Travel trailers are an excellent home away from home as you road trip around the U.S., explore the national parks, or even to make your home base full-time RV living.
But as you start searching for the perfect travel trailer for your needs, a big thing to consider is the cost of buying a travel trailer.
So, how much does a travel trailer cost?
The price of a new travel trailer can vary depending on size, brand, features, and more. In general, travel trailers cost between $11,000 and $40,000 or more. An average travel trailer will cost about $24,000.
However, you can find a great travel trailer for far less than that – some are even under $10,000, but there are also lots of small and lightweight travel trailers to choose from that cost less than $20,000.
In this article, I’ll discuss the different types of travel trailers and their average cost, explain why some trailers are more expensive, and provide examples of different travel trailers and their prices.
I will also outline the benefits of having a travel trailer, and share some of the unexpected costs you should consider when buying a travel trailer.
Different Types of Travel Trailers (And Costs)
There are several different types of travel trailers, and they vary in size from small trailers that you can pull with a normal car, to large fifth wheels (30 feet or more in length) that require a powerful truck to tow.
Not only do larger travel trailers weigh more, they tend to be more expensive. Length and weight are not the only things that determine how much a travel trailer will cost.
Some of the other factors that impact a travel trailer’s price include:
- Floor Plan (the more slide-outs there are, the more expensive it might be)
- Quality of Materials and Construction
- Body Design
- Grade/Quality of Appliances
- Amount of Storage Space
If you’re looking for a travel trailer that’s super lightweight or for small trailers that you can tow with your car, be sure to check out our articles on Lightweight Travel Trailers And Campers Under 3,000 Pounds and Best Small Camper Trailers That Can Be Pulled Behind Your Car.
Why Do Some Travel Trailers Cost More Than Others?
For the reasons listed above (and some others), some travel trailers generally cost more than others, even when comparing brand new models.
For example, Airstream travel trailers have a small footprint and many are shorter than 30 feet, but they cost more than other standard travel trailers because of their high quality of construction.
It’s useful to keep in mind that a trailer’s price usually has to do with hundreds of small things, not one big thing like size.
Take into account that the quality of the insulation, whether the windows are designed to block UV rays, the use of LED lights or halogen lights, whether there are two batteries or the propane tanks are larger – all of these things contribute to the price.
You’ll also find that trailers with more advanced systems for the entertainment center, power awning, HVAC, etc. will also be more expensive.
However, paying more for comfort and convenience can certainly be worth it when you’re living on the road.
A good rule of thumb is to read lots of reviews from other camper owners who have purchased the camper models you’re looking at, and look out for reviews about some of the less obvious things that may impact your own experience or cause maintenance issues.
Average Cost of Standard and Large Travel Trailers
Most travel trailers are between 22 and 35 feet long, and cost between $25,000 and $45,000.
Standard Travel Trailer
The basic style of travel trailer sleeps around four people and can be towed with a truck or SUV.
These are quite versatile, since they can be towed by lots of different types of vehicles and give you plenty of space while also allowing you freedom to explore in your car while your trailer is parked in your campsite.
With a standard travel trailer, there are hundreds of floor plans and sizes to choose from, so you can find your favorite.
On average, the cost of a standard travel trailer is around $35,000, but you can find smaller and lighter-weight trailers for much less.
Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer
The largest towable travel trailer type is a fifth wheel, which can accommodate more people for sleeping and often has two bedrooms or a bedroom and a bunkhouse.
Since they are so much bigger, you often need a heavy-duty pickup truck to tow a fifth wheel.
Fifth wheels are also more luxurious, and cost an average of $45,000 in price, but brand new ones may cost significantly more ($75,000 to $100,000).
We recently did a full article on the average price of a fifth wheel, so you can check it out if you’re considering buying this type of travel trailer.
Toy Hauler Travel Trailer
If you’re needing to bring along your adventure vehicles, such as snowmobiles, dirt bikes, dune buggies or ATVs, you’ll need a Toy Hauler for your travel trailer.
These massive trailers can often be even larger than fifth wheels, since the back area is designed with space for transporting large and heavy equipment and vehicles.
There’s usually a ramp off of the back so that you can easily unload and load your adventure rigs. The average cost for a toy hauler is usually $40,000 to $80,000.
While being around the same size or larger than fifth wheels, toy haulers are typically less expensive because the features and floor plans aren’t as luxurious.
Average Cost of Small Trailers
Whether cost or weight is an issue, there are lots of small travel trailers available to choose from on the market.
We highlighted some of the top examples in an article earlier this year. You can even tow small travel trailers with six-cylinder SUVs like a Jeep Wrangler.
Most small travel trailers cost between $11,000 and $25,000, although you can find them for less than $10,000.
Teardrop Travel Trailer
Teardrop trailers are probably the smallest towable campers on the market.
They usually only have a bed and sleeping area inside, and some have a back hatch with an outdoor kitchen or food prep station.
Teardrop campers can cost between $5,000 and $15,000, with luxury or custom models costing upwards of $16,000. The average price is between $7,000 and $12,000.
A-Frame Travel Trailer
A-frame trailers have a very unique design, with a peaked roof and a small footprint.
Generally speaking, you wouldn’t want to camp with more than four people crammed into an A-frame travel trailer, and they’re more comfortable for two.
However, they are very lightweight and can often be towed by smaller vehicles, which is a perk if you don’t want to buy a huge truck to tow your camper. An A-frame trailer will cost between $11,000 and $20,000.
Tent Trailer / Pop-Up Trailer
Another very affordable trailer type is the tent trailer or pop-up trailer. These campers have a hard base and roof, which pops up using a cranking system to reveal canvas (tent) walls and slide out beds on either end of the trailer.
The downside with a tent trailer is that you can’t really pull over to the side of the road to cook or use the bathroom in the trailer.
However, a perk of having a tent trailer is that in transit, your trailer is extremely compact and more lightweight than standard trailers, offering significant savings for your gas budget.
Even brand new tent trailers are very affordable, and the average cost of a pop-up trailer is just $15,000.
Hybrid Trailer
As a mix between a standard trailer and a tent trailer, hybrid trailers have hard side walls with collapsible tent ends that slide out with sleeping areas inside.
It has a more solid construction than a tent trailer, but with more sleeping capacity than a standard trailer.
It’s also a more affordable option than standard travel trailers, with an average price of $30,000.
Truck Camper
Another very compact, lightweight and affordable trailer option isn’t towed at all.
Truck campers sit in the bed of your pickup truck so that you can tow other items behind the camper and truck, such as a boat or horse trailer.
The benefit of a truck camper is that you can have your sleeping and camping space as well as towing other recreational gear.
Truck campers can sleep up to four people, but are more comfortable with two, and come equipped with everything you need including a bathroom and kitchen.
You can also detach the camper from your pickup truck and use it set up on jacks in your campsite. On average, truck campers cost about $25,000.
Examples of Travel Trailers and Costs
Now that we’ve discussed the average costs of the different types of travel trailers, I thought it would be useful to give you a few examples of actual trailers and their price.
1. Standard Travel Trailer
A great example of a lightweight, shorter standard travel trailer is the 2020 Jayco Jay Flight SLX-7 145RB.
It has a compact kitchen, sleeps up to three people, has a 10-foot awning, and includes everything you need in a small space, including a bathroom and wardrobe.
The 2020 Jayco Jay Flight SLX-7 145RB costs just under $10,000, while the 2021 model is $14,981 MSRP.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 16’ 6”
- Weights: 3,140 lbs. (GVWR), 2,405 lbs. (Dry), 735 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 10/19.9/19.9 (Fresh/Gray/Black)
- HVAC: 8,000 BTU air conditioner, 18,000 BTU heater
- Price: $9,999
2. Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer
When you’re considering a fifth wheel trailer, luxury is key. The 2020 Grand Design Solitude 385GK is a luxury fifth wheel with four slide-outs, an outdoor kitchen, tons of storage (including a huge wardrobe in the bedroom), two awnings, and a spacious interior that features a large entertainment center with an LED TV and fireplace.
It sleeps up to four people, and is even prepped for next-level conveniences like a dishwasher and washer/dryer. The base price for this fifth wheel travel trailer is $69,375.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 40’
- Weights: 16,800 lbs. (GVWR), 13,336 lbs. (Dry), 3,464 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 93/106/53 (Fresh/Gray/Black)
- HVAC: 30,000 BTU air conditioner, 35,000 BTU propane furnace
- Price: $69,375
3. Toy Hauler Travel Trailer
Although usually less luxurious than non-toy hauler fifth wheels, many of these large travel trailers can still be highly comfortable and allow you to transport your favorite recreational vehicles like ATVs and dune buggies.
The 2020 Keystone Raptor 424 Toy Hauler is no exception, with three slide-outs, sleeping capacity for up to nine people (including a king-sized bed in the bedroom), and a spacious living area with a large kitchen that includes an island.
The 14-foot garage has a cargo bay length of up to 12 feet and its own awning, in addition to the primary awning off of the main living area.
This toy hauler also comes with a 30 gallon auxiliary gas tank to fuel your recreational vehicles on-the-go.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 43’ 1”
- Weights: 19,000 lbs. (GVWR), 15,306 lbs. (Dry), 3,694 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 106/82/44 (Fresh/Gray/Black)
- HVAC: 30,000 BTU air conditioner, 35,000 BTU propane furnace
- Price: $103,787
4. Teardrop Travel Trailer
As teardrop trailers come, the 2020 NuCamp TAG XL Teardrop Camper is an ideal example. It sleeps up to two people inside on the queen-sized bed, has lots of windows (including a star gazing window), and plenty of storage.
In the kitchen off of the back hatch, you have everything you need for compact camping, including a two-burner stove, microwave, deep sink with 10-inch faucet, and a YETI® cooler for keeping your refrigerated items chilled.
There’s a large storage rack on the hitch for your LP batteries, or you can choose the solar-powered model. The 2020 NuCamp TAG XL Teardrop Camper is priced at $11,500.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 13’ 7”
- Weights: 2,200 lbs. (GVWR), 1,434 lbs. (Dry), 766 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 8 gallons (Fresh), N/A (Gray/Black)
- HVAC: In-wall air conditioner, heater with wireless thermostat
- Price: $11,500
5. A-Frame Travel Trailer
Although a little more unusual, there are lots of great hard side A-Frame campers out there to choose from. Forest River’s Flagstaff T21DMHW model is a great example.
It has a flip-up 60×80 bed with a thermostatically controlled heated mattress, a convertible dinette (additional sleeping for one person) and micro cabinet for interior storage, kitchen with a fridge, sink and two-burner stove, and a wet bath with a shower and toilet.
Outside, you’ll find tons of exterior storage and a gas grill. This A-frame camper will cost about $19,222.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 20’ 10”
- Weights: 3,353 lbs. (GVWR), 2,700 lbs. (Dry), 653 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 20 gallons (Fresh), N/A (Gray/Black)
- HVAC: 3-speed ventilation fan, 10,000 BTU Cool Cat Heat Pump or 20,000 BTU Forced Air Furnace w/ Electric Ignition (Optional)
- Price: $19,222
6. Tent Trailer / Pop-Up Trailer
Jayco is one of the popular, long-standing brands for campers and motorhomes, and the 2019 Jayco Jay Sport 12SC Camping Trailer exemplifies all of the space and features you could want in a tent trailer.
The slide out beds are queen-sized and king-sized, respectively, and there’s also a sofa, a kitchen with a fridge, sink, and two-burner stove (portable for outdoor kitchen), and a dinette in the camper’s single slide-out for additional sleeping space.
There’s also a shower/toilet combo option available. The 2019 Jayco Jay Sport 12SC starts at $9,500.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 18’ 6” (travel), 23’ 3” (campsite)
- Weights: 3,375 lbs. (GVWR), 2,295 lbs. (Dry), 1,080 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 32.2 gallons (Fresh), N/A (Gray), 5 (Black-optional)
- HVAC: Prepped for A/C (Customer Value Package)
- Price: $9,500
7. Hybrid Trailer
Another popular name in the RV and camper marketplace is Coleman. In addition to manufacturing some great camping gear, Coleman makes many affordable, good-quality campers and RVs.
The 2020 Coleman Light LX 1601EXP is a great hybrid trailer to consider if you want something a little more durable than a tent trailer.
It has two queen-sized beds that expand off of either end of the trailer in tent slide-outs, and the enclosed interior has a bathroom, dinette, sofa, and a kitchen with a fridge, three-burner stove, microwave and double-bowl sink.
The camper sleeps up to six people between the slide-out beds and the convertible dinette and sofa.
There’s also lots of storage space in overhead cabinets and shelving. On top of all of that, each model features stabilizer jacks and tinted safety glass windows. MSRP for the Coleman Light LX 1601EXP is $24,640.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 18’ 10”
- Weights: 4,840 lbs. (GVWR), 3,283 lbs. (Dry), 1,557 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 52/39/28 gallons (Fresh/Gray/Black)
- HVAC: 13,500 BTU air conditioner, electric heater
- Price: $24,640
8. Truck Camper
When it comes to truck campers, you’re going to need to find the right one for your truck so that it fits correctly in the truck bed.
The Lance 850 Truck Camper is versatile, and they can work with you to determine the right camper for your truck.
The Lance 850 Truck Camper has high gloss fiberglass sidewalls, a heavy-duty ladder, and roof rack to offer great stability and security, and is suitable for trucks from the F-250/2500 models on up.
Inside, it has a one-piece fiberglass wet bath, wardrobe, sofa/dinette, and compact kitchen with a Dometic three-way fridge, two-bowl sink and two-burner propane stove.
The bedroom over the cab features lots of storage and a Dlx queen innerspring mattress with a pillow top and bedspread.
You can add a 100-watt solar system on the roof top, which you can control from Lance’s Easy Charge exterior charging center.
Although there’s only one battery box included with the camper, you can fit two.
The MSRP for the 2021 Lance 850 Truck Camper is $35,995, but you can find older models for less than $16,000.
Specifications & Price:
- Length: 17’ 7”
- Weights: 2,835 lbs. (GVWR), 2,501 lbs. (Dry), 334 lbs. (CCC)
- Tank Capacity: 30/20/18 gallons (Fresh/Gray/Black)
- HVAC: Pre-wired for A/C, 20,000 BTU forced air furnace
- Price: $35,995
Benefits of Owning a Travel Trailer Instead of a Motorhome
When you’re considering buying a camper of any kind, you may be wondering if it’s better to buy a motorhome or a trailer.
While both types of campers are great for traveling and comfortable to stay in for a weekend trip or multiple weeks on the road.
There are some perks to a towable travel trailer over a motorhome:
What Are the Unexpected Costs of Owning a Travel Trailer?
Just like any other recreational vehicle, always remember that your travel trailer will have some additional costs beyond the trailer, itself.
There are some initial costs as well as ongoing costs that may be unexpected.
Initial Costs of a Travel Trailer
When you first buy a travel trailer, there will be some upfront costs, including:
Ongoing Costs of a Travel Trailer
Some things, such as toilet paper, propane, black tank chemicals, and other necessities will be an ongoing cost. However, there are other costs of owning a travel trailer that might be unexpected:
Things to Buy for Your Travel Trailer
Beyond the costs, there are some other items that are smart to have on hand in case you need them when camping and traveling in a trailer:
Summary About Travel Trailer Costs
As you can see from the average prices noted in this article and the examples I’ve shared, travel trailers can cost as little as $10,000 or as much as over $100,000.
However, the average is between $11,000 and $40,000. Depending on the type of camper you’re hoping to get, you should plan to spend an average of $20,000 for a standard or small travel trailer, or around $80,000 for a luxury fifth wheel or toy hauler.
