Starting a food truck in Australia realistically costs $60,000 to $150,000. The vehicle and fitout account for most of it, but the line that sinks new operators is rarely either — it is working capital, which almost nobody budgets properly.
Here is the full breakdown, including the costs that only appear once you are trading.
Key takeaways
- Total launch cost commonly runs $60,000–$150,000.
- A secondhand truck with a compliant fitout ($45,000–$85,000) is the usual sensible entry point.
- Budget $15,000–$30,000 of working capital on top — three to six months of operating costs.
- Ongoing fixed costs run $3,000–$8,000 per month before food and labour.
- Food cost of 28–35% of revenue is the benchmark to build your menu pricing around.
Setup costs, line by line#
| Item | Low | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle (secondhand, no fitout) | $25,000 | $55,000 | Condition and age vary enormously |
| Vehicle (new) | $60,000 | $90,000 | Before any fitout |
| Kitchen fitout | $30,000 | $80,000 | Custom builds at the top end |
| Cooking equipment | $8,000 | $30,000 | Included in some fitout quotes |
| Gas and electrical compliance | $2,000 | $6,000 | Requirements differ by state |
| Food business registration | $200 | $1,500 | Set by council |
| Public liability insurance | $1,500 | $4,000 | Annual |
| POS and payment hardware | $500 | $3,500 | See our POS guide |
| Branding and signage | $1,500 | $8,000 | Wrap versus paint |
| Initial stock | $1,500 | $4,000 | |
| Depot or commissary bond | $1,000 | $4,000 | |
| Working capital | $15,000 | $30,000 | The one people skip |
The vehicle: secondhand with a fitout wins#
Most successful Australian operators start with a secondhand truck that already has a compliant kitchen fitout, typically $45,000 to $85,000. It is faster and cheaper than a custom build, and it lets you start earning while you learn what you would actually change.
A new custom build costs roughly double and adds three to six months. It makes sense for a second truck, once you know precisely what your service needs.
Watch out
Compliance does not transfer automatically with the vehicle. A truck registered and approved in one council, or one state, may not meet the requirements of the council you intend to register with. Have it independently inspected against those specific requirements before you buy. This is the single most expensive mistake available to a new operator.
The fitout is where budgets break#
Fitout quotes vary wildly because the scope does. What drives cost:
- Cooking equipment. A wood-fired oven, a full fryer bank or a char grill each carry very different ventilation, gas and space requirements.
- Ventilation and extraction. Frequently underestimated, and non-negotiable.
- Gas and electrical. Certification requirements differ by state and must be done by licensed trades.
- Water and waste. Fresh and grey water tanks sized for a full trading day.
- Refrigeration. Usually the largest power draw, which drives generator sizing.
- Generator. Size it for peak draw, not average, or you will discover the problem mid-service.
The ongoing costs#
| Monthly cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Depot / commissary kitchen | $400 – $1,500 |
| Insurance | $150 – $400 |
| Vehicle registration and maintenance | $300 – $900 |
| Fuel and gas | $400 – $1,200 |
| POS and software | $50 – $250 |
| Marketing | $100 – $600 |
| Accounting | $150 – $500 |
| Fixed subtotal | $3,000 – $8,000 |
On top of that sit food cost at 28% to 35% of revenue and labour, which varies with how many staff you run.
Working capital: the line that matters most#
This is the difference between operators who survive year one and operators who do not.
New operators routinely spend their entire available capital on the truck and launch with nothing behind them. Then the first season is slower than projected, or the generator fails in month three, and there is no buffer.
Budget three to six months of fixed costs — $15,000 to $30,000 — that you do not touch for setup. If the numbers only work by spending it, the numbers do not work.
What the truck needs to earn#
A rough break-even sanity check, before profit:
- Fixed costs of $5,000 a month is a fair midpoint.
- At 30% food cost, every $100 of sales leaves $70 toward fixed costs and labour.
- Ignoring labour for a moment, you need roughly $7,200 of monthly sales just to cover fixed costs.
- At an average spend of $18 per customer, that is about 400 customers a month before you have paid yourself anything.
Add labour and a wage for yourself and the real target climbs considerably. The full picture is in are food trucks profitable in Australia.
Where the money comes back#
Utilisation. A truck that trades 18 days a month earns roughly twice what an identical truck trading nine days a month earns, against nearly identical fixed costs.
That is why booking pipeline is a financial question, not a marketing one. Listing through the Operator Portal to apply for catering jobs and events is one of the more direct ways to lift trading days — see how to get more food truck bookings.
Related reading#
Start with how to start a food truck business in Australia for the full sequence, food truck permits and licences for compliance, and food truck insurance and compliance for what you must carry.
Sources and scope#
All figures are indicative planning ranges for Australia, current as at September 2026, and are not quotes. Costs vary substantially by state, vehicle, cuisine and fitout specification. Registration fees and compliance requirements are set by individual councils under state legislation and change regularly — confirm with your council and state food regulator before committing. This is not financial, legal or tax advice.
