo. This is (for me) 150$ in country permits and 300$ 
in moorings. I see moorings in use for me about 20% of the time.

This cost is very highly variable, and totally self-controlled. From 
400/year to 20.000 /yr at marinas.
Marinas in the turks, caicos, bvi, st martin, etc. are 4500$-20.000$/yr. 
You choose.
E.g. Tunisia, nicest port and marina in the country "port El Kantaoui", 
4 months ago, for 13 m / 42 ft slip, is 6000/year

e. Flight home once/year + expenses 1500$/year

Total yearly expenses: 26.700 $, add 3 yearly hotel stays for 2 at 3000$ 
/ yr, say 31.000 $ total.

Food is for 2-3 people eating well. All other per person or boat as 
appropriate.

Please note;
Plan for low consumption of fuel on buying/building the boat. Plan for 
maintenance, I don4t think you can do it for less then 450$ /month.
A sailboat will cost more.