Cost to start RV Camping?
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
The exact cost of getting into RV camping for our family?
$71,795.
I tracked every single dollar. Everyone shows you the sunsets and the s'mores. Nobody shows you this. We're a family of four and this is what it actually cost us to go from zero to fully set up for travel trailer camping.
A Used truck. A Used camper. Every hose, pan, and toilet chemical.
I'm a Vice President of Software Engineering by trade, and spreadsheets are kind of my thing. So today, I'm walking you through the REAL cost of getting into RV camping, including the expenses nobody warns you about.
And by the end of this article, you'll know exactly what kind of budget you'd need to do this yourself.
1. Tow Vehicle
If you already own a tow vehicle capable of towing a camper, you can skip this part. But before you do - WARNING! Towing capacity is the most misunderstood number in camping. Most people get it drastically wrong and it's dangerous. I made a whole video explaining it visually. Make sure you fully understand those numbers before buying anything.
For me, the truck cost $40,000 dollars all in and I went with the used F-150. It was three years old and in great condition with only 34,000 miles on it. The towing on this specific truck was 9,200 lbs. That is critical to understand, as it defines how heavy of a camper you can buy.
Running total: $40,000
2. Camper
After researching a lot of makes and models, against a list of requirements my wife and I created - obviously, there was a spreadsheet — we landed on the Forest River Grey Wolf 26 DBH.
It checked our boxes:
Bunks for the kids
Outdoor kitchen
External bathroom door
Weight within our tow limits
I paid $25,000 for it, looking back, I could have negotiated better. There is a lot of wiggle room in the numbers the dealership quotes, so don’t be shy.
This camper technically sleeps 9 people, and yes, it does sleep 9, I have tried it. However, half of them were kids.
We are coming up on our 5th year of ownership with this camper and couldn't have been happier. It did break down once, but it wasn't the camper - ask me how I know.
Let me know in the comments below — is this higher or lower than you expected so far?
Running total: $65,000
3. Required Setup Equipment
You bought the truck and the camper — you'd think you're done. You're not even close. This is the section that catches most new RV campers completely off guard.
Must have | $1,663 |
Bedding | |
Mattress - Short queen | $260 |
Mattress - Bunk (2) | $120 |
Power | |
Surge protector | $91 |
30 amp cord | $37 |
50 - 30 | $20 |
Water | |
Water hose (2) | $83 |
Water filter | $17 |
2 way splitter | $20 |
Pressure regulator RV | $39 |
Sewer | |
Sewer hose | $65 |
Sewer hose support | $35 |
Magnetic bumper cap | $20 |
Black tank treatment | $47 |
Storage | |
Storage bins | $50 |
Leveling/Chocks | |
Andersen levelers | $91 |
Leveling blocks | $28 |
RV X blocks | $137 |
Rubber Chockers | $18 |
Tools | |
Four way lug wrench | $13 |
Tool set | $30 |
Spare fuse | $10 |
Misc/Safety | |
Flying insect screens | $30 |
Jack Cover | $12 |
Work gloves (2) | $38 |
Picnic table covers | $25 |
Fire extinguisher | $21 |
Camping | |
Canopy | $86 |
Canopy weights | $30 |
Camping chairs | $150 |
Folding table | $40 |
4. Making It Livable
Now you've got a camper that technically works. But it doesn't feel like a home yet. This is everything we bought to make it actually comfortable for a family of four.
Inside the Camper | $1,150 |
Comforter | |
Kids comforters | |
Kitchen containers | |
Sheets and pillow covers | |
Pillows | |
Plastic bag dispenser | |
Ice trays | |
Kitchen roll stand | |
Trash can | |
Greese storage | |
Cutting board | |
Disposable plates | |
Disposable glasses | |
Disposable spoons/forks, kniefs | |
Tooth brush | |
Tooth paste | |
Bug spray | |
Lighter | |
Tea glasses | |
Ziplocks | |
Foils | |
Plastic wrap | |
Trash bags | |
Cleaning cloths | |
Kitchen knife | |
Dish washing liquid | |
Scissors | |
Pans | |
Kettle | |
Small spoons (cooking) | |
Towels | |
Shampoo | |
Sunscreen | |
Kitchen roll | |
Toilet papers | |
Soap | |
Swiffer | |
Mop | |
Shower curtain | |
Toilet roll holder |
5. Nice to Haves
And then there's the stuff you convince yourself you need… until you realize you really didn't.
Nice to have | $3,982 |
Weber BBQ grill | $344 |
Propane canister | $16 |
Grilling tools | $22 |
Propane fireplace | $116 |
Propane tank | $40 |
RV tote tank | $280 |
Lights | $40 |
LevelMatePRO Wireless System | $180 |
Walkie Talkie | $64 |
Signal booster | $560 |
Suction cup for booster | $68 |
Mobile hotspot/Starlink | $100 ($250) |
Truck bed cover | $725 |
Tailgate bike pad | $100 |
RV Backup Camera | $860 |
RV Navigation | $467 |
Let me save you some money - here are the things I bought that I would NEVER buy again: RV Backup Camera - 5 camera system (1 backup camera is more than enough), RV Navigation can be replaced by Navigation apps as long as you can put in your camper's height, length and weight. And on the flip side, the things I'm glad I spent money on are LevelMatePRO for leveling your camper without leaving the driving seat, Starlink (critical for working remotely).
Was It Worth It?
So the grand total - $71,795. That is the upfront capital cost. This does not include ongoing expenses like storage, maintenance, and campground stays. I have a separate video on the ongoing expenses of camping.
Now, if I had to put a number on the minimum budget to get started - realistically, with a used truck and used trailer — you're looking at around $68,000. You can absolutely do it for less than we did.
Needless to say, RV camping is not cheap. But this is the cost of reclaiming the family time I had lost as a busy professional early on. This is the cost of doing something we all love, and the memories these last few years have been priceless. If I had to, I would do it all over again.
If you're seriously thinking about getting into RV camping, subscribe to our YouTube Channel - I've got videos on just about everything to do with family camping.
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