How Much Does It Cost To Live In An RV Park?

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Last Updated on October 27, 2024 by Paul Clayton

How Much Does It Cost To Live In An RV Park?

Living and working in an RV full-time can be a spectacular experience. People like it for varying reasons: some people just love the feeling of freedom, while others finally receive the opportunity to release the inner adventurer that has been restrained in them for so long.

Key Takeaways:

1. 1. Cost of RV Living: Living in an RV full-time can be more affordable than traditional housing, but expenses vary greatly. Monthly fees at RV parks range from $500 to $2000, with additional costs for utilities like propane, internet, and electricity.
   2. Major Expenses:
      • Initial RV Cost: The RV is the most significant initial investment, with new models costing $20,000 to $600,000. Financing options are available but may add around $600 monthly.
      • Gas and Campsite Fees: Gas is a recurring cost, averaging $300-$400 monthly based on driving frequency. Campsites can cost $25 to $100 per night, depending on location and privacy, with monthly rates around $600-$1200.
      • Additional Costs: Insurance ($500-$2000 annually), maintenance ($100+ per month), and health insurance (variable, but potentially $1,600 for a couple) are also essential considerations.
   3. Lifestyle Adjustments: RV living often leads to a minimalist lifestyle, offering savings on property taxes, home maintenance, and utility costs. However, the lifestyle demands careful budgeting, especially for food, phone, internet, and occasional dining.
   4. Choosing the Right RV: Class A and fifth-wheel RVs are recommended for full-time living due to spacious interiors, ample storage, and weather resilience. Each offers unique advantages, like Class A’s residential feel or the detachable fifth-wheel’s flexibility.
   5. Challenges: The downsides include limited space, costly maintenance, and challenges like waste management, reliable Wi-Fi access, and adjusting to changing weather conditions.

And aside from an outstanding experience, living in an RV full-time may save you plenty of money.

The cost of living in an RV Park can vary significantly based on several factors. Additionally, monthly rates could range from $500 to $2000. Additional costs like electricity, propane, internet, and laundry may or may not be included in the park’s fee.

Is it financially wise to live in an RV?

Living in a Recreational Vehicle (RV) can be a financially smart decision depending on one’s lifestyle and personal preferences. The initial cost of an RV can be high, but in the long run, it may be more economical than traditional housing. Expenses related to property taxes, home maintenance, and utilities are significantly reduced or eliminated.

However, it’s essential to consider costs such as fuel, insurance, and RV maintenance. Additionally, RV living often leads to a minimalist lifestyle, which can further enhance savings. Thus, the financial wisdom of living in an RV is subjective and depends on various factors.

RV Costs

The Rig

The rig will be the biggest cost in your RV journey. While you pay this cost just once in the beginning, it requires a lot of resources.

RVs can be expensive, ranging from $20,000 for the lower-end travel trailers to $300-600 for the best Class A motorhomes. These would be the prices for brand-new RVs. And because of this huge range of prices, it is pretty challenging to say how much money you will spend on an RV.

If you buy a used RV, you could save plenty of money. You could pay roughly half its original price by buying a 5-6 year old RV. This is a big saving, but you’d still need to spend plenty of money on a rig.

You could also finance your rig, which is a good idea if you don’t have the money to pay for an RV upfront. The cost of financing will really depend on the term and the RV model, but it should be around $600.

Gas

Gas will be your second biggest expense after your rig. However, unlike the price of your rig, this cost will be recurring.

Once again, it is difficult to say how much gas will cost. This will heavily depend on how much you plan to drive, and gas prices also play a huge role.

You could expect something around the $300-400 mark monthly, depending on how much you are going to drive around.

RV Campsite Costs

You will be staying in RV parks, right? If so, you must also include their costs in your budget.

Again, the nightly fee for RV campsites varies widely. However, most RV parks charge around $40-60 for private and about $25 for public parks. Some beachfront RV campsites also charge close to $100+ per night.

Private RV camps are more expensive, but they offer much more privacy. And besides, you can expect higher service and facility quality from private camps. As for public parks, they are indeed cheaper, but they aren’t guaranteed to have great service.

If you were to camp at public camps, then you’d need to dedicate around $600 per month. As for private RV parks, the number would go up to around $1200 per month.

Certain membership programs, like Passport America or Good Sam, could reduce these costs. At the time of writing, Passport America offered 50% discounts at 1800 campgrounds for a yearly $44 fee. Good Sam offered 10% discounts on camping grounds and fuel for a yearly $29 base fee.

Whether or not to sign up for such memberships is up to you. However, these memberships should allow you to save plenty of money in the long run.

Grocery costs

Food costs are also going to be very, very individual. Everyone has their diet. Some people can only afford cheap products, while others like to eat out and consume fast food daily.

Regardless of your routine, your grocery costs will most likely remain the same wherever you live now unless you decide to increase your food intake or, on the contrary, save money on eating.

From some perspective, a family of two would probably average about $400 monthly if they shop for fresh foods 1-2 times weekly. This number may be helpful for you if you don’t know what your costs will be.

However, we advise you to base your grocery costs on your current costs. That’s the easiest way to go.

In addition, you may want to add $200-300 to your monthly eating budget if you can. You would probably want to taste local foods when traveling to new places. So why not have some headroom in the budget for such cases?

Phone & internet

You should include phone and internet in your budget. You can’t rely on RV parks’ public wireless networks because they are often slow and overburdened. Besides, security may be an issue for them as well.

But the cost of a phone and internet plan will depend on your usage. If you work online, you will probably need a bigger plan.

For some perspective, as of the time of writing, Verizon’s Above Unlimited plan with 75GB 5G LTE and unlimited talk & text costs $50 monthly per line. Alternatively, a shared plan with 8GB, 4G LTE, and unlimited talk & text costs $60 monthly. You could base your calculations on these numbers, use your current expenses, or just research what plans are available to see which is better for you.

Maintenance

You will have to do regular maintenance on your RV. Some basic things, like changing oil or refilling propane, will need to be done. In addition, accidents can happen, forcing you to spend quite some money on getting things back in order.

For general-purpose maintenance, about $100 monthly should be quite enough. However, you would also want to have some spare money with you for emergencies. These emergencies could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, so you should leave as much headroom as possible in your budget.

RV Insurance

Insurance can be quite a cost when traveling by RV. Depending on your vehicle and insurance package, you may need to spend $500-2000 per year, possibly even more. And you should opt for better insurance packages if you can.

If traveling in a motorhome, you will need to ensure only it. But if you were to buy any other kind of RV that needs to be towed to your car, you would need to insure both your tow car and the RV. This means you would need to pay double the price we indicated earlier.

Health insurance

Health insurance is also a must, and it can be expensive. It is one of the most significant expenses nationwide in the US.

Unfortunately, it is pretty difficult to give an estimate of how much it is going to cost you. Health insurance costs change pretty frequently. And besides, your costs will depend on the insurance package and how many people are with you.

To be precise, the average American spent nearly $10 thousand on healthcare several years ago. By 2025, this number is expected to rise to $16 thousand. Up and up and up.

The key word here is “average”. Your actual expenses may be higher or lower.

So, what does it all come down to?

Let’s add up all the costs mentioned above. We’ll then look at the approximate expenses per month for two people.

• $600 for the rig (if financed).
• $350 for gas.
• $1200 for camping at private parks.
• $400 for groceries.
• $250 for eating out.
• $120 for phone & internet (with Verizon Above Unlimited plan for 2 lines).
• $100 for maintenance.
• About $150 for RV insurance.
• About $1600 for health insurance for 2 people.

With this setup, costs would be about $4,700 per month. This number may be excellent for some people, but it may be awful for others. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to tweak your expenses.

If you don’t finance your rig and instead just buy it, you’ll be able to save about $600, maybe even more if you have a pricey rig.

Instead of camping at private RV parks, you could stay only at public ones, bringing down the costs to about $600 per month if you stayed in an RV park every day of the month.

You may also save plenty of money on health insurance by purchasing a cheaper package. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to say how much you could cut your costs because health insurance costs are difficult to predict.

These numbers are only approximations. Every RVer will have different needs, so you must plan your budget accordingly. But if you don’t know where to start, you could use the numbers we provided as a baseline.

What RV Type is best for full-time living?

Determining “What RV is best for full-time living?” depends on individual needs and preferences. However, Class A and fifth-wheel RVs are often considered the best due to their size and amenities. Class A RVs are spacious, with residential-style amenities, providing a homely feel.

They also offer ample storage for personal belongings. Fifth-wheel RVs, on the other hand, provide a separate bedroom area and larger living space and can be detached from the towing vehicle, offering flexibility. Both options also have high-quality insulation suitable for different weather conditions, making them ideal for full-time living.

What is the downside of living in an RV full-time?

Living in an RV full-time can offer a sense of freedom and adventure, but it also comes with challenges. One of the significant downsides is the lack of space. This can lead to claustrophobia and limit your ability to own more oversized items or entertain guests.

Additionally, RVs require regular maintenance and repairs, which can be costly. There may also be issues with finding reliable Wi-Fi, managing waste disposal, and dealing with varying weather conditions. While the RV lifestyle has many appeals, understanding the potential downsides is crucial before transitioning.

Wrapping Up

The cost of living in an RV Park can vary considerably based on several factors, such as location, amenities offered, length of stay, and the size of your RV. On average, one can expect to pay between $500 and $2000 monthly.

This cost typically includes utility hookups like water, sewer, and electricity, but additional fees may apply for internet, laundry facilities, and recreational amenities. Locations closer to popular tourist destinations or larger cities tend to charge higher rates. Additionally, most parks offer reduced rates for longer-term stays, which benefits those planning to dwell for extended periods.

To conclude, while the initial appeal of living in an RV Park may be the perceived financial savings, it is crucial to factor in the various costs that can accrue. Therefore, when asking “How Much Does It Cost To Live In An RV Park?” one must consider all these variables and do proper research to make an informed decision about choosing this lifestyle.

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