6 owners of tiny homes reveal how much they spend each month on housing

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6 owners of tiny homes reveal how much they spend each month on housing

tiny house orlando lakefront

Frank Olito/ Insider

Tiny house expenses are typically less than $1,000 per month.

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  • Residents in the Orlando Lakefront tiny house community typically spend less than $1,000 per month on home-related expenses.
  • Elizabeth Silva spends just $600 per month on her housing expenses, which include rent, internet, utilities, and insurance.
  • Meanwhile, Mickie Boehm spends $1,000 per month on the same expenses.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tiny homes can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $150,000 to build, which is far less than the cost of the average standard size home in the US. And the savings don't stop there.

Living in - and maintaining- a tiny home is typically less expensive, as well. Nobody knows this better than the residents of Orlando Lakefront, a tiny house community in Florida. In fact, the owner of the community, Adam Money, told Business Insider that people who live in tiny houses typically save $2,000 a month.

After speaking with six homeowners in the community, it's clear that most spend less than $1,000 on expenses every month. Keep reading to see how their expenses break down.

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Mickie Boehm — who has lived in a 250-square-foot tiny house with her husband since July 2018 — spends about $1,000 per month on expenses.

Mickie Boehm — who has lived in a 250-square-foot tiny house with her husband since July 2018 — spends about $1,000 per month on expenses.

Boehm spent $68,000 building her tiny house. She also received $12,000 worth of upgrades for appearing on "Tiny House Nation." Once her house was completed, she had to pay a one-time fee of $200 upfront to join the waitlist at Orlando Lakefront to ensure a spot in the community.

Cost of lot: $450 per month

Utilities: $50 per month

Insurance: $100 per month

Groceries: $400 per month

Total: $1,000 per month

Amanda Burger lives in her 26-foot-long tiny house with two small children. She spends almost $1,000 per month on expenses.

Amanda Burger lives in her 26-foot-long tiny house with two small children. She spends almost $1,000 per month on expenses.

Burger paid $16,000 to have a contractor build the frame of her house. She decided to finish the rest herself. In the end, she spent $40,000 on her tiny house and paid the $200 to ensure a spot at the Orlando Lakefront.

Cost of lot: $500 per month

Utilities: $40 per month

Insurance: $50 per month

Groceries: $400 per month

Total: $990 per month

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DJ Gilley has lived in her 220-square-foot home since February 2019 and spends about $745 per month on expenses.

DJ Gilley has lived in her 220-square-foot home since February 2019 and spends about $745 per month on expenses.

Gilley spent $65,000 on her tiny house, which her son built. She had to pay three months of rent at Orlando Lakefront before her home was even finished because Gilley did not want to lose her spot in the community.

Cost of lot: $650 per month

Utilities: $50 per month

Internet: $45 per month

Total: $745 per month

Misty Gilley spends about $645 per month on expenses related to her 240-square-foot home.

Misty Gilley spends about $645 per month on expenses related to her 240-square-foot home.

Gilley initially spent $40,000 on the frame of her tiny house, but she quickly learned her house was built all wrong. Fixing the plumbing, wiring, and flooring cost her another $40,000, so she spent $80,000 and counting on her tiny house.

Cost of lot: $550 per month

Utilities: $50 per month

Internet: $45 per month

Total: $645 per month

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Elizabeth Silva has lived in her 170-square-foot tiny house since August 2019 and spends about $640 per month on expenses.

Elizabeth Silva has lived in her 170-square-foot tiny house since August 2019 and spends about $640 per month on expenses.

Silva spent $50,000 on her home and then paid an additional $200 to get on the Orlando Lakefront waitlist to ensure a spot in the community.

Cost of lot: $450 per month

Internet: $66 per month

Utilities: $40 per month

Insurance: $83 per month

Total: $639 per month

Li-Mor Raviv's 320-square-foot home is still being built, but her monthly expenses are already $600.

Li-Mor Raviv's 320-square-foot home is still being built, but her monthly expenses are already $600.

Raviv's tiny home is behind construction schedule, so she has been paying rent at Orlando Lakefront for a month without actually living there. The house itself is costing over $70,000, plus she had to pay the $200 waitlist fee.

Cost of lot: $600

Total so far: $600

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