Skoolie vs. RV: Which Should You Choose? A Complete Breakdown

Skoolie Livin School Bus Conversion Wikipedia

Table of Contents

This post may contain affiliate links. Check out our disclosure for more information.

Somewhere online you likely saw a picture of a skoolie (an old school bus conversion) and thought, “that looks so cool!”

Or, you might just be preparing to purchase an RV of some kind and think a skoolie is an option you’re interested in.

In either case, the next thoughts that cross your mind are likely:

  • What is the difference?
  • Is it better to convert a bus or purchase an RV? 
  • And which is cheaper?

Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about choosing a skoolie vs. RV for your adventure vehicle / home on wheels.

By the end, the goal is to give you a clear picture of which is best for you based on what you want out of your investment, your travels, and your life.

What Is the Difference Between a Skoolie vs. RV?

Skoolies and RVs are essentially different paths that arrive at the same destination. 

A skoolie is a converted school bus that was made into a “home on wheels”. You can think of it as a custom-built RV in a way, from the ground up. 

They typically keep their diesel engine which makes them similar to some older RV models in terms of engine performance. 

Skoolie Livin School Bus Conversion Wikipedia
Credit: Wikipedia

RVs are “recreational vehicles”: a collection of different types of vehicles, pre-built by an RV manufacturer, to be mobile “homes on wheels”.

Specifically, that includes:

  • Class A megabuses (pre-built by a manufacturer, not to be confused with a skoolie)
  • Class C mid-sized RVs built on a truck chassis
  • Class B camper vans
  • And a variety of trailers, including travel trailers, large fifth wheels, and toy haulers
RV Example

Typically, RVs are manufactured by an RV company. However, in some cases, they can be custom-built.

That’s especially true in the case of smaller camper vans, which are often custom-built using a variety of high-quality van models as a base, stripping the interior of most elements, and then custom-building it however you want from there (or hiring a company to do it for you). 

With a skoolie, you’re setting out on a DIY adventure, similar to building a tiny home or simply building your own home in any capacity like back in the day. 

With an RV, you’re typically buying pre-made.

That’s not to say there isn’t a whole lot of DIY in terms of maintenance as well as potential customizations you can do after purchasing (which many RV owners do), just that one path is more DIY than the other. 

Is It Better to Buy an RV or Convert a Bus? 6 Things to Consider

A white RV parked in a desert landscape with mountains in the background.

Now, let’s talk about why you should consider buying an RV vs. converting a bus.

Both have their pros and cons, but the goal is to find the right one for you.

Here are some things to consider when considering if buying an RV or converting a bus is the right choice for you:

1. Aspects of a skoolie build can be higher quality

Your entire bus isn’t likely to match the full build quality of a modern RV from a renowned brand, but there are many aspects of a skoolie build that can surpass the average RV in quality.

RVs are often more designed with the seasonal traveler in mind than full time RVers, which over time has resulted in lower build quality in many components.

This varies wildly by brand, but in general, with a skoolie if you’re willing to do the work you can end up with something higher quality than an RV in many ways.

2. Skoolie bus conversions are cheaper than buying an RV

While a skoolie conversion takes a lot of hard work and dedication, it can be significantly cheaper to buy an old bus and pay to convert it rather than buying a new RV.

In fact, it can be tens of thousands of dollars cheaper in many comparable cases. 

That depends on whether you’re buying a new or used RV and what kind of deal you get, as the cost of a used RV can often be quite low. 

But in general, skoolie conversions are quite a bit cheaper than buying an RV.  

Skoolie Livin has a great guide on how much it costs to do a DIY skoolie conversion: How Much A School Bus Conversion Costs to Build (DIY Skoolie)

3. Skoolies conversions take a lot of time and effort

To convert a bus into a skoolie, you’ll need dedication.

All that money you’re saving by converting a bus vs. buying an RV? It’s being funneled into the sweat equity necessary to make your custom vision a reality.

This isn’t a reason not to do it, it’s simply a reality that needs to be taken into consideration.

If you love DIY and the thought of building your home on wheels fully custom from the ground up, and you’re willing to dedicate the time and energy necessary to see the project through, then it might be the path for you.

If not, buying an RV is a faster and simpler path to getting to the same place, just with less customization (at least at first, you can always modify the interior of your RV). 

Before making the jump, it would be a good idea to take a look around online for example videos of skoolie conversions to get a better feel for what it will require as well as the total cost. 

4. With a skoolie you get the customize everything

Lauren Gardenbelle Fritts of Skoolie Conversion School Bus Living (via Flickr)
Credit: Lauren Gardenbelle Fritts of Skoolie Conversion School Bus Living (via Flickr)

Arguably the main benefit and reason you would ultimately decide to convert a bus vs. buy an RV is the fact that it offers unrivaled customization possibilities.

Skoolie owners are passionate about their buses and do some incredible custom jobs on them, and the community (like the RV community!) is quite big and very helpful. 

As we talked about earlier with the tiny house example, it’s not the reduced cost but the fact that you can build it however you want that is the real draw.

Especially for creatives, it can be a dream come true and a true delight just working on it, before the bus is even ready to hit the road. 

Want a large bedroom? You can do that. Want a larger living space fit for group activities or just hanging out? The floor plan is completely up to you. 

Solar panels on the roof? Sure, some RVs offer that but often at an extra cost. Instead, you can just install them yourself just how you want them. 

Also, because of this customization capability, you often end up with more storage space in a skoolie than your average RV. 

With that said, it is possible to customize RV interiors, just harder and with limitations due to certain things already having been installed (or, rather, it would be expensive to change them).

5. RVs offer more size options

Skoolies have a narrow size range of around 20-40 feet, from short buses to long, though more often in the 30-40 range. They’re often very long and hard to maneuver.

RVs come in a wide variety of sizes, from small Class B campers that are barely larger than your average vans to large high-end RVs like Class As that rival skoolies in size. In fact, Class A’s are so big they don’t fit in many RV parks. 

With a skoolie, your size options are rather limited. With RVs, if you’re a solo traveler or couple that doesn’t need a lot of space, or doesn’t want to lug around a huge vehicle, you can go with a class B camper.

They’re not only much smaller and easier to maneuver but can be custom-built from the ground up similar to a skoolie.

6. You’ll have to pay upfront in cash for your skoolie conversion

With a skoolie, you purchase a used school bus upfront for somewhere around $5,000 then buy the parts you need over time as you work on converting it.

There’s no financing like there is with RVs so things will be slower, but also no interest– so less debt.

It’s hard to say that this is a positive or negative, but rather a difference in the process of converting a bus vs. buying an RV.

Know what you want and what works better for you to help you decide which way to go.

Is a Skoolie Safer Than an RV?

In some ways yes, in other ways no. 

Buses are built to be extremely durable and reliable, like roll cages. Don’t forget– they were specifically designed to drive our precious kiddos to and from school!

You could argue that they’re built using better construction methods than many modern RV brands, but that would be too broad a statement. Many RV manufacturers pride themselves on their incredible construction quality, so it really depends on the brand.

Also, the kind of used bus you would buy to convert into a skoolie is going to be older and won’t include the smart safety features that many modern RVs offer such as oncoming vehicle, pedestrian, and lane detection. 

These safety features go a long way, at least when on the road.

Also, it depends on the size of the RV. Class A RVs and skoolies are of a similar size: massive buses that are hard to maneuver and must be driven carefully.

Smaller RVs such as Class Cs are much easier to maneuver, while Class Bs are simply slightly larger vans and the easiest of all. 

What Are the Downsides of a Skoolie?

Skoolies offer an incredible opportunity for customization, personalization, fun, and fulfillment.

However, they take a lot of work and should only be pursued if you have the dedication and motivation to finish the project. 

Also, they’re massive vehicles that can be a pain to maneuver. You might like the amount of interior space they provide (like Class A RVs) but hate having to lug them around when traveling.

Is a Skoolie Cheaper Than an RV?

Typically, a skoolie conversion is either a little or a lot cheaper than buying an RV. 

With that said, what you trade in financial cost you give in time cost to fix up the bus. It might be an incredibly fun project that fills you with joy, but that cost should be mentioned.

Also, buying used RVs is a particularly good deal.

It is possible to purchase a used RV at a steep discount and with relatively few miles if you’re willing to spend some time shopping around.

If you’re patient, you may be able to find something much closer to the cost of a skoolie conversion when factoring in the full conversion cost.

Which Is Right for You, Skoolie or RV?

So, what do you think?

Would you rather do your own school bus conversion and customize it to your heart’s content (knowing it may take quite a long time to do it) or would you rather pay a little extra upfront to buy a pre-made RV that you can make your own and set out now? 

Whether an RV or skoolie lifestyle, there is no “right” answer. No matter which one you decide, I hope this guide helped you get one step closer to figuring out whether converting a bus or buying an RV is the right move for you.

Both have incredible pros and some cons, and both are worth the time and effort it takes to finally set out and get on the road.

This post may contain affiliate links. Check out our disclosure for more information.

Don't Miss Any Content! Sign Up Today!