Cost Comparison: RV Road Trip or Hotel Stay

For the purpose of comparison, a five-day road trip from Dallas to Denver for a family of four will be used. Food and travel expenses will be calculated using different factors to make a sort of RV vs hotel calculator so you can get an understanding of the costs of both when travelling.

For a family of four staying in a hotel on a road trip, they would likely eat out for at least lunch and dinner every day of the trip. The average price of a commercially prepared meal per person is around $13.² A family of four can therefore expect to spend close to $50 per meal and that’s without factoring in the tip. For a five-day trip, a family is looking to spend about $500 on food alone from eating meals at restaurants for lunch and dinner.

While every family has different spending tendencies, staying at a hotel makes it difficult to avoid eating out for meals. One of the biggest benefits, both in cost and convenience, of an RV road trip vs. hotel stay is the ability to cook inside of an RV or camper. Most RVs are outfitted with at least a stove and refrigerator, while some feature full kitchens.³ The ability to cook offers a chance to save money when it comes to buying groceries instead of eating out.

Looking at the same five-day road trip, the cost of groceries is significantly cheaper than the cost of eating out two meals per day. By using the average monthly grocery cost of a family of four, the cost of groceries for a five day trip is $170.⁴ Even if the family wants to eat out for a meal or two on the trip, they are still saving quite a bit of money on food by making their own meals in the RV kitchen.

Learn what RV essentials you should have for your next road trip.

The costs associated with travel are a little more complex than those calculated for food. Much of the travel cost for the RV or camper will depend on if you are renting the RV or if you own one already. For example, the cost of renting an RV per night depends on what type of RV you are renting. Class A RVs can range from $175-$275 per night while Class B RVs will run from $100-$200 and Class C RVs are in the middle at $150-$200. Class A RVs are the large RVs that essentially bring all the luxuries of a home. Class B RVs are smaller but have better gas mileage and are cheaper to rent. Class C RVs are right in the middle and offer the luxuries of a Class RV with a cheaper price tag. If you have an RV of your own, the only price of travel to factor is gas and RV campground fees at a state park, national park, or a commercial campground, which run around $30 a night for a campsite with electric.⁷

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The average cost of a hotel room per night in Denver is $174, which is comparable to the cost of renting an RV or camper per night. If you are renting an RV, you are paying close to the price of a hotel stay per night while owning your RV could help you save significant money depending on your travel tendencies since you wouldn’t have a rental fee or hotel fee to factor in.

Similar to buying a car, an RV purchase will likely be paid for in monthly payments for a set period of time depending on how much money is initially put down for the deposit. If you know that you are going to use your RV or camper often, the cost saved on hotel stays and flights could make up for some of the payments.

The breakdown of gas cost depends on the make and model of the RV or camper and gas prices at the time of the trip, but the general cost of gas for RVs will be higher than that of a passenger vehicle. Calculating the round trip cost from Dallas to Denver for an RV is $260.⁵ When compared to the cost of gas for the same trip, a Honda CR-V’s gas would cost $116 using the current cost of gas.⁶

Learn more about gas prices and why they change.

After comparing the costs of an RV road trip vs. hotel stay, owning an RV or camper offers the cheapest road trip possible. While the initial purchase is significant, the money saved on trips for families that are frequent travelers could be worth it in the long run. Renting an RV saves you money on food but is likely comparable to the hotel stay when it comes to RV rental fees vs hotel fees.

In the end, based solely on rental fees, food, and gas the hotel stay does come out a bit cheaper than renting an RV. However, as mentioned, the cost of the RV or camper will make a considerable difference. The price of the RV used in this comparison was calculated by taking the average price of Class A,B, and C RVs. As with all trips, the total cost will depend on a family’s preferences.

There are other factors to consider such as flights for longer trips that would add to a hotel stay. For the 11-hour drive from Dallas to Denver, a family of four might opt to fly instead of drive which would add to their travel budget. With an RV, that drive can be much more relaxing with all the comforts that an RV or camper provides for long trips.

RVs can also provide unique travel experiences as you get to see parts of the country that you might not normally see. Every travel situation is different and whether you’re looking to save money or wanting to take the scenic route, an RV road trip offers something for everyone.

Whether you need to tune up your RV or equip your family car to hitch a camper for a road trip, the Synchrony Car Care Credit Card™ is there to help get what you need so you can get on the open road. Learn more and you’ll be ready for your next adventure in no time.