What it actually costs
Costs
All numbers here are rounded ranges—close enough to be useful, vague enough to be comfortable sharing publicly. I update these as categories change. If you want precision, track your own.
Acquisition
Buying Pearl
Purchased privately. Price withheld—but used teardrops in this condition run roughly $4k–9k depending on build quality and region.
Tow Vehicle
Truck, hitch, and equipment
Professional install at a local hitch shop. Includes 4-pin flat wiring harness. Well worth not DIY-ing for the first tow.
Standard 2" receiver ball mount, 1-7/8" ball (Pearl uses 2"—verify yours). A $50 item that matters a lot.
Insurance
Coverage for Pearl and the trip
Actual policy cost varies widely by insurer, state, value, and use. This ballpark covers a basic comprehensive/collision policy on a used teardrop.
Gear
Camping and kitchen equipment
Aggregate of sleeping bag, chair, stove, cooler, water jug, headlamp, first aid, navigation app. Full breakdown in the Gear section.
Fuel
Per-trip fuel cost estimates
Rough range for 1–2 night trips within ~100 miles. Towing a ~1,000lb trailer decreases MPG by 15–25% depending on terrain and speed. Plan for 10–12 MPG towing.
Campsites
Fees or free dispersed camping
Most BLM land in the Great Basin allows free dispersed camping. Gaia GPS is useful for finding spots. 14-day limit, pack it out.
State park and National Forest sites typically fall in this range. Hookups cost more (not needed for Pearl—trailer battery + solar covers short trips).
Food
Groceries and road food
Grocery-store meals cooked at camp plus one treat (good coffee, a decent piece of chocolate). Not eating out. Includes the inevitable gas-station snack.
Maintenance
Repairs, upkeep, registration
Varies by state and declared value. NV is reasonable.
Parts cost for a DIY repack every 10-12k miles. Pay someone and it's $80-150. Good maintenance to stay on top of.