A few years ago, a California-based company called Vivos produced snickers when it introduced a series of luxury survival bunkers. Equipped with all the medical, recreational, and other gear one might need when the world comes to an end, the bunkers seemed to have it all. Only one problem: Starting at tens of thousands of dollars, they were beyond the budget of most suburban survivalists. Enter the Vivos 1000, a "bargain" economy-class bunker, which you can squeeze into for just $9,950 per person. "Now, virtually anyone can afford a boarding pass," the company says. Here's a guide to what you'll get for your money:

How much protection do these bunkers offer?

Vivos claims its shelters are engineered to withstand a 50 megaton nuclear blast, and "virtually any other force that either nature or mankind may create." They come with their own power generators, deep water wells, and medical equipment.

How much is the first-class luxury shelter?

Space in one of the five luxury bunkers being built starts at $25,000 a person, and requires a $5,000 deposit. Each shelter can accommodate roughly 250 people in "spacious quarters" (about 100 square feet per person) for one year. Occupants get medical and dental centers, pet kennels, complete wardrobes, books and entertainment materials, pool tables, wine cellars, and a year's supply of freeze-dried food.

And what about the rest of us?

The cheaper Vivos 1000 offers only the bare essentials, so no pet care or chilled wine. And instead of a complete wardrobe, occupants will get only "comfort sweats." The size of the bunker is the same, but it will be filled with four times as many people. Occupants will share a room with three others. Most importantly, the economy-class bunkers only ensure survival for six months. That "hardly seems like enough time for nuclear fallout to settle down and create living conditions for humans," says James Johnson at The Inquisitr. "I see these units becoming living tombs after half a year."

Where are these bunkers?

Due to security concerns, the location of the first-class bunkers are being kept under wraps. But the company says the economy-class bunkers are somewhere in Nebraska, "far from known targets, fault lines, all oceans, and well above the subsided earth changes envisioned by many predictions."

Are people really investing in these things?

According to Vivos, yes. More than 10,000 people have either applied for a reservation or have actually handed over a cash deposit. Since the March 11 earthquake in Japan, reservations requests have skyrocketed by nearly 1,000 percent, and hundreds of people are curious about the new budget facility, says Vivos CEO Robert Vicino, as quoted by CNN. "This may be your only chance to secure a spot in Vivos and to have a far better survival solution than trying to survive on the surface."

Sources: CNN, Terravivos.com, Globe and Mail, The Inquisitr