Sabbatical & Gap-Year Affordability Calculator
Example: Monthly travel budget: 2500 $ · Planned months away: 6 months · Upfront flights: 2500 $ · Upfront gear & prep: 800 $ · Home carry costs per month: 600 $ · Savings available for the trip: 22000 $
| Total cost of the trip | $21,900 |
| Surplus (+) or shortfall (-) | $100 |
| Months you can afford | 6 |
Worked example
A 6-month trip at $2,500 a month is $15,000 of travel, plus $2,500 flights and $800 gear, plus $600 a month of home carry costs ($3,600), for a total of about $21,900. Against $22,000 saved that leaves a razor-thin $100 surplus. Excluding the upfront flights and gear, the remaining $18,700 could stretch to about 6 months at the combined $3,100 monthly burn — confirming the plan just barely fits.
Frequently asked questions
What are home carry costs?
These are the expenses that continue at home while you travel: rent or mortgage, storage, insurance, subscriptions, and a phone plan. They are easy to forget and can quietly consume as much as your travel budget, so include them honestly.
Should I drain my entire savings?
No. Keep a separate emergency fund and money to re-establish yourself when you return, such as a deposit or a bridge until your next paycheck. Only the savings you can truly dedicate to the trip belong in the available-savings field.
How can I extend how long I can travel?
Lower the monthly travel budget by choosing cheaper regions, cut home carry costs by subletting or ending a lease, or earn some remote income on the road. Each of those pushes the months-affordable figure higher.
What about income when I return?
This tool covers the trip itself. Line up a return plan, whether a job to come back to or a runway of a few months of expenses, so the end of the trip does not create a new financial cliff.