The short answer: a single person living in a van in the UK spends between £800 and £2,500 per month, depending on how you live. The longer answer depends on your van, where you park, how far you drive, whether you cook or eat out, and how much your van costs to insure and maintain.
This breakdown is based on our own spending across eighteen months of full-time van life, cross-checked against conversations with around forty other UK van dwellers. The numbers are real, averaged across seasons, and presented in three scenarios.
The Three Scenarios
We have broken costs into three realistic budgets:
- £800/month — The Frugal Van Lifer: mostly wild camping, cooks every meal, minimal driving, parked up for extended periods.
- £1,500/month — The Balanced Van Lifer: mix of campsites and wild camping, reasonable driving, eats out once a week, mid-range insurance and van costs.
- £2,500/month — The Comfortable Van Lifer: regular campsites with electric hook-up, eats out regularly, covers more distance, newer van with comprehensive insurance.
Fixed Costs
These are the costs you pay regardless of whether you drive anywhere or not.
Insurance
Van insurance for a self-build campervan conversion is one of the most variable costs in the budget.
| Scenario | Annual Premium | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal (£800/mo) | £450–£600 | £38–£50 | Older van (10+ years), third-party fire & theft, limited mileage 6,000 miles |
| Balanced (£1,500/mo) | £600–£900 | £50–£75 | Medium van (5–10 years), comprehensive, 10,000 miles, declared conversion |
| Comfortable (£2,500/mo) | £900–£1,400 | £75–£117 | Newer van (<5 years), comprehensive, 15,000+ miles, European cover |
Specialist insurers for self-build conversions: Brentacre, A-Plan (Campervan and Motorhome), Adrian Flux, Comfort Insurance. Mainstream insurers (Aviva, Direct Line) generally will not touch a self-build.
The declared value of your conversion matters significantly. A van with a £15,000 conversion costs considerably more to insure than a van with a basic ply lining and a camping box.
Breakdown Cover
| Level | Annual Cost | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| UK roadside + recovery | £80–£150 | £7–£13 |
| UK + European cover | £150–£250 | £13–£21 |
| Premium (home-start, onward travel, full European) | £200–£350 | £17–£29 |
The AA and RAC are the most recognised, but for self-build campervans, specialist providers like Britannia Rescue and Camping and Caravanning Club offer better value.
MOT and Servicing
MOT: £55 per year. Service: £200–£400 per year depending on the van. Budget £250–£500 total annually.
| Scenario | Monthly Allocation |
|---|---|
| Frugal | £21 |
| Balanced | £30 |
| Comfortable | £42 |
Tax (Vehicle Excise Duty)
For vans registered as PLG (Private Light Goods) or motorhomes (Body Type Motor Caravan on V5C):
| CO2 / Engine | Annual Cost | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2017 van, < 2,000cc | £210–£335 | £18–£28 |
| Post-2017 van | £190–£570 depending on CO2 | £16–£48 |
| Electric van | £0 | £0 |
Most older panel vans fall in the £210–£335 bracket. Motorhome taxation is typically £290–£335.
Variable Costs
Fuel
Diesel cost is the single largest variable. As of mid-2026, UK diesel averages £1.52 per litre.
| Scenario | Miles per Month | Van MPG | Monthly Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal — mostly static | 300 | 30 mpg (older van) | £69 |
| Balanced — regular movement | 800 | 32 mpg | £172 |
| Comfortable — covering distance | 1,500 | 35 mpg | £296 |
The frugal scenario assumes you stay parked in one area for weeks at a time, moving only for water, waste, and a change of scenery. The comfortable scenario assumes regular trips, weekend journeys, and covering the full length of the UK.
These numbers change significantly with driving style. Sustained 70 mph on a motorway uses about 15–20% more fuel than 55 mph on A-roads. A van with a roof rack, solar panels, and wind-out awning loses another 5–10% on fuel economy.
Campsites and Parking
| Scenario | Nights per Month | Average Cost | Monthly Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal — wild camp 90%, campsites 10% | 3 nights campsite | £15/night | £45 |
| Balanced — 50/50 split | 15 nights campsite | £18/night | £270 |
| Comfortable — campsites 80%, wild 20% | 24 nights campsite | £22/night | £528 |
Campsite costs vary widely:
- Certified Location (CL) / Certificated Site (CS): £10–£20 per night, basic facilities, often on a farm
- Commercial campsite (Caravan and Motorhome Club, Camping and Caravanning Club): £18–£35 per night with electric
- CAMC rally field: £8–£15 per night
- Wild camping: £0 (but factor in water and waste disposal costs — see below)
- Brit Stops / farm stops: £0–£10 (often in exchange for buying a meal or produce)
Electric hook-up adds £3–£6 per night to campsite fees. In winter, if you rely on EHU for heating via an electric heater, this is worth the extra cost vs running your diesel heater all night.
Food
| Scenario | Groceries | Eating Out | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal — all cooking, Aldi/Lidl | £200 | £20 (one cheap takeaway) | £220 |
| Balanced — mostly cooking, one pub meal/week | £250 | £80 (4 pub meals) | £330 |
| Comfortable — mix of cooking and eating out | £250 | £200 (cafes, restaurants, takeaways) | £450 |
The food budget is the easiest to control. A single person spending £50/week on groceries and cooking all meals from scratch is eating well — fresh vegetables, meat, fish, good cheese. The difference between £200 and £450 is entirely eating out.
Mobile Data and Connectivity
Most UK van lifers work remotely at least part-time, so data costs are significant.
| Scenario | Plan | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Frugal | 30GB on a low-cost MVNO (Smarty, Lebara) | £10 |
| Balanced | Unlimited data (Three, EE, Vodafone) | £20–£30 |
| Comfortable | Unlimited data on two networks (redundancy) + Starlink Roam | £65–£90 |
Starlink Roam for vans costs £85/month in the UK for the 50GB priority plan, or £115/month for unlimited. The hardware is a one-off cost of £299 (on sale, down from £449). Starlink is worth it if you:
- Work remotely with video calls
- Camp in areas with poor 4G/5G coverage (Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia, Lake District valleys)
- Need reliable connectivity regardless of network congestion
For most UK van lifers, a single unlimited data SIM on Three or EE at £20–£30/month is sufficient. Three has the best coverage for rural van life spots, but EE has better reliability in built-up areas.
Laundry and Washing
Laundry is a recurring expense that catches new van lifers off guard.
| Scenario | Laundry frequency | Cost per load | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal — wash in sink, laundrette once/fortnight | 2 loads/month | £4–£6 | £8–£12 |
| Balanced — laundrette weekly | 4 loads/month | £5–£7 | £20–£28 |
| Comfortable — laundrette + occasional launderette drop-off | 6 loads/month | £6–£8 | £36–£48 |
Campsite laundry facilities are usually £3–£4 for a wash, £1–£2 for a dry. City centre laundrettes are more expensive (£5–£7 per load).
Gas (Propane or Butane)
A 6kg Calor propane bottle lasts 4–6 weeks with daily cooking. A 3.9kg campingaz bottle lasts 2–3 weeks. Refill costs:
| Gas Type | Cost | Duration | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calor 6kg propane (exchange) | £28 | 5 weeks avg | £22 |
| Gaslow refillable (LPG at filling station) | £1.05/litre, ~7kg fill | 6 weeks | £11 |
| Campingaz 907 (exchange) | £32 | 3 weeks | £43 |
Refillable LPG systems (Gaslow, Safefill) are cheaper long-term. One-year payback on the upfront cost if you cook daily.
Water and Waste Disposal
Fresh water is free at most campsites, some filling stations, and many marina taps. Grey water disposal is free at campsite service points. The cost is mainly the driving time to reach these services.
| Scenario | Monthly Cost (driving to services) |
|---|---|
| Frugal — uses campsite or free taps, minimal driving | £0–£5 |
| Balanced — uses a mix of free and paid service points | £5–£10 |
| Comfortable — pays for service point access | £10–£15 |
A few filling stations charge £2–£3 for a water fill. Motorhome service points (e.g., on Park4Night or Sfy UK) are typically free.
Hidden and One-Off Costs
These are the expenses that do not appear in a monthly budget but will hit you at some point.
Depreciation
Vans depreciate, especially self-build conversions. A Ford Transit Custom bought for £12,000 and converted for £5,000 (total £17,000) will sell for £10,000–£13,000 after three years. That is £4,000–£7,000 lost, or £110–£195 per month.
This is usually the largest hidden cost of van life, and most people ignore it.
Repairs and Maintenance
Budget £50/month as a sinking fund. Real cost over time:
- Tyres: £300–£600 per set, every 30,000–40,000 miles
- Brakes: £200–£400 for pads and discs
- Timing belt: £300–£600 every 5 years
- Clutch: £600–£1,200 (if you drive a manual)
- Diesel heater servicing: £30–£50/year (glow plug and combustion chamber clean)
- Solar controller or inverter failure: £50–£200
MOT and Repairs Catch-up
If you buy a used van without a full service history, expect a £500–£1,500 catch-up bill in the first year for things the previous owner deferred.
Winter Costs
Winter adds:
- Diesel heater fuel consumption: £20–£40 extra per month in diesel for the heater (taken from your vehicle tank)
- Extra diesel for engine demisting: £10–£20/month
- Thermal clothing, extra blankets: one-off £100–£200
- More campsite use (less wild camping): add £100–£200/month
Summer Costs
- Campsite bookings in popular areas (Cornwall, Lake District, NC500): you pay peak season rates or book months ahead
- Fridge runs harder in heat: ~10% more power consumption, marginal battery impact
Full Monthly Comparison
| Item | Frugal | Balanced | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance | £45 | £63 | £96 |
| Breakdown | £10 | £15 | £22 |
| MOT/service | £21 | £30 | £42 |
| Tax | £23 | £27 | £38 |
| Fuel | £69 | £172 | £296 |
| Campsites | £45 | £270 | £528 |
| Food | £220 | £330 | £450 |
| Mobile data | £10 | £25 | £80 |
| Laundry | £10 | £24 | £42 |
| Gas | £22 | £22 | £22 |
| Water/waste | £2 | £8 | £12 |
| Repairs sinking fund | £50 | £50 | £50 |
| Monthly Total | £527 | £1,036 | £1,678 |
| Plus depreciation | +£130 | +£150 | +£250 |
| True Total | ~£660 | ~£1,190 | ~£1,930 |
| Contingency (10–20%) | +£70–£130 | +£120–£240 | +£190–£390 |
| Grand Total | £730–£790 | £1,310–£1,430 | £2,120–£2,320 |
How to Choose Your Budget
If you own your van outright and are debt-free, the £800/month frugal scenario is genuinely achievable. You will be cooking every meal, wild camping most nights, and driving sparingly, but you will not feel deprived.
If you have a van payment (£200–£500/month), the numbers shift up significantly. A £250/month van payment on the balanced scenario takes you to £1,500/month total. This is the most common setup we see among full-time van lifers — a £12,000–£18,000 van, financed or bought with savings, with a total monthly outlay of £1,300–£1,800.
The comfortable scenario (£2,500/month) covers a newer van, regular campsites, frequent eating out, and less worry about the budget. It is not luxurious — you are still washing up in a plastic bowl and emptying a grey water tank — but you are not counting every penny.
