Full time and part time RVing costs can range so much, it can be hard to give an accurate number, but you can have a framework to start calculating your numbers. We are a full-time working couple with no kids or pets. See some links below for other RVers actual spends!
I’ll give a breakdown of what costs to consider as you plan, but I wanted to share real life numbers from us. Check out the link for a detailed dive into our spending.
| Category | Spent in January 2024 | Spent in February 2024 | Spent in March 2024 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 |
| Repairs & maintenance | $0 | $0 | $1553.95 |
| Camping costs | $80.40 | $80.40 | $95.40 |
| Groceries | $427 | $386.47 | $921.13 |
| Phone and internet | $291 | $290.95 | $290.95 |
| Fuel | $427 | $105.62 | $650.23 |
| RV miles driven | 122.2 miles | 40.5 miles | 1,389.6 miles |
| Tolls | $35 | $35 | $50 |
| Memberships | $0 | $0 | $170 |
| Propane | $0 | $0 | $54.04 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $286 | $516.55 | $551.67 |
| Travel | $0 | $0 | $11.20 |
| Life insurance | $46.62 | $46.62 | $46.62 |
| Health insurance | $489 | $488.82 | $488.82 |
| Various normal expenses | $100 | $94.90 | $195.79 |
| Total spent | $3,875.40 | $3,424.56 | $6,459.03 |
| Category | Spent in April 2024 | Spent in May 2024 | Spent in June 2024 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $225.62 | $289.18 | $115.11 |
| Camping costs | $283.04 | $80.40 | $80.40 |
| Groceries | $592 | $541.26 | $590.39 |
| Phone and internet | $290.87 | $290.87 | $296.69 |
| Fuel | $640.50 | $354.47 | $265.25 |
| RV miles driven | 1,382.6 miles | 731.8 miles | 436.4 miles |
| Memberships | $55 | $35 | $145.00 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $374.07 | $380.06 | $377.79 |
| Travel | $308.39 | $0 | $133.70 |
| Life insurance | $46.62 | $46.62 | $46.62 |
| Vehicle insurance | $0 | $0 | $1,157.66 |
| Health insurance | $488.82 | $488.82 | $488.82 |
| Various normal expenses | $24.70 | $16.48 | $178.90 |
| Total spent | $4,708.86 | $3,976.71 | $5,294.49 |
| Category | Spent in July 2024 | Spent in August 2024 | Spent in September 2024 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $301.66 | $0 | $0 |
| Camping costs | $80.40 | $109.40 | $145.19 |
| Groceries | $563.76 | $711.20 | $688.61 |
| Phone and internet | $429.82 | $282.65 | $295.47 |
| Fuel | $198.16 | $120.91 | $510.99 |
| RV miles driven | 93.0 miles | 79.8 miles | 641.2 miles |
| Tolls | $0 | $0 | $50 |
| Memberships | $40 | $-10 | $76.45 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $254.92 | $124.14 | $449.99 |
| Travel | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Life insurance | $46.62 | $46.62 | $0 |
| Vehicle insurance | $0 | $552 | $0 |
| Health insurance | $488.82 | $488.82 | $488.82 |
| Various normal expenses | $50.46 | $97.06 | $11.62 |
| Total spent | $3,833.85 | $3,902.03 | $4,142.99 |
| Category |
Spent in |
Spent in November 2024 | Spent in December 2024 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $0 | $0 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $286.67 | $0 | $0 |
| Camping costs | $97.14 | $0 | $0 |
| Groceries | $512.49 | $0 | $0 |
| Phone and internet | $295.32 | $0 | $0 |
| Fuel | $340.96 | $0 | $0 |
| RV miles driven | 1,138.6 miles | 0 miles | 0 miles |
| Tolls | $2 | $0 | $0 |
| Memberships | $178.50 | $0 | $0 |
| Laundry | $5 | $0 | $0 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $836.73 | $0 | $0 |
| Travel | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Life insurance | $46.62 | $0 | $0 |
| Vehicle insurance | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Health insurance | $488.82 | $0 | $0 |
| Various normal expenses | $1.06 | $0 | $0 |
| Total spent | $4,488.54 | $0 | $0 |
| Category | Spent in January 2023 | Spent in February 2023 | Spent in March 2023 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $1,379 | $1,379 |
| Camping costs | $76.69 | $76.69 | $76.69 |
| Groceries | $591 | $439 | $534 |
| Phone and internet | $228 | $228 | $228 |
| Fuel | $420 | $83 | $198 |
| RV miles driven | 82 miles | 46.5 miles | 31 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $60 | $25 | $0 |
| Laundry | $20 | $0 | $0 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $371 | $346 | $562 |
| Health insurance | $404 | $437 | $437 |
| Various normal expenses | $112 | $4 | $0 |
| Total spent | $3,661.69 | $3,097.69 | $3,414.69 |
| Category | Spent in April 2023 | Spent in May 2023 | Spent in June 2023 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $1,379 | $1,379 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $263 | $0 | $78 |
| Camping costs | $76.69 | $76.69 | $200.69 |
| Groceries | $465 | $516 | $589 |
| Phone and internet | $647 | $306 | $290 |
| Fuel | $262 | $137 | $263 |
| RV miles driven | 31 miles | 44.3 miles | 46.5 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $40 | $0 | $45 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $365 | $616 | $236 |
| Health insurance | $437 | $437 | $437 |
| Various normal expenses | $79 | $157 | $346 |
| Total spent | $4,013.69 | $3,624.69 | $3,863.69 |
| Category | Spent in July 2023 | Spent in August 2023 | Spent in September 2023 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $1,379 | $1,379 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $1,261 | $0 | $0 |
| Camping costs | $440.97 | $358 | $25 |
| Groceries | $916 | $607 | $551 |
| Phone and internet | $279 | $284 | $293 |
| Fuel | $337 | $608 | $619 |
| RV miles driven | 1016.1 miles | 1031.7 miles | 1421.8 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $50 | $25 | $119 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $349 | $665 | $325 |
| Travel | $0 | $0 | $177 |
| Life insurance | $0 | $0 | $47 |
| Auto insurance | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Health insurance | $463 | $437 | $463 |
| Various normal expenses | $112 | $69 | $79 |
| Total spent | $5,586.97 | $4,504 | $4,277 |
| Category | Spent in October 2023 | Spent in November 2023 | Spent in December 2023 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $1,379 | $1,379 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $0 | $0 | $5 |
| Camping costs | $80.40 | $80.40 | $80.40 |
| Groceries | $619 | $594 | $704 |
| Phone and internet | $291 | $290 | $291 |
| Fuel | $290 | $442 | $30 |
| RV miles driven | 577.7 miles | 690.2 miles | 131 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $153.50 | $30 | $35 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $121 | $687 | $280 |
| Travel | $7 | $0 | $0 |
| Life insurance | $46 | $47 | $47 |
| Auto insurance | $0 | $0 | $963 |
| Health insurance | $437 | $437 | $437 |
| Various normal expenses | $0 | $0 | $67 |
| Total spent | $3,624.90 | $4,186.40 | $4,318.40 |
| Category | Spent in January 2022 | Spent in February 2022 | Spent in March 2022 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,380 | $1,380 | $1,910 |
| Camping costs | $6,110.46 | $230.31 | $260.31 |
| Groceries | $576 | $747 | $526 |
| Phone and internet | $292 | $221 | $226 |
| Fuel | $200 | $157 | $513 |
| RV miles driven | 160.1 miles | 204.1 miles | 714 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $55 | $45 | $60 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $756 | $418 | $343 |
| Health insurance | $778.29 | $428 | $425 |
| Various normal expenses | $698.54 | $683 | $0 |
| Total spent | $10,846.29 | $4,309.31 | $4,263.31 |
A few notes – I’m not including the costs of our businesses or our rental (previously our home).
| Category | Spent in April 2022 | Spent in May 2022 | Spent in June 2022 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,380 | $1,380 | $2,080 |
| Camping costs | $76 | $76 | $170.51 |
| Groceries | $504 | $642 | $728 |
| Phone and internet | $225 | $226 | $225 |
| Fuel | $199 | $575 | $660 |
| RV miles driven | 566 miles | 477 miles | 696.20 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $50 | $76 | $0 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $533 | $670 | $278 |
| Health insurance | $422 | $419 | $415 |
| Various normal expenses | $181 | $46 | $129 |
| Total spent | $3,590 | $4,110 | $4,685.51 |
| Category | Spent in July 2022 | Spent in August 2022 | Spent in September 2022 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $2,211 | $1,379 |
| Camping costs | $134 | $76 | $76 |
| Groceries | $465 | $672 | $598 |
| Phone and internet | $229 | $229 | $229 |
| Fuel | $158 | $421 | $100 |
| RV miles driven | 422.1 miles | 626.9 miles | 80.4 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $30 | $58.76 | $172.87 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $202 | $464 | $188 |
| Health insurance | $412 | $409 | $406 |
| Various normal expenses | $5 | $313 | $0 |
| Total spent | $3,014 | $4,853.76 | $3,148.87 |
| Category | Spent in October 2022. | Spent in November 2022. | Spent in December 2022. |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379 | $1,379 | $1,379 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $0 | $229 | $287 |
| Camping costs | $141.69 | $76.79 | $242.80 |
| Groceries | $536 | $460 | $375 |
| Phone and internet | $228 | $228 | $228 |
| Fuel | $650 | $390 | $325 |
| RV miles driven | 1414.6 miles | 17.5 miles | 55.9 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $230 | $20 | $10 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $561 | $341 | $181 |
| Laundry | $0 | $0 | $35 |
| Propane | $0 | $0 | $53.25 |
| Health insurance | $403 | $400 | $397 |
| Various normal expenses | $0 | $194 | $59 |
| Total spent | $4,218.69 | $3,717.79 | $3,572.05 |
| Category | Spent in January 2021 | Spent in February 2021 | Spent in March 2021 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 |
| Camping costs | $432.00 | $1,013.00 | $470.00 |
| Groceries | $661.17 | $4525.71 | $749.55 |
| Phone and internet | $318.10 | $318.10 | $376.65 |
| Fuel | $110.24 | $120.63 | $498.84 |
| RV miles driven | 209.8 miles | 42.5 miles | 1,313.2 miles |
| Tolls | $10 | $40 | $80 |
| Laundry | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $394.47 | $809.88 | $703.51 |
| Health insurance | $0 | $712.68 | $712.68 |
| Various normal expenses | $75.99 | $309.68 | $663.52 |
| Total spent | $3,381.20 | $5,228.91 | $5,633.98 |
| Category | Spent in April 2021 | Spent in May 2021 | Spent in June 2021 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $1,379.23 | $1,935.60 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Camping costs | $734.06 | $1,770.75 | $1,518.16 |
| Groceries | $737.22 | $782.30 | $599.57 |
| Phone and internet | $340.16 | $340.16 | $287.09 |
| Fuel | $478.47 | $418.13 | $512.16 |
| RV miles driven | 1,264.2 miles | 1,069.9 miles | 1,070.3 miles |
| Tolls | $0 | $40 | $0 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $1,110.02 | $1,484.25 | $1,334.61 |
| Health insurance | $712.68 | $712.68 | $712.68 |
| Various normal expenses | $91.81 | $653.31 | $147.12 |
| Total spent | $5,583.65 | $7,580.81 | $7,046.99 |
| Category | Spent in July 2021 | Spent in August 2021 | Spent in September 2021 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $1,897.23 | $1,379.23 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Camping costs | $722.68 | $1,177.20 | $165.82 |
| Groceries | $575.88 | $446.91 | $846.29 |
| Phone and internet | $232.04 | $291.75 | $291.63 |
| Fuel | $670.58 | $397.86 | $615.19 |
| RV miles driven | 1,823.80miles | 831.9 miles | 1,079.0 miles |
| Tolls | $0 | $49.95 | $0 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $402.70 | $1,127.25 | $1,700.86 |
| Travel | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Life insurance | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Auto insurance | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Health insurance | $712.68 | $712.68 | $712.68 |
| Various normal expenses | $174.02 | $314.91 | $399.56 |
| Total spent | $4,869.81 | $6,325.74 | $6,159.57 |
| Category | Spent in October 2021 | Spent in November 2021 | Spent in December 2021 |
| RV and vehicle costs | $1,379.23 | $1,379 | $1,380 |
| Repairs, maintenance & registration | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Camping costs | $271.69 | $241.13 | $241.13 |
| Groceries | $441.42 | $613 | $833 |
| Phone and internet | $291.45 | $291 | $292 |
| Fuel | $1,081.05 | $97 | $123 |
| RV miles driven | 2,778.8miles | 12.6 miles | 99.2 miles |
| Memberships & Tolls | $125 | $30 | $105.87 |
| Entertainment/fun/eating out | $521.91 | $489 | $608 |
| Travel | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Life insurance | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Auto insurance | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Health insurance | $712.68 | $712.68 | $712.68 |
| Various normal expenses | $304.46 | $411 | $0 |
| Total spent | $5,128.89 | $4,233.81 | $4,295.68 |
You’ll have to pay for your RV purchase, this may include the full payment or a down payment and monthly payments. If you’re purchasing a new vehicle for your RV, whether as a tow or to do the towing, it will need to be accounted for.
You’ll have maintenance costs and initial costs.
You’ll have to pay to park your RV somewhere. This could be the costs to get yourself setup for boondocking or to stay at a campground.
Groceries
This can vary greatly based on where you are camping. But a good rule of thumb is that it will be about what you’re paying in a sticks and bricks or a little more.
Phone and internet/hotspots
If you’re working full time in your RV, you’ll have to have a connectivity solution. Or if you just want access to stream.
Whether you’re towing your RV or driving a motor home, you’ll have to pay for the fuel.
Memberships
Whether it’s Good Sam, KOA or Thousand Trails (or more), you’ll likely get a membership. I’m including tolls in this category.
Entertainment/fun/eating out
Whether you’re full time RVing or a weekend warrior, you’ll want to plan to spend some on fun. This is why you’re pursuing this lifestyle, right?
Health insurance
If you’re self-employed on the road, you’ll have to consider health insurance in your calculations.
Various normal expenses
This can be anything from new clothes, to gifts for friends and family, to the costs of running your business.
We have used RV Trip Wizard to plan every trip since we got on the road in November 2020. We love RV Life so much that we have partnered with them. If you’re looking for a planner for your RV trip, this is what we use!
The great thing about this and anything in life is that you have control over how much you spend and what you do. If you’re looking to cut back on costs, you can plan on staying in the campground during the week (saving on fuel and entertainment costs) and have fun on the weekends (which also gives you more time to work if you’re working from your RV).
I want to be as transparent as I can be when sharing our experiences on the road. Every situation is different. A family of 6 has a different spend than us. Another couple with no kids has a different spend than us. We have gone through several versions of spending since we got on the road in November of 2020. We’ve accumulated credit card debt and we’ve paid credit cards down. We’ve stayed at RV parks that cost $76 a night and we’ve stayed at campgrounds covered in our Thousand Trails membership for $75 a month. I’ve spent at least one day a week at Disney World some weeks and I’ve stayed home and worked instead others.
Take our experiences to help you plan for your family. Take ideas on ways to save or ways to splurge.
Did any of these numbers or categories surprise you? If you’re on the road, do these numbers sound right?
Other RVers expenses
There are so many ways to travel and so many family make ups, rig type and ways to live on the road, here are other RVers who share what they spent.
The Adventure Detour – family of three with pets in a fifth wheel. Lots of great info here too!
Open Roading – couple with pets in a fifth wheel. Kalyn’s spending posts are some of the cleanest and prettiest looking costs I’ve seen!
Wild RV Life – couple with pets in a fifth wheel. They do a LOT of boondocking as well.
The Traveling Tiongsons – couple with pets in a travel trailer toy hauler. These guys have done all of the lower 48!
Blogs
Living in Beauty – retired couple with pets in an Airstream. This is one THE best summary spending posts I’ve seen. They’ve been on the road since July 18, 2016 and have all of their stats on this link. Very helpful!
The Home That Roams – couple with pets in a travel trailer. They also share about boats as well!
Reset Your Journey – family of four in a travel trailer. Very detailed post!
Live Work Dream – couple with pets in a fifth wheel. Another one with detailed posts about budgeting and costs.
YouTube Channels
Our Road Less Traveled – Couple with pets in a fifth Wheel.
Class C Broads – Couple with FIVE dogs! in a Super C.
Happy Travels Life – Family of three with pets. – Travel trailer.
Sherise and Jess – Couple in a fifth wheel.
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