‘We live in a van and get to travel the world – the cost might surprise you’

Amidst the cost of living crisis, many Brits are sacrificing their homeowner status for a life on the road.

Meera and Will are two recent uni graduates who decided to convert a van and travel the world, with the furry sidekick Lola Instead of renting a place while saving up for a house deposit, which currently averages at a whopping £53,414. Will works remotely as an electrical engineer while Meera is relying on her savings to fund their whirlwind trip, which so far has taken them across Europe to countries including Sweden, Denmark, and Spain.

After spending almost £17,000 on a van renovation (including buying the vehicle), the young love birds can now live much cheaper than us renters, while still having the freedom to explore. If you’re feeling tempted by van life – which has surged in popularity over recent years – here’s how much you could be spending each year…

Taking to TikTok, Meera calculated their full costs over an entire year – and it’s almost the exact same you could expect to pay renting a property in the UK – which is £1,223 per month. “The first category is food shopping, which came to £2,057,” the traveller said.

The couple also spent £1,813 on eating out, which included going to restaurants, having coffee and buying ‘little snacks’. Their biggest spend was diesel, which totalled up to £3,128. Meanwhile, £97.80 was spent on gas supply for the van’s hob and heating. “We use that a lot in the colder countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark,” Meera explained. “But when we got down to Spain we were pretty much not using the heating at all.”

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They spent £242 on campsites, which the couple only stay at ‘if necessary’, while attractions and activities including museums and skiing came to £1,408. Other outgoings included van repairs (£1,874), insurance and breakdown cover (£1,650), shopping (£919), tolls £428), public transport (£919), and looking after Lola (£458)- which makes their grand total £15,000.

Viewers couldn’t believe how cheap the lifestyle could be, with many inspired by the couple’s price breakdown. “That’s insanely low for what you have done over the last 12 months,” one person said. Another agreed, commenting: “Wow that’s so good.” While a third added: “That’s wild.”

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