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Key Takeaways
- The projected monthly running budget for a new mobile optometry clinic in 2026 is expected to range between $56,000 and $65,000.
- Payroll for the initial four full-time employees represents the single largest recurring cost category, starting at $22,917 per month.
- The financial model indicates a strong early performance, achieving operational break-even in just two months.
- A significant minimum cash buffer of $549,000 is required by October 2026 to support initial capital expenditures and working capital demands.
Running Cost 1 : Staff Wages (Payroll)
Payroll Dominance
Your base payroll for the four core staff—Optometrist, Optician, Tech, and Coordinator—will hit $22,917 per month starting in 2026. This figure is your single largest recurring cost category. You need to model utilization carefully to cover this base before accounting for nearly everything else.
Staffing Cost Inputs
This $22,917 monthly payroll covers four full-time employees (FTEs) required for service delivery and administration in 2026. These roles are the Optometrist, Optician, Tech, and Coordinator. What this estimate hides, defintely, is the added expense of benefits and payroll taxes, which can add 20% to 30% on top of base wages.
- Base salary for the Optometrist.
- Base salary for the Optician.
- Wages for Tech and Coordinator.
Managing Fixed Labor
Since this is your largest fixed spend, managing the FTE count is critical before scaling revenue. Resist adding staff until patient volume guarantees coverage across all four roles. A common mistake is hiring specialized roles, like the Optician, too early before eyewear sales generate sufficient margin to support them.
- Delay hiring until utilization is proven.
- Cross-train the Tech role.
- Ensure Coordinator handles billing tasks.
Payroll Threshold
You must generate enough revenue just to cover this $22,917 base payroll before factoring in huge variable costs like inventory (which is 120% of sales) and vehicle expenses (40% of revenue). This payroll sets your absolute minimum operational floor.
Running Cost 2 : Inventory & COGS
Product Costs Exceed Sales
Your combined product costs are higher than your sales price right now. Wholesale eyewear costs at 80% of revenue and contact lens costs at 40% total 120% of projected 2026 revenue. This inventory burden equals about $14,184 monthly before you pay staff or run the van. You can't scale this way.
Inputs for Inventory Cost
This $14,184 figure covers two distinct product lines needed for service delivery. Eyewear costs are fixed at 80% of sales revenue, while contact lenses cost 40% of sales. The inputs needed are the projected 2026 revenue baseline and the fixed cost percentages applied by your suppliers. If utilization drops, this COGS figure drops proportionally, but the underlying margin problem remains.
Managing Negative Product Margin
You must aggressively renegotiate supplier terms or adjust pricing immediately. A 120% Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) means you lose money on every transaction involving physical goods. Focus on increasing the volume of high-margin services, like eye exams, which don't carry this inventory drag. Consider consignment agreements for frames to reduce upfront capital tied up in stock.
- Raise frame/lens pricing by at least 20%.
- Negotiate contact lens cost down to 30%.
- Shift sales mix toward service revenue.
Margin Reality Check
Since product costs alone exceed revenue, your gross margin on goods sold is negative 20%. This deficit must be covered entirely by service fees, which is a risky structure. If your exam revenue isn't high enough to absorb this $14,184 monthly product loss plus all other operational costs, the business model is, defintely, underwater.
Running Cost 3 : Vehicle Operations
Vehicle Cost Snapshot
Vehicle operating costs are your second biggest variable drain after inventory. They run about 40% of total revenue, hitting roughly $4,728 monthly based on Year 1 projections. This cost scales directly with service volume, so managing routes is key to profitability.
Cost Inputs
This 40% variable expense covers fuel and maintenance for the mobile units. To estimate this accurately, you need projected monthly revenue multiplied by 0.40. If revenue hits the implied $11,820 monthly baseline (based on $4,728 / 0.40), the cost is locked in. That's a big chunk of cash flow.
- Projected monthly revenue.
- Actual fuel consumption rates.
- Vehicle maintenance schedules.
Route Efficiency
Since this cost is variable, efficiency directly impacts your contribution margin. Focus on route density—packing more appointments into fewer miles driven between locations like corporate parks and senior centers. A defined service radius helps control fuel burn. Honestly, route planning is defintely your biggest operational lever here.
- Batch appointments by zip code.
- Negotiate fleet fuel cards.
- Optimize mobile unit load-out times.
Variable Risk
Watch out for hidden fixed costs creeping in, like specialized vehicle insurance already set at $3,000 monthly. If patient utilization drops, this 40% variable cost will quickly swallow your slim margins. You must track miles driven per service visit precisely to manage this exposure.
Running Cost 4 : Clinic Insurance
Fixed Insurance Overhead
Mandatory insurance coverage for your mobile clinic, covering liability and vehicles, is a fixed overhead of $4,200 per month. This cost is non-negotiable for compliance and protecting your assets before you see your first patient.
Insurance Cost Breakdown
This fixed cost bundles two critical protections: $1,200 for General Liability covering patient incidents, and $3,000 for Vehicle Fleet Insurance necessary for your mobile units. These are required inputs based on initial quotes for operating in 2026.
- General Liability: $1,200/month
- Vehicle Fleet Insurance: $3,000/month
Managing Premium Costs
You can’t eliminate mandatory coverage, but you can manage the premium. Review your projected annual vehicle mileage to see if a lower estimate reduces the fleet premium. Also, check if raising the General Liability deductible saves money, but assess the risk of higher out-of-pocket exposure first.
- Bundle policies if possible for discounts.
- Review deductibles against cash reserves.
Fixed Cost Context
This $4,200 insurance cost sits alongside $27,600 in other fixed expenses like staff wages and storage rent. Honestly, this fixed insurance burden must be covered every month, regardless of patient utilization rates, before you generate any variable revenue.
Running Cost 5 : EHR/Billing Software
Fixed Software Overhead
Software compliance costs $2,300 monthly, covering both patient records and revenue processing. This fixed expense demands immediate budgeting attention before you calculate variable operating costs.
Software Cost Inputs
You need two core systems: Electronic Health Records (EHR) for charting and the Billing System for claims processing. The EHR subscription is $1,500/month, and billing runs $800/month. This fixed $2,300 must be covered monthly, regardless of patient volume.
- EHR handles patient data compliance.
- Billing manages insurance claims submission.
- Total fixed software spend is $2,300.
Optimizing Tech Contracts
Never sacrifice compliance for savings here; bad EHR systems create huge regulatory risk down the road. Look for vendors offering bundled EHR and billing packages, which often yield a 10-15% discount over separate contracts. Defintely confirm if the mobile nature of your clinic triggers higher per-provider fees.
- Seek integrated EHR/Billing bundles.
- Verify mobile operational pricing tiers.
- Avoid long-term commitments initially.
Software Breakeven Load
This $2,300 fixed software cost must be covered by your gross profit dollars before any other overhead like payroll or rent. If your average transaction generates $75 in contribution margin after COGS and vehicle costs, you need 31 services monthly just to pay for the EHR and billing platforms.
Running Cost 6 : Storage and Utilities
Fixed Base Cost
Your base operational hub, covering storage and utilities, costs a fixed $2,900 per month. This covers the necessary physical space ($2,500 rent) and essential services ($400 utilities) needed to support the mobile fleet operations.
Storage Inputs
This fixed expense establishes your central staging area for inventory and admin. The calculation is simple: $2,500 for Office Storage Rent plus $400 for Utilities. This $2,900 is a non-negotiable fixed overhead that must be covered monthly.
- Rent: $2,500/month
- Utilities: $400/month
- Total Fixed Overhead: $2,900
Cost Management
Since this cost is fixed, optimization means challenging the necessity of the current footprint size. Review if a smaller, less centrally located space could work for staging equipment and inventory. Don't overpay for excess square footage you won't use.
- Audit current storage size versus needs.
- Check lease terms for flexibility.
- Ensure utility usage is actively monitored.
Scaling Impact
If you scale utilization rates successfully, this $2,900 cost becomes a smaller percentage of total revenue, improving overall unit economics. However, if patient volume is low, this fixed cost eats defintely into your available contribution margin.
Running Cost 7 : Patient Acquisition Marketing
Marketing as Variable Spend
Patient Acquisition Marketing is set at 30% of revenue, translating to about $3,546 monthly in 2026 projections. This spend is not fixed overhead; it scales directly with your sales volume, which is crucial for maintaining the utilization rates needed to cover your high fixed staff costs. You defintely need this budget to keep the vans moving.
Inputs for Marketing Budget
This 30% variable cost covers all patient outreach, from digital ads to community partnerships aimed at corporate clients. To calculate it, take your projected monthly revenue and multiply by 0.30. For 2026, that figure lands near $3,546. Honestly, that's a small lever compared to the 120% of revenue you spend on inventory and COGS.
- Inputs: Revenue Projection × 0.30
- 2026 Estimate: $3,546/month
- It scales with service volume.
Controlling Acquisition Cost
Since marketing scales with revenue, your focus must be on lowering the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA). Avoid spending heavily on broad campaigns that don't convert to booked exams. You must track which channels deliver patients who actually buy eyewear, not just exams. That's where the real margin lives.
- Track CPA per channel.
- Prioritize high-intent leads.
- Cut spending on low-conversion sources.
Utilization Risk
If utilization drops, marketing spend shrinks automatically, which is a dangerous cycle. If you can't fill the schedule to cover the $22,917 in base staff wages, the entire operation is underwater fast. Marketing spend is the fuel that keeps the patient flow high enough to justify those fixed payroll costs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Monthly running costs typically start around $56,000 to $65,000, covering base payroll ($22,917), fixed overhead ($10,700), and variable costs like inventory and vehicle operations;