Boat ownership costs often include Berthing Fees, Loan Payments, Mandatory Insurance Premiums, Property Tax, in addition to the costs of general maintenance, storage lockers, and utilities (phone, electricity, etc.). Boat loan payments are often comparable in dollar amount to home mortgage loans since the maximum term is for 15 years, and the loan amount varies from less than $20,000 to over $150,000. Two examples of expenditures follow:
| . | Example One | Example Two |
| Berth | $ 275.00 | $ 220.00 |
| Loan | $ 1,400.00 | $ NONE |
| Insurance | $ 100.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Tax | $ 116.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Maintenance | $ 75.00 | $ 50.00 |
| Storage | $ 125.00 | $ 30.00 |
| Utilities | $ 30.00 | $ 20.00 |
| . | . | . |
| TOTAL | $ 2,121.00 | $ 420.00 |
These figures represent both ends of the spectrum. Example One illustrates the costs associated with owning a new, very expensive vessel. Example Two shows the more modest expenditures associated with owning a smaller vessel that has already been paid for. All these costs (except storage) are associated with boat ownership in general, and are not unique to live-aboards. The person who owns a boat and lives ashore has these costs as well as home mortgage or apartment rent payments.