How Much Does It Cost To Start A Food Truck? (In 2025)
Looking to start a food truck?
But curious about:
- how much it costs to start a food truck?
- what are the typical food truck startup costs?
- or the actual cost of starting food trucks?
Well, we have the data to prove it, supported by real food trucks and how much they actually cost to start.
Let's go over it.
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Equipment & Supply Expenses
Starting a food truck may require purchasing some equipment, whether that's for producing the product or packaging the goods, or equipment needed in the back office.
| Cost | Required? | Min Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning Supplies ➜ |
Optional |
$63 |
$200 |
| First-aid Equipment ➜ |
Optional |
$3 |
$500 |
|
Uniforms |
Optional |
$0 |
$500 |
Retail Business Expenses
If you plan to have a brick & mortar location for your food truck, you must weigh the costs of your rent, as it may be the most expensive part of running your business.
Rent costs for your food truck very much depends on your location. This cost will vary by both region and specific areas of town: a lease in the heart of Manhattan could cost over $80,000/month in rent. Meanwhile, a storefront lease in Florida or Tennessee could cost less than $1,000/month.
| Cost | Required? | Min Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Shop Decor |
Optional |
$0 |
$5,000 |
|
Utilities (storefront business) |
Optional |
$0 |
$1,000 |
|
Building improvements and remodeling |
Optional |
$0 |
$950 |
| Storefront Property Rent ➜ |
Optional |
$1,250 |
$3,500 |
|
POS System |
Optional |
$0 |
$1,200 |
Software Expenses
Your food truck needs software to run efficiently!
Why spend money on software? Because it can help you save time and automate certain parts of the business, so you can focus on the most important matters. Software and technology can help you grow your business, and save you from expensive personnel costs.
| Cost | Required? | Min Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Email marketing tool |
Recommended |
$0 |
$100 |
|
Accounting & Invoicing Software |
Recommended |
$0 |
$50 |
|
Project Management Software |
Recommended |
$0 |
$25 |
|
Social Media Management Tools |
Optional |
$0 |
$50 |
|
Payroll Software |
Optional |
$0 |
$200 |
Inventory Expenses
If you sell a physical good, you'll likely have to start with some inventory.
| Cost | Required? | Min Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Upfront Costs For Inventory |
Optional |
$300 |
$5,000 |
|
Inventory Storage |
Optional |
$0 |
$5,000 |
| Package Design ➜ |
Optional |
$50 |
$3,000 |
|
Shrinkage |
Optional |
$0 |
$1,000 |
|
Distribution costs |
Optional |
$0 |
$750 |
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Advertising & Marketing Costs
| Cost | Required? | Min Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Cards ➜ |
Optional |
$0 |
$50 |
|
Tradeshow costs |
Optional |
$0 |
$5,000 |
|
Networking Membership Fees |
Optional |
$0 |
$250 |
| Business Signage ➜ |
Optional |
$75 |
$2,486 |
|
Direct Campaigns, Printing and Mailing |
Optional |
$0 |
$300 |
|
Influencer Marketing |
Optional |
$0 |
$750 |
|
Press |
Optional |
$0 |
$500 |
|
Google Ads |
Optional |
$0 |
$300 |
Website Costs
Every business should have a website, and it's worth spending a bit of money to set it up right.
| Cost | Required? | Min Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain Name ➜ |
Required |
$12 |
$200 |
| Business Email Hosting Service ➜ |
Recommended |
$1 |
$15 |
