Living in a Sprinter Van – 5 Real-Life Examples {+ How-To Guide}

As the vanlife movement takes off, one van in particular often shines above the others: The Sprinter Van.

While there are lots of great vans on the market for converting, the Sprinter Van is the most popular.

It is also usually the first van that jumps into someone’s mind when they think of vanlife, and with good reason too!

Sprinter Vans are much easier to drive than traditional motorhomes/RV’s, and today’s Sprinter Van conversions can be just as nice as an apartment!

Living in a Sprinter Van can be seriously incredible, and we’re about to show you exactly why.

We’re not only going to cover the ins and outs of living in a Sprinter Van….

But also 5 real-life examples of Sprinter Vans that people already do live in full time!

Let’s get started with …

Can you live in a Sprinter Van?

If you are wondering if you can truly live in a Sprinter Van, my answer is a resounding “YES!”

As time goes by, the idea of vanlife has grown progressively more appealing to many folks that are looking for a more simple way of life. 

Living in a van creates the opportunity for a very freeing lifestyle. All your belongings fit into a van, and you can easily pack up your whole life and travel anywhere with ease.

People all over the world are giving up their houses/apartments/ leases to move full-time into a van.

And what is the most famed van for full-time van life?

Without a doubt, it is the Sprinter Van.

The Sprinter Van is one of the most popular, and #1 choices for full-time van life as well, largely due to its size, reliability, and overall reputation.

Pros of living in a Sprinter Van

• There is an existing myriad of information on converting Sprinter Vans, so you’ll have plenty of resources for a DIY Sprinter Van conversion
• They are very large and roomy vans
• Sprinter Vans are very reliable, and commonly run for over 300,000+ miles
• You will have total freedom of location!
• With 4×4 options available, it’s possible to build an off-road Sprinter van quite affordably

Cons of living in a Sprinter Van

• Sprinter Vans are expensive
• Sprinter Van can be difficult to drive if you are not used to their large size

If you’re sold on wanting to live in a van full-time, but want to consider other options as well as the Sprinter, head on over to our list of the best vans for living in full time.

How much does it cost to live in a Sprinter Van?

If you’re feeling totally sold on the aspect of living in a Sprinter Van, your next question might be “how much does it cost?”

That answer is two-fold, as you will have your upfront expenses of purchasing the vehicle itself, as well as completing the conversion.

Then, there will be ongoing monthly expenses.

Conversion expenses 

A Sprinter Van conversion cost will vary a ton, depending on the van’s age, wheelbase, and how detailed the conversion is.

Roughly, a Sprinter Van Conversion will cost between $20,000-$30,000 for a used van and basic conversion, and $60,000-$100,000+ for a brand new luxury conversion.

Check out my cost of van conversion guide for a super detailed and in-depth guide that breaks down all the specific costs of van conversion.

Monthly expenses

Your monthly expenses for living in a Sprinter Van will vary greatly depending on your lifestyle.

• Will you be camping on free BLM land and boondocking, or paying for extravagant campsites every night?
• Will you be cooking most of your meals or eating out?
• Will you be driving long stretches frequently, or spending more time in each place to keep fuel costs low?
• Will you be utilizing a minimal amount of power and solar panels, or juicing your electricity to charge electronics and run the air conditioning 24/7?

Your answers to these questions will drastically affect your personal recurring van life expenses. 

However, here is a rough estimate of monthly expenses for living in a sprinter Van:

• Fuel costs: $150-$600

This is a huge range, and your exact amount will be impacted by fuel prices in your area, the weight of your conversion, and how much you are driving. 

If your vehicle is pretty stationary, you might only fill up 3 or so times a month. However, if you’re taking long road trips and on the move frequently, your fuel costs could get up to the $600 range.

• Van Insurance: $100-$150

This will be affected by your plan, age, and type of insurance, but monthly insurance for your Sprinter Van should fall into this range.

• Campsites: $0- $1200

Campsites can really be the van life budget breaker. If you’re boondocking and stealth camping, your overnight costs can be free. 

However, if you’re parking at a campsite every night for $40/night, it adds up fast.

• Vehicle Maintenance: $25-$50

Like other van life costs, this can definitely vary. If you have a newer vehicle then your maintenance and repair costs will likely be lower, and the opposite will hold true for an older van.

• Food: $200-$500

If you prepare all of your own food in your van, then your food costs will stay pretty low.

However, if you frequently eat out and spend a lot on alcohol, your food costs will shoot right up.

Overall monthly expenses: $475- $2,500

Careers while living in a Sprinter Van

Unless you’re retired, or have saved up a ton of money to travel and live in a Sprinter Van full-time for a while, odds are you’ll need to be making some money to sustain your vanlife lifestyle.

This means finding a job where you can work remotely.

Some popular remote careers include:

• Freelance writing
• Video editing and graphic design
• Photography
• Building websites
• Virtual Assistant

The main commonality between all of these is wifi. If you have wifi access or can hook it up in your van, there is a world of possibility when it comes to finding a remote career that can sustain sprinter van life.

Who should live in a Sprinter Van?

In short, anyone who wishes to live in a sprinter Van should give it a try! It’s a truly remarkable experience and opens up many opportunities for travel and freedom.

However, the people most suited for living in a Sprinter Van likely:

• Have the desire to live in a van and are okay with living in a very small space
• Can fit all of their belongings into a van
• Have either the savings, or a portable career that can fund their lifestyle
• Are enthused by the freedom that living in a Sprinter Van presents

If you feel like the above describes you, then living in a Sprinter Van full time may be just the lifestyle for you!

What you need for living in a Sprinter Van

If you’ve gotten to this point and are now feeling keen on living in a Sprinter Van, you may be wondering what exactly it takes to live in a Sprinter Van. 

Or more specifically, what do you need in your Sprinter Van to make it habitable for full-time vanlife?

In addition to the funds, to live full-time in a Sprinter Van you may need the following in your van:

• A bed
• A place to work
• Electricity
• Running water
• Plenty of storage
• Ventilation 
• Air-conditioning 
• Wifi
• A kitchen
• A refrigerator
• A shower 
• A bathroom

To show you exactly what living in a Sprinter Van full-time looks like, I’ve gone ahead and lined up 5 of the best Sprinter Vans for living in full-time.

Each of these vans contains the above elements and more, and will demonstrate exactly what you need to live in a Sprinter Van!

If you’re planning on doing your own DIY Sprinter Van conversion (which I highly recommend), then you should absolutely check out my ebook, the Van Conversion Guide.

This ebook not only contains all of the information needed to convert a van from scratch, but also 25 in-depth how-to videos!

5 Sprinter Vans for Living in Full-Time

Now that we’ve covered the ins and outs of living in a Sprinter Van, we’re going to hit you with 5 of the best Sprinter Vans for living in full-time. 

Each of these vans was built for, and is currently lived in, full-time. This should give you an idea of exactly what it looks like to live in your Sprinter Van, as well as give you some inspiration for your own van conversion!

1. Professional Level Self-Build Sprinter Van

The first van on this list is a great example of how to live in a Sprinter Van! It has all of the amenities and essentials for full-time van life, and is also beautifully crafted and decorated as an added bonus.

The kitchen area of this Sprinter Van is remarkable, and quite large. The entire kitchen spans throughout two long countertops in the galley of the van.

The amenities featured in this Sprinter Van kitchen include a stovetop, large sink, massive refrigerator, plenty of storage, and even an oven!

The inclusion of an oven in this kitchen allows for ease of meal preparation, as you can easily use it to heat up a quick meal rather than preparing something from scratch.

With loads of drawers and overhead cabinets, there is more than enough storage in this Sprinter Van kitchen.

There are also large windows lining the walls of this Sprinter Van. These windows provide lots of natural lighting, as well as ventilation if they are open.

This Sprinter Van conversion also has a full walk-in washroom, complete with a toilet and hot shower.

There is even a skylight that fully opens up to provide extra light and ventilation!

While it’s not a necessity, the inclusion of a full shower and bathroom in a campervan conversion certainly makes living inside a van that much more comfortable.

In the back of this campervan conversion, there is a large U-shaped couch and table. This space works perfectly as an area to relax, and also work remotely!

Since this Sprinter Van hosts its owners full-time, it is equipped with a beefy electrical unit equipped to power all of the lights and electronics they need to go about their day to day lives.

When not in use as a seating/work area, this couch collapses down into a large double bed.

With the overhead cabinets running all the way down the length of the interior, a large garage, and even additional storage behind the couch cushions, this campervan conversion has more than enough storage to be sufficient for van living full time!

2. Stunning Sprinter Van Conversion

This next Sprinter Van conversion exhibits a stunning example of a perfect van for full time Sprinter living.

This van conversion’s interior is open, airy, and has everything you need to live full-time in your van.

This van’s kitchen is fully loaded. It has a 2 burner propane stovetop, refrigerator, and a large butcher’s block sink.

Plus, with an extendable countertop, there is more than enough counter space to prepare delicious meals while living on the road!

There are also lots of drawers and overhead kitchen counter space in this van.

For a unique touch, there are little shelves built into both sides of the wall that can be personalized.

If you’re going to be living in a Sprinter Van, odds are you’ll want to add personal touches to make your van conversion really a home, and adding little shelves like these is a great way to do so!

The couch area of this Sprinter Van is mind-boggling. It’s a large half hexagon shaped sitting area, modeled using sacred geometry.

In the center of the couch, there is a large swivel table that can tuck away when not in use.

Additionally, this large couch seating area doubles as an extra guest bed! Perfect for families and friends traveling in a van together.

In the very back of the van, there is a queen size bed. The bed is built up on a platform, which leaves an entire garage of storage space underneath it.

There are windows, skylights, and vents all throughout the van which provide excellent ventilation. 

This van is also equipped with a robust plumbing and electrical unit to support living full time in this Sprinter Van.

Full video → Stunning Sprinter Van Conversion

3. Modern Self-Build Sprinter Van

This incredible and modern self-build Sprinter Van not only demonstrates that you can live full-time in a Sprinter Van, but also that you can do it in only a 144inch wheelbase!

I’m truly impressed by this self-build conversion.

They managed to fit so much in here, yet it doesn’t feel cramped at all.

I particularly like the double galley kitchen. One side has a sink, the other hosts a large countertop, induction cooktop, and refrigerator that holds enough food for two people to live a week off of!

There are also plenty of drawers for food and utensil storage located under the countertop.

Beautiful handmade overhead cabinets run lengthwise down the van, creating the perfect amount of storage.

The back of the van is home to a convertible table bed setup- one of our favorite campervan bed ideas!

Underneath the sofa cushions, there is enough storage to house off-season gear on one side, and their impressive electrical unit on the other.

Their electrical unit consists of 2 x 200 watt solar panels that feed 2 x 100 amp lithium batteries. This setup provides them with sufficient power for full time living in a van!

Another nifty feature in this Sprinter Van conversion is their tucked away toilet. 

This toilet is built into its own cabinet that is tucked totally out of sight when you don’t need it, and slides out when you do. 

Having a toilet in the van is great for full-time van life, and comes in handy when you don’t have access to a toilet or can’t go outside!

4. Impressive Self-Build Sprinter Van Conversion

Here we have yet another beautiful Sprinter Van for living in full time. 

This one is equally impressive yet totally unique from the others we’ve seen.

The interior of this Sprinter Van is crafted with bamboo, giving it an earthy and very alive feeling.

The layout of this campervan is nice and open, and a double galley kitchen with a butcher’s block countertop gives this van a ton of space for preparing delicious meals.

If you’re going to be living in a Sprinter Van, you’ll likely want to have a kitchen space that you can realistically prepare and cook meals in on a day to day basis.

This Sprinter Van conversion certainly accomplished that goal.

In addition to the incredible countertop, this campervan kitchen has a large sink, stovetop, and massive chest-style refrigerator that can fit a whole lot of food.

Directly behind the cab, there is a large L-shaped seating couch. 

Utilizing a slat system, this couch converts to a bed every night with ease. Plus, there is additional storage underneath the couch cushions.

One aspect you may have noticed that is missing from this campervan is a bathroom. The fact is, you don’t really need a bathroom to live full time in your van. 

Many full-time vanlifers opt to skip the indoor shower and bathroom, and are perfectly content. At the end of the day, it all comes down to preference and what will make you the most comfortable.

5. The Perfect Sprinter Van Conversion

Last but not least, we have this incredible Sprinter Van that is fully and completely equipped to live in full time!

This van conversion was 5 years in the making, so it has been carefully crafted and built to make living in a Sprinter Van sustainable.

The back of this campervan conversion features a very unique and useful bed/table combination.

There are couches built all around the edges of the van to form a U-shape. In the middle, there is a Lagun table to complete the office workstation.

When it’s time to convert to a bed, the tabe flips down, a platform comes out, and the cushions are laid out flat to create a large cozy bed!

One particular element that makes this bed/table setup so unique, is that the entire area is built on a raised platform.

This is different from most other bed/table transforming beds that usually rest on the floor.

Elevating this area gives the back of this van a large storage garage, which is incredibly useful for living in a Sprinter Van full time!

Having a large bed, huge work area, and garage definitely isn’t something you see in every van, and I’m sure impressed by this one.

As if this van didn’t already have enough features, it has a full walk-in wash room complete with a toilet and shower with hot water. 

The kitchen of this van is located in it’s very own little nook behind the cab! I love how organized it is and how all of the kitchen wares are so easily accessible here.

This van’s kitchen has a massive fridge/freezer chest, sink, and butcher’s block countertop.

To save counter space, as well as to have the option to cook outside, this van’s kitchen simply uses a gas powered portable cooktop that can be tucked away when not in use!

With so many awesome features, this Sprinter Van is the perfect example of what life looks like living in a Sprinter Van full-time!

Final Thoughts on Living in a Sprinter Van

That concludes our guide!

I hope that we were able to answer any questions you have about living in a Sprinter Van, from whether it’s possible, to how much it costs.

I also hope that you found inspiration from those awesome Sprinter Van Conversions.

Living in a Sprinter Van can truly be one of the best ways of living, offering a much more affordable way to live and travel the world simultaneously.