NC500 Budget Breakdown for Campervans
The North Coast 500 (NC500) is Scotland's most famous road trip. Here is what it actually costs in a campervan.
The Route
Inverness → Ullapool → Durness → Thurso → Wick → Inverness. 516 miles. The official route has 500+ miles of driving plus detours (John O'Groats, Smoo Cave, Fairy Glen). Plan for 600-700 miles total.
Total Budget Breakdown
| Item | Budget | Mid-Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel (600 miles @ 30mpg) | £180 | £200 | £220 |
| Campsites / overnight (7 nights) | £35 | £105 | £175 |
| Food (7 days, all meals) | £140 | £210 | £350 |
| Activities | £20 | £60 | £120 |
| Distillery tours | £0 | £30 | £60 |
| Pub meals (3-4) | £0 | £60 | £120 |
| Emergency fund | £50 | £100 | £150 |
| Total | £425 | £765 | £1,195 |
Budget Breakdown
Budget (£425): Wild camp every night (free), cook all meals, zero paid activities. Fuel is your main cost. Fill up at Inverness (cheapest fuel on the route) and again at Ullapool. Carry a full tank from Inverness to Thurso (170 miles without a supermarket). Mid-Range (£765): Mix of wild camping (free) and campsites (£15/night for a hardstanding pitch with showers). Eat at the van for most meals, 3-4 pub meals. One distillery tour (£15). Fuel plus the extra 100 miles for detours. Premium (£1,195): Campsites every night (electric hookup, £25/night). Eat out most days. All the distilleries. The premium extras add up fast.
Fuel Costs
Fuel on the NC500 is more expensive than the central belt. Prices at the pump (2025-26):
- Inverness: 142p/litre
- Ullapool: 148p/litre
- Durness: 155p/litre
- Thurso: 148p/litre
- Wick: 145p/litre Fill up at Inverness and Wick. Avoid filling at Durness (most expensive). A campervan doing 30mpg (10 litres/100km) uses approximately 200 litres for 700 miles = £280.
Where the Money Goes
- Fuel (£200): The biggest cost. A van doing 25mpg (LWB, diesel) will spend £240. A SWB Transit doing 35mpg spends £170.
- Campsites (£15-25/night): CAMC sites, independent sites, NC500-specific sites. Free wild camping is easy — the NC500 is Scotland, wild camping is legal.
- Food (£20-50/day): Supermarket meal prep saves you £20/day vs pub meals. Tesco in Inverness, Wick, and Thurso. Co-op in Ullapool.
- Distilleries (£10-25 per tour): Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Old Pulteney, and Glen Ord are on the route.
How to Save Money
- Wild camp every night: Scotland's right to roam means legal wild camping. Save £15-25/night.
- Buy fuel at supermarkets: Tesco (Inverness, Wick) is 3-5p/litre cheaper than independent stations.
- Cook in the van: A pub meal for one is £18-25. A van-cooked meal is £4-6.
- Free activities: Beaches, waterfalls (Fairy Glen, Smoo Cave, Ardvreck Castle), and the Knoydart Peninsula are all free.
- Do not book campsites: The NC500 has so many wild camping spots that booking a campsite every night is unnecessary.
How Much I Actually Spent
On my last NC500 trip (7 nights, SWB Transit, mostly wild camping, cooking at the van):
- Fuel: £192
- Campsites: £30 (2 nights at CAMC sites for showers)
- Food: £85 (Tesco meal prep + 2 pub meals)
- Activities: £0 (walking, swimming, photography)
- Total: £307 for 7 days
Verdict
The NC500 is one of the cheapest UK van life trips because wild camping is legal. £300-500 for a week is realistic if you cook and wild camp. The main expense is fuel — and that is unavoidable unless you bring a push bike.
