09 / The Nordic Vanlife Verdict – Is It Worth The Spend?
The good, the not-so-good, tips and costs of vanlife.
Spoiler alert – travelling around the Nordics in a camper van these past five weeks has been a world of wonderful - but it hasn’t come cheap.
Browsing van hire websites you’ll be served images of fun-loving couples enjoying their brunch, parked sea-side. But to afford this kind of travel requires more cash than hostel hopping. It’s pricey… even when you’re self-catering.
And, vanlife isn’t for everyone. It’s a solid upgrade from camping, but still it’s cramped living, and takes some spacial adjustment. I love telling my more lux-loving friends passionately about off-grid living, as they feign interest… “Oh right, yeah, sounds cute, fun even.”
Our main destination was Norway. We hired the camper in Hamburg, Germany, because it was literally half the hire price of Oslo… from the same company. This meant driving 1,200km north to start our trip, and taking our time for the return through Sweden and Denmark to break up the long drive.
Following, I’ll dive into what we loved and loathed about vanlife, plus a few tips and cost breakdowns, with a final verdict on is it worth the $$.
The Good
Free off-grid camp sites
This is the real winner, particularly in Norway. With the help of a few Apps (detailed below) you’ll find yourself parked in the most remote and beautiful locations – immersed in valleys, mountain passes and fjords.No accommodation bookings
You’re a boudoir on wheels, and (for the most part) you don’t have to reserve campsites unless you want ‘that particular spot’, or it’s a larger hub like Copenhagen or Stavanger.
Poll-positioned paid campsites
Norway really looks after their vanlife crew. In the most charming of locations like Lovatnet (pictured below), you’ll often find yourself parked right on the lake.
Travel at your own pace
Being a spreadsheet (yep, the Virgo thing) travel planner, this one is a gift. You can wake up, make a (good) coffee and leisurely plan the day’s adventure.Access to cool remote stuff
Having a mobile home gives you access to far more experiences than the main tourist trails and transport can offer.
Meet other vanlifers… again and again.
It doesn’t happen all the time, but when you connect with other like-minded van people, you’ll find yourselves bumping into each other along the trip.All your stuff with you
No need to worry about the sunnies or deck chair when taking a plunge, it’s right there with you, parked in the van.Shop local for groceries, and good coffee
Eating out in the Nordic countries is eye-watering-ly expensive. The good news is you have a kitchen, so enjoy shopping where locals purchase the finest fresh produce. Markets are your friend.
The Not-So-Good
You’ll bang your head
A lot. It’s cramped living. When you’re off in la la land… ‘donk!’ [insert appropriate expletive].Driving like a pro takes time
You’re driving a floating lounge. The steering in newer vans is good but it’s still nowhere near as precise as a smaller car. Take your time getting from your first few As to Bs.Getting rid of black water isn’t sexy
The ‘stuff’ from the toilet. Grey water (from the sink) isn’t much better. It sounds simple, until there’s a black water splash back (it can happen). Pro tip: Buy yourself some washing gloves.Urban campsites generally aren’t glamorous
Often you’ll find yourself in a car park or disused commercial site, sardine-canned in with a ton of other campers, caravans, and tents. Worth it though for the bigger town cultural experience.
Timed showers at campsites suck
Halfway through shampooing when the hot cuts out, and there’s no more coins… we’re talking Norwegian cold water, this is not okay.The laundry challenge
Most campsites will only have one or two washing machines, which can mean getting up at 6am (thanks hubby!) to ensure a wash. When the weather’s rubbish, drying towels and anything else wet turns your living space into a laundry jungle.
Helpful Tips
Research your van early
Europe gets busy in peak season. Booking ahead and you can save up to 40%. Explore different country hire rates too. The further south you go, the cheaper prices seem to get.Insurance – make sure you’re covered
Credit cards with international travel insurance often cover car and van hire with a baseline excess. A lot of dedicated travel insurance policies also cover hire vehicles. Try and avoid the crazy fees the van hire companies want to charge you for their zero excess.Shop around for fuel
Prices vary greatly from town to town, and country to country.A few handy things to bring:
A decent kitchen knife – buy a cheap one from the supermarket. You’ll thank me.
A mobile phone holder – When seated up high in a van, it’s easier to keep your eyes on the road when navigating from your mobile with it stuck to the windscreen.
A portable speaker - van sound systems are rubbish.
Rubber bands/Bag clips – keep your food from flying around the van like a confetti’d wedding.
Quality condiments – Sriracha is your friend. Dijon. Mayonnaise. Chilli Oil. Vegemite!
Park with your bed facing the view
Opening the doors to your morning vista and with coffee in hand? Happy Place! Oh and don’t stress out if you’re not parked perfectly flat. Just ensure your head’s higher than your feet to avoid messed up dreams.Buy good, local coffee
Visiting a local coffee roaster in a new town makes for a memorable local footprint, and brew memories that keep on giving.Cooking – keep it simple and tasty
Your prep space is on the smaller side of tiny, and you only have a few pots to work with. Look up some one pot wonder recipes… I’ll share some of these with you in my next post.
Buy a good map
Go old school. Having a physical map makes plotting and planning your trip so much easier than doom-scrolling Google Maps.
Useful Resources
Helpful Apps:
Campersite Norway – this was our go to for finding great free camping spots, and includes paid sites. Super handy, worth the minimal subscription.
Nortrip – offers unique experiences for van loving types. We didn’t end up using this because of the awesome PDF guide we bought, listed below.
EasyPark – many of the paid parking sites are linked to this App. Just dial up the time needed and walk away.
PowerPay – convenient mains power access for your van outside of campsites. Pay by the hour.
A Comprehensive Guide To Norway (PDF)
We stumbled across this comprehensive, excellent and affordable guide after watching a load of Norway Vanlife videos last year. The authors Simon Bræck Hanssen & Benedikte Roness have put many years into travelling across Norway, capturing beautiful photography, writing detailed overviews of all kinds of sites and hikes, and importantly, suggesting itineraries, which were our bible. Absolutely worth every cent!Van rental options
Indie Campers – We rented our van through Indie as they were fairly priced and have a good Euro network. We didn’t have any issues and our van was in good condition. Nothing amazing, just okay.
Road Surfer – We saw a lot more of their vans on the road in our travels than from any other hire company. From memory they were slightly more expensive, but worth a look.
McRent – Another ‘same same’ option.
Private rental – there are privately owned camper vans sitting parked that owners ‘Airbnb’ online. We were looking for the simplest turnkey option so steered clear of this, but worth considering.
Epass24 – This is important to set-up before you start driving. It covers road tolls and ferry crossing fees in Norway and Sweden. The downside? You won’t know how much it costs until the bill comes through over a month later. We’re still waiting.
What’s the Cost?
Our Indie campervan hire was around $150USD/day for a 2 person van with kitchenette, bathroom, and permanent bed. That’s your starting point. From there your driving costs will include petrol and tolls which can add up quickly.
Paid campsites vary in price from $30 - $60USD/night. Showers and washing/drying can often cost more.
Then there’s food. Self-catering will save you thousands of dollars in the Nordic countries. Treat yourself to local yums like smoked fish from Bergen markets, then enjoy a top-notch dinner at your free parking spot by a fjord for the night.
The Verdict
Temporary (hiring) vanlife isn’t cheap, but it’s worth every cent. We loved the experience and look forward to doing it again, hopefully soon. There’s still a lot of Norway left to discover.
In our last week we constantly found ourselves saying “We should keep on going.” Once we’d found the rhythm of smaller abode living it became a joy. The days merged, and we disappeared into our own little world of hiking and exploration.
The last piece of advice I can give is to take your time. Avoid driving endless hours every day. It will save you $$ in fuel, plus parking by your own creek, in the middle of nowhere, deserves quality hang out time.
So, what are you waiting for? Open your diary and start planning your first escapade!
And… onwards! 💚