The True Cost of Van Life

The True Cost of Van Life

No one seems to be talking about how expensive van life really is… In this video I want to open the conversation about the privilege required to convert a trendy van, and travel around in it. And I’m going to share exactly what my Ram Promaster conversion cost me. Let me know your thoughts about the accessibility of van life and how much the community acknowledges (or doesn’t acknowledge) it.

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36 Comments

  1. Olley Thorpe on February 25, 2023 at 8:01 am

    It’s gonna be so fun when you head off wow I wanna do it so bad haha

  2. Bigg Momma Dog Academy on February 25, 2023 at 8:04 am

    I’m moving into my Pontiac Grand Prix for 2 years and plan on saving for a Van. I’m not planning on buying the biggest cargo van on the market and I’ll be doing the build on my own, but I get your point.

  3. Marianna F. on February 25, 2023 at 8:05 am

    I share your points! Van life is expensive, unless its so low quality that is no fun any more! I just got my first (non mobile) house and I’m thrilled but it got me 10yrs of saving and working full time in a Bank!!! Its no easy ride for sure…

  4. Muhammad Salman Abazai on February 25, 2023 at 8:06 am

    Hello 👋 from pakistan 🇵🇰

  5. Lou Cipher on February 25, 2023 at 8:07 am

    youtube vanlife is a fkin luxury
    but many homeless live in a van lol

  6. Logan H on February 25, 2023 at 8:08 am

    Most people have an option of buying a house/renting an apartment or buying a van as a start, please stop making it seem like the reason people 99% of people get into vanlife isn’t for the freedom to adventure and save money. You just had to take a moment to add some political propaganda rather than talk about the true point of the video and that’s just sad.

  7. Jazzie Red on February 25, 2023 at 8:09 am

    You don’t have to buy a $33,000 van. Calling people liars like that, yeah you’re nice.

  8. Derrick Kay on February 25, 2023 at 8:11 am

    Great video. 👍🏽totally agree with ya. People make van sound cheap and easy.

  9. tamiirae on February 25, 2023 at 8:18 am

    I love that you tell us how this life can be expensive and the expectations that comes with this and how this life can be. It shows real world things and not a "I’m doing it so you can too" type of feeling. I do think too many people who say it’s so great don’t go into what all it takes to do van life. I wanted to do this when I saw someone say it’s so easy and so fulfilling but your video puts more things into perspective and what all you need to do and what that takes. GOOD JOB!! really 🙂

  10. Lou Cipher on February 25, 2023 at 8:19 am

    nobody said vanlife is free, you still have to eat, insurance, bills and all that same as you live in a house
    but house rental nowadays is crazy high so 1 year of rental can get you 1 fully furnished van and a few more months of extra daily expanses
    we used to live in a van until we could afford a house
    and thats a good option to save up money
    also you dont want to look homeless either
    go learn about how homeless woman survive in society without declaring they are homeless, once people tag you as homeless you are done.
    Nobody should know you sleep in a van out of necessity
    I think this white privilege woman is completely missing the point
    living in a van shouldnt be associated with poverty smh…
    and that video title is wrong, she literally didnt mention anything cost related besides that new van price lmfao

  11. Muhammad Salman Abazai on February 25, 2023 at 8:20 am

    First from pakistan 🇵🇰

  12. Travel with TMc on February 25, 2023 at 8:20 am

    All I can say is: THANK YOU. No one is talking about this. Kudos, yet again.

  13. Eyezic on February 25, 2023 at 8:22 am

    A lot of the points you made sound like more specific geographical locational issues rather than actual affordability. If you want to express how much it would typically cost, use ratios and percentages. That would help a lot of us out.

  14. Lou Cipher on February 25, 2023 at 8:22 am

    7:43 this part just sound so wrong
    vanlifer isnt adopting the aesthetic of being poverty, they are advocating adventuring lol

  15. Kimberly Fisher on February 25, 2023 at 8:23 am

    Love the van content! I’m obsessed with your van vlog channel!

  16. O'Driscoll Family Homestead Experiment on February 25, 2023 at 8:23 am

    This brought up so many good points Katie! Do you follow Eva Zu Beck? She’s converting an overlanding vehicle and traveling currently. If you don’t, you should! She’s really lovely and so down to earth.

  17. Klojum on February 25, 2023 at 8:25 am

    Buying a van for $33,000 is quite cheaper than buying a simple house of E 400,000+ in an overheated housing market…
    All because house prices are booming everywhere. Just like van prices are also getting higher, because "supply and demand".

  18. Eidde Santos on February 25, 2023 at 8:29 am

    LOVE IT! Thanks for being real here. I wanna do this so badly. Van life here I come😍

  19. cetriya's Art n Comics Channel on February 25, 2023 at 8:32 am

    well, right now plenty of people are paying 50k for cars so might as well live in it. Its like they see ripped jeans on a low income person and than go and pay 200$ for pre ripped jeans.

  20. Michael G on February 25, 2023 at 8:33 am

    Loved this ! It’s so great to see honesty over getting views. It seems that this lifestyle begins with the first most important expense. YOU !!! 👍

  21. Awakening Soul Tribe on February 25, 2023 at 8:33 am

    This is how I was drawn to your channel! I’m a full time nomad with an online business and have just started a podcast. I can’t wait to introduce more of that lifestyle on my youtube in the spring (full time in an RV right now) and work my business model into it. Thank you for the inspiration!! And yes, vanlife isn’t about "money", it is about lifestyle. If you prefer being a nomad and living in a van over a house then you’re probably doing the right thing…if you think you’re going to save a lot of money…that’s not the best reason to get into it. You gotta love the nomad life. 😍

  22. Joey B on February 25, 2023 at 8:35 am

    I know you’re not naming names but I feel like you’re coming after Eamon and Bec type people so hard right now!! 😅 I appreciate the reality check and the message ❤️

  23. Rosezi J on February 25, 2023 at 8:36 am

    Thank you for sharing.

  24. Lexes O'Hara on February 25, 2023 at 8:38 am

    Bro what. I watch you ALL OF THE TIME, but somehow didn’t know you were doing van life! I am planning on getting my van and starting the conversion towards the end of next month!

  25. Aligned And Free. CO on February 25, 2023 at 8:41 am

    This was a great video. I like to watch Dawn of Van Life because her story/journey is different from a lot of other “vanlifers.” Safe Travels Katie.💜

  26. Heather Meadows on February 25, 2023 at 8:43 am

    I was just talking with a friend about how ridiculous it is that vans and even RVs get called in to the cops and posted on local FB groups because it’s "the homeless ruining our neighborhood" but if it’s a cute van conversion, it’s no problem because it’s just a quirky choice at that point. Why is it more human to choose to live in a van when you have a home, and less human to live in a van because you are disabled and have no options?

  27. Marketing Harry on February 25, 2023 at 8:46 am

    That’s a nice breakdown of the van lifestyle. Definitely not that cheap as some people think. Appreciate that you gave so much clarity on van life since it’s been so popular lately!

  28. Karla Flecha on February 25, 2023 at 8:48 am

    This is very true 🤍

  29. Jessica Hovey on February 25, 2023 at 8:49 am

    Such a great video Katie! I love how much you kept it real and really spoke about the glamourization we always see.

  30. Claire Victoria on February 25, 2023 at 8:49 am

    Thank you for having this discussion! I consider myself to be in a very privileged position, being white, living at home, being working class, and having a secure job and a decent income, but can life as we see it online is still inaccessible to me. I don’t have the money (or time) to spare to buy and convert a van, I can’t travel and work with the job that I have, I barely have any time off, and insurance in my area is disgustingly high and I’m already paying for my everyday car. It almost makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong or I’m not good enough because I can’t afford to be free like that even part time. I can’t imagine how those with fewer privileges than I do feel when seeing this glorified van life content online.

  31. Tylynne McEvoy on February 25, 2023 at 8:54 am

    More van content, here for it !!

  32. Apollo Suns on February 25, 2023 at 8:55 am

    Love this video. Have a bunch of friends doing this. They took a lot of time to renovate and fix up their wheels. It has not been easy but they did hahaha

  33. Olivia Joy StClaire on February 25, 2023 at 8:56 am

    Thank you for doing this. What we see on Instagram and YouTube is some kind of fairytale ideal in reality. I don’t know how these people are affording these vans and to live like this but I know I can’t. It really is misrepresented. I have lived the past five years as a nomad that my Way has been very different. I sold my home and I have spent the past five years renting places short term that are furnished and doing it that way has been affordable and I’ve been able to live in regular places.

  34. dbrune12 on February 25, 2023 at 8:56 am

    Love thos

  35. Cherrelle Randolph on February 25, 2023 at 8:58 am

    Yes new content! So happy for you!

  36. That Awkward Plant Girl on February 25, 2023 at 8:59 am

    As someone who was a homeless teen living in a car and sleeping in parking lots with some very real dangers I definitely appreciate you bringing this all to light and holding people selling this idea accountable. Feeling safe is a privilege that a lot of folks dont have. As always Katie your bluntness and unique perspective hits the nail on the head🙌👍

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