Cast off the shackles of everyday life and live in a beach paradise for less than $500 a month.

It’s that easy. Well almost. Let’s pretend that you can leave your job, home and whatever else ties you down. OK, now that all that nonsense is forgotten, let’s look at how to live on the beach for cheap.

Many people ask if I get bored living on the beach. The answer is I don’t. I am the busiest man in the world with nothing to do and absolutely no time to do it.

What Life is like when you live in a Beach Hut

I have lived on the beach in India for exactly one month now. I am writing this from the restaurant that is part of my beach shack community. Working from my laptop, as I do most days, while staring at the Indian Ocean. Not a bad view from the office.

Life here is easy and life here is cheap

Sure my bed sheets are covered in sand constantly, and my feet may never be clean again; but these are minor nuisances in an otherwise awesome existence.

I have always wondered how to live on the beach for cheap. It’s a dream I think we all have at some point in our lives; thinking of an escape from reality.

This dream has now become my reality, but only for a couple more days before it is time to leave again and start my motorcycle journey though India.

I have been to this beach before, and may return again. Life is just too easy here. I was hesitant about coming back to this beach paradise where time stands still, have a look at this article I wrote about my return here to see how I felt a month ago when I first arrived.

How to live on the Beach CHEAP

This depends where in the world you are. Of course it will be more expensive to live in South Beach Miami than where I live on the beach in India, but when you give up luxuries you gain freedom. A trade-off I will make everyday of the week.

My average month expenses here are around $500. This is without being a cheap backpacker, because I’m not. I eat what and where I want, as well drink as I please and the costs just do not rack up quickly.

I know people here, on a tighter budget, that are living for half this amount or less by sharing huts. But, their comfort level is far below mine. As far as beach huts go I have one of the best ones around in my opinion, but luxury like this comes with a price tag, $12 a night.

Had I bargained for the whole month it could have been a lot less. There are huts of a lesser quality for as low as $3 a night.

I am living in the perfect little section of Arambol Beach.

So to answer the question; how to live on the beach cheap. The first tip; you can’t be picky about the country. Get to the third world and leave the first world problems where they belong.

What the Food is like when you live on the Beach in India

The food here is good and cheap, as it should be. I am looking at the menu as I type this and have a few examples of what I would typically consume in a day and the total cost. Sure some days have more beers, or juices, or less food, or different food, but this is a usual day.

The cost of food when you live on the beach

Coffee Rs20 ($0.40)

Huge cheese omelet with toast Rs80 ($1.60)

Fresh squeezed juice of all kinds Rs60 ($1.20)

Tuna sandwich with salad and fries Rs140 ($2.70)

Paneer butter masala Rs140 ($2.70)

Garlic naan bread Rs50 ($1.00)

1 beer Rs50 ($1.00)

Total for the day: Rs 540 ($10.80)

If you take out the luxury items like beers and juices and stick to the cheaper food or share plates, the colossal total of $10 could easily be cut in half.

On a usual day I will drink bottled water ($0.30 per 1L) and skip the beers and coffees.

Take into consideration the restaurant where I stay isn’t the cheapest. If I had more motivation I could walk a bit into town and eat for much less.

$5 a day on food here isn’t far fetched.

The quality of the food when you live on the beach

The quality is high. The Indian food in India is, of course, fantastic. Usually the restaurants appearance will make you apprehensive; most of the time they are empty, but they somehow always manage to turn out these amazing meals.

I don’t eat meat here. Others do, but when I first arrived in India 3 years ago I saw a cow eating a plastic bottle and figured that the quality of feed the farmers give the animals is probably extremely low and unregulated, so that was a turn off.

Why you must live on the Beach at Least Once in you Life

You can sit there wondering how to live on the beach or you can do it. It doesn’t have to be for a full month, if you can only escape work for 1 week that will do just fine. You will want to stay longer but it is better than nothing!

The freedom that is felt in this sort of environment is unbeatable. Stress lifts away as does your sense of time and date. The days of week no longer matter and you start to live a healthier life without even knowing it.

Sleeping when you are tired and waking up when you are rested. There are no alarms. When you are hungry you eat, and if you are not hungry you don’t.

Obesity is non-existent here, people back home eat when they are stressed and when they are bored; two feelings that aren’t common among those that live on the beach.

You sleep to the sound of waves and breathe fresh sea air the entire night. Everyone you meet, for the most part, is happy; they are here and in a good mood.

Living on the beach is something you will remember forever. Swinging in a hammock on the porch of your beach hut is the most relaxing feeling in the world.

There are many people here that will stay the season, the season being six full months. Six months could be done for under $3000.. Do you have an extra 3k for an amazing winter experience? If so start planning for next year, running away isn’t as hard as you think.

So that’s it. Add it all up and see this could be done for as low as $300 a month. With a moderate amount of comfort around $500. Add a couple hundred more and you will be living like a king.

Next time you are sitting in your office wondering how to live on the beach for cheap look back to this article for inspiration and book the ticket.

Don’t over think it or it wont happen. Impulsivity is the spice, and when you are old and grey, it’s unlikely that you will look back and be like “damn, wish I never lived on the beach”.

If you enjoyed this article about how to live on the beach for cheap please subscribe to receive updates about new posts via email.

Other articles that may be of interest;

While living on the beach I bought a motorcycle I will tour through India with. Have a look at buying a Royal Enfield in India to see how it’s done.

Christmas has just passed, see what Christmas is like when you live on the beach.

Sometimes I leave the beach to visit the interior of Goa, check out when I came face to face with a 400 year old man.

If you have any questions about how to live on the beach for cheap, or you would like to know where this little piece of paradise is please leave a comment below and I will help any way I can!