People always ask me "is van life cheap?" and the answer is "compared to what?" Compared to a Manhattan apartment? Yes. Compared to a tent in the woods? No. Its somewhere in the middle and the actual number depends entirely on your choices.
Heres my real spending from last year. I track every dollar in a spreadsheet. Nerdy? Sure. Useful? Absolutely.
Vehicle costs: $350/month
Insurance $140, registration $20, maintenance/repairs averaged $190 (some months $0, some months $800 — transmisson flush, brake pads, oil changes).
Fuel: $280/month
My Sprinter gets about 18 mpg which is decent. I average 1,500 miles per month. Some months much less if Im stationary.
I boondock about 70% of the time. The other 30% is state parks ($20-35/night) and the occasional private park when I need laundry and a long shower. Harvest Hosts membership helps here.
Food: $400/month
I cook almost everything. Eating out maybe twice a month. Groceries for one person in a van without a huge fridge means shopping more frequently in smaller amounts.
Phone/Internet: $95/month
T-Mobile unlimited plus a Visible backup SIM. No Starlink — cant justify the cost for my usage.
Health insurance: $320/month
ACA marketplace plan. Not great coverage but its something.
Everything else: $200/month
Laundry, gym membership (shower access), camping gear replacement, random stuff.
Total: approximately $1,825/month or $21,900/year.
I fund this through freelance photography ($2,500-3,500/month). Its tight some months but it works. The freedom is worth the financial discipline.
Could I do it cheaper? Probably. More boondocking, less eating out, skip the gym. Could I spend more? Easily. Every RV park and restaurant in America would love my money. I've found a balance that lets me live well without burning through savings.
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Going to research this more. Thanks for the starting point!
Finally someone says it. Been thinking this for months!
We learned most of this the hard way. Nice to see it written out clearly.
Well written and to the point. Appreciate real-world experience.
Thanks so much! Glad it helped.
Simple, practical, real. This is why I keep coming back to RVParks.
truck camping is underrated and articles like this prove why its awesome
Love this perspective. Not enough people talk about the real costs involved.
The part about safety is SO important. I wish more people took it seriously.
So true! The community is the best part.
My converted Sprinter is my mobile studio and sanctuary. This speaks to me.