How Much Does a Motorhome Cost? New, Used and Running Costs

"How much does a motorhome cost?" is really three questions: how much to buy new, how much to buy used, and how much to run. The honest answer is that you can spend £8,000 or £180,000 - and the running costs barely scale with the price.

New motorhome prices

New motorhomes in the UK typically start at around £45,000-£60,000 for a compact coachbuilt model from brands like Swift or Bailey. Mid-range A-class and larger coachbuilts run £70,000-£110,000, while premium and custom-built models easily pass £150,000. Panel-van conversions start a little lower, usually £40,000-£75,000.

Used motorhome prices

The used market is where most buyers start. A five to ten year old coachbuilt motorhome typically sells for £25,000-£50,000, while a solid older van can be found for £10,000-£20,000 if you're happy with a simpler layout. Prices depend far more on condition, damp and mileage than on age. Search motorhomes for sale to see realistic current asking prices across the UK.

What you'll pay to run it

• Insurance: £250-£600 a year for a typical coachbuilt.
• Road tax: £190-£600-plus depending on emissions.
• Servicing, damp check and habitation check: £300-£600 a year.
• Fuel: around 25-35mpg, so roughly 20-28 pence per mile.
• Storage: £300-£1,000 a year if it can't live on your drive.

Our running costs breakdown goes through each of these in more detail.

The real question: cost per night

The most useful way to think about a motorhome is cost per night. A £40,000 van used for 30 nights a year, kept for five years and sold for £25,000, costs roughly £100 per night before fuel and running costs - comparable to a mid-range hotel. Use it 80 nights a year and that drops to around £40 per night. That's the number that decides whether a motorhome is good value for you.

Hidden costs to budget for

• Tyres on a motorhome are big and expensive: £150-£250 each.
• Awning, gas, toilet chemicals and site fees add up.
• Depreciation is heaviest in the first three years.
• A damp problem can cost thousands to repair, so always get a pre-purchase check.

Buy on condition, not on price. A well-maintained older motorhome at £18,000 is usually a better buy than a neglected one at £25,000.

Factor a camping and caravan club membership into the budget too - site fees drop by up to 20% with it.