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A young couple stands on their campervan roof deck, looking at a hot air balloon festival.

Intro to Nomad Life

(Don't need an intro? The next section gets into more detail, or search this wiki to find specific information.)

Curious about van life or nomadic living? This wiki has 1,507 pages and resources to help you live your best life if you want (or need) to live in a vehicle or otherwise on the go.

  • Learn what to expect from "the van life" you've been hearing about.
  • Learn how to choose and modify a vehicle to fit your unique needs.
  • Find tips for a great experience in an unconventional home.
  • Dig deeper for lots of ideas to incorporate into your own vehicle.
  • Read about common mistakes to avoid.

NomadLife.wiki does not allow computer-generated text. All articles are human written, but we do have some AI-generated photos in place until we have enough real ones that work well with the content.

Why live in a vehicle?

Compare the benefits and drawbacks, the advantages and disadvantages, and the pro vs. con of nomadic living:

If you need to quickly move into a vehicle for financial or other reasons (homeless, etc.) start with:

What will it be like?

A woman relaxes on the bed of her campervan, with the rear doors open to reveal a lake scene.

Nomadic living is what you make it! But it can be a big change from conventional living and it's not right for everyone. And there's no commitment either; do it as long as you want or need to, and then switch back!

What will be different?

What will be different? Switching to life on the road can be rewarding, but it comes with challenges! Without a "sticks-and-bricks" apartment or house, some of the conveniences you may take for granted require a bit more thought.

Learn from others

Learn about the lifestyle from channels on these platforms and apps:

Browse channels by feature:

A Ford Transit cargo van is parked in front of a steaming thermal feature in Yellowstone National Park at sunset.

Getting started

Nomad Life

Since this site is a wiki, you can help us make it better!

The Vehicle

Your most significant decision is whether to buy a pre-built camper or convert a vehicle yourself, but a lot goes into that decision!

Vehicle features to consider include: conversion difficulty if converting the vehicle yourself; amount of living space, ceiling height, passthrough between driving and living areas; number of windows desired; vehicle clearance, ground clearance, and parking difficulty; fuel type - gasoline/petrol or diesel (electric vans?); offroading capability; expected repair and maintenance costs; vehicle insurability. See some unique ideas other nomads have come up with.

Pre-built campers

A man leans on his campervan near a pond in misty forest, with the van facing away and the rear doors open to reveal the bed and storage areas in the van.

Vehicles to convert

Getting your own van or RV

Vehicle maintenance

Converting or building out your vehicle

An interior view of a custom-built furnished campervan.

Electrical system

Electrical systems can be a challenging part of any build, but most nomads see it as a necessity. Systems don't have to be complicated though! It all depends on your needs.

Batteries

Managing electricity

A cargo van is parked in a snowy lot at night near a warehouse, with other cars visible in the background.

HVAC / climate control

Technology

  • Communication
  • Internet
  • Mobile devices
  • Phone
  • PLBs/Satellite trackers
  • TV
A woman holds a glass of water in her campervan.

Water and waste water

Toilet options

Nomadic Living

Inside a campervan with screen-covered open doorways, a baseball game plays on the TV on the van's kitchenette counter.

Food

Living the Good Life