RV Cost of Ownership Calculator
Why the sticker is only the first line
RV ownership costs compound: a $75,000 rig financed over 10 years costs about $890/month before you park it anywhere. Add 8,000 miles of fuel at 10 MPG, covered storage, full-coverage insurance and annual maintenance, and the 5-year number lands in the 60,000–90,000 range. Use this sheet next to the Car Affordability Check if an RV purchase depends on your vehicle budget, or the Boat Maintenance Budget for the water version of this math.
RV 5-Year Cost of Ownership — $76,473
Benchmark estimates only — loan APR is an RV-industry average, fuel at the AAA national average, and storage/insurance/maintenance are representative ranges. Adjust every field to your actual quotes. Storage and insurance figures vary widely by state and RV class.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost to own an RV per year?
A representative Class C or towable RV at $75,000 with a 10-year loan runs roughly $12,000-$18,000 a year including the loan payment, fuel at the national gas average, $1,200/yr storage, insurance and $1,800/yr maintenance. Your numbers depend on the rig class, how many miles you tow or drive, and where you store it — adjust every field in this tool.
How much does RV storage cost?
Covered storage runs roughly $60-$150/month and uncovered outdoor storage $30-$80/month depending on region and RV size. That is $360-$1,800 a year — often overlooked in an RV budget.
How much does RV insurance cost?
RV insurance typically runs $300-$800 a year for a towable and $800-$1,500 for a motorhome with comprehensive coverage. Rates vary by state, driving record, and replacement value — get a real quote and enter it here.
Where do the default numbers come from?
Defaults are published industry benchmarks: 7.5% RV loan APR (RV industry average), gas at the AAA national average (retrieved 2026), 8-12 MPG typical for Class C and towable rigs, and representative storage/insurance/maintenance ranges. Nothing is fabricated per-model — every field is editable.
The five lines that make up RV cost of ownership
An RV's price tells you almost nothing about what it costs to own. Five separate lines do — the loan payment, fuel, storage, insurance and maintenance — and only one of them appears on the dealer's worksheet. This sheet puts all five side by side so the five-year number stops being a surprise.
How the five-year figure is built
- Loan payment. Principal after down payment, financed at the RV industry benchmark rate over the term you set. This is usually the largest single line.
- Fuel. Annual miles ÷ MPG × gas price, using the AAA national average as the default so the figure is defensible rather than invented.
- Storage. Covered, uncovered or at home. Regarded as an optional line by buyers and a mandatory one by owners.
- Insurance. Comprehensive cover on a vehicle that spends most of the year parked.
- Maintenance. Chassis service for a motorhome, roof and sealant upkeep, tyres that age out before they wear out, and winterising.
Motorhome versus towable: where the money moves
A motorhome carries its own drivetrain, which means engine, transmission and chassis service sit inside your budget, fuel economy lands in the 8–12 MPG band, and the insurance line is higher because you are covering a self-propelled vehicle. A towable flips that: the trailer itself is cheaper to buy, insure and store, but the tow vehicle must be capable enough not to be overloaded, and it brings its own fuel, insurance and maintenance. Comparing a motorhome against a trailer without costing the tow vehicle is the most common way this maths goes wrong.
Fuel is the line nobody prices in
8,000 miles at 10 MPG is 800 gallons. Because fuel cost scales straight off mileage and efficiency, a rig that spends a season touring can easily burn more in fuel than it costs to insure and service. Before you commit to a long itinerary, price the miles — and if the answer is uncomfortable, that is information about the plan, not just the vehicle.
Storage quietly decides the budget
Covered storage typically runs $60–$150 a month and unexposed outdoor storage $30–$80, but regional supply can push those figures well beyond the ranges: $360–$1,800+ a year for a vehicle you may use ten weeks out of fifty-two. If you have space at home, that single decision can change the five-year total more than negotiating the purchase price ever will.
Depreciation: the sixth line this sheet leaves out
This worksheet measures cash cost — what you actually pay out. Depreciation is real, but it is not a bill, so it is excluded here rather than mixed into a cash-flow figure. If you plan to sell, estimate the residual using the depreciation simulator and subtract it, then compare the net cost against five more years of payments.
Frequently asked questions
Should campground and travel costs be included?
No. This sheet measures the cost of owning the rig, not the cost of the trip. Park fees, campsite nights and diesel for a tow vehicle belong in a travel budget you build separately.
Does the sheet assume I sell at the end of five years?
It does not. The figure is five years of cash outflow. If you expect to sell, subtract your estimated resale value from the total for a net number.
Why is my insurance quote higher than the range shown?
The default reflects a representative comprehensive policy. Your state, driving record, storage location and replacement value all move the premium. Get a real quote and enter it in the field.