Is it cost effective to live in an RV? – RV Living Costs When Traveling Full Time

LOOKING TO SEE IF IT IS COST EFFECTIVE TO LIVE IN AN RV?

You are in the right place because we have traveled in our RV since 2010 and bring you all the information you will know to see if it is cost effective to live in an RV.

When we first started thinking about going on a prolonged motorhome trip, one of the first questions that came to mind was what would be our RV living costs. Have you ever wondered if is it cost effective to live in an RV?

Table of Contents

Is It Cost Effective to Live in an RV?
Full-Time RV Living Costs
Monthly Cost of RV Living
How to Set Up a Cost Comparison
Is It Financially Smart to Live in an RV?
How to Save Money on RV Travel
Conclusion – Is It Cost Effective to Live in an RV?

During our first seven weeks of living in our motorhome, we drove the west coast of the United States. We started in Seattle, drove down the coast, and ended in southern Utah. We went through many of the national parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon.

In this article, we want to share our expenses for our trip to give you a better understanding of what to expect as you start researching an RV adventure for your family. Please remember that these costs can vary greatly depending on a number of factors such as how far you drive, where you visit, and how long you travel. Not to mention, the type of activities your family enjoys can change the cost as well.

We have broken down our expenses into eight different categories. Also, we will not be going into detail on the cost to get a motorhome or the cost of stocking the motorhome with linens, camping gear, kitchen supplies, etc.

Be sure to check out our free RV trip estimator below to get started on your budget!

Is it cost effective to live in an RV?  

It is hard to say across the board that yes living in an RV can be cost effective. It can be effective but just like living in a standard home or apartment, everyone has different spending and saving habits. If you decide to make it so, it can be cost effective to live in an RV.

There are lots of camping passes you can utilize that make living in an RV more cost effective and other lifestyle choices like how far you drive each day, what parts of the country you stay in, and more.

Is living in an RV cheaper than living in a house?

A big part of determining if it is cost effective to live in an RV is comparing the estimated prices of RVing to the home prices in your area. If you live in a small city with low and affordable housing prices you won’t be saving as much by getting rid of your mortgage.

If you live in Seattle, New York City, or another area with high home prices, you will be saving much more by living in an RV. Researching the mortgage amount you would be paying or knowing what the mortgage is that you already pay will play a big factor in determining if it is cost effective to live in an RV.

The other thing to keep in mind when comparing RV living and a typical house is the upkeep and expenses you have at your home. This can include repairs, furnishings, utilities, maintenance, lawn care, HOAs, and taxes.

Property taxes are usually paid every six months. Depending on where you live, this can be a good chunk of change. You also will not have to pay for your homeowners’ insurance. If you are making payments on your mortgage, this is included in your mortgage payment. If you have your home paid off, this is paid out of pocket.

In most places, I do believe that living in an RV is cheaper than living in a house.

Is it cheaper to live in an RV than an apartment?

Typically, it is cheaper to live in an apartment than a house. If you are looking to compare the living costs between an RV and an apartment, there are a few extra things to consider.

First, you have fewer expenses living in an apartment which may make it not as financially beneficial to trade in an apartment for an RV. In most apartments, you will not have large maintenance bills, lawn care, taxes, or HOA charges.

You don’t pay for extra space that you aren’t using, and your utilities are less. Some utilities like water, sewer, and trash are included in your rent.

Keep in mind though that living in an RV is completely different than living in an apartment. When paying your monthly rent, it is never-ending. It isn’t like a loan that you are working towards paying off. If you do have to get a loan on your RV, eventually you will pay off that loan and you will own your RV.

Something else to keep in mind is what kind of an apartment would you rent? There is a large range in apartment rental prices depending on how new and nice the apartment is.

Full-Time RV Living Costs – Is it cost effective to live in an RV?

Something that can have a big impact on whether or not it is cost effective to live in an RV is how you envision yourself living in the RV. Are you going to be staying at one campground for an extended period? If so, you more than likely will get a large discount for booking an extended stay.

Are you going to be driving around exploring one state for a month or are you going to be driving across the country? This answer will have a big impact on your overall fuel expense.

The costs for each of the categories below outline the expense for going down the west coast pretty quickly. We spent seven weeks on our trip and drove almost the entire west coast of the United States. If you are staying in campgrounds for a longer time period or utilizing campground discount clubs, your costs will be less.

It is possible to live comfortably in an RV spending $2,000 to $3,500 per month. This is especially attainable if you take advantage of boondocking and limit the amount of money you spend on fuel. Boondocking is a lot easier if you add solar panels and upgrade your RV batteries.

RV Payment

We do not have payments on our motorhome so we don’t have this included in our budget, but this can make a huge difference in determining if it is financially smart to live in an RV. If you are trading in a $700 rent payment for a $500 RV payment, this may not be a good decision.

If you don’t already have your RV, what is your budget for a monthly payment? Does an RV at this price point meet the needs you have to live in it full-time? RVs can be expensive especially if you want a newer motorhome or trailer.

Fuel

Total Cost – $2,862.91

Our most expensive cost was fuel. We took a 35-foot motorhome and towed a small car behind it. The motorhome averaged about 6 miles per gallon and our car averaged about 33 miles per gallon. We drove almost 3,500 miles in the motorhome and an additional 2,000 miles in our car.

Another variable in the fuel expense is the cost of the fuel. We spent a lot of time in California where the fuel cost is higher than the national average. The highest price we paid in California was $6.25 per gallon. We were in the middle of nowhere outside Joshua Tree and had no other options. Generally, fuel in California was $4.00 per gallon. Our fuel cost outside California was just above $3.00 per gallon.

Our fuel cost ended up being more than we anticipated because of the high cost of fuel where we were visiting. The area around national parks and in California had higher fuel prices.

Campground Cost

Total Cost – $1,656

Our lodging cost was the easiest to determine before leaving and as we started making reservations. We had almost all our lodging plans made before we left on our trip. Our lodging costs ranged from free to staying in San Francisco for $130 per night.

We tried to pay as little as possible each night but in a lot of the cities, there were not very many inexpensive options for a 35-foot motorhome with a slide-out. We dry camped wherever we could to keep the cost down. Most of the time we stayed in Walmart parking lots, local campgrounds, and RV parks.

RV parks will be the most expensive but offer the most amenities like full hookups, laundry, swimming pools, and other entertainment. National parks and state parks are great places to camp and are usually pretty inexpensive but often book out months ahead of time.

Another great way to save money on where you are staying is by joining a discount camping club like Passport America.

You can also learn to boondock which means staying on public lands where there are no overnight camping costs.

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Groceries

Total Cost – $1,245

This cost for groceries was for two adults and also two young children. We packed a lot of lunches to bring with us as we were exploring.

This cost was only slightly above what we pay at home for our normal grocery bill. We did buy more food that was easier to cook in the motorhome such as frozen foods and canned foods.

Making sure you have all of the most useful RV kitchen accessories and a good camper grill will help you save money because you will eat out less.

The other factor in determining your grocery bill is the limited food storage space you have in an RV. If you are used to buying in bulk at stores like Costco, you will spend more on your groceries in an RV because you just don’t have space to buy in bulk.

Entertainment

Total Cost – $1,408

This is another section that can vary greatly depending on your family’s interest. We planned our trip out and selected the activities that we wanted to spend money on so we had a good idea of what this category would cost.

We also spent a lot of time doing free activities such as exploring the national parks in addition to playing at the beach.

Here is a breakdown of the activities we selected:

1. National Parks Pass – $80
2. Sol Duc Hot Springs in Olympic National Park – $40
3. Boyden Cavern in Sequoia National Park – $42
4. Point Lobos State Reserve Entrance Cost – $10
5. 17 Mile Drive Entrance Cost in Big Sur – $10
6. Monterey Bay Aquarium – $150
7. Disneyland – $870
8. Lower Antelope Canyon Tour – $105
9. Cornbelly’s Corn Maze in Utah – $101

Eating Out

Total Cost – $881

We went into the trip knowing this was our highest variable RV living costs and could get expensive very quickly. I always had snacks in the car and brought a meal almost every day in the cooler because we rarely went back to the motorhome for lunch.

The longer we stayed out, the more we started to eat out because we got tired of eating the same packed lunches. Equally, we made a conscious effort to keep this cost low. It is so tempting to eat out instead of eating PB&J’s for the fourth time that week.

It is easier to keep this cost down if you have good food from the grocery store that you want to eat. Utilizing camping crockpot meals is a great way to avoid eating out because you have a yummy dinner waiting for you at home in your RV.

Parking

Total Cost – $147

This included parking in downtown areas, state parks, and Disneyland.

Souvenirs

Total Cost – $94

Usually, when we travel, we let the kids pick out one souvenir each. We chose to get t-shirts and stuffed animals in Yosemite National Park. As a result, this cost can vary depending on how often you shop. Again, we are not big shoppers.

RV Maintenance

Total Cost – $700

When we got to Los Angeles, we realized the motorhome needed new brakes. Coltin was able to do some of the work himself but didn’t have all the tools he needed to finish the job. We ended up taking the motorhome to Les Schwab one day to get a new rotor.

Plan for maintenance but you never know what can happen. This cost could have been much higher or could have been zero.

Utilities

If you are moving from campground to campground, you will not pay for any water, sewer, or trash utilities. If you are staying at a campground for a month or more, you most likely will have the electricity put in your name and pay that bill.

The only other utility you will need to pay is filling up your RV propane tanks. Propane is relatively cheap and should have a pretty small impact on your budget.

Summary

Total Cost – $9,193.91
Cost Per Day (47 days) – $195.62 per day

The total RV living costs can vary greatly depending on where you travel and how you spend your time. We estimate if we would have skipped Disneyland and California’s high fuel and lodging costs, we would have been under $150 per day.

This total includes multiple costs that our family would have had whether we were living at home or in the motorhome while traveling. We would have spent about $2,000 on fuel, food, eating out and entertainment had we stayed home.

Adjusted Total Cost – $7,193.91

Monthly Cost of RV Living

How much you can save by living in an RV really depends on your lifestyle living in an RV. There are two different ways you can live in your RV – full-time stationary and then moving from campground to campground.

Full-Time Stationary RV Living Cost

Full-time stationary RV living means that you live in your RV but in just one place. You don’t travel from campground to campground. You park your RV in a long-term RV park and leave it there. People may choose to live stationary in their RV due to work and school requirements.

Living in an RV park long-term is a great way to decrease your livings costs to save money. RV parks often offer discounts for long-term stays. The largest discounts come if you stay for at least a month.

Your fuel costs will also be significantly less because you won’t really be driving your RV anywhere.

Full-Time Traveling RV Living Cost

The alternative to stationary RV living is moving from campground to campground. This is often referred to as full-time RV living. If you utilize discounts for staying for a week or month at a time, this can be just as cost-effective as stationary RV living.

If you travel you can also take advantage of free overnight parking areas, boondocking and cheaper campgrounds like in the state and national parks. This is a great way to see the United States without spending a lot of money.

How to Set up a Cost Comparison to Decide Is It cost effective to live in an RV

Because there are so many different factors in determining if it is cost effective to live in an RV, the best thing to do is to set up a cost comparison for your situation. This considers your payments at home compared to your estimated RV living expenses.

You can easily make this comparison sheet in Google Sheets or Excel. Your chart will have a column for your estimated expense categories and then two columns for RV living and your other living alternative. There are also online websites that will calculate the two budgets for you.

I would recommend adding initial start-up RV costs like buying your RV if you don’t already own one, linens, camping gear, solar panels, etc. Then you can use our budget categories above to estimate your expenses.

Is it financially smart to live in an RV?

It is financially smart to live in an RV. Living in an RV means living a lot smaller with a lot less stuff. You have less room for everything – clothes, toys, tools and more saving you a lot of money. Along with less space, you save on utilities and home-improvement projects if you own your home.

Living in an RV can cost as much or as little as you would like. It is really up to you and your lifestyle choices.

Living in an RV to Pay off Debt

If your main goal of moving into an RV is to pay off debt it will require you to still draft a budget and commit to following it. Living in a camper can have a wide range of costs, just like houses do. There are $5,000 travel trailers and there are motorhomes costing over a million dollars.

Some people can spend very little living in a motorhome while some can spend more than living in a standard house. Getting rid of a mortgage and selling your stuff is a great way to downsize and cut down on your expenses.

The most important factor in cutting down your living expenses living in an RV is not having a large payment on your RV and finding an affordable place to stay each night.  

Is It Cost Effective to Live in an RV? – Save Money on RV Travel

Saving money on RV travel can be really easy because of the downsized lifestyle. Here are our best tips for saving money by living in an RV:

Prioritize and Budget

This is the biggest and most important factor in my opinion in determining is it cost effective to live in an RV. You need to take a good look at what you spend at home on your mortgage, taxes, home maintenance, and your other expenses.

Then compare this to possible RV payments, fuel expenses, and campsite fees.

Save Money on Campsite Fees

Overnight camping fees can add up really quickly. If you are paying $75 to $100 a night, this quickly can take up your entire budget. There are lots of camping clubs that offer discounted camping rates like Passport America. For a small yearly fee, you can get 50% off the camping fees.

This is huge! This is such a great way to save money if you are living in your RV. If you are planning on staying at RV parks a lot, I highly recommend utilizing the Passport America card. The membership pays for itself usually in the first use.  

Go Boondocking

Boondocking is another great way to save money on where you stay each night. We are not hardcore boondockers but still save some money occasionally by doing it. If we are driving and need a place to stay, we find a free place to stay like a Walmart parking lot, rest areas or truck stops.

If you’re going to be staying at a place for two or three nights, you can get by without having hook-ups for a couple of days and this might be a good place to boondock depending on where you are visiting. Not paying for a campsite for even five nights a week can save you thousands of dollars a year.

Learn Maintenance Skills

Paying for repairs and maintenance on our RV is expensive and adds up quickly. Learning how to change your brakes and the oil in your motorhome can save you a lot of money.

Coltin knows how to do some maintenance and many repairs. This saves us quite a bit of money and time. Waiting for a mechanic shop to be available to repair your motorhome can take some time and can be expensive.

It is also important to understand that if your camper or motorhome is being worked on you will need to stay in a hotel or short-term rental until the repairs are finished.

Eat at Home

Eating out adds up so quickly and can be very expensive depending on where you are eating out and how many people you are feeding. Meal prepping and having good food to eat in your RV will make it a lot easier to eat at home.

Is It Cost Effective to LIve in an RV? Not Always

Living in an RV can actually add up really quickly, just like living at home can. It is easier to eat out than to cook dinner. You can easily spend the same amount of money living in an RV that you do at home.

Setting a budget and sticking to it, is the key to saving money by living in an RV. RV living sets you up to save money by living smaller but that choice must be yours.

Finding an RV for your Budget and Needs

If you are looking at moving into an RV to save money, the biggest and most important thing is finding an RV that fits your budget and needs. It is important to find an RV that you will be comfortable living in to make sure you aren’t miserable.

For us, I needed an RV that had a least one room so our kids could get a good night’s sleep, and my husband and I didn’t have to be stuck in the dark before we went to bed. I also knew we needed storage space to have room for the clothes, toys, and food for five people.

We also knew we didn’t want to have a payment on our motorhome so we spent months looking on Craigslist throughout the entire west coast looking for a good deal on a motorhome that would meet our needs.

Conclusion – Is it cost effective to live in an RV?

There’s a lot to consider when deciding if it is cost effective to live in an RV and I hope you found this article helpful. While the answer does vary from person to person, I think it overall is cost effective to live in an RV. It is important to make a comparison chart to compare your personal financial situation.

You also need to take a good hard look at the RV lifestyle you envision for yourself. Will you need to finance your RV? Where do you plan on staying? How often will you be moving around? Are you comfortable boondocking? All these questions play a large role in deciding whether it is cost effective or not.

Also keep in mind that while living in an RV is a great way to save money, it is also a really fun way to explore and see the country. We love traveling around in our RV and hope you get the chance to do it, even if it is only for a few weeks at a time.

If you are going to be traveling in an RV with a baby, be sure to check out our RV with a baby guide.

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