Many people dream of life outside the 9-to-5 routine. Being on the move and discovering new things – not just once a year. But few have any idea what it actually costs. When we put our plan into action in 2022, we had no clue what it would cost. And there wasn’t much information online. If there was, it was usually data from long-term sailors in the Mediterranean or Caribbean. But we wanted to spend the first few years further north. We were drawn to Sweden rather than Spain. Not just because we love Scandinavia, but also because there are affordable harbours and empty anchorages everywhere.
One-off costs: purchase & equipment
When buying a boat, prices range from cheap to expensive. Popular, high-quality vessels such as Najad or Hallberg-Rassy command a respectable price even for small models. If not, you’ll want to hunt for a bargain. In contrast, production boats like Bavaria or Beneteau are available even on a modest budget.
We wanted a well-built, sturdy, seaworthy boat. So we had to compromise: either small (under 38 feet) or due for a refit. We opted for the former.
Island Packet 32 (10.67 m, 1994) €60,000 – not fully equipped for long passages, but not hacked together and well maintained. Very sturdy construction, one of the most popular long-distance boats in the USA, with traditional lines. Other boats we looked at in this price range (Najad 343, HR 352) had problems with their teak decks, which would have needed replacement. A Trintella 38, which should have cost just €40,000, turned out to be a project boat with faulty electrics, osmosis, and leaks in the deck. Fortunately, our surveyor saved us from a bad purchase.
And here comes the one piece of advice we would give anyone buying a boat: spend a little money and hire a marine surveyor. In most cases, their fee pays off if defects (and there are always some) allow you to negotiate the price down. For the defect discovered on our boat (leak in the water tank), we would have paid around €4,000 for a new tank and installation. The surveyor fee was just €1,200. From our experience, there’s generally about a 10% negotiation margin relative to the asking price.
Our additional start-up costs in the first 12 months
- an inexpensive dinghy: €500
- solar panels (one fixed, two foldable) + installation materials: €1,550
- lithium batteries (2×100 Ah) + installation materials: €2,500
Ongoing monthly costs
| Cost type | includes | Netherlands 2022 | Denmark & Sweden W 2023 | Sweden E & Finland 2024 | Norway 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berth | Harbour fees or canal charges during sailing season | €455 | €500 | €690 | €520 |
| Fuel | Diesel for engine and Webasto (heating) | €100 | €100 | €50 | €100 |
| Groceries | Food, toiletries | €480 | €520 | €600 | €650 |
| Insurance | Boat liability & comprehensive, travel health insurance | €50 | €50 | €50 | €50 |
| Boat | Repairs, maintenance, spare parts, upgrades | €650 | €200 | €170 | €175 |
| Internet | Mobile data for router | €50 | €45 | €45 | €45 |
| Transport | Bus, train, rental cars | €100 | €25 | €25 | €50 |
| Leisure | Restaurants, bars, museums etc. | €100 | €55 | €55 | €50 |
Winter costs
Monthly costs for electricity, diesel (Webasto), and berth.
| Winter location | Electricity | Diesel | Berth | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands 2022/23 | €150* | €200 | €90 | €440 |
| Sweden 2023/24 | €275 | €0 | €150 | €425 |
| Sweden 2024/25 | €120 | €40 | €100 | €260 |
| Norway 2025/26 | €85 | €0 | €135 | €220 |
* After our arrival, the harbour increased the originally agreed electricity price (due to the Ukraine war and rising costs) from €0.25 to €0.75 per kWh. So under normal circumstances, we would have paid roughly one third of this amount.
Our winter harbour in Sweden near Gothenburg has been the cheapest so far. We only found this small municipal harbour thanks to friendly Swedes we met on the way, who recommended “their” winter berth. All communication and payment was handled through them, as the harbour master spoke little English and we spoke little Swedish. Without these connections, we probably would not have had such nice company over the winter, nor discovered this spot.
Now in Norway, we’ve set up our winter quarters in Kristiansund on the west coast (near Trondheim). The harbour is very professionally managed and extremely helpful by the sailing club and the city. Electricity is charged as a flat fee here – the first time for a winter berth. Previously, it was always charged per kWh. As electricity prices are low in Norway, this works out well. The weak Norwegian krone also makes this the cheapest winter berth so far.