Some people get into debt for a car, an apartment, or education. And then, there’s Coachella, where tacos cost 100 bucks a pop. Here are the “devilish” prices you’ll have to pay if you go to this giant Disneyland for stars and wannabes.
Coachella is not for the faint-hearted. In other words, if you’re heart sinks when it comes to your wallet, this place will be hell for you. Because everything, from transportation to food, concerts to camping, costs an arm and a leg.
Or a kidney, depending on which organ you prefer to sell to get a glimpse of the stars and influencers who inhabit the California desert for two weekends.
And prices soar to stratospheric levels as soon as the festival begins: we’re talking about resold tickets going for around $4,000 to $6,000. While previous prices were around $649 for the weekend (which is already quite painful, to be honest).
Coachella relies on its glamping concept (camping with glamour and dignity) to extract amounts as hefty as a university scholarship. At the luxury end, the “ULTRA” glamping options at the Safari Campground include a yurt for four people, with a price tag that will blow your mind: $41,000.
Did you think you could console yourself with food? Think again. The menu, shared on the Coachella subreddit, listed a price of $23 for a vodka Red Bull and $17 for hard liquor, including Absolut vodka, Jameson whiskey, and Malibu rum.
Last year, a festival-goer went viral after paying $64 for cucumber water and two burritos for breakfast.
Going into Debt for Coachella
If you still insist on making a pilgrimage to the most Instagrammable place on the planet, you can always follow in the footsteps of some festival-goers: a payment plan.
“According to a new report published by Billboard on April 17, out of the over 80,000 attendees at the music festival, around 60% used a payment plan to purchase their tickets.”
Practically speaking, festival-goers make arrangements with the global ticketing giant AXS.
“They can reserve their tickets by paying a deposit of only $49.99 and paying the rest in several monthly installments. An additional fee of $41 is applied for using the service.”
What does this mean? Simply put, a portion of the public cannot afford to go. And the trend is experiencing a drastic increase. Coachella launched the “buy now, pay later” program in 2009, but at the time, only 18% of participants had used it.
The public doesn’t seem to be too shocked by this. While some comments regret that “broke people are willing to do anything to seem rich,” others see no major drawbacks:
“I don’t see why everyone makes such a fuss. Is it any different to say that 60% of Coachella festival-goers pay by credit card? People finance their purchases. It’s not new. All retailers now offer financing solutions, so why blame the consumers?”
The successful formula applied by Coachella to fleece so many willing souls is:
“Resellers take advantage of the fans’ enthusiasm and FOMO (fear of missing out).” – The New York Post
If you still believe that this experience will be a valuable addition to your resume (it counts as ‘Hydration in a hostile environment’ and ‘High-performance queue management’ on LinkedIn), you’ll have to be prepared to play a bureaucratic denial game upon your return. Like those who don’t open their tax reminder letters.
How much do influencers pay?
Even influencers struggle to foot the Californian bill. Some didn’t hesitate to share their expenses on their networks. OnlyFans star Sophie Rain, for example, tallied up the costs of her three-day attendance.
She came up with a “modest” $193,000, as if it were nothing (we’d want the same casualness when we think about the equivalent of an annual salary for a hippie gig). Even if she brings along stylists, this sandy adventure is not within everyone’s reach.
Internet troublemaker Jeremstar was also shocked by the prices. Some prefer four nights in a smelly camp surrounded by stars rather than investing in an apartment:
On-site, TikTok user Ruth Viveros posted a video showing what she ate there: a $17 lemonade consisting of a stack of ice cubes, followed by $102 tacos, rated 5 out of 10, because, of course…
Under the video, comments express despair:
“The prices are devilish.”
“The fact that the GENERAL ADMISSION costs $600 and you still have to pay as much for an average meal puts me in an irrational rage.”
Christina Gonzalez had better luck; she got a burrito for “only” $23, in a gloomy cardboard box, from One Stop Taco Shop. Among her 21,000 subscribers, some denounced “criminal” prices.
Now, let’s summarize what you should pay if you were to go there. We can’t verify if all the prices mentioned in the listing below are accurate, but based on the American press’s echo and that of influencers, we’re inclined to believe it.
The most affordable menus
For a dry chicken sandwich, expect to pay at least $30. If you find that unworthy of you, settle for $25 truffle fries. Fortunately, water is still affordable to help you digest this heavy menu.
