RV Rental Prices: How Much Is It To Rent An RV - Actual Costs!
September 25th | Daryll Smith
Renting an RV can be quite scary if you have never done it.
Most individuals who are new to the RV renting lifestyle often forget to calculate some of the additional fees that can come with renting an RV.
Below you can find a detailed guide of the cost of renting different types of RV and a lot of helpful tips to consider before exploring the RV lifestyle for the first time.
How Much To Rent An RV
| RV Type | Newer Models | Older Models (10+ years) |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | $350 – $450 / Night | $175 – $275 / Night |
| Class B | $200 – $350 / Night | $100 – $200 / Night |
| Class C | $225 – $400 / Night | $150 – $200 / Night |
| Travel Trailer | $125 – $200 / Night | $50 – $125 / Night |
| Fifth Wheel | $150 – $300 / Night | $60 – $150 / Night |
A general tip to consider when renting an RV is that older models, normally the ones that are older than 10 years, will actually cost less than the newer models.
Obviously, this is not something that is advertised by companies.
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that these prices do not include taxes and can fluctuate depending on how far in advance you book and the time of year you book for.
The Average RV Rental Prices In 2023
Whenever renting an RV most individuals go directly to large RV rental companies like Outdoorsy.
Outdoorsy.com works similarly to how Airbnb works.
Using a peer to peer website means that a private RV owner is renting out their personal RV to another private party along with their RV accessories in order for you to have the best experience possible.
Below you can take a look at the overall price range for renting an RV in 2023 from a peer to peer website. We have broken down the cost based on the RV type to make it easier to navigate.
| RV Type | Average Rental Price in 2023 |
|---|---|
| Class A | $175 - $275 per night |
| Class B | $100 - $200 per night |
| Class C | $150 - $200 per night |
| Travel Trailer | $50 - $125 per night |
| Fifth Wheel | $60 - $150 per night |
| Pop Up Camper | $50 - $100 per night |
| Toy Hauler | $100 - $200 per night |
| Campervan | $75 - $150 per night |
You may also like: Deals on Pop Up Camper Rentals
Allocate Additional Budget for:
When looking at the rental price, it is always important to keep in mind that you may have additional fees like:
RV Campground Permits or Parking Costs:
RV campground permits or parking can get quite costly, especially during long weekends or high season.
If you are not an experienced RV renter, you may not know of boondocking. Boondocking is when you park your RV in the middle of the forest or desert. Meaning that you do not have access to electricity or any of the common campground commodities.
Another way of Boondocking is simply parking your RV overnight in business parking lots that are RV friendly in order to save money! If this is the route you take, it is very important to look up information to avoid breaking any laws and risk getting tickets.
Cleaning Fees
Most companies even peer to peer rentals charge a cleaning fee for the RV after it has been returned.
This fee can easily be avoided if you clean the RV yourself.
Be careful because not all companies may agree to this. If you are lucky enough to come to an agreement with the company or RV owner, you can be saving anywhere from $50 or $100 from your overall trip.
Setup/Delivery Fees:
This fee may often catch some RV renters by surprise! The setup or delivery fee is sometimes optional so be aware.
This fee is more common when you are renting from peer RV owners. For a one-time charge of $150 or $200, they will deliver the RV to the campground you have reserved and even install the RV for you.
Some renters have made this their only form of delivery. Many who prefer this service highly recommend it for first-time renters
Gas
Like rental cars, you should make sure to budget some additional cash for gas.
Motor homeowners expect you to return their tank full to a T just how they handed it over to you.
If you fail to complete this simple task, not only will they charge you the gas, but throw in an additional fee for having to bother to go fill up their tank. If there is one thing you should never forget to do is give your RV back on empty.
Mileage/Price Per Mile:
When making your reservation, make sure to look at the small details like how many miles you are allowed to drive.
Just like rental cars, RV rentals may also have a mile limit based on the price you have selected.
If you DO NOT have a detailed plan of where you will be going on your trip, we definitely recommend you search for an RV that includes unlimited miles on their price.
Doing so will save you tons of money because you can be charged anywhere from .25 cents up to .75 cents per any mile you go over.
Taxes
Regardless if you rent an RV in person or online you have to put into factor that you have to pay taxes.
Did You Know?
The part that always surprises people when renting an RV is that if they are renting from a different state, they will be held responsible for paying the taxes of that state (not the state you currently live in) .
This is very important to keep in mind if your state tax is much lower from the one you will be renting from.
RV Insurance Cost
Some companies will include rental insurance in the price originally listed. While others may give you the option to add the insurance for an additional cost at the end.
Take a close look at this aspect when surfing the web because you do not want to go on an RV trip without insurance (check out the 3 best RV rental companies and best deals on small RV rentals here.). This does not only apply to first time renters; this applies to every time you rent because each RV is different and you never know what may happen during one of your adventures.
The Best Part:
The perks of renting from companies like Outdoorsy is that they offer a million dollars of insurance, and they will even include roadside assistance for FREE!
Rental insurance can also ensure that you receive your deposit back, should you need to cancel for any reason.
If you are renting a luxury RV, you most certainly do not want to forget the insurance because this also covers all the internal appliances of any damage that can occur during the trip.
We always hate to think of anything negative happening during our vacation, but it is better to be safe and have extra coverage rather than feeling sorry if you have to pay for all the damages out of pocket, should you have any emergencies during your trip. You can read our full Outdoorsy review here.
Average Total Rental RV Trip Costs (Including Taxes & Hidden Fees)
| Rental Period | Average Trip Total Cost |
|---|---|
| One Day Trip | $75 - $350 |
| Week Long Trip | $500 - $2,400 |
| One Month | $1,750 - $10,000 |
As you can see above, there are a lot of additional financial responsibilities that come with renting an RV.
These fees are not often not factored in when you are creating your budget. Below we have created an average budget of what it will truly cost you to rent and RV for different lengths of time. Keep in mind that these budgeted prices do not include taxes as they may vary per region.
The total cost has a large range because we calculated all RV types into our budget (like Airstream rentals) . We included the most economic options and even the most expensive in case you feel like taking a luxurious vacation.
A Helpful TIP:
Like Airbnb some peers include an additional discount for long term rentals. With that being said, we highly advice you to rent from one company for the whole trip rather than changing RV per every location.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Much Does It Cost To Rent An RV For A Week
When renting an RV for a week expect to spend around $500-$2400. Also if you want to save a little more money rent an RV that is 10+ years old.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent An RV For 3 months
Renting an RV for 3 months is the perfect get away and you should expect to spend in the ball park figure of $5250 – $30,000.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent An RV Cross Country
Renting an RV for cross country is definitely an unexpected journey, so we HIGHLY recommend you pick an RV that includes unlimited miles on their price, so you don’t discover any unwanted costs. We did more in-depth reviews on which RV rental companies are the best. Read our RVshare review.
If you plan on purchasing an RV, check our guide on RV financing and RV loans for bad credit. Also check out our comparison review on Outdoorsy vs. RVShare.