Coachella is expensive. There is really no way around that. Between the festival ticket, accommodations, food, transportation, outfits, camping gear, and everything else you somehow convince yourself you need before the weekend, the costs add up FAST.
But after going to Coachella a few times, I’ve realized there are a few areas where I really don’t need to spend extra money.
I’m not someone who wants to do Coachella as cheaply as humanly possible. I still want cute outfits. I’m going to buy festival food. I’m probably going to come home with something I absolutely did not need. Hahaha.
Instead, I try to save money on the big things I don’t care as much about so I have more room in my budget for the things I actually want.
For me, these are the three biggest ways I save money at Coachella.
Attending Coachella on A Budget
Contrary to the polished images flooding TikTok and Instagram, not everyone at Coachella is a wealthy jet-setter with sponsors funding their extravagant escapades.
In reality, the majority of festival-goers are just like you and me – ordinary individuals paying their own way, prioritizing what is and isn’t necessary for every trip.
Coachella on a budget doesn’t equate to missing out; it’s actually a way to ‘make your own fun’ and get creative with things you already have.
Tip #1: Buy a GA Pass Instead of VIP
One of the easiest ways I save money at Coachella is by sticking with a General Admission pass.
I’ve always done GA, and I’ve never felt like I was missing out on the actual Coachella experience because I didn’t have VIP.
A GA pass gets you into the festival for all three days, which means you still have access to the stages, performances, art installations, food vendors, and the main festival grounds. If you’re camping, GA pass holders can also visit the GA camping areas.
And that’s really what I’m there for.
What Do You Get With Coachella VIP?
VIP gives you access to designated VIP areas throughout the festival. These areas can include extra shade and seating, flushable restrooms, specialty food and drink options, and bars.
Those perks can definitely sound nice – especially the bathrooms and shade after you’ve been walking around the desert all day. Hahaha.
But for me, they aren’t worth spending the extra money.
You’re still going to spend plenty of time outside the VIP areas if you want to explore the festival, see different stages, meet up with friends, try different food, and experience everything happening around the grounds.
I’ve also noticed plenty of people with VIP wristbands hanging out in the GA areas because that’s where so much of Coachella is happening.
I’ve Never Felt Like I Needed VIP at Coachella
This is the biggest thing for me.
When I’m trying to keep my Coachella budget under control, VIP is an easy expense for me to skip because GA already gives me what I personally want out of the festival.
I’d rather put that extra money toward camping supplies, food, outfits, gas, or a piece of merch I really want once I’m there.
And when you’re going with a group, choosing GA can also make the overall trip a little easier to budget for. Coachella is already expensive before you even step onto the festival grounds, so this is one area where I’m perfectly happy choosing the less expensive option.
Is Coachella VIP Worth It?
That doesn’t mean VIP isn’t worth it for everyone.
If having more shade, designated areas to sit and relax, flushable restrooms, and additional food and drink options would make your festival weekend more comfortable, you may decide those perks are worth paying extra for.
But if you’re trying to do Coachella on a budget and you’re mainly there for the music, art, food, and overall festival experience, I personally don’t think you need VIP to have an amazing weekend.
I’ve always been happy with GA, and it’s one of the first places I save money when planning my Coachella budget.
Tip #2: Camp Instead of Staying at a Hotel
Camping is probably one of the biggest ways I save money at Coachella.
Hotels and vacation rentals around Coachella can get EXPENSIVE during festival weekends. And when I say “around Coachella,” I don’t necessarily mean right next to the festival. You can stay pretty far away and still pay a premium because everyone is looking for accommodations at the same time.
Personally, I camp.
Not only does camping give you a place to stay right at Coachella, but it can also help you save money on transportation and food throughout the weekend.
And…I really like camping at Coachella. It’s become part of the experience for me.
Split the Cost of Your Coachella Campsite
If you’re going with friends, you can split the cost of your campsite instead of everyone paying for separate accommodations.
We camp as a group, which makes it even more affordable. Once our campsite is set up, that’s our little home base for the entire weekend.
We’ve figured out a campsite setup that works really well for us over the years. I shared my full Coachella camping setup with everything we bring, how we organize our space, and my tips for making camp more comfortable for the weekend.
Camping is truly the best because we’re already at Coachella. We don’t have to leave at the end of every night, drive back to a hotel, and then do the whole thing again the next morning.
Plus, camping with friends is just fun. Some of my favorite parts of Coachella happen at camp when we’re getting ready, making food, hanging out, or talking about everything we did that day.
You Can Save Money on Transportation
This is another BIG one for me.
If you’re camping at Coachella, you can walk from the campgrounds into the festival each day.
That means I’m not budgeting for rideshares back and forth, paying for parking, or figuring out transportation at the end of every night when thousands of other people are trying to leave too.
I wake up at Coachella, get ready at camp, and walk into the festival.
And when the night is over? I walk back to my campsite.
I love the convenience, but I also love that it’s one less expense I have to think about.
You Can Save Money on Food, Too
This might actually be one of my favorite reasons to camp. Hahaha.
I LOVE festival food, and I’m absolutely going to buy some while I’m inside Coachella. But I don’t want to buy every single meal, snack, and drink inside the festival for three days.
When we’re camping, we bring groceries and keep food at our campsite. We can make breakfast in the morning, eat before going into the festival, keep snacks and drinks at camp, and have food waiting for us when we get back.
Depending on our schedule, we can also head back to camp during the day to eat, rest, hydrate, or grab something we need before going back inside.
This is where I think camping can really help your Coachella budget. You’re not just saving on the hotel itself. You can potentially save on accommodations, transportation, AND food throughout the weekend.
And then I don’t feel quite as bad when I decide I need another overpriced lemonade inside the festival. Hahaha.
Is Camping at Coachella Worth It to Save Money?
For me, yes.
Camping isn’t going to be everyone’s preferred way to experience Coachella. You’re giving up air conditioning, a real bed, a private bathroom, and a nice hotel shower. Those things may absolutely be worth paying more for depending on how you like to travel.
But if you’re comfortable camping and your main goal is keeping your Coachella costs down, I think it’s one of the easiest ways to save money in several areas at once.
You get your accommodations, you’re already at the festival grounds, and you have a place to store and prepare your own food.
And because I genuinely enjoy the camping side of Coachella, it doesn’t feel like I’m sacrificing part of my trip just to save money.
If you’re thinking about camping for the first time, I have a complete Coachella Camping Guide that goes much deeper into how camping works, what to pack, campsite setup, showers, food, and what to expect once you’re there.
Tip #3: Eat Before You Go Into the Festival
Food and drinks can add up FAST at Coachella.
I’m pretty used to theme park prices, so expensive festival food doesn’t shock me quite as much anymore. But when you’re buying breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, and everything else for an entire weekend, it can become a pretty big part of your Coachella budget.
My solution isn’t to avoid buying food inside Coachella completely.
I LOVE trying festival food. It’s part of the experience for me, and there are always a few things I really want to try.
Instead, I try not to buy every single meal inside the festival.
@julia.vaness Food and drink prices at Coachella #coachella2023 #foodatcoachella #coachella2023food #coachellaprep #coachellafoodprices #coachellafood #coachellafoodie #coachellafoods #howmuchisfoodatcoachella ♬ BIZCOCHITO – ROSALÍA
Eat a Real Meal Before Heading Inside
Because we camp at Coachella, we bring groceries and make food at our campsite.
This makes SUCH a difference.
We can make breakfast in the morning, have snacks while we’re getting ready, and eat a real meal before walking into the festival.
If I go inside already hungry, I’m probably buying food almost immediately. And then I’ll want something else a few hours later. And probably a snack. And apparently three lemonades. Hahaha.
Yes. I once bought three $15 lemonades during Coachella.
It was hot!!
So eating at camp before heading inside gives me a much better starting point for the day. I’m not trying to avoid spending money once I’m inside. I’m just trying to be a little more intentional about what I spend it on.
Bring Food and Snacks for Your Campsite
One of my favorite things about camping at Coachella is having our own little kitchen setup.
We bring groceries, snacks, drinks, and easy meals that we can make throughout the weekend. It gives us food for the mornings and something to eat when we get back to camp at night.
Depending on your schedule, you may also be able to head back to camp during the day to eat, rest, refill, and hydrate before going back into the festival.
You don’t need an elaborate camping menu, either. I like bringing food that’s easy to make, easy to store, and something I’ll actually want to eat when it’s hot outside.
I have an entire Coachella camping food and grocery guide with the meals, snacks, and groceries I recommend bringing, so I won’t get too deep into that here.
For budgeting purposes, the important part is that every meal I eat at camp is one less festival meal I have to buy.
Budget for the Coachella Food You Actually Want
This is probably my biggest food-budget tip.
Don’t necessarily tell yourself you’re not going to buy ANY food at Coachella.
At least that would never work for me. Hahaha.
Instead, I would rather save money by eating some of my meals at camp and then spend money on the festival food I actually want to try.
If there’s a restaurant I’ve been excited about, a dessert that looks amazing, or apparently a $15 lemonade that I suddenly desperately need, I have room in my budget for it because I’m not buying every single meal inside.
That’s pretty much my entire Coachella budget philosophy: save money on the things I don’t care as much about so I can spend it on the things I actually want.
Don’t Forget About Water
And while we’re talking about food and drinks, PLEASE stay hydrated.
Coachella can get incredibly hot, and you’re spending hours walking, standing, dancing, and being outside in the desert.
I always bring something I can refill with water and make hydration part of my festival-day plan. This isn’t where I would try to save a few dollars by simply drinking less.
Eat before you go inside, keep food back at camp, budget for the festival food you really want, and drink plenty of water.
That’s how I keep my food spending somewhat under control without feeling like I’m missing out on one of my favorite parts of Coachella.
Final Thoughts: You Can Do Coachella on a Budget
Coachella is expensive. I’m definitely not going to pretend that it’s a cheap weekend. Hahaha.
But I’ve learned that I don’t need to spend money on absolutely everything to have an amazing time.
For me, the biggest savings come from sticking with GA instead of upgrading to VIP, camping instead of paying for a hotel, and eating some of my meals at camp instead of buying every meal inside the festival.
Those three choices alone help me cut down some of the biggest expenses of the weekend.
And then I have a little more room in my budget for the things I actually DO want to spend money on.
Maybe that’s an outfit I’ve been planning for months, a piece of Coachella merch, a food vendor I really want to try, or another ridiculously expensive lemonade because apparently I have learned nothing. Hahaha.
That’s really my entire approach to doing Coachella on a budget: save money on the things I don’t care as much about so I can spend it on the things I actually want.
You don’t need VIP, an expensive hotel, or a huge festival budget to have a great Coachella weekend.
Figure out what matters most to you, plan for those expenses ahead of time, and look for the areas where you’re perfectly happy spending less.
That’s how I budget for Coachella – and so far, I haven’t felt like I’m missing out.
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