RV vs Hotel Vacation Calculator
Example: RV price: 80000 $ · Down payment: 12000 $ · Loan APR: 8 % · Loan term: 15 yrs · Insurance/yr: 1500 $ · Maintenance/yr: 2000 $ · Storage/yr: 1200 $ · Fuel per year: 1800 $ · Hotel night rate: 160 $ · Travel nights/yr: 25
| Break-even nights/year | 78.11 |
| RV: cost per year | $14,298 |
| Hotels: cost per year | $4,000 |
| RV: 10-year cost | $154,981 |
| Hotels: 10-year cost | $40,000 |
Worked example
An $80,000 RV financed 15 years, with $1,500 insurance, $2,000 maintenance, $1,200 storage, and $1,800 fuel, costs roughly $13,000+ a year before you count depreciation. At $160/night hotels, you would need to travel about 80 nights a year just to break even — far more than the typical 25.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the break-even so high?
RVs carry large fixed costs that run all year, while hotels cost only on nights you travel. Unless you travel very frequently, those fixed costs spread over a few weeks make each RV night expensive.
When does an RV pay off?
For frequent travelers — think snowbirds, full-timers, or families who road-trip many weeks a year — the per-night math tips toward owning. Raise the nights-per-year input to see the crossover.
What about renting an RV instead?
Renting delivers the RV experience without financing, storage, or depreciation, and is often cheaper for occasional trips. If your break-even nights far exceed your actual travel, renting is usually the smarter play.