Retirement is a time of life that many people long for. You work your entire life for the freedom that retirement offers, and the opportunity to live in a way that you have never financially been able to do before. For some people, their dream is to retire to an RV.
RV living isn’t for everyone, but for some people, it is the dream. It allows a lifestyle that you literally cannot get anywhere else and a much slower pace of life.
A lot of people dream of living a nomadic lifestyle in their younger years, but because of work commitments and the cost of living this isn’t always possible. Hence why a lot of people hold onto this dream until they retire.
If you are at retirement age, you might be wondering if you can afford to retire to an RV. In this guide, we’re looking at that exactly
With an overview of the costs associated with retiring to, and living in, an RV, you will be able to decide if this lifestyle is something you can afford. Read on to find out more!
Is It Possible to Retire to An RV?
First things first, let’s take a look at whether, or not, you will be able to retire to an RV. As you likely already know, living in an RV is a much more affordable option when it comes to lifestyle. In comparison to living in a house, you will save a lot of money if you retire in an RV.
However, this might differ if you retire to an RV. Most studies that compare the affordability of living in a house vs living in an RV base their studies on younger adults of working age.
Younger adults generally have a lot of costs associated with living in a house as they will be making mortgage payments on their homes. But, when you reach retirement age, the cost of living in a house is likely much lower than in the early years.
This is generally because your mortgage will likely be paid off. So these studies aren’t really a fair assessment of living in an RV vs living in a house. Ultimately, whether, or not, you will be able to afford to retire to an RV will depend on your pension pot.
Throughout your working life, you will have been saving money towards your pension. If you can afford to retire to an RV will depend on how much you have saved when you stop working as there will be no more money added to your retirement fund.
Generally, a comfortable pension pot would have you earning around $75,000 a year. However, a lot of people end up earning much less than this year on year. If you earn around $75,000 a year in retirement payments, you will likely be able to afford to retire to an RV.
But if your annual retirement payments are lower, you will need to assess the situation. With that in mind, we’ve included rough monthly costs of living in an RV below.
Costs Associated With Living In An RV Full-Time
Living in an RV full-time is cheap in comparison to living in a house full-time. However, it is important to remember that this lifestyle is still fairly expensive.
There are a few large expenses that you will need to pay month on month, so you will need to compare these costs with the amount you make through your retirement fund. If you can afford to pay these costs, then you can likely afford to retire to an RV.
Cost Of RV And Truck
The biggest cost you will need to pay is the cost of your RV and truck. If you already own an RV or a truck to pull an RV then this is a great way to save money on the cost of living in an RV.
Most people will need to take out a loan to pay for their RV and truck, generally, the costs associated with repaying these loans could reach up to $1,000 a month. So, lending the money to purchase an RV and truck is expensive.
If you can afford to buy your RV and truck outright, then this will save you a lot of money in interest. At retirement, there is a good chance that you will be able to purchase these vehicles outright. So, if you can afford to do this, it is something we would recommend!
Fuel And Camping Fees
Fuel and camping fees are usually the next biggest expense when it comes to RV living. You will need gas to travel in your RV, and as the cost of gas is constantly fluctuating, it can be very expensive. You will also need propane to heat your RV and provide a flame to cook.
Generally, propane will cost you around $60-80 a month. Camping fees can be as expensive as you let them. If you stay in fancy campsites, you could end up spending more than $500 a month on camping fees(see also: How Much Is A Campsite Worth?)(see also: How Much Is A Campsite Worth?)(see also: How Much Is A Campsite Worth?). However, cheaper sites will generally average around $300 a month.
Living Expenses
Your living expenses in your RV will include things such as food, drink, entertainment packages, phone, and internet. When you combine all these things together, they will generally cost you more than fuel and camping fees combined.
To keep food costs down, you can prepare food yourself. But limited storage and cooking options will mean that food can cost you anywhere between $50-100 a week depending on inflation.
Likewise, entertainment packages will be as expensive as you allow them to be. Basic packages will be cheaper, but they can make living on the road a little dull. Generally, your phone and internet will cost around $400 a month.
Payments for any subscription entertainment services (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) will increase the price further.
Insurance
You cannot live in your RV without insurance, and sadly this will cost you more in retirement. Car insurance might become more expensive as you age, and so will health insurance. To live on the road, you will need both of these types of insurance.
Car and health insurance are totally personal to you and your situation, so it is impossible to provide averages. However, shopping around will allow you to get the best price. Considering what truck you buy will also allow you to keep insurance costs down.
In addition to insurance, we would also recommend saving a substantial emergency fund of up to $1000 for repairs because they are something you will have to pay for at some point on the road.
Summary
In short, whether, or not, you will be able to afford to retire to an RV will ultimately depend on how much money you have saved for retirement. Living in an RV is a cheaper lifestyle than living in a house.
However, if you have to buy an RV when you retire, then there are a lot of high upfront costs associated with this.
My name is Eddie, and I am an RV enthusiast! I have enjoyed traveling all my life, and want to give my family the same opportunities to see as much of the world as possible.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered how great RVs can be for vacations with a young family. Here at RV Lifestyle Experts, I want to share my experiences, the tips I’ve picked up along the way. I hope that our guides can encourage you to try the RV lifestyle. I promise you that you won’t regret it!
My name is Eddie, and I am an RV enthusiast! I have enjoyed traveling all my life, and want to give my family the same opportunities to see as much of the world as possible.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered how great RVs can be for vacations with a young family. Here at RV Lifestyle Experts, I want to share my experiences, the tips I’ve picked up along the way. I hope that our guides can encourage you to try the RV lifestyle. I promise you that you won’t regret it!