Everything you have.
Aside from the financial costs, which are substantial and documented endlessly elsewhere, it may cost you your job, your relationships, your sanity, or your soul. Totally worth it, though.
I’ve been going for 14-some years. Met my wife at a Burning Man event. Left jobs because they wouldn’t let me have two weeks in August for a “family vacation in the desert.” Stayed at jobs and missed it. Bought vehicles, bicycles, tents, fridges, costumes, all sorts of other crap because it would be great for Burning Man. Planned my whole year around it. Got caught up in local “regional” events. Let myself be convinced to have mind-altering experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise considered, because of it.
If all you see is a few dollar signs you’re missing a much, much bigger picture.
My camps over the years:
2016 “Da Vinci” — Ranger camp Berlin
2012 “Fertility 2.0” — Kidsville
2009 “Evolution” — Camp Makin’ Bacon
2008 “American Dream” — Secret Xchange
2007 “The Green Man” — Secret Xchange
2006 “Hope and Fear” — Playa Game Camp
2004 “The Vault of Heaven” — Shangri-la Village
2003 “Beyond Belief” — Shangri-la Village
2002 “The Floating World” — camped on my own
2001 “Seven Ages” — Xara
2000 “The Body” — camped on my own
1999 “Wheel of Time” — camped on my own
1998 “Nebulous Entity” — camped on my own
1997 “Fertility” — camped on my own
The only requirement is that you have a ticket. But there are many other factors you should do, including reading, understanding, and agreeing to live by the 10 principles. Practice camping. Make sure you’re bringing the right gear. And then: “Buy the ticket, take the ride.”