Is Living In A Trailer Park Cheap? Trailer Park Expenses Explained!

Trailer parks provide an alternative form of living. But is living in a trailer park cheap? 

Is Living In A Trailer Park Cheap?

Living in a trailer park is cheaper than renting an apartment. It will cost you around $1000 per month to live in a trailer park. On the other hand, you will spend almost double this amount to rent a similar-sized apartment in the city. Therefore, living in a trailer park is more affordable.

One of the greatest challenges that Americans face today is adequate housing. There’s a shortage of approximately four million housing units in the U.S.

 And as you may expect, the demand for the available units has gone higher. 

Consequently, rental prices have gone up significantly, making it hard for some people to afford rental apartments. Again, the shortage of housing increases the demand for housing and in turn, has far-reaching complications on the cost of housing.

Due to these challenges, some people have been forced to explore alternative ways of living. 

They seek alternatives that are not very difficult to obtain and at the same time, alternatives that are affordable. And living in a trailer park is one such alternatives.

But is living in a trailer park cheap? Is living in a trailer park cheaper than renting an apartment? Is living in a trailer park something you should consider? Is this something that will be viable and sustainable in the long run?

Well, our guide has the answers. 

In this article, we will take a closer look at how much it will cost you to live in a trailer park, costs comparisons between living in an apartment versus living in a trailer park, the advantages of living in a trailer park, and the negatives of living in a trailer park.

And with this information, you will be in a better position to decide whether living in a trailer park is the right move for you. Most importantly, you will be able to make an informed decision. With that said, let’s jump straight in.

How Much Does it Cost to Live in a Trailer Park?

So, how much does it cost to live in a trailer park? Well, it will cost you between $500 and $1000 per month to live in a trailer park.

The actual cost of living in a trailer park may be lower or higher than the figures that we’ve quoted here depending on the location. For example, it will be cheaper to live in a trailer park in Indiana compared to somewhere like California.

Expenses for Living in a Trailer Park

Buying the Trailer

You will need a mobile home or a trailer if you are planning to start living in a trailer park. Therefore, if you don’t have a trailer or a mobile home, then you will first need to acquire one.

Mobile homes and trailer parks are available in various styles and sizes. And, the size or style that you choose will determine how much you will spend.

Also, it will depend on whether the trailer is new or used. 

If you opt to buy a large, new trailer with lots of features, then you will end up spending more than $100,000. 

But, if you simply need a small, no-frills trailer park, then you can get one for around $10,000, which is affordable for most people.

When buying a trailer, you should ensure you choose one that’s in decent condition. Also, it should be comfortable to live in. Furthermore, you should examine its overall quality and ensure it has resale potential.

However, you also have the option of renting a trailer. There are several companies out there, which offer trailer rentals. 

It will cost you around $300 to $500 per month to rent a vacant trailer or mobile home in a park. So, if you can’t manage to raise the funds to buy yours, then renting one is also an option.

Leasing Space

After acquiring a trailer or mobile home, you will need somewhere to place it. And, this means you will have to lease space at a trailer park. This fee is usually charged monthly.

The amount you will be paying for this space will depend on the size of the lot that you choose. As you may expect, the bigger the size of the lot, the higher the rental fee. 

For instance, if you are looking to lease space for a 40-foot trailer, then it’s going to cost you more compared to someone who’s leasing space for a 20-foot trailer.

Furthermore, the cost per unit will vary from one park to the other. For instance, if you are looking to lease in a trailer park that’s close to the city, then you can expect to pay more compared to leasing space in a trailer park that’s located in a remote area.

Also, the features and amenities present in the trailer park will determine the rental fee. But on average, it will cost you around $200 to $800 per month to lease space for your trailer in a trailer park. 

The actual cost will depend on the park that you choose.

Utilities

Apart from leasing space for your trailer, there’s a high chance that you will also be paying for various utilities like electricity, water, sewage, gas, and trash pickup, among others.

Some trailer parks out there will combine the utilities with the monthly rent.

With such trailer parks, you will be paying a single fee for everything at the end of every month. This fee will cover everything.

On the other hand, some trailer parks will charge separately for the utilities. This fee will be added to the park’s monthly rental fee. 

Under this arrangement, you can be paying a single, fixed fee for all the utilities or you can be paying separately for each utility that you are using.

On average, utilities will cost you around $300 per month if you are paying for them separately. Based on my experience, there isn’t much price difference for the utilities, whether you will be paying them together with your lot rental fee or separately.

Miscellaneous Charges

Some trailer parks, especially the premium ones, have additional facilities and amenities. These may include things like water parks, swimming pools, fitness centers, and fishing piers, just to name a few. Some trailer parks also offer mail services for their residents.

In most cases, the monthly rent that you pay will cover these special features and amenities.

But in some parks, you may be required to pay for these features and amenities separately on top of your monthly fee. Generally, the cost of these special amenities won’t exceed $100 per month.

Is It Cheaper to Live in an Apartment or Trailer Park?

As we mentioned earlier, it will cost you around $500 to $1000 per month to live in a trailer park. If you were to rent an apartment of a similar size in the same area, you can expect it to cost you around $1,500 per month. You will also have to pay for utilities, which will come to around $300 per month.

So, the total cost of living in an apartment will be around $1,800 while the total cost of living in a trailer park will come to around $1000 per month. 

Without a doubt, living in a trailer park is cheaper compared to living in an apartment.

What is the Advantage of Living in a Trailer Park?

The main benefit of living in a trailer park is that you will save money, compared to renting an apartment. 

As we’ve highlighted earlier, you will save around $800 per month or even more when you are living in a trailer park.

Another benefit of living in a trailer park is that your maintenance work will be lesser compared to someone living in a traditional home. In a traditional home, you will have to take care of the yard, which can be a laborious and time-consuming process.

But when you are living in a trailer park, your monthly rent will also cover the maintenance. 

In a situation where the maintenance isn’t covered, the work is easy, since you only have a small yard to attend to.

Is It Bad Living in a Trailer?

Living in a trailer park also comes with some disadvantages. Perhaps the main disadvantage of living in a trailer park is that you won’t enjoy the sense of privacy that an apartment offers. Trailer parks come with a lot of restrictions that may not accommodate your request for privacy. 

For instance, you may desire to have a fence around your mobile home, but the trailer park manager may deny you this request.

Also, the available yard space can be quite small for outdoor activities or gardening. So, if you are the type of person that likes growing fruits or vegetables in a kitchen garden, then living in a trailer park can prove to be an issue for you.

Is There Anything Wrong with Living in a Mobile Home?

There’s some sort of a stigma to living in a trailer park or mobile home. This stigma arises from the misconception that mobile homes have poor standards of living. Also, some people assume that mobile homes are designed for low-class citizens. 

However, these are just that – misconceptions. There’s nothing wrong with living in a mobile home.

Modern mobile homes offer almost the same level of living conditions as someone living in a traditional home or a rented apartment. 

Therefore, do not think that you will be short-changed should you choose a mobile home, and you will get value for the money. And better yet, living in a mobile home is much cheaper, when you compare it to a traditional home or a rented apartment.

Key Takeaways

• Living in a trailer park is much cheaper than renting an apartment
• The advantages of living in a trailer park outweigh the drawbacks by far
• Mobile home offer decent living conditions, just like the traditional homes
• There’s nothing wrong with living in a mobile home