Monthly Vanlife Cost Planner

Should I use my last month or an “ideal” month for the inputs?

Start with **last month** if you already live in the van. That gives you a honest baseline. Then duplicate the numbers and tweak kilometres, camping nights and maintenance reserve to build your **ideal, sustainable month** and see if your savings match that plan.

How do I pick a realistic maintenance reserve per 1000 km?

Look at your van’s age, mileage and service history. A newer, well-maintained van might be fine with **60–80 €/1000 km**. An older or heavily loaded van might need **100–150 €/1000 km**. If you are unsure, start higher. You can always dial it down after a few months of real tracking.

Does this planner include food, tolls and sightseeing?

No. The tool focuses on **vehicle-related vanlife costs**: fuel, camping, data, insurance and maintenance reserve. Food, tolls, ferries, parking, attractions and personal spending are extra. Most people track those separately as “travel lifestyle” costs.

How often should I update my numbers?

At least every **few months**, or whenever something big changes: fuel price jumps, you move to a more expensive country, or you change from mostly wild camping to mostly campgrounds. The more often you update the averages, the closer the planner gets to your real monthly cost.

Can I use this for a short trip instead of full-time vanlife?

Yes. For a trip planner, take your **expected total kilometres**, divide by the number of months you’re travelling, and enter that as “km per month”. Use your best guess for camping nights and fuel price along the route. The planner will give you a solid monthly and per-km estimate for that trip.