The biggest lever on your van life budget is where you sleep. Campsites in the UK average £20-35 per night. Wild camping costs nothing. The difference over a month is £600-1,050.
But the comparison isn't as simple as "wild camping saves money." Wild camping comes with costs that aren't immediately obvious — fuel, food, laundry, and the occasional parking fine.
This guide breaks down the real cost difference, including the hidden costs of wild camping and the value of what you get for campsite fees.
The Direct Cost
| Option | Average UK Cost | Monthly (30 days) | Annual (365 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camping and Caravanning Club site | £16-25 (member) | £480-750 | £5,840-9,125 |
| Commercial campsite (hook-up) | £25-40 | £750-1,200 | £9,125-14,600 |
| Commercial campsite (no hook-up) | £15-25 | £450-750 | £5,475-9,125 |
| Farm campsite (basic) | £10-18 | £300-540 | £3,650-6,570 |
| Pub stopover (free with dinner) | £0-15 (meal cost) | £0-450 | £0-5,475 |
| Wild camping (true free) | £0 | £0 | £0 |
The difference between all-paid-campsites and all-wild-camping is £9,000-14,000 per year. That's a meaningful amount of money. But not everyone can (or wants to) wild camp every night.
The Hidden Costs of Wild Camping
Fuel
Wild camping spots are usually outside towns. You drive further to find them, further to get supplies, and further to get water. Every round-trip to a shop costs 2-5 miles of diesel.
| Activity | Additional miles per week | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|
| Driving to find a spot | 20-40 miles | £12-24 |
| Driving to get water | 10-20 miles | £6-12 |
| Driving to a cafe for WiFi/shower | 30-60 miles | £18-36 |
| Driving to a laundrette | 10-20 miles | £6-12 |
| Total additional fuel | 70-140 miles | £42-84 |
Water
Campsites have a tap at every pitch. Wild camping requires finding a public tap, buying bottled water, or filtering from a stream.
| Water source | Cost per day | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Campsite tap | £0 (included) | £0 |
| Supermarket bottled water (2L) | £0.40-0.80 | £146-292 |
| Public tap (e.g., cemetery, car park) | £0 (might need 20p for a tap) | £0-7 |
| River/stream (filtered) | £0.05-0.10 (tablets) | £18-37 |
Showers
Campsite showers are included in the pitch fee. Wild camping showers cost:
| Shower method | Cost per shower | Monthly (1 shower/day) |
|---|---|---|
| Campsite shower | £0 (included with pitch) | £0 |
| PureGym membership | £25/month (unlimited) | £25 |
| Service station shower | £3-5 | £90-150 |
| Solar shower (bag) | £0 (but cold/limited) | £0 |
| Wet wipes / cloth wash | £1-2 | £30-60 |
Most wild campers use a gym membership. PureGym costs £25/month. That's the cheapest option if you shower daily.
Laundry
| Method | Cost per load | Monthly (10 loads) |
|---|---|---|
| Campsite laundry | £4-6 | £40-60 |
| Public laundrette | £5-7 | £50-70 |
| Hand-wash (sink) | £0.50 (soap) | £5 |
Electricity
| Method | Cost per day | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Campsite hook-up | £0 (included) | £0 |
| Solar + battery | £0 (sunk cost) | £0 |
| Driving to charge battery | £1-3 (diesel) | £30-90 |
Summary: Wild Camping Hidden Monthly Costs
| Category | Minimum | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Additional fuel | £42 | £60 |
| Water | £0 | £15 |
| Showers | £25 (gym) | £45 |
| Laundry | £5 | £30 |
| Electricity | £0 | £20 |
| Total hidden costs | £72 | £170 |
So the true cost of wild camping is not £0. It's about £70-170/month above and beyond what you'd spend living in a house.
The Hidden Costs of Campsites
Campsites also have costs beyond the pitch fee:
The Retail Park Effect
Campsites often have a shop on site or nearby. The "convenience" of buying supplies at the campsite shop means you pay more — typically 20-50% more than a supermarket.
| Item | Supermarket price | Campsite shop price |
|---|---|---|
| Loaf of bread | £1.20 | £1.80-2.50 |
| Milk (1L) | £1.30 | £1.80-2.20 |
| 6 eggs | £1.80 | £2.50-3.00 |
| Gas refill (Calor) | £28 | £32-35 |
| Ice cream | £3.50 | £4.50-6.00 |
Estimated extra cost: £20-40 per week if you rely on campsite shops.
The Pub/Meal Draw
When you're on a campsite, you're 5 minutes from a pub. When you're wild camping, you're 20 minutes from a pub. The convenience makes you more likely to eat out.
Estimated extra cost: £30-60 per week if you eat at the campsite pub 2-3 times.
The Real Monthly Comparison
| Category | All Campsites | Mix (60% wild, 40% campsite) | All Wild Camping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitch fees | £600-1,200 | £240-480 | £0 |
| Additional fuel | £0 | £25 | £60 |
| Water | £0 | £5 | £15 |
| Showers | £0 | £10 | £25 |
| Laundry | £40 | £20 | £30 |
| Electricity | £0 | £10 | £20 |
| Campsite shop premium | £40 | £15 | £0 |
| Pub/meal draw | £60 | £20 | £10 |
| Total | £740-1,340 | £345-585 | £160 |
The Ideal Strategy
Most UK van lifers use a mix approach:
- Wild camp Sunday-Thursday (5 nights) — free, but accept the inconvenience of sourcing water/showers/laundry
- Campsite Friday-Saturday (2 nights) — use the showers, fill water, do laundry, empty toilet casette, charge devices
This gives you the budget benefit of wild camping (saving £200-400/month vs all campsites) while avoiding the "I'm cold, dirty, and haven't showered in 3 days" burnout.
Campsite Membership Savings
If you use campsites regularly, memberships pay for themselves:
| Membership | Annual fee | Per-night discount | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camping and Caravanning Club | £44 | £5-10 discount | 5-9 nights |
| Caravan and Motorhome Club | £55 | £5-10 discount | 6-11 nights |
| Both | £99 | Mixed | 10-15 nights |
The C&CC membership is the best value for campervans. Their site network covers the whole UK, including remote areas like the Outer Hebrides and Cornwall.
Wild Camping Apps for Finding Free Spots
| App | Cost | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park4Night | Free (basic) | Europe | Best UK coverage, user-reported spots |
| Searchforsites | £5/year | UK only | Good for campervan-specific spots |
| BritStops | £35/year | UK only | Pub stopovers with dinner purchase |
| Campercontact | Free | Europe | More Europe-focused |
| iOverlander | Free | Worldwide | Good for remote spots |
Verdict
Wild camping saves money but not as much as it first appears. The true saving vs all-campsites is about £600-1,000/month — not £1,000+. And that saving comes with real inconvenience in winter (cold, dark, wet).
If you're trying to minimise costs, the 60/40 mix (wild camp during the week, campsite on weekends) is the sweet spot. You save money without hating your life.
