What a caravan costs
A band by category, before on-road costs and registration.
Every figure on this page is a manufacturer's published starting price for a base build.
Options, dealer delivery, government charges, registration, insurance and the tow car all sit on top of it.
Updated - specs from the manufacturer's own pages. 9 min read • Buying Guide
A caravan's price follows the job the maker built it for, and each category sits in its own price band.
Every figure here is a base-build starting price, so options, dealer delivery and government charges sit on top.
- Typical starting price - $58,990 to $97,590 (the middle half of checked ranges publishing a starting price, base build)
- Middle of the market - $72,999 (median published starting price, base build)
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What each category of van costs
The number to plan a budget against is the bracket the middle of your category sits in. An average across the whole market spreads too far to tell you much about the van you are shopping for.
The band below is the middle half of each category: a quarter of the ranges we track sit below it, a quarter sit above it, and the rest sit inside it. Every figure is a manufacturer's published starting price for a base build, computed fresh each time this page is built.
| Category | Middle half of the market | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Camper trailer | $24,990 to $47,500 | $32,990 |
| Hybrid | $61,990 to $77,990 | $65,990 |
| On-road tourer | $48,990 to $79,990 | $69,990 |
| Pop top | $66,990 to $71,990 | $69,990 |
| Semi off-road | $71,990 to $99,950 | $82,990 |
| Full off-road | $79,990 to $131,990 | $99,990 |
| Motorhome and campervan | $129,990 to $140,490 | $129,990 |
Read these as a starting line, not a price
Every figure above is a base build before options, dealer delivery and government charges. Vans quoted on application are left out of the arithmetic entirely, because a price nobody has published cannot be averaged. Use the bands to work out which category your budget puts you in, then get an itemised drive-away quote on the specific van.
For the full price list, including the lowest and highest published starting prices and the median for every type, see how much a caravan costs. To shop a bracket directly, try caravans under $60,000 or caravans under $90,000.
What moves the price
Two vans of the same length can sit a long way apart, and it is almost never the badge doing it. These are the levers, in the order they usually matter.
1. Length, and what the extra metres are carrying
A longer van is more chassis, more wall, more axle and more of everything inside it. The jump from a couple travelling light to a layout with bunks and a separate shower is usually the single biggest step in a brand's own price list.
2. What it is built to be towed over
Independent suspension, a heavier chassis, more clearance and tougher protection under the front all cost money to fit. That is what separates the on-road and off-road bands in the table above, and it is money well spent only if you will actually leave the bitumen.
3. How long it is meant to stay away from power and water
Solar, battery capacity, an inverter and bigger water tanks are the off-grid bill. They add price, and they also add weight, which is the cost people notice second.
4. How the walls and roof are put together
Construction method changes the price, the weight and the repair bill later. Our construction guide sets out what each method does without picking a winner.
5. What the starting price leaves out
A published starting price is a base build. The same van with the option packs most buyers tick is a different number, and it is the itemised quote rather than the website figure that tells you which one you are buying.
The two that move a price hardest have guides of their own: what the off-road labels actually mean and what caravan walls are made of.
What sits on top of the sticker price
None of these are in a manufacturer's starting price, and every one of them is real money in the first month. Work them into the budget before you fall in love with a van at the top of it.
On-road costs and dealer delivery
Government charges and delivery are added to the van price, and they are not in any manufacturer's starting figure. Ask for an itemised drive-away price rather than working from the website number.
Registration
Every state and territory sets its own caravan registration fee and measures it against its own weight bands, so there is no single national figure to plan against.
Insurance
A quote turns on the van, where it is kept, the cover level and the agreed value you nominate, so the only figure worth budgeting is one you have been quoted.
The tow car, if the one in the driveway is not up to it
This is the cost that catches people out, because it can dwarf the difference between two vans. Check the van you want against the car you already own before you set the budget.
Setting the van up
A brake controller, towing mirrors, weight distribution gear where it is needed, levelling gear, hoses and leads all get bought in the first month.
Check the car before you set the number
A van your current car cannot legally tow turns a caravan budget into a caravan and car budget, and that is a different conversation entirely. Our tow calculator shows which vans sit inside your car's published limits, and car first or caravan first works through the order to buy them in.
The costs that keep coming
A caravan is cheap to own compared with the thing towing it, but it is not free to own. These are the standing costs, and what each one turns on.
Servicing
Wheel bearings, brakes and a general check are an annual job on a van that gets used, and the schedule in the handbook is also what keeps a warranty claim clean.
Tyres
Caravan tyres age out before they wear out, because a van spends most of the year parked. They are replaced on date as much as on tread.
Storage
If the van will not fit at home, storage is a standing monthly cost, and whether it can live on your own property is a council question rather than a national one.
What it is worth when you sell it
The value a van loses is a real cost of owning it, and it is usually the biggest one after the purchase itself. It is also the one you can shape, by how well the van is kept and how well it was bought.
To put a real number on the year rather than a list of headings, work through what a caravan costs to run.
Working out what the repayments would look like
Our finance calculator turns a van price into a repayment shape so you can see what a budget looks like spread over a term. Sorting the money out before you walk into a yard leaves one number left to negotiate, which is covered in our pre-approval guide.
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Caravan budget questions, answered
What is a realistic budget for a first caravan?
Work backwards from three numbers rather than picking one. Start with what the van itself costs in the category you actually need, add the on-road costs and the first month of setting it up, then check the car in your driveway against the van's ATM before you commit to either. A budget that covers the van but not the tow car is the most expensive mistake in caravanning.
Why is one caravan twice the price of another the same length?
Length is only one of the levers. What the van is built to be towed over, how long it is meant to stay away from mains power and water, and how the walls and roof are put together all move the price hard, and two vans that measure the same can be built for completely different jobs.
Is a starting price the price I will pay?
No. A published starting price is a base build before options, dealer delivery and government charges. Compare brands on starting prices, because that is the like-for-like number, then get an itemised drive-away quote on the specific van before you commit.
Should I buy new or used on a set budget?
The same money buys a bigger or better-equipped van used, and the first owner has already absorbed the steepest part of the value drop. What you give up is the factory warranty and the known history, so the saving is real but it is paid for with inspection work.
Does a cheaper caravan cost more to run?
No. Running costs track weight, size, how often you use it and where you keep it far more closely than they track the purchase price, and a smaller van is usually cheaper on registration, tyres and fuel whatever it cost to buy.
Got a number in mind?
See what that budget is actually holding, then check the shortlist against the car in your driveway.