Campervan Running Costs in the UK: An Honest Breakdown

The sticker price is only the beginning. Once a campervan is parked on your drive, the running costs start stacking up: insurance, vehicle excise duty, fuel, servicing, storage and depreciation. This guide breaks down what a typical UK owner actually pays, year by year.

Insurance

A standard campervan policy for a used conversion typically costs between £200 and £450 a year, rising to £600 or more for a high-value new motorhome. Your age, driving history and postcode move the price as much as the van does, so it always pays to compare specialist insurers. We explain the difference between campervan, motorhome and car cover in our campervan insurance guide.

Road tax and fuel

Vehicle excise duty depends on when the van was first registered and its CO2 emissions. Older campervans typically fall into the £190-£335 bands, while recent high-emission models can cost over £600 a year. Fuel is the cost you feel most: expect roughly 25-38mpg from a diesel motorhome, which works out at around 18-27 pence per mile at current pump prices. Our fuel cost guide has the full breakdown.

Servicing and maintenance

Budget for a mechanical service once a year plus a habitation check to catch damp and gas issues before they become expensive. That typically comes to £250-£550 a year depending on the garage and the van. Add tyres, brakes and the odd repair, and a contingency of £500-£1,000 a year is sensible on an older vehicle.

The costs people forget

• Storage: £300-£1,000 a year if you have no driveway or street space.
• Breakdown cover with European options: £60-£200 a year.
• Winterising and damp checks in the months you don't use the van.
• Depreciation - the biggest single cost, often £2,000-£5,000 in year one on a new van.

Before you buy, add up insurance, tax, fuel, servicing, storage and depreciation and divide it by the nights you'll actually use. A van that's used often is far better value than one that sits idle.

Getting a realistic total

A well-used middle-of-the-road campervan typically costs between £2,500 and £4,500 a year to run before fuel, and a new van can easily exceed that once depreciation is counted. Browse campervans for sale and factor these numbers into your budget before you commit.