The true cost of RV camping
I break down the 8 biggest costs of RV camping so you donât have any surprises if you are thinking of buying an RV or you are an RV newbie.
RV Purchase Cost
Letâs begin with the biggest RV camping cost which of course is buying an RV to camp in.
How much does an RV cost?
- RVs can range in price from a couple of thousand dollars to over a million dollars.
- Depends on the manufacturer, upgrades, if you buy used or new, and the type of RV.
- According to Camper Report: A moderately-appointed camper trailer pulled behind a truck might cost $20,000, while a fifth-wheel maybe $40,000. Most motorhome prices usually start around $100,000
- If you finance all or part of your RV you will have monthly payments. If you pay for your RV with cash you wonât have monthly payments but of course, you need to have enough cash upfront.
Tow vehicle
Another upfront cost might be a tow vehicle because you will need to buy or replace an existing vehicle if you do not currently own one that will tow your RV camper or travel trailer.
How do you know if your existing vehicle will tow your RV camper or travel trailer?
- A good place to start is by knowing your âVehicle Towing Capacityâ. This is the manufacturerâs specification of the weight the vehicle is designed to tow.
- Most vehicles have the towing capacity listed in the owner’s manual, on the driver-side door jamb or you can find this info online. Towing a trailer that exceeds your vehicleâs towing capacity isnât good for your vehicle not to mention it is dangerous. You never want to exceed your vehicle manufacturer’s vehicle tow capacity.
But itâs not that straightforward.
There are other important factors you need to consider like the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).
RV Insurance
Now, letâs talk about RV insurance. First, do you need RV insurance?
RV insurance is mandatory in most states. My understanding is Florida does not require RV insurance. Check to see if RV insurance is required in your state. But, it is probably a good idea even if it is not required to help you protect your investment and for some peace of mind.
What does RV insurance cover?
What RV insurance covers depend on the type of policy you select. But often include things like RV repair if you get into an accident, theft, falling objects, fire, storms, floods etc.
How much does RV insurance cost?
How much your RV insurance is going to cost will depend on many factors such as the type of RV, the Market value, your usage, driving record, and location. Here is an interesting fact: Michigan has the highest RV insurance rates because the state has mandatory personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and North Carolina has one of the lowest RV insurance rates.
RV Storage
If you do not have space to park your RV at your home or in your garage you will have to pay to store it.
The cost to store an RV will vary depending on the size of your RV (a large RV will cost more), will you store it indoors or outdoors, your location and other factors
RV Camper Essentials
An often-overlooked RV camping expense is RV camper essentials. I did not realize how quickly some of these things can add up when I bought my trailer.
I think of these things you need to purchase in 3 categories: Essentials, Nice to Have, and Luxury RV things.
Examples of RV Essentials you must have:
- If you have a toilet in your RV, you will need a black tank sewer hose to empty your waste.
- You need a water hose to fill up your RV water tanks.
- Wheel chocks for your trailer so it does not move when it is parked.
- Electrical hookup cords.
- Kitchen supplies, bedding, towels â if you do not have extras from home you can use them.
Then there are things I wouldnât consider absolute RV camping essentials for your RV or travel trailer but are really, really nice to have. Such as:
- camping chairs
- a portable grill
- an outdoor mat
You can spend several hundreds of dollars on these things as well.
Luxury RV Accessories & Upgrades
Next, letâs talk about luxury RV camping accessories and upgrades which of course are optional. These are things I never considered until after spending time in my Little Guy Max trailer but found them to make RV life easier and more convenient.
- I was concerned about mold under my RV mattress, so I purchased the Froli Sleep System to lift my mattress off the hardwood surface to allow airflow. Not only did this RV upgrade prevent mold issues but both my husband and I sleep so much better because of its spring system. This is my #1 Luxury RV upgrade! I am grateful the Froli Sleep System company has offered me a 15% discount code you can use if you decide this might be a good upgrade for you. You can get the discount code here and I will leave full details in the video description below.
- Another example of an RV upgrade I made was an RV door lock. This is probably my second favorite RV upgrade because I do not have to use a key to lock or unlock my RV door. Itâs these types of things that I found to like RV life easier but are certainly not necessary.
Ongoing RV camping things
I think it is important to note that there always seems to be some ongoing RV camping purchases as time goes on that you should allocate for.
Campground Costs
Another ongoing RV camping cost is campgrounds. Campground costs vary greatly. I typically camp in State Parks, city and county parks, and boondock. And when I boondock the cost of camping is free.
Letâs start with State Parks because they have so much to offer.
State Park campground costs vary greatly from state to state. In Minnesota where I live:
- State parks permit is required to enter a State Park. The current cost is $35 (annual cost)
- That does not include the cost for a campsite at an MN State Park campground. The average cost is $35/night for a campsite with hookups
- Check the State Park permit requirements and average campsite fees for your local state.
- If you want to learn more about State Park passes watch this: https://youtu.be/84Y1RULrLhg
- If you plan on camping at RV parks these costs can range from $30 to over $100 per night.
- Corp of Engineers average $22-$35 a night
The type of campground you stay at will have a big impact on the cost.
RV Repairs and Maintenance
No matter what type of RV or travel trailer you own you will have RV repairs and maintenance costs.
We have also had to replace the door latches because they opened when driving down the road and our drawers have fallen off the hinges so these have also needed to be replaced. And our side window busted when the wind grabbed the door and slammed into it. These repairs set us back a couple of hundred dollars. Knock on wood we have not needed any major repairs but you should always budget for these unexpected costs.
Fuel Cost
The cost of fuel might be your biggest ongoing expense. Because when you are towing an RV or travel trailer you will use more fuel.
So, how does pulling an RV camper or travel trailer affect your vehicle’s gas mileage?
One easy answer is the heavier your load, the more force you need to tow it. The more force your vehicle must put out, the more gas it is going to consume. When you are towing an RV or travel trailer, the added weight lowers your miles per gallon. How much your gas mileage drops will depend on the combined weight of the trailer and your cargo. But there are many other variables that will affect how much extra fuel you will use when towing your RV such as what type of roads you are traveling and wind drag.
With so many variables it is impossible to calculate the exact MPG you can expect to get but sticking to weight will give you a good estimate of what you can expect to get for gas mileage when towing your RV or travel trailer.
This is how to Calculate Gas Mileage by weight When Towing a Trailer according to https://itstillruns.com/calculate-gas-mileage-towing-trailer-5968433.html
Step 1
Determine your vehicleâs gas mileage without the trailer.
Step 2
Next, you need to estimate the weight of your trailer including cargo. The trailer weight will be listed in your ownerâs manual or you can find this information online. This is your dry weight. But dry weight does not include things like water, or gear so you also need to add this weight to your dry weight. You could expect to add another 1,000 â 2,000 pounds once filled with cargo.
Step 3
Now that you know your vehicleâs gas mileage and the estimated weight of your trailer fully loaded letâs calculate your estimated gas mileage when towing.
Estimate drop in gas mileage. For light loads — under 2,500 pounds — subtract 10 to 15 percent from your normal gas mileage. For medium loads — between 2,500 and 5,000 pounds — subtract 15 to 25 percent; and for heavy trailer loads of 5,000 pounds or more, subtract 25 to 35 percent.
To calculate the cost of gas for your upcoming RV camping trip you also need to know where you are going because gas prices will vary across the country.
Use this gas price map as a reference: https://www.gasbuddy.com/gaspricemap?lat=38.822395&lng=-96.591588&z=4
Fuel cost calculator – https://www.calculator.net/fuel-cost-calculator.html
