Van Life Cost: One woman’s experience living in a van for 2 weeks…
Our “What does it really cost” series sheds light on how much different women across the country spend on the big life events: having a baby, taking a sabbatical year, moving, getting a master’s degree, buying a house, etc. This week’s feature is highlighting one woman’s cost for two weeks of van life across Nevada, Utah and Colorado with stops in 4 national parks.
Location: Boston, MA
Age: 31
What was your total van life cost for two weeks?
Van: $1,937
Gas: $691
National Park Passes: $107
Food: $377
Misc: $450 (showers, parking, materials, merch, etc.)
Final Costs: About $3,600
Was this more or less than you were expecting?
This was less than I expected. I budgeted this experience to be about $5k. Looking back, I probably could have cut spending on “miscellaneous” items e.g., going to Starbucks for coffee. However, it was worth it to create a sense of normalcy and “being on vacation.”
I spent about $257 / day. This is roughly comparable to what it would have cost to stay in a hotel every night, rent a car, and pay for gas and food. If I had taken this route, I would have gotten to shower more (lol), but I would not have gotten to travel to as many places!
Were there other options that you considered? What are the pros and cons of this compared to other options?
I did consider a luxury van and an RV with a shower. However, these were more expensive options than the one I chose. In the end, I used a rental van service called “Escape Campervans.” While their vans are basic, they included everything I needed.
In addition, I looked into staying at paid campsites. They were typically $20-$70 per night. Instead, I found free places to stay on public land. Looking back, I am happy I went with that option. Not only did I save money, but I woke up in beautiful places most of the time.
What do you wish you would have known?
I wish I would have had a better idea of where I would stay every night. Many of the campsites, paid and unpaid, were closed because of the snow. As a result, there were nights that I had to stay in a Walmart parking lot. That wasn’t the worst thing, but I would have preferred nicer scenery.
In conclusion, this woman’s total van life costs were about $3,600 for 2 weeks.
We hope this gives you insights on van life cost and how someone else navigated the costs for 2 weeks. Do these costs surprise you?
This post was created as part of the “What does it really cost series?” Her Personal Finance’s mission is to help high-earning women take charge of their finances. As an MBA, our founder has a particular passion for supporting this community. Here is a link to a Q&A with Harvard Business School students about finances in school. You can also learn more about our founder and our classes on our website.
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