What a Coachella Trip Really Costs: Our Budget Breakdown

Tickets

This is the number everyone knows. General admission 3-day passes have recently started around $549 to $599, and VIP starts north of $1,200 per person, climbing with each price tier. Coachella uses tiered pricing, so the earlier you buy, the less you pay. Most people (us included) use the official payment plan to spread it out over months.

We went VIP for the comfort, and I broke down whether that was worth it in this honest VIP review.

Lodging

This is often the second biggest line, and it surprises people. Desert hotels near the festival sell out and surge, so budget generously. Depending on the hotel and how many nights you stay, plan for a meaningful chunk here, easily in the four figures for a multi-night stay. Our move: a shuttle-stop hotel a little further out (Embassy Suites Palm Desert) with free breakfast, which stretched the budget further. Splitting a house or rental with friends is usually the best value if you have the group for it.

Flights

Flights swing a lot based on where you are coming from and how early you book. We flew into LAX instead of Palm Springs because it had more options and better pricing, and treated the longer drive as part of the trip. Book early, stay flexible on days, and compare nearby airports.

Rental car and transportation

If you fly into LAX like we did, you will want a car for the airport, groceries, and getting around. Rental prices climb during Coachella weekends, so book well ahead. One thing that can quietly wreck your budget or plans: check the rental company's debit-card policy before booking (I learned that one the hard way). And a genuinely helpful fact, general parking at the festival is free if you drive, so a shuttle pass is optional.

Food and drink

Festival food and drinks add up fast over multiple days. The move that saved us the most: a grocery run for the hotel room and leaning on the free hotel breakfast every morning, so we were not buying every single meal on-site. Budget for a few festival meals plus your off-site food.

Outfits and extras

Outfits are as expensive as you make them. You do not need a brand-new look every day, rewearing pieces and mixing in accessories goes a long way. Set a small cap for merch before you go so you do not get swept up in the moment. And here is the fun budget win: the brand activations are free, drinks, treats, and beauty freebies included, so they are entertainment that costs nothing (more on that in the Starbucks House post).

The honest bottom line

Coachella is not a cheap trip, and pretending otherwise does not help anyone. Between VIP passes, several nights in a desert hotel, flights, a rental car, and food for two people, a trip like ours lands solidly in the thousands. But you have real levers to pull: buy passes early, go Weekend 2, choose a value hotel with breakfast, split lodging, and lean on the free activations. Plan the whole number up front and the trip is so much more relaxing.

Keep reading the series

The full planning guide, why we chose Weekend 2, our arrival day, and is VIP worth it.

Frequently asked questions

Janet

Orlando mom, creator, and festival lover behind Planet Janet TV. I share the real travel, finds, and outfits I actually use. Come say hi on Instagram.