How Much Does It Cost to Create Videos?
Most people want to know how YouTube monetization works and how much it pays. In this article, however, I want to turn things upside down and talk about the budget you need to produce videos.
So, this post will help you make better decisions when it comes to finding the best camera for your travel vlog. It will also provide guidance on how to build the ideal tech stack for your YouTube channel.
I looked back at three years of travel vlogging and did the math. In total, I spent €3,470.00, or $3,960.89 USD. This was not just for a camera, but for everything involved, including the website you are currently looking at. We are talking about four different categories: travel vlog cameras, hardware, accessories, and software.
Breaking things down into categories shows why it makes sense to invest in these items. My goal was to present the total costs of ownership. Thus, I also included gear that I use for other purposes, such as my PC or my phone.
Finding the Best Travel Vlog Camera for Your Needs
The most essential item is a camera for your travel vlog. As of today, my main camera is the DJI Osmo Action 6. I bought it for €339 (about $406.80 USD at the time of purchase) in Germany while visiting my family at the beginning of 2026.
At the end of 2025, I also upgraded to the Google Pixel 9 Pro for 26,990 NTD (about $844.25 USD), which I also use as a travel vlog camera. The combination of an action camera and a smartphone works great. My equipment needs to be lightweight and flexible. This setup is also ideal for backups, since I can directly upload my footage to the cloud.
In a previous blog post about my tech stack as a travel vlogger, I mentioned that I originally used the Akaso Brave 8 for $230 USD and the Xiaomi 11T Pro for €300 (about $345 USD). Both devices are still working, sort of. But I am not using them anymore. I still keep them.
I was never happy with the Brave 8. The stabilization is poor, and the app is a nightmare to use. It useless in low light environments. The Xiaomi 11T Pro, on the other hand, was great; it only lacked a 4K front camera, and the phone’s battery shows some signs of wear. I eventually turned it into a PS2 emulator (it works!), but I still keep it with me as a backup camera.
| Name | Price USD | End of Life |
|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | 844.25 | No |
| Xiaomi 11T Pro | 345.00 | Reused |
| DJI Osmo Action 6 | 406.80 | No |
| Brave 8 by Akaso | 230.00 | Yes |
Essential Hardware for Travel Vloggers
Technically, you do not need any additional hardware to create videos. And yet, this is the area with the largest number of items on my list. Back in 2024, I bought a second-hand Windows gaming PC for 15,000 NTD (about $550 USD at the time). I do not use it for gaming, but it is one of the cheapest ways to edit videos in 4K at 60 FPS.
At the moment, I use the DJI Mic Mini microphone in the field, which costs 3,590 NTD (about $117.17 USD). For my Kinmen podcast and voice-over, I use a standard desktop microphone that costs €38 (about $45.60 USD), although I cannot remember the brand.
Before that, I used the Hollyland Lark M1, which I bought in 2023 for $130 USD (about $149.50 USD at the time), along with a no-name desktop microphone. Unfortunately, both of those microphones no longer work.
Because I spend so much time in front of my PC editing videos, I also invested in an ASUS ProArt monitor and a small secondary screen for about 9,000 NTD (around $300 USD).
The ASUS ProArt delivers excellent color accuracy for color grading, although that level of quality comes at a price. There are cheaper alternatives available. Note that these monitors are not the best choice for gaming.
There is also additional hardware you should consider. For storage, I bought an internal 2 TB SSD and a NAS server with a 3 TB hard drive, for a total of $257.38 USD. I first bought a used 3 GB HDD, and then replaced it with a new budget NAS HDD. The NAS server mainly serves as a backup solution for my travel videos.
| Name | Price USD | End of Life |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Hand Windows PC | 550.00 | No |
| Podcast Microphone | 45.60 | No |
| ASUS ProArt PA278QEV | 228.09 | No |
| 2 GB SSD M.2 NVMe NVM | 95.00 | No |
| DJI MIC MINI Mikrofon | 117.18 | No |
| QNAP TS-130 1Bay NAS | 65.28 | No |
| Small Side Screen | 65.25 | No |
| 3 TB Toshiba NAS HDD | 120.38 | No |
| 2nd Hand 3 TB HDD | 23.00 | Yes |
| Desktop Microphone old | 17.25 | Yes |
| Hollyland Lark M1 | 149.50 | Yes |
You can cut a lot of corners and save money on hardware. However, I consider a PC and a microphone essential if you want to ensure solid video and audio quality for your vlog. Depending on your style of content, you may be able to reduce the overall cost of creating videos by buying cheaper hardware.
Software Budget for a Travel Vlogger
Even though I use a lot of different tools, I hardly pay for any of them. I did buy DaVinci Resolve Studio for 235.50 USD. The fact alone that this is a perpetual licence and not a SaaS solution is amazing. IMHO, the best video editing software for any travel vlogger.
I also spent 207 USD for a four-year plan for hosting this website, and that includes the fee for the domain as well. To build and maintain the website, I only use free tools such as WordPress without any paid plugins.
As I use an Android phone as a travel vlog camera, I also decided to upgrade my Google Drive plan to 200 GB. That costs me 23 USD per year. While I am traveling, all content goes into the Google Cloud. After editing, I archive all data on my PC and have a backup on my NAS.
I do use several AI tools, but they are all free, or at least I use the free plan. I wrote an article about using AI in video editing as a travel vlogger with more details. For travel vlog thumbnails and other artwork, I use Canva, but also just the free version.
| Name | Price USD | End of Life |
|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve Studio | 235.50 | No |
| Website hosting + Domain | 207.00 | No |
| Google Drive 200 GB | 46.00 (2 years) | No |
Travel Vlogging Accessories:
Finally, we come to what I call travel vlogging accessories. Besides cameras and microphones, many smaller items are essential for producing decent travel videos.
An example is my DJI Mobile SE gimbal. I actually bought this model twice after breaking the first one. A smartphone gimbal is useful because it helps stabilize your footage while walking or filming handheld.
I really liked the DJI Mobile SE at first, but my Google Pixel smartphone now seems to be slightly too heavy for it. As a result, the stabilization no longer works as smoothly as it did with my previous phone. Even so, I still consider a gimbal essential travel vlogging gear.
The Hidden Cost of Cables and Small Equipment
Accessories also include my spending on smaller but necessary items such as cables, screen protectors, SD cards, and tripods. Over the past three years, I spent a total of 238.23 USD on these accessories alone.
Especially cables and adapters are often underestimated. Even though I do not use Apple products, cables can still become expensive. For example, the Hollyland Lark M1 wireless microphone requires a 3.5 mm audio jack to a USB-C adapter cable. These cables tend to break easily, especially when filming outdoors.
| Name | Price USD | End of Life |
|---|---|---|
| DJK Mobile SE gimbal | 235.50 | yes |
| DJK Mobile SE gimbal | 207.00 | yes |
| Tripod Kyhome | 20.00 | No |
| Tripod Old | 10.00 | yes |
| Tripod Head Mount | 7.00 | No |
| Various cables/screen protectors, etc | 60.00 | no |
When shooting my Kinmen Travel Tales, the sand on Kinmen Island in Taiwan destroyed several cables. Filming at beaches can be particularly rough on equipment. In comparison, the DJI Mic Mini has a more robust integrated adapter, which makes it better suited for travel filming.
The Real Cost of Video Production
So how much does it actually cost to start a travel vlog on YouTube or social media? In my case, I spent 3,960.89 USD over three years on travel vlogging equipment. This includes cameras, microphones, accessories, and my video editing setup.
Prices for cameras, microphones, and video equipment can drop quickly, especially when new models are released. Three years are a long time in terms of technology. Exchange rates can also affect how much you pay if you buy gear internationally.
I hope this article gives you a realistic baseline for the cost of a product video. Of course, it is possible to spend much more depending on your equipment and production quality. To put it into perspective, 4,000 USD is roughly the price of an Apple MacBook Pro.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. You can also follow me on Instagram or Facebook for more travel content.
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