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Van life is more popular than ever, and it’s easy to see why. The ability to go anywhere, anytime is hugely appealing. And, for many people, van life is a way to save money, especially in a time when buying a house has become incredibly costly. But how much does van life cost, really?
Having a good idea of the expenses of van life is essential before taking the plunge and getting your own campervan. In this article, we’ll break down the various costs of van life, and talk about just how much you should expect to spend to live in a camper van.
How Much Does Van Life Cost?
When discussing how much van life costs, we can break the costs down into two main categories: the upfront costs and the long-term costs.
- Upfront costs are the costs associated with actually acquiring a campervan.
- Long-term costs will include recurring expenses such as gas and bills, as well as one-time costs such as repairs or recreation.
With upfront costs, the main cost is buying (and sometimes outfitting) your van. When buying your van, there are three options: buy a new ready-made campervan, buy a van and convert it yourself, or buy a used van. Each has its advantages, disadvantages, and specific costs.
How Much Do Camper Vans Cost?
If you want to live the van life, the first thing you’ll need is… well, a van! Just like with any big-ticket item, there’s a wide range of answers to the question “how much does it cost?”
First of all, there are brands at all kinds of different price points, from relatively affordable budget options to ultra-luxury vans that cost as much as some houses. Plus, there are different routes to getting a van; you can save a lot of money by buying used or converting a van yourself.
First, let’s take a look at buying a brand-new, ready-to-go camper van.
Buying a New Camper Van
A bright, shiny new camper van is an appealing option for plenty of reasons. Knowing that everything is in new condition means fewer worries about breakdowns and maintenance. Plus, a new van will have the latest features and technologies to boot.
Class B Motorhomes
Phone Bills
While a cell phone is already a daily necessity for most of us, it’s even more so when living in a van and traveling frequently. Beyond just staying in touch with the world, cellular data is the main way to access the internet for many van lifers.
While cheaper plans can be gotten for around $20, plans which have more data for mobile hotspot use will cost around $100.
Food
One of the biggest van life costs is going to be food. Just like sleep, everybody has to eat.
Many camper vans will have only a very basic kitchenette or no kitchen at all. So, some van lifers, such as YouTuber Jennelle Eliana, eat the majority of their meals out at restaurants. In Janelle’s case, she spends $400 a month on eating out and doesn’t generally buy groceries.
Far Out Ride generally spends $500 to $600 on groceries monthly and another $200 to $400 eating at restaurants.
Whether eating out or cooking at home, the food cost for van lifers will generally be between $400 and $1,000 a month.
Repairs and Maintenance
One final major expense to consider is the cost of maintenance and repairs on your van. Just like any vehicle, sometimes breakdowns just happen. And even without breakdowns, a camper van will need regular maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotations and replacements.
Depending on the repair or maintenance being done, this can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Due to these high costs, it’s smart to make room in your budget to set aside some money every month. This “slush fund” can then be used for unexpected repairs or any other surprise costs.
Everything Else
Besides these main van life costs, there are a number of other expenses to consider.
First are monthly memberships and subscriptions. It’s very common for van lifers to pay for a gym membership so they can use the gym to shower. This will cost around $20 to $30 a month.
Another common cost in this category is an annual pass from the National Park Service. This pass costs $80 a year, and gives you access to over 2,000 recreation areas across the country.
On top of these, there are the costs of video and music streaming services, which will generally run you $10 to $20 a month.
There’s also the question of laundry. In addition to laundromats, many RV parks will have laundry facilities. Depending on how much clothing you have and how often you wash it, this will cost you around $10 to $30 a month.
If your RV uses propane for anything, you’ll also have to refill your tanks periodically. This isn’t a big expense, and will usually be around $15 or less per month.
On top of all these expenses, are the cost of entertainment and adventures. That can mean anything from $20 on movie tickets to a few hundred dollars on lift tickets. There’s plenty of fun and adventure to be had at every budget, but it’s still a good idea to work those expenses into your budget for your van life cost.
8 Tips For Cheap Living in a Van
As you’ve seen, living in a van can get quite expensive depending on your lifestyle. However, there’s plenty of ways to keep costs down. Here are some tips for living cheaply in a van:
- Make use of BLM land and other free campsites instead of pricey RV parks.
- Make your own food to save on the costs of eating out. Even if you don’t have a kitchen or kitchenette in your van, you can still save money by preparing foods like sandwiches and salads. Plus, stopping by the grocery store deli for a hot meal is way cheaper than at a restaurant (even fast food joints).
- Go on cheaper adventures. Instead of going on expensive adventures like hang-gliding or a day on the ski slope, take advantage of state and national parks. These parks can have entry fees as low as $5 while still providing a full day of fun and excitement.
- Take advantage of cafes like Starbucks. By using their Wi-Fi, you can save on cellular data costs (and enjoy some free air conditioning to boot!).
- Learn how to do your own repairs. A few tools and a bit of know-how can save you a ton of money on maintenance and repairs. There’s a YouTube video for almost everything.
- Carefully plan your route when traveling. Choosing an efficient route can save you money on gas and tolls, and keep you from wasting gas because you got lost and are driving around aimlessly.
- Try to see and do everything you can in one place before moving on. By staying in one place rather than finding somewhere new every few days, you can save money you’d be spending on gas.
- Keep track of your budget. Whether you use a pen and paper or an Excel spreadsheet, tracking how much you spend is a great way to stay disciplined with your money.
Van Life Cost FAQ
Let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions about the cost of living in a van.
1. Is Living in a Van Cheaper Than Renting?
If you’re wondering if van life costs less than renting, the answer is: it depends. Your average van lifer spends about $1,000 to $3,000 a month, while the average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the US is about $1,600 a month. Add the cost of things like food, utilities, and other expenses, and the costs of renting can easily go up to and beyond $3,000 a month.
So if you want to live a more luxurious van life, you’ll probably save little to no money versus renting. But if you don’t mind living frugally, it’s possible to live the van life much more cheaply than renting.
2. Can You Save Money Living in a Van?
It’s 100% possible to save money while living in a van. In fact, you’ll probably want to have some money set aside in case your van has a breakdown or any other unexpected expense comes your way.
By taking advantage of money-saving tips like free campsites, you can greatly reduce your expenses. You may also want to make your savings a part of your budget, and aim to set aside a certain amount every month.
3. How Much Money Do You Need to Live Van Life?
As we’ve seen, most will want to have at least $1,000 a month when living in a van. Although you can spend less than that, you’ll have to get quite frugal. And if you want to live more comfortably, you’ll likely want to have $2,000 or more to spend per month.
There’s also the cost of buying your van. If you buy used, you can get yourself into a camper van for $10,000, or even less. But if you’re buying or converting a new van, you can expect to spend at least $60,000, with most new vans coming in at $70,000 to $100,000.
So if you want to live the van life, you’ll need at least $10,000 upfront (and usually much more) plus at least $1,000 a month for expenses.
4. How Can I Make Money While Living in a Van?
When living in a van, there are plenty of ways to make money. One popular option is freelancing online. These platforms let you sell your services, such as writing, graphic design, or computer programming, from anywhere you may be.
Another option is advertising revenue via a blog or YouTube channel. Starting a van life blog or YouTube channel is a popular option for many van lifers. While it can take some work to build an audience, once you do you can receive income from advertising on your page or channel.
Teaching English online with companies like VIPkids is also a popular way to make money while traveling. This usually requires, at a minimum, a 4-year college degree, but some have more stringent requirements, such as a TEFL certification. These jobs generally pay from $10 to $25 an hour and usually don’t require you to do any lesson planning or grading.
For those who don’t want to work online, there are also in-person work opportunities for van lifers, often referred to as “workamping.” There are many opportunities for seasonal work to be found. There are plenty of resources online to help you find these jobs, such as WorkampingJobs.com.
The Cost of Van Life is Nothing to Fear
Just like with living in a traditional house, the cost of living in a van can vary depending on a lot of factors. When investing in your van, you can expect to spend somewhere in the range of $60,000 and up, with most vans being $70,000 to $110,000.
A used camper van can be gotten for a lot less, but you’ll have to be careful you aren’t buying a lemon. And even if the inspection goes well, you’ll probably be looking at more repairs on an older vehicle.
Once you’re in a van, you’ll probably be spending between $1,000 and $3,000 a month. This cost will depend on how much gas you use, how much you spend on food and plenty of other costs. You can keep these costs down by doing things like using free campsites and eating cheaply.
So, now you have the answer to the question, “how much does van life cost?” And now that you know what to expect, it’s time to start planning; soon, you’ll be living the van life of your dreams!
Related Reading:
25 Must-Have Campervan Accessories
7 Best Class B Floor Plans with Bathrooms
About the Author…
Jennifer and Kendall are avid RVers and part-time van lifers who share their years of experience both as full-time RVers and nomads through writing.
Jenn and Kendall have explored Canada, the USA, and Mexico while RVing and living full-time in all 3 countries.
They have been fortunate to work not only as part of the RVBlogger team but also with RVLife, DIY RV, Camper Report, RV Magazine, Rootless Living, Vanlifers, and more.
They have also shared their RV experience through DashboardDrifters.com and are the founders of RVSpotDrop, a web service for full-time RVers.
