How Much Does An RV Cost? RV Prices
- How Much Does An RV Cost? See below 21 selected RV prices
To help you make a decision, we have done research on a wide range of RVs of different types. The RV prices quoted in this article were accurate at the time of writing the update and are mostly for new models from 2019 and 2020 unless stated otherwise. These prices may, however, fluctuate depending on other factors, but our RV prices here depicted are as accurate as possible.
- Berkshire XLT Diesel Engine 45 A Class A – RV prices MSRP: $ 27,837 from Forest River RV Inc.
- Nest 16 FB – Travel Trailer RV prices MSRP: $ 46,750 from Airstream
- Leprechaun 240 FS (Chassis F-450) Class C – RV prices MSRP: $67,330 from Coachmen R
- Astoria-2513RLF Fifth-Wheel – RV Prices MSRP: $49,885 from Dutchmen
- Passport Express-239ML – Travel Trailer – RV Prices MSRP: $17,895 from Keystone RV
- Embark 37MB-Class A Motorhome – RV Prices MSRP: $294,885 from Jayco
- Motor Coach-Compass 24LP – Class B Motorhome – RV Prices MSRP: $113,950 from Thor
- PaloMini177BH – Travel Trailer – RV Prices MSRP: $9,850 from Palomino
- Cambria27K – Class C Motorhome – RV Prices MSRP: $127,300 from Winnebago
- Arctic-Fox 28-5C Fifth-Wheel- RV Prices MSRP: $41,930 from Northwood
- Motor-Coach-Outlaw 29J – Class C Toy Hauler – RV Prices MSRP:$122,350 from Thor
- Jay-Sport 10SD – Pop Up Camper – RV Prices MSRP: $11,550 from Jayco
- RV-Connect C191RBT – Travel Trailer – RV Prices MSRP: $18,360 from KZ
- MC Hurricane 35M – Class A Motorhome – RV Prices MSRP: $143,550 from Thor
- La Crosse 339BHD – Travel Trailer – RV Prices MSRP: $46,727 from Prime Time RV
- Bighorn BHTR 39 D – Fifth Wheel – RV Prices MSRP: $48,300 from Heartland
- Minnie Winnie 22M – Class C Motorhome – RV Prices MSRP: $79,200 from Winnebago
- Tuscany 45AT – Class A Diesel Motorhome – RV Prices MSRP: $427,550 from Thor
- Sprinter 312MLS – Travel Trailer – RV Prices MSRP : $35,800 from Keystone RV
- Autumn Ridge Outfitter 17RD – Travel Trailer – RV Prices MSRP: $11,050 from Starcraft
- Sylvan Sport Go – Pop Up Camper – RV prices MSRP $ 9,820 from Sylvan
Apart from showing you the prices of the different types, we have also looked at the pros and cons of each type to help you decide which is most suited to your own unique requirements, lifestyle, and budget.
There are numerous different categories of recreational vehicles available to select from. Some prefer to simply hitch a fifth-wheel RV or a travel trailer to the towing vehicle, while others want the full motorhome experience with a class A RV. Irrespective of which option you prefer, one of the main deciding factors that will determine which option you go for is RV prices.
RVs sell for anything from $10,000 to $297,300 (in this update) . This value is largely related to the features and category. A mid-range camper trailer that requires to be towed by a truck or SUV, has RV prices in the region of about $ 50,000. Instead, some fifth-wheelers go for as little as $ 33,000. For motorhomes, the price normally starts at about $ 87,000 and can reach a million dollars in a few cases.
The bottom line is that there is a massive difference in RV prices. These differences, of course, depend on the type of RV you want to purchase. Once you have decided which type you are interested in buying, you have to decide if you are looking for a new or used RV, and then also look at the different manufacturers. All of these factors will have an impact on the final price you will pay.
Buying an RV is a big investment, so it makes sense to spend some time beforehand to do proper research. One of the ways in which you can make sure that you buy what is right for you is to try it out through an RV rental before actually buying one. Outdoorsy has a wide range of RVs available for renting out and we suggest you do that first before purchasing your own.
Why The Large Fluctuations In RV Prices?
There are quite a number of RV manufacturers in the market and even though they might still sell the same type of RV, e.g. travel trailers, the price difference between manufacturers can be substantial.
We have listed some of the reasons for this below:
- Reputation: Jayco, KeystoneRV, and Forest River RV are all large manufacturers while Heartland and Starcraft are relatively small. If you have been looking at buying an RV, you are probably already familiar with the bigger manufacturers as these brands are well known. The bigger brands often charge higher RV prices, simply because they have a good reputation and are popular. You are buying the support of a brand, their included warranties, and service contracts as well. It is however also true that they will most likely have a bigger range to choose from. KZ RV is for example not well known and they only manufacture travel trailers, 5th wheel trailers, and toy haulers. On the other hand, a big brand like Jayco manufactures Class A, B and Class C RVs (the ones with the alcove over the driver´s seat) and furthermore, they also manufacture other kinds of RVs.
- RV Age: A completely new 2019 or 2020 RV model, will be the most expensive on the market and will command the highest RV prices. If you, however, look at RVs that were manufactured in the range from 2013 and 2016, you will instead end up saving thousands of dollars when buying your vehicle.
- Market Availability: If an RV is nationwide available, its price will tend to be lower than one that is scarce. This is simply the economic law of supply and demand in action. An RV from a big brand like Airstream, of which there are plenty available will likely cost less (lower RV prices in this case) than a similar product from a tiny RV manufacturer that only has dealerships in Canada and the customer has to bring it to the US by driving it from British Columbia in Canada. However, if the company is defunct, like Forks RV, people would not buy their used RVs as they may not enjoy extended warranties or have new spare parts at their disposal. In this last case, their RV prices will plummet considerably.
- Floorplan: The size of the layout floor plan will make a big difference in RV prices, with larger spaces selling for more than what smaller vehicles would. If you need a lot of space to fit a king-sized bed, full bathroom, full kitchen, and a large dinette with an island in the kitchen for a sink, you can expect to pay a lot more for your RV than you would for a smaller one. An exception to this is the Airstream Nest, an expensive tiny RV with a bathroom: small floorplan but high prices.
- Features: Prices quoted for RVs are normally based on the standard features it has available. This means that we took baselining price criteria. If you require to introduce in your selection, additional bespoke amenities, you can expect to pay more for these features. Some want to choose things like décor materials, flooring, and inside color and outside color palette of the target recreational vehicle. Other prospective customers prefer to fill the RV with numerous technological equipment to make their lives comfortable, including things like en embedded smart television. Although all of this is possible, it does however add hundreds of dollars to the regular baseline price herein depicted.
Different RV Categories
As there are so many different types of RVs available, you will need to consider which type is best suited to your specific requirements.
Let’s have a look at the detail of the various types to assist you in making an intelligent decision before you buy as you will have more knowledge and information.
Pop Up Campers
Tent trailers are also known as pop-up trailers or pop up campers. These are travel trailers which means that you do not drive the trailer itself, but it is required to be hitched into a towing vehicle and be pulled by this unit along the road with you.
Tent trailers are small and usually only include a kitchenette, a dinette, and one or two beds. It does not include amenities such as showers or toilets. Cooking is possible in a popup camper if a stovetop has been included. There is also normally enough space to fit in a small refrigerator.
Pop up campers usually have a sufficient quantity of windows, they are luminous, thus enabling you to pleasure with the viewing and saving energy as well. These feature also adequate ventilation inside the trailer and this will prevent any mold from growing.
It is possible to squeeze up to five adults into a pop-up camper, but not very comfortable, so you will be able to invite your whole family or a couple of friends to join you in your travels!
They are called pop up campers because their structure is composed of a tent that is retractable and foldable when the tent trailer is not being utilized. The tents are very durable as they are made from canvas and can withstand wind, rain, and even some light snow.
You should however always keep the tent closed to avoid exposure to the elements of nature for too long. This can have several negative consequences in the soft texture of the foldable tent related to rips, tear and wear, and also holes.
These tent trailers are not four seasons RV, so for extreme winters, you should look for other options. We have an article about the 4 seasons RVs in this link.
Hardsided Foldable Travel Trailers
In the cases when you prefer an RV that is tougher than a tent trailer, it is worthwhile looking at hard-sided travel trailers. These types of RV have the same space as what a bigger travel trailer has, while the hard-sided structure also provides more structural stability. You will, therefore, be able to take long road trips, even if the weather is not that great.
Hard-side travel trailers also have to be connected to an SUV, truck, or suitable other vehicles the same as is the case with tent trailers. These trailers typically sport a design that is pointing upwards, which is called an A-frame, making it look like a triangle. It is an A-frame, and a beam supporting the structure.
Although this design may appear weird from the exterior, you will appreciate it when you are inside the trailer. They offer more structural stability than a pop up camper, but less than a classical travel trailer.
The entrance door is often bigger, and the angular scheme makes it possible to fit more windows. Numerous amenities can be fitted inside, including things like cooking space, a kitchen, a dinette, a freezer, and a refrigerator. There is also space for a small bedroom and you typically have more bathroom and wet bath spacing with this type of trailer.
There is often enough space for a wet bath if you are prepared to go for the largest floorplan that they come in.
Hardsided pop-up trailers do not include foldable tents, nor do they often have an awning. Although this does not really make them suitable for fulltime RVing, the amount of space inside the trailer makes it pretty easy to spend the night inside.
Fifth-Wheelers
Fifth-wheel trailers are the largest category within all the classes of travel trailers at your disposal, some being almost as big as a small Class A motorhome. They regularly come with floor plans that include different leveling platforms with stairs and can be up to forty feet long. Due to their size, they have the highest RV prices of the travel trailer family.
It is easy for up to five passengers to utilize this category of travel trailers, and it has to be attached to a truck by using a gooseneck hitching device. It is not likely that a small vehicle will have enough towing capacity for this exigent RV due to its high weight. There are however some 5th wheel RVs that are specifically manufactured to not weigh as much as their bigger brothers, making it possible for smaller vehicles to tow them, but there are very few.
What many people do not realize is that due to their size being roughly equivalent to that of some motorhomes, a non-commercial driver’s license may be required to tow a 5th wheeler travel trailer. Whether this is the case or not depends on the weight of the trailer and the state of the United States wherein it is utilized.
Fifth-wheel trailers typically have a number of windows, which will allow for magic views. Slide-outs that expand more than 3 feet are also often included (up to 4 slides). This creates additional space in either the bedroom or the living area.
With a fifth-wheel trailer, you will enjoy living space, practically as much as you can have in your own house. They have more cabinets, more amenities than standard travel trailers, that are especially great for kids, magic cooking facilities like stovetops or sometimes even a mini oven, a large dining area, and plenty of bathing options. A fifth-wheel has space for a shower and a toilet. You will also be able to fit in several beds.
Class A Motorhomes
Motorhomes are the biggest type of RVs available. Motorhomes are actually driven and not towed like travel trailers are. To be able to do this, you will have to practice and get used to maneuvering them at first, as you will have to learn new driving techniques to manage the extra weight and length of a motorhome.
Motorhomes are normally divided into classes A, B, and C, with Class A weighing the most. This type of RV has the most space, both for passengers as well as to kick back and relax. These vehicles could be up to 45 ft. long, with the shortest being about 25 ft. Even with the smallest Class A RV, there is still more space than in any of the other types of trailers discussed above.
If you like to bring a group of family or friends with you when you go on a road trip, Class A motorhomes will give you all the space you need. Although there will not be separate beds for 4 or 5 people, each passenger should get some sense of privacy. You would typically have two king-size beds and maybe some bunk beds for kids.
The ceilings in this type of RV are taller than what is found in other types. Taller passengers who can seldom stand up straight when in a vehicle will love this feature.
There is plenty of space available to store things like gear, clothes, food, equipment, and other necessities. Some storage spaces are clearly visible, while others are subtle and could even be hidden away or retractable.
With this much space, a full bathroom and full kitchen can be fitted. Bathrooms can contain a toilet, shower, and sink, while the kitchen has space for a freezer, refrigerator, microwave, stovetop, and oven.
There are also plenty of views, both through the massive windshield and the other panoramic windows fitted across the rest of the Class A motorhomes.
Due to its sheer size, a Class A motorhome is obviously the most costly.
Class B Motorhomes
Class B motorhomes are the smallest and weigh the least of the three motorhome types. Although the size is similar to that of a bigger travel trailer, it has the security of a motorhome. The limited space available in a Class B motorhome is suitable for two, maybe three people. If you are however thinking of traveling with a bigger group, Class A or Class C motorhomes would be better suited.
One king or queen-sized bed can be fitted, with maybe a pull-out couch. Most floorplans do however not have any space available to fit bunk beds. The Class B motorhome also has fewer windows and much less storage space than what is available in a Class A. The kitchen alcove will also be a lot smaller, and some floorplans may not allow you to include a toilet or a shower.
Due to the reduced number of windows, the views will be far less and the smaller storage space will definitely force you to pack a lot less stuff. A big positive of the Class B motorhome is however that it is the cheapest of the three RV categories.
Class C Motorhomes
A Class C motorhome lies in between the Class A with its massive size, weight and high price and the Class B with its affordability but much smaller. A Class C motorhome does not cost quite as much as a Class A, but they are generally more expensive than Class B motorhomes and travel trailers. You should be able to pick one up for around six figures or slightly less.
As there is not a massive amount of space available in a Class C motorhome, so the bedroom nook will typically contain an overhead bed and possibly a second king or queen-size bed. If you do not need space for more than a couple sharing a bed, the overhead bed space can be converted into an office, living room area, or anything else that tickles your fancy.
Learning how to drive a Class C motorhome will also be easier than what would be the case with a Class A as it weighs a lot less. If you can manage to drive a larger vehicle, like an SUV or heavy-duty truck, then handling this RV should not present any problems. Incidentally, the same applies to a Class B motorhome as these are the easiest of the three types of motorhomes to drive.
Class C motorhomes are approximately 24 ft. long and they have a decent amount of storage space, particularly if you can change the space used by the overhead bed into something more useful to your specific requirements. There are normally a few windows, although less than what you would find in Class A motorhomes. The windshield is also quite a bit smaller.
Although the bathroom and kitchen nooks are much smaller than what they are in Class A, they are bigger than what a Class B has. The kitchen amenities are also less, which should not be much of a problem.
With a Class C motorhome, two to three people traveling together is about the limit, although you might be able to squeeze in a fourth depending on the brand.
RV Prices Conclusions
If you are thinking of buying an RV, it is helpful to know how much you are likely to pay. The RV prices will depend on the manufacturer, the condition and age of the vehicle, and any additional features you might select.
