Vanlife can be experienced in many different ways, depending on the budget you want—or are able—to dedicate to it. This article explores the costs of two paths to vanlife: buying a recreational vehicle (RV) or installing a camper conversion kit in your everyday vehicle. We take into account the purchase price, ongoing costs, variable expenses, and resale value.
Both options allow for the same weekend getaways and vacation road trips, but with drastically different costs. While RVs are often geared toward wealthier and generally older adventure and camping enthusiasts, a camper conversion kit for your daily vehicle is accessible to everyone—regardless of age or budget. Compared to the high cost of an RV, you can get started for almost nothing. Really! Just a tiny fraction of the cost…
In this guide, we’ll share essential tips, setup ideas, and must-have accessories to live the ultimate comfortable vanlife experience.
Many people we meet on the road with their RVs often tell us about their maintenance issues—broken pumps, overheated brakes in the mountains, and so on. They talk about the exorbitant costs associated with their recreational vehicles (RVs). Unexpected problems that get in the way of what was supposed to be the realization of a dream. We genuinely sympathize with them, realizing just how often these issues cast a shadow over their journey—sometimes a little, often a lot, and far too frequently.
At the same time, it makes us appreciate our simple and accessible camper solution even more. We’re reminded just how far removed our removable conversion kit—installed in our everyday vehicle (minivan or SUV)—is from all those headaches. It costs next to nothing. It doesn’t strangle us financially. Without a doubt, our removable camper solution, ready in just 5 minutes, truly comes at a much better price!
Beyond impressions, we wanted to take our analysis further and compare both options as objectively as possible. So, we put together a thorough cost breakdown comparing the purchase and usage costs of a recreational vehicle (RV) with those of a removable camper conversion kit installed in a daily-use vehicle like a minivan or SUV.
To make a fair comparison, we chose a Class B RV (van-style structure, often with a pop-top) instead of a Class A or C, as it’s the preferred model among vanlife enthusiasts for its maneuverability and more compact size.
That said, most new Class B models are fully equipped and typically cost around $200,000—or more. However, there are smaller, less-equipped models without built-in bathrooms or showers (but with portable toilets like the ones we use in our Roadloft-equipped minivan). These models also tend to be shorter—around 18 feet in length compared to our minivan’s 17 feet (minus 1 inch).
Sure, we can’t stand upright in our minivan like we could in a Class B RV with a raised roof. But we live comfortably in it—at least comfortably enough to have spent 8 out of 12 months each year on the road for three years. You might say that’s because we were young. We’d answer that the majority of the thousands of Roadloft customers traveling across North America in minivans equipped with our conversion kits are over 50. And many of them are former owners of Class A, B, or C RVs. Since switching to a removable camper kit installed in their everyday vehicle, they travel more than ever—while also making their dollars go further.
Let’s move on to the objective data. I have to admit, the more I worked on this comparative summary table, the more surprised I became by the massive gap. Such a difference—for the same trips?
In this comparison chart, the numbers speak for themselves, and each dollar stretches a lot further. Let’s take a closer look:
Comparison of the purchase and usage costs of a Class B recreational vehicle (RV) vs. a removable camper conversion kit added to an everyday vehicle (minivan or SUV).
NOTES ON THE CHART (PRICES IN QUEBEC, CANADA)
1. While Class B motorhomes often cost much more, we based our analysis on a $160,000 (before tax) model, fully financed except for the taxes paid upfront. For Roadloft, we considered the full cash purchase of new kits.
2. RV: Given today’s high interest rate (7.25%), we used a 7-year financing plan (84 months).
Roadloft: Most conversion kit buyers pay in full due to the smaller amount involved.
3. RV: Maintenance costs can vary widely depending on mileage, upkeep, and market conditions. We used an annual flat rate of $2,000 to cover oil changes and wear-and-tear repairs (tires, brakes…) for moderate use.
4. Insurance costs based on Quebec rates for a 55-year-old experienced driver with a clean record. Includes $2000 collision deductible, $1000 fire/theft deductible, and $2M liability coverage.
5. Storage fees vary depending on region (urban or rural), and whether the space is heated or unheated.
6. We used Quebec’s tax rate (14.975%). Rates differ across Canadian provinces and U.S. states.
7. Depreciation: We assumed a 50% depreciation on the RV after 7 years (7.14% annually). For Roadloft: since the kits include no engine, transmission, electrical system, or rust-prone components—and are made with premium materials—they depreciate much more slowly. Kits bought in 2019 still retain most of their value. Still, we used a 28% depreciation rate over 7 years (4% per year).
8. Accessories: We included a full accessory package ($2793 pre-tax) to replicate the key features of a Class B RV in a Roadloft minivan setup (solar panels, lithium power station, compressor fridge/freezer, propane stove, mosquito nets, insulating curtains, solar/ambient lighting, portable toilet). We calculated the net cost of these accessories as purchase cost plus tax ($3211), minus 50% resale value, divided over 7 years.
9. Fuel costs depend on type (gas/diesel), vehicle size, and driving conditions. We assumed 15 L/100 km for the RV and 7.5 L/100 km for the minivan or SUV, at an average price of $1.50/L.
You can always tweak the figures slightly, but they’ll still lead to the same conclusion: the cost gap between an RV and a Roadloft removable camper kit remains massive.
In our comparison, a Class B RV (with taxes paid upfront, monthly payments over 7 years, annual recurring costs, and resale value deducted after 7 years) comes to a net annual cost of $23,682.
In contrast, a Roadloft camper kit for a minivan (without accessories) costs just $282 per year, or $128 per year for an SUV.
You can always tweak the figures slightly, but they’ll still lead to the same conclusion: the cost gap between an RV and a Roadloft removable camper kit remains massive.
In our comparison, a Class B RV (with taxes paid upfront, monthly payments over 7 years, annual recurring costs, and resale value deducted after 7 years) comes to a net annual cost of $23,682.
In contrast, a Roadloft camper kit for a minivan (without accessories) costs just $282 per year, or $128 per year for an SUV.
Even when fully equipped with all the essential accessories to match Class B RV comfort, the Roadloft setup costs just $511/year (minivan) or $358/year (SUV).
That means the fully-equipped Roadloft minivan setup costs just 2% of what a Class B RV does—and only 1% for the SUV setup.
Many of our customers who transitioned from RVs to Roadloft conversion kits tell us it was a friend who finally convinced them:
“Sell the RV. Try vanlife the Roadloft way.”
They share how Roadloft-style vanlife has transformed their travels. They go out more often. They treat themselves to restaurants, shows, and museums along the way. They follow their impulses more freely. They enjoy free camping spots or the best paid ones—usually designed for tents, which are more private, shadier, and far less expensive than RV sites. And back home, they’re not stuck with a tight budget for leisure activities.
Now that you’ve seen the full breakdown of Roadloft’s low-cost formula, check out our article on how to plan a dream one-month road trip through the American West—for just $20 per day.
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