An RV looks like a way to save on hotels. Often it isn’t: the rental, the fuel and the campgrounds add up to more than a rental car and a motel room. This tool puts both plans side by side for your trip, shows the room rate where the RV starts to win, and lists what the numbers leave out.
Your result
Pick a route to see the result.
Ranges run from cheap off-peak choices to peak prices with every fee. Rooms: US federal travel rates for the towns on the route, at least the US hotel average [A]. Nothing here is a quote. The page address keeps your choices, so you can share it.
Quick answer
- Couples: car + motel is cheaper in all 16 cases in the table below (Class C, peak and shoulder). The RV only wins once rooms cost more than about $350–$460 a night (Class C) or $240–$340 (campervan) [A]. This uses federal travel rates for rooms; in summer, real gateway-town prices can be higher, so check with your own quote.
- Families of four in one room: about the same as a couple. Two children add little to either plan.
- Four adults: two motel rooms change the maths. The RV wins or ties in 18 of 32 cases (Class C and campervan, peak and shoulder) [A].
- Campervan instead of Class C: cheaper to rent and to fuel, so the gap shrinks, but it is tight for four.
- Why people still rent an RV: sleeping inside the park, cooking your own meals, unpacking once. If that’s what you want, it is a fair price for an experience, not a saving.
Eight routes, three groups, two seasons
Default trip length for each route, visitors from abroad, a hotel night before RV pickup, car with collision damage waiver, no food. “By ~$” is the gap between the two midpoints [A]. Change any of it in the tool above.
| Trip | Peak (Jun–Aug) | Shoulder (Mar–May, Sep–Oct) |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas loop, 10 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,800Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,550 | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,250Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,100 |
| Las Vegas loop, 10 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,850Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,600 | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,300Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,200 |
| Las Vegas loop, 10 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,650Campervan: car + motel by ~$400 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,050Campervan: about a tie |
| Yellowstone & Teton, 10 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,500Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$900Campervan: about a tie |
| Yellowstone & Teton, 10 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,600Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,000Campervan: about a tie |
| Yellowstone & Teton, 10 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: RV by ~$1,300Campervan: RV by ~$2,600 | Class C: RV by ~$1,900Campervan: RV by ~$3,050 |
| Arches & Canyonlands, 7 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,800Campervan: car + motel by ~$900 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,400Campervan: car + motel by ~$600 |
| Arches & Canyonlands, 7 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,900Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,000 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,500Campervan: car + motel by ~$700 |
| Arches & Canyonlands, 7 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$900Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$500Campervan: RV by ~$300 |
| Grand Canyon from Phoenix, 7 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,750Campervan: car + motel by ~$900 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,100Campervan: car + motel by ~$350 |
| Grand Canyon from Phoenix, 7 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,800Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,000 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,150Campervan: car + motel by ~$450 |
| Grand Canyon from Phoenix, 7 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$950Campervan: about a tie | Class C: about a tieCampervan: RV by ~$700 |
| Rocky Mountain, 6 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,500Campervan: car + motel by ~$850 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,250Campervan: car + motel by ~$700 |
| Rocky Mountain, 6 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,550Campervan: car + motel by ~$900 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,350Campervan: car + motel by ~$750 |
| Rocky Mountain, 6 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$700Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$600Campervan: about a tie |
| Yosemite from San Francisco, 7 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,750Campervan: car + motel by ~$950 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,350Campervan: car + motel by ~$600 |
| Yosemite from San Francisco, 7 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,850Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,050 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,400Campervan: car + motel by ~$700 |
| Yosemite from San Francisco, 7 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$950Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$450Campervan: RV by ~$300 |
| Joshua Tree & Death Valley, 7 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,850Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,000 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,550Campervan: car + motel by ~$750 |
| Joshua Tree & Death Valley, 7 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,950Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,050 | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,600Campervan: car + motel by ~$800 |
| Joshua Tree & Death Valley, 7 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,050Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$700Campervan: about a tie |
| California loop from Los Angeles, 10 daysCouple | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,750Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,400 | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,200Campervan: car + motel by ~$950 |
| California loop from Los Angeles, 10 daysFamily (2 + 2 kids, one room) | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,850Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,500 | Class C: car + motel by ~$2,250Campervan: car + motel by ~$1,050 |
| California loop from Los Angeles, 10 daysFour adults (two rooms) | Class C: car + motel by ~$1,400Campervan: about a tie | Class C: car + motel by ~$800Campervan: RV by ~$450 |
Why Yellowstone & Teton shoulder can beat peak for the RV: our shoulder season includes September, when the federal room rate in Jackson ($441) and West Yellowstone ($326) is still at its summer level [GSA], while RV rental prices are already lower. Joshua Tree & Death Valley and the California loop in June–August are shown for completeness only: El Monte and Road Bear don’t allow their RVs into Death Valley from June 1 to September 30, so pick the off-season in the tool for the desert’s best months.
When the RV wins
- You need two or more rooms. One RV sleeps four to six; motels charge per room.
- Rooms near the parks are expensive. West Yellowstone and Jackson in summer, or Springdale and Moab on holiday weekends. Put a real quote into the tool.
- You would eat out every night otherwise. Tick Add food: dinner out for four costs more than a week of campground fees.
- You want to sleep inside the park. Watchman, Mather, Madison or Moraine Park put you at the trailhead at dawn. Most in-park lodges cost far more than a campsite.
When car + motel wins
- Couples and small families. One room, a cheap car and 30 mpg beat a motorhome rental, its mileage and 7–10 mpg on most routes.
- Short trips. RV kits, prep fees, the depot taxi and the hotel night before pickup are fixed costs; they hurt most on a week or less.
- Long drives. Every 100 miles costs a Class C about 10–14 gallons of fuel and often $0.39 in rental miles a mile; a car uses 3–4 gallons [A].
- Zion and other tight roads. Most Class C rentals are over the Zion tunnel limits. A car goes anywhere a tour bus can’t. Will my RV fit? →
- You land late or on a Saturday. The car is at the terminal; the RV depot opens in the afternoon and is closed on Sundays. Arrival check →
Couples vs families
Two children barely move the result: they fit in one motel room with two beds and they cost little extra in an RV. The step change comes with a second room. Four adults (or a family with teenagers who want their own room) pay twice for every night, and that is where the RV pays its way. Check the berths: a campervan for four is a squeeze; a Class C sleeps four to six.
Peak vs shoulder
RV rental prices swing more than motel prices: in July you pay the top of the fleet range. Rooms near Yellowstone and Grand Teton also jump in summer (the federal rate more than doubles in Jackson), which is why the RV does better there. In spring and autumn both get cheaper, campgrounds are easier to book and the desert parks are more pleasant. Off-season, many park campgrounds and Yellowstone’s roads close, and car + motel is usually the practical choice.
The room rates we use
Most motel prices change by the day, so we don’t pretend to know yours. We use the US government’s per diem lodging rates for federal staff on business travel [GSA]: a sober, published ceiling for a standard room in each area, before tax. Where that is below the 2025 US hotel average of $160.54 [COSTAR], the high end of our range uses the average. Real prices in gateway towns on a summer weekend can be higher: enter your own quote in the tool.
| Area | Nov–Feb | Mar–May, Sep–Oct | Jun–Aug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas (Clark County) | $147–173 | $120–173 | $120 |
| Standard rate: Springdale/Zion, Bryce Canyon City, Kanab and other unlisted counties | $113 | $113 | $113 |
| Grand Canyon / Flagstaff (Coconino County) | $113 | $152 | $152 |
| Salt Lake City | $152 | $152 | $152 |
| West Yellowstone / Gardiner / Big Sky | $169 | $169–326 | $326 |
| Jackson (Teton County, WY) | $215 | $215–441 | $441 |
| Moab (Grand County) | $113 | $212–223 | $165–212 |
| Phoenix / Scottsdale | $165–232 | $165–232 | $122 |
| Denver / Aurora | $170 | $170–227 | $227 |
| Estes Park area (Larimer County) | $120 | $120 | $157 |
| San Mateo / SFO airport area | $194–217 | $194–217 | $194 |
| Oakland / San Leandro (Alameda County) | $152 | $152 | $152 |
| Yosemite National Park area (Mariposa County) | $184–212 | $184–212 | $184 |
| Los Angeles / LAX area | $199 | $199 | $199 |
| Joshua Tree / Twentynine Palms (San Bernardino County) | $129 | $129 | $129 |
| Death Valley area (Inyo County) | $154 | $154 | $154 |
| Mammoth Lakes / Eastern Sierra (Mono County) | $146–208 | $146–208 | $146 |
What we count, and what we don’t
- RV plan: the same lines as our trip cost calculator and Real cost pages [COST]: rental, mileage, fuel, campgrounds, park entry, kits, insurance, taxes, the depot taxi. Class C fuel is worked out at 7–10 mpg from fleet spec sheets [RVDB], a little more cautious than the cost pages’ 8–12 mpg. Optional: a hotel night before pickup [AC].
- Car plan: low end = the lowest average weekly price of the cheapest economy car in the pickup city [NW] ÷ 7; high end = the highest of those averages ÷ 7, plus 15% because KAYAK finds medium cars about 15% above the all-car average [KAYAK] [A]. The car is picked up and returned at the terminal; sales tax at the high end in case your quote leaves it out; a collision damage waiver at $15–30 a day [MG]; fuel at 23–30 mpg [EPA] [EPA2]; rooms as above, plus at least the sales tax.
- Food (optional): groceries at $17.50–35 a person a day for both plans [COST]; for car + motel, half of that plus dinner out at the federal dinner allowance for the area [GSA-MIE] [A]. We assume RV travellers cook every meal; a few meals out add the same to both plans.
- Not counted: flights, airport parking fees and concession charges on the car (check your quote), resort fees, the RV’s refundable deposit, one-way fees, activities.
No affiliate links and no booking widgets on this page. We have not driven these routes with a stopwatch and a receipt book; the figures are published rates and our arithmetic. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at info@runwaytorim.com.
Sources and how we checked
All pages opened on 2026-10-29. Federal per diem rates were read from the GSA per diem API for fiscal year 2027 (1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027). Car rental, insurance and hotel averages are second-hand studies and are marked [A]. Exchange rates: ECB reference rates of 2026-10-28.
- [GSA] U.S. General Services Administration, per diem rates FY2027 (1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sep 2027): lodging ceiling per night before tax and M&IE (meals) by area and month — www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates (checked 2026-10-29)
- [GSA-MIE] GSA, M&IE breakdown FY2027 (dinner $28–38 a day by tier) — www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/mie-breakdown (checked 2026-10-29)
- [COSTAR] CoStar (STR), U.S. hotels 2025 full year: average daily rate US$160.54 (press release, 20 Jan 2026) — www.costar.com/products/str-benchmark/resources/press-releases/us-hote (checked 2026-10-29)
- [NW] NerdWallet, car rental pricing statistics (updated 22 Oct 2026): average weekly price of the cheapest economy car by city, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco — www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/car-rental-pricing-statistics (checked 2026-10-29)
- [KAYAK] KAYAK, United States car rentals: medium cars about $56 a day, about 15% above the all-types average (search data, changes daily; snapshot 2026-10-29) [A] — www.kayak.com/United-States-Car-Rentals.253.crc.html (checked 2026-10-29)
- [MG] MoneyGeek, how much rental car insurance costs (updated 3 Aug 2026): counter CDW/LDW $15–30 a day — www.moneygeek.com/insurance/auto/how-much-does-rental-car-insurance-co (checked 2026-10-29)
- [EPA] U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Nissan Altima FWD 30 mpg combined; 2026 Ford Explorer AWD 2.3 L 23 mpg combined — www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&path=1&year1=2026 (checked 2026-10-29)
- [EPA2] fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Ford Explorer AWD — www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&path=1&year1=2026 (checked 2026-10-29)
- [COST] Runway to Rim Real-cost pages and trip cost calculator (RV rental, mileage, campgrounds, park entry, kits, insurance, taxes, transfers, fuel prices; checked 2026-10-27, sources listed on each page) — trip-cost-calculator.html (checked 2026-10-29)
- [RVDB] Runway to Rim rental RV model database: Class C fleet fuel use 7–10 mpg from El Monte and Road Bear agent sheets — rental-rv-models.html (checked 2026-10-29)
- [AC] Runway to Rim Arrival check: fleet RVs are handed over in the afternoon; Cruise America never on Sundays, El Monte in San Leandro neither — arrival-check.html (checked 2026-10-29)
Affiliate note: this page has no affiliate links. See our disclosure.