Sales for recreational vehicles were up 30 percent in 2021, with more than 500,000 deliveries of new vehicles. As a result, the options for camping or living in RVs have never been more luxurious or economical.
You can even outfit your RV in grand style with custom add-ons like solar panels, granite countertops, kitchen islands, and expanding walls for larger dining rooms and living rooms.
But how much does it cost to buy an RV? Well, RV prices are fixed to your budget and your idea of RV living. Many people are happy with an occasional camping trip in a pop-up trailer. Other people are ready to drive across the country in the comfort of 40-feet of mobile living space.
Buying an RV is as much an extension of your personality as it is a purchase in dollars and cents.
Read on as we discuss the types of RVs and what to look for when owning an RV.
Class A RVs
Expect to pay anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 for the largest RVs on the road. These vehicles are about 37 feet long and are about the size of a long-haul bus.
Motorhomes provide living rooms, full kitchens and baths, and plenty of room to stand up and walk around. Underneath and inside, Class As have plenty of storage, so you don’t have to pare down your gear and extras as much as in other, smaller RVs.
Class B RVs
In the $50,000 to $150,000 range are the Class B RVs. These are about 20 feet long and look like beefy vans. These units are perfect for a small family that may want a quick weekend escape or one or two people that want to explore the country.
Since the Class Bs are the same size or slightly larger than your typical cargo van, they are great for maneuvering in traffic or urban environments.
You will have to sacrifice some storage space, but Class Bs still come with kitchenettes, bathrooms, and some sort of sleeping platform. Winnebago and Pleasure-Way are two of the manufacturers of luxury Class B vans.
Class C RVs
The Class C RVs are wedged between Class A and B. These vehicles usually have a boxy moving truck-like front attached to your conventional RV body. Forest River and Winnebago both make popular versions of Class C RVs.
Expect these rigs to price between the Class As and Bs. At about 25 feet or so, these RVs have many of the features of the larger motorhomes and a bit more of the driveability of the van campers. You can price out a Class C at an RV dealership here.
Some of the Class Bs also have the slide-out feature of the Class As to accommodate a larger living area when parked. Also, these vehicles will come with a cabin for sleeping and a bunk over the cab for more beds.
Other Costs
You also need to consider several other costs when you look to purchase an RV. The longer the RV, the more you’ll need to pay in fuel because bigger campers need bigger engines to get them down the road.
There is also special insurance for these vehicles that can be significantly more than car or truck insurance. Also, you may want to consider extra insurance that covers mishaps, vandalism, and break-in along the lines of home insurance.
You’ll also find that RVs have their own scale at the DMV, just like cars and trucks. The price to register these vehicles varies from state to state.
Lastly, it’s challenging to camp incognito in an RV. Campgrounds charge a nightly or weekly fee to stay, and you may decide to elect add-ons like cable hookups and waste-water disposal.
How Much Does It Cost to Buy an RV? That Depends on You
When answering the question “How much does it cost to buy an RV?”, you need to ask yourself some other queries first. You need to know how much space you need and what time you plan to spend in the RV.
Once you have a good sense of your needs, you’ll be able to match the right RV to your budget.
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