Should You Buy or Rent a Campervan?
Buying a campervan has a high upfront cost but pays off if you use it frequently enough. Renting is financially smarter for occasional campers. This calculator computes the annual cost of ownership โ including depreciation, interest, insurance, and maintenance โ and divides it by the nightly rental rate to find your breakeven point.
Annual Ownership Cost Formula
Annual cost = depreciation + loan interest + insurance + maintenance. Depreciation = (purchase price โ residual value) รท ownership years. Interest uses average outstanding balance.
How to Use the Breakeven
If you camp more nights than the breakeven, buying is economically superior. If you camp fewer nights, renting costs less. Note: buying offers freedom and customization that renting cannot replicate.
FAQ
Typically 30โ60+ nights per year tips toward buying, depending on vehicle price and rental rate. Calculate your own breakeven with this tool.
Depreciation, loan interest, insurance, and maintenance. Storage fees, registration, and campsite costs are not included.
Fuel, extra insurance, and cleaning fees can add 20โ40% to the quoted rental rate. Factor these in when comparing.