The FULL Cost of RV Life [2022 Monthly Costs of RV Living]

What’s the real cost of RV living full time? We’re breaking down our monthly 2022 RV living costs, and we’re including EVERY penny we spent to give you the best picture of what the true cost of RV living is. From campground costs and RV repairs, to our food budget and even health and life insurance… we’re sharing it all!

Timestamps:
0:00 How we’re breaking it down
0:25 RV Life Expenses
3:33 Repair Expenses
4:37 Regular Fixed Expenses
5:18 Regular Fluid Expenses
6:56 Overall Average Monthly Costs
7:09 Big One-Time Purchases in 2022
8:06 How to Spend Less
8:55 Free RV Life Budget Tracker

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*Who are we?*
We’re Victoria & Craig, a full-time travel couple currently living the RV lifestyle! In 2021, we realized life was too short to wait to chase our dreams, so we purchased a used fifth wheel camper and completely renovated it. After selling our house in Florida, we set off on our journey as full-time RVers. Full time RV living has taken us across the United States, Baja Mexico, and Canada, where we’ve fallen in love with boondocking in stunning locations and living an epic adventure travel lifestyle. In 2023, we upgraded to a brand new Brinkley RV Model Z 3100.

[shilo]

i've been all over youtube looking for RV living information and this by far is the most useful video I've found. thank you for posting this, it absolutely helped me prep for RV living myself.

[robslar]

Thanks for sharing an honest budget. But OMG I wasn’t expecting it to be that much. If that’s per month y’all both must have GOOD jobs!

[repurposedart]

$5, 044 a month plus...wow better to buy a home that increases in equity and have a camper for weekends and vacation...Plus its easy to work from a home. However I know many of the youtube rv's can make a lot of money...Thank you for being so honest

[mikespies]

Thank you for being so candid and transparent. I think most of us thinking about this lifestyle simply don’t appreciate the real costs involved.

[courtneydykman]

This is the most thorough and honest cost of living video that I've seen, thanks for putting it ALL out there! Doesn't seem too bad to me, but also I know that when my husband and I eventually go full time our first few years expenses will be high as well because we will be wanting to travel and see a lot. We also are from a high COL area so I guess the sticker shock isn't so bad??

[Mojo]

Wow! This was really helpful. We're considering going full time RV in our retirement. I don't think we'll spend as much as you do. For example, we've eaten out until we're blue in the face and don't really need or want to do that anymore. You provided insights as to how to reduce costs, not just in your summary, but just inspired from how you do spend money. So thank you! You're providing a wealth of knowledge.

[heatherguccione]

This is the best breakdown of any Full-time RVers budget! And I just made a copy of your spreadsheet. It's next level amazing! You did a great job on the budget and the spreadsheet. Also, I've written down and watched many many RVers budgets and yours is way more spot on and believable than most.

[rexp]

Great video and breakdown of costs. We are soooo close to pulling the trigger for full time. Cindy retired a month ago...we have the 5th wheel, the Ram 3500 Dually and as soon as we sell the house in April-May this year....we will be on the road full time. Enjoy your videos, comments and rving suggestions. Thanks for everything!!!!

[christopherjohnston]

I appreciate your time and sharing your guy's adventures with all of us

[jeepdriver]

Great video. Wasn't expecting how much it cost. I was thinking a couple of thousand less each month. Thanks for making the spreadsheet available to all your viewers, that's extremely generous of you. My wife and I will put it to good use. Be safe and keep those videos coming.

[eo]

EVERYONE'S EXPENSES ARE DIFFERENT, WHEN ALL YOUR VEHICLES, RV, ETC. ARE PAID OFF. MY EXPENSES COME UP TO, ABOUT 1400.00 PER MONTH, AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING. TIRES, BATTERIES, AND OTHER INCIDENTALS ARE A ONE TIME EXPENSE, AND IF YOU ARE NOT DRIVING ALOT OF MILES PER YEAR, THESE USUALLY LAST FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. MOST PEOPLE PAY OVER 1400.00 PER MONTH FOR RENT ALONE. ALL SITUATIONS ARE DIFFERENT, AND YOU CAN'T RELY ON ONE INDIVIDUAL'S BUDGET (SORRY FOR THE CAPITALS, BUT I HAD WRITTEN MOST OF IT, THE CAPITALS WERE ON, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO REWRITE IT).

[MA-jrhj]

Thank you for your honesty. We have full-timed for over six years and we average much less on our expenses than you do, but everyone has to choose priorities for themselves. I get very frustrated with the rvers who do budget videos that looked great until you notice there's no maintenance, medical insurance, lots of things that are very individual but have to be paid. I do think that if people still in sticks & bricks house sit down and made an honest accounting of what they spend every month including entertainment and unexpected maintenance expenses they might be very surprised by that total. I know we were! You have to take into account not paying a house note or house insurance, property taxes, and you may have some type of vehicle note. Just need to be honest with yourself and then you can be prepared.

[marcusaponte]

My wife and I plan on starting the RV life soon and have discussed the "budget". We have a plan on "moving" once a month or maybe every 2-3 weeks, to keep the miles, gas, and camp cost down. Not only that but we have called HelloFresh, a dinner delivery plan, and found that they can deliver meals to our locations as we "move around". We currently spend about $100 a week or so to get 5 dinners. We want to have the RV paid for and have little left to pay for the "truck" to minimize the cost of that. Maintenance, Insurance and healthcare are parts of that budget.
Thanks for the honest and detailed cost of Rving. Enjoy the journey.

[theodorecharles]

Thanks for sharing the breakdown on RV living costs. Very informative and helpful. It would certainly explain why so many RV'ers end up in homeless encampments. They grossly underestimate how much money they'll need to do it and run out of funds.

[sweepingacrossamerica]

I hope you can give me an honest estimate about my idea. I am considering on getting a used fifth wheel and just staying put. I know RV's are supposed to be moved around for camping and traveling, but why not just park it on a piece of land? I am considering on buying a few acres here in West Virginia where I already reside and building a concrete pad. I'm also wanting to run the RV on solar and gathering water pumped from a well. What would be even nicer is having free natural gas... but that's pretty hard to find these days. What would you think my cost would be in that respect?

[ariellebell]

Thank you for doing this!!! Wish more full time rv families did this. That way it won’t make this living experience cheap.

[momofkiddos]

Sounded like a lot! But you are right, it depends on how you are wanting to live, too, and choices.

[christhomas]

This is completely off topic but I heard you say your truck is a 2020. That means you have a CP4 fuel pump. These are notorious for blowing up, I know first hand, and the repair is really expensive. You need to run a diesel additive in every tank of fuel. I use Hotshot's Secret, Everyday diesel treatment. One ounce per tank. I buy the largest size they sell and it works out to under $1/tank.

[durflinger]

Thanks for the honest price breakdown its good to see people being real with rv life

[carinarrigo]

New subscriber! My husband and live in an RV park. We’re both still working so we’re stationary. Our rig is a sweet old girl! 1999 28ft. Fleetwood Bounder. Sold our 2700 sqft house in 2021 and figuring out what we wanna be when we grow up! Lol (we’re in our early sixties, btw)

I already LOVE your attitude and perspective! Keep on, kids! ❤