Is Full‑Time RVing Affordable in 2025? Real Costs, Budgets, and Ways to Save

Housing costs keep climbing. Rents in the UK ran hot through 2024-2025 (ONS shows some of the fastest rises on record), and US shelter costs stayed sticky in CPI. That’s why more people are asking: if I move into a motorhome, can I actually spend less and live more? The short answer: yes, full-time RV life can be cheaper than a house or flat-but only if you control travel pace, camping style, and debt.

This guide gives you real 2025 numbers (US, UK, and Europe), practical budgets, and no-nonsense tips to keep costs down without living miserably. Expect trade-offs. Move less, you pay less. Chase sun and full hookups every week, you pay more. I’ve done long stints around Ireland and the UK in a 6-7m motorhome. The biggest surprise? You don’t save on everything. You just get to choose where the money goes.

TL;DR: Is Full-Time RVing Affordable in 2025?

Here’s the straight answer in one screen:

• Yes, it can be. A frugal solo or couple can live on $1,500-$2,200 (US) or £1,000-£1,600 (UK) per month if they move slowly, use monthly campsite rates, and avoid debt.
• Average comfort with some hookups, steady internet, and weekly moves runs $2,500-$3,800 (US) or £1,600-£2,600 (UK). Europe (eurozone) is often €1,600-€2,600.
• The big levers: camping style (free vs paid), travel pace (fuel + wear), and financing (loan + depreciation). Cutting any one of those by half usually saves hundreds monthly.
• Internet is not optional for remote workers. Starlink or strong 5G plans add $60-$150/£25-£95 per month, but you can mix plans to save.
• Heuristics that work: stay monthly when you can, move under 150 miles per week, and budget 1-2% of RV value yearly for maintenance.

Think of full-time RVing like a sliding scale. The further you slide toward slow travel and simple camps, the cheaper it gets.

Build Your Realistic RV Budget (Step-by-Step)

No apps needed. Use these steps to price your life on wheels. Keep numbers conservative for the first 3 months-you will buy gear you didn’t plan on.

1. Choose your base rig cost and finance plan. Cash is cheapest. Loans change the whole equation. In 2025, interest rates are still not “cheap.” Typical RV/motorhome APRs: 6-10% in the US, 8-12% in the UK. A £40,000 used motorhome at 9% over 8 years is ~£560-£600/month. A $60,000 trailer + truck loan split can easily top $900/month combined.

2. Pick your camping style (and be honest). This sets your biggest monthly line item.

   • Monthly campsite (US): $450-$900 + electric (metered).
   • Monthly campsite (UK/EU): £350-£700 / €400-€800 (off-peak cheaper, club or seasonal rates help).
   • Nightly moves: US $30-$80; UK £18-£45; Western Europe €20-€45. City or coastal hotspots can be higher.
   • Free camping: US BLM/National Forest is common. UK/Ireland wild camping is restricted; Europe has aires and stellplätze with low-cost options (€8-€15).

3. Estimate fuel from your travel pace. Fuel is the second big lever. In 2025, pump prices swing, but typical ranges:

   • US diesel: ~$3.60-$4.50/gal. Gas/petrol: ~$3.30-$4.20/gal (EIA and AAA trend ranges).
   • UK diesel/petrol: ~£1.45-£1.75/L (RAC Fuel Watch ranges through 2025).
   • Ireland diesel/petrol: ~€1.70-€1.95/L (SEAI weekly reports often land here).

   Quick formula: monthly fuel = (miles per month ÷ MPG) × price per unit. Example: 600 miles ÷ 12 MPG × $4.00 = $200.

4. Lock in your internet plan. If you work online, treat this like rent.

   • Starlink Roam: $150/month US, ~£75-£95 UK/EU plans vary by portability and country.
   • 5G phone plan with hotspot: $50-$85 US; £20-£35 UK per SIM. Many pairs run dual carriers for coverage.
   • Hybrid stack (one Starlink + one 5G) for remote work reliability: $180-$230 or £95-£120.

5. Insurance, tax, breakdown, and legal bits.

   • US RV + tow vehicle insurance: $900-$2,500/year combined, wide range by state and rig.
   • UK motorhome insurance: £300-£900/year; add breakdown cover £60-£140. Road tax depends on weight/emissions; many motorhomes pay £165-£320.
   • EU travel: green cards, vignette/toll allowances, and Schengen stay rules if you’re non‑EU.

6. Utilities and consumables.

   • Propane/LPG: $20-$60 (US) or £20-£50 (UK) monthly if mild; cold climates can triple this.
   • Electric (metered on monthly sites): $40-$120 or £30-£90, depends on A/C/heating.
   • Water fill/dump: often included; aires/stellplätze €3-€6 for services.

7. Maintenance, repairs, and tires.

   • Rule of thumb: 1-2% of rig value per year. A £50,000 motorhome: budget £500-£1,000/year baseline; double it in year one if you’re catching up on deferred items.
   • Diesel heater service, brake pads, shocks, roof reseal, and a proper service each year are common. Tires on a motorhome can be £600-£1,200 for a set in the UK; US Class A tires cost much more.

8. Life stuff you can’t skip. Groceries, phone, health insurance, gyms/showers, laundry, mailing address, and storage back home if you keep things.

Now sum it. If your total beats your current rent + utilities by 20% or more, you likely have room for the unexpected. If it’s close, you’ll need slow travel and monthly rates to make it work.

Real-World Monthly Cost Scenarios (Frugal, Average, Comfort)

These are ballpark ranges for 2025. Your numbers depend on your rig, where you roam, and how fast you move. Fuel depends on miles. Insurance varies by driver history and postcode/ZIP.

What pushes you into the “Comfort” bracket isn’t fancy coffee. It’s moving every few days, choosing high-demand parks, and carrying a loan on a newer rig. On the flip side, seasonal pitches in the UK or long-stay wintering in southern Spain/Portugal can be dramatically cheaper than city rents.

Two quick examples:

• UK couple, 6.3m motorhome, work remote. Seasonal pitch April-Oct £1,400 total (club rates) + winter in Spain 3 months at €450/month. 5G dual SIM £55. Insurance + breakdown £55/month. LPG £25/month average. Fuel low when parked long. Many months land near £1,200-£1,500 all-in.
• US couple, fifth wheel + diesel truck. Monthly sites $650 + electric, Starlink $150, truck/RV insurance $180, fuel $250 (slow travel), maintenance $100, groceries $600, phone $100. Total often $2,200-$2,800 without loans.

Citations that anchor these ranges: US campground monthly rates published by large park chains and state associations; RAC Fuel Watch and SEAI show 2025 fuel bands; ONS rental series explains why some are switching; and big insurers in both regions show typical motorhome premiums in the ranges above.

Checklists, Rules of Thumb, and Cost Traps to Avoid

Here’s the gritty, practical stuff I wish I had on day one.

Cost-cutting checklist (start here):

• Decide your move pace: commit to max 150 miles per week for first 90 days.
• Book monthly or seasonal whenever possible. Ask for metered electric and off-peak rates.
• Carry two internet options (e.g., Starlink + cheap 5G). Turn Starlink off when in strong urban 5G to save.
• Drive 55-60 mph in larger rigs; your MPG will thank you.
• Pick a rig that fits in more places (under 7m in Europe gives more aires and better ferry prices; under 25 ft in the US opens more public sites).
• Install a refillable LPG system in the UK/EU. Cheaper than exchange bottles long term.
• Solar is great for batteries, not air-con. Aim for 200-400W plus a DC-DC charger for travel days.
• Buy a tyre pressure monitoring system. It saves fuel and tires.
• Keep a maintenance fund in cash equal to 3 months of your budget.

Rules of thumb that hold up:

• Maintenance: 1-2% of rig value per year. Double it in your first year with a used rig.
• Fuel: every extra 100 miles per week costs roughly $30-$40 (US) or £20-£30 (UK) in a mid‑sized motorhome.
• Camping: monthly rate = 40-60% of the cost of paying nightly every day.
• Depreciation: new rigs often drop 10-20% in year one, then ~5-8% per year. Buying 3-5 years used can be a sweet spot.
• Internet: budget redundancy. One plan will fail exactly when you need it.

Common traps (and how to dodge them):

• Nightly hopping. It feels like travel, but it burns cash. Plan “basecamps” of 2-4 weeks, then do day trips.
• Oversized rigs. A 9m+ motorhome is comfy but limits cheap spots, raises ferry and toll costs, and drinks fuel.
• Underinsuring. Skip gap cover on a financed rig and a minor crash can wreck your finances.
• Ignoring weight. Overweight rigs get dangerous and pricey. In the UK/EU, mind the 3,500 kg threshold-licenses, speed limits, and costs change.
• Winter fuel shock. Heating with LPG or diesel heaters gets expensive in the UK/Ireland. Many full-timers winter in Spain/Portugal or the US Southwest to cut costs.
• No domicile plan. You need a legal address for banking, insurance, healthcare, and voting. In the US, use RV‑friendly states (e.g., Florida, Texas, South Dakota). In the UK/Ireland, talk with insurers about full-time use and mail solutions.

Simple decision helper:

• If you have a large loan + plan to move weekly + love resort parks → expect higher than rent-level costs.
• If you can buy used, move monthly, and mix in low-cost sites → you can beat many city rents.

Gear worth buying once: water filter for fills, quality leveling blocks, spare fuses/belts, basic socket set, cordless drill for stabilizers, 25m food-grade hose (EU), 30-50A adapters (US), and a cheap moisture meter to spot leaks in used rigs.

FAQ and Next Steps for Going Full-Time

Quick answers to things people ask right after budgeting.

Is it actually cheaper than renting? Often, yes-if you keep loan payments low, stay monthly, and travel slowly. For a US couple, $2,200-$2,800 per month is very doable. In the UK, £1,200-£1,800 is realistic outside premium parks. Compare that to rent + utilities in your area. If your city rent is £1,600 and rising, a seasonal‑plus‑winter plan can win.

What about families with kids? Budget more for space (bigger rig or caravan + tow), higher fuel, and extra data. Look for seasonal pitches with good Wi‑Fi and consider home education rules where you are. In the US, public land helps with costs. In the UK/EU, seasonal deals and aires cut nightly fees.

How do I handle medical and insurance? US: health insurance remains a major cost-factor it outside the RV budget. UK: NHS is there, but check travel cover if you spend long periods abroad. EU: EHIC/GHIC helps, but add travel insurance with vehicle recovery.

Can I work reliably online? Yes, with a redundancy plan: one Starlink plus one strong 5G plan from a different network. Mount the dish clear of trees and keep a roof‑mounted MIMO antenna for 5G. Always scout signal before booking long stays.

How much solar do I need? Enough to keep your batteries happy between hookups. 200-400W with lithium batteries and a 30-50A DC‑DC charger works for laptops, lights, and a 12V fridge. Don’t expect to run A/C on solar in a normal budget.

What’s the tricky legal bit in the UK/Ireland? Wild camping is limited. Many councils don’t allow overnighting in car parks. Insurance may change if you declare “full-time.” Get this in writing. For Ireland, watch tolls (e.g., M50) and ferry costs if you hop to the continent. Keep MOT/NCT, tax, and habitation checks current.

Should I buy new or used? Used, if you want affordability. Aim for 3-7 years old, with documented service and a recent damp check. In the US, avoid ultra‑cheap plastics that rattle apart on rough roads; in Europe, check for water ingress around windows and roof seams.

What’s a smart first year plan? Rent or borrow for two weeks. Then buy used, do a 90‑day shakedown within 200 miles of home, and only then plan bigger trips. Your budget will stabilize.

Do I need a toad (US) or small runabout (EU)? Nice to have, not required. A small scooter or e‑bike can replace many town runs and save fuel, ferries, and parking fees.

Where do real savings come from? Seasonal pitches, wintering in cheaper regions, slow travel, and doing your own basic maintenance.

Next steps based on your situation:

• Remote worker, stable income: Build a hybrid internet plan. Book your first 60-90 days in monthly sites with good reviews for Wi‑Fi/signal. Track data usage weekly.
• Retired couple: Downsize the rig to fit more aires and cheaper ferries. Target shoulder seasons for lower rates and quieter parks.
• Family with school‑age kids: Choose parks with reliable internet and kid‑friendly facilities. Seasonal pitches cut stress and cost. Plan social time.
• EU roaming plan: Use aires/stellplätze network, chase sun in winter (Spain/Portugal), and keep Schengen rules clear if you’re not an EU citizen.
• US public land focus: Mix 14‑day boondocking with one paid week for laundry, dumps, and deep charge. Learn water and waste logistics early.

Troubleshooting common budget blow‑ups:

• Fuel just doubled. Slow down and stay longer. Cut miles 50% next month. It’ll balance out fast.
• Repairs snowballing. Pause long drives. Book a month near a trusted shop. Fix reliability first (tires, brakes, leaks) and defer upgrades.
• Internet flaky. Switch to your backup (Starlink/5G), raise the antenna, and pick sites based on signal reports. Plan work sprints when you have perfect service.
• Getting ticketed for overnighting. Learn local rules. Use legit spots: club sites, certified locations, aires, and permitted laybys. Fines kill savings.

One last nudge: affordability isn’t about suffering. It’s about design. Choose a rig you can actually maintain, a travel rhythm that keeps fuel sane, and a camping pattern that gives you long, quiet stretches. Do that, and the numbers start working-and the days start feeling like yours again.