AC - budget considerations: need advice

[Slowtrotter]

Hi, wise and knowing!
Me and my wife are going AC (to Jomsom); this is out second trek in the region, and this time we want not to "buy the trek" in agency, just to hire guide and porter, and to pay for all the expenses by ourselves.
I made a math, but the question is whether I did it correctly.
So the bill is:
- 40$ for guide and porter a day (including insurance)
- 10$ a day / person for our expenses (we eat basics and drink tea)

Taking 14 days, it is (40 + 10*2) * 14 = 840$

Onetime expenses:
- TIMN permit 30$ * 2 = 60$
- transportation 50$ (don't know for sure )
- May be, transportation for guide/porter back - 100$
Total:: 210$
Grand total: 1050$

Is this close to real? Did I forget something?
Your enlightened opinion, please!

[yakshaver]

I would increase the daily food and accomodation to about 15-20 dollars per person.

Secondly, the flight out of Jomsom to Pokhara is about 70 USD. About half for your Nepali guide/porter.

On the other hand, if there's only two of then maybe a porter-guide will sufice. Which could cost maybe 25/day.

[Petrus]

In -06 we paid $12 for a porter-guide (porter AND guide is really not needed if you have trekked before and know the ropes) and €20.5 on the average for food & bed for the two of us. That would be about $15/person now, but as prices have gone up a bit better calculate $20/person.

[Landfall38]

In 2007 we spent $30/day (for a couple) for food & lodging on AC, no alcohol very few cokes/sprites.

Prices were definitely up in Dec 2008 (however, because we were off in non-tourist areas (Tumlingtar) where only dal bhat etc was available, our $/day on our most-recent trek was way down.)

In addition to ACAP permits, don't forget visa costs plus Kathmandu costs.

[kolobar]

I doubt porter and guide will be insured if you hire them independetly. As far as I understand insurance company dont insure individual porters&guides (if they would want to insure themselves - I doubt any porter is willing to spend his hard earned tiny wage for insurance). They sell insurance package to agencies and it covers all porters working for the agency which just has to provide a list of names of staff for a certain trek.
Even a generous wage (for nepali standards) would summ less than 40usd for porter and guide. Mind that only if you know a good guide personally (it seems this forum is a good source for guides with references) it is not easy to find a good guide on the streets of KTM or Pokhara. Good guides are employed by agencies and are busy during trekking season.
I spend every trekking season in Nepal and prices go up constantly. I dont have my notes at hand but I guess flight Jomson - Pokhara should cost about 90usd by now. Local price for porters/guides is 1/3 of tourist price therefore about 30usd. Another (cheaper) option nowadays is a drive. With a new road you can drive all the way to Pokhara from Jomson in a day. You might find porters to collect the transportation money and walk to Beni to save some extra money.
Daily costs for independent trekking: I calculate 15-20usd per day per person. There are some tempting possibilities in Marpha, Jomsom, Mukhtinat... to spend more lavishly on yak steaks, cakes, better rooms etc.