Road Trips
How Much Does an RV Trip in Canada Cost?
RV trip costs in Canada for 2026: rental rates by season, kilometre packages, fuel in BC, Alberta and Yukon, campground fees, insurance and a 14-day budget.
“What does a three-week RV trip in Canada cost?” The honest answer is: it depends. The season, the size of the vehicle, how far you drive and where you sleep each change the total by thousands of dollars.
We have rented RVs in western Canada many times, including three weeks with a truck camper on Vancouver Island. This guide breaks down every cost with current figures and ends with an example budget for 14 days in the Rockies. All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD), as of October 2026, and most do not include tax.
For rental rules, campground bookings and overnight parking, read our complete guide to Canada by RV.
1. The Rental
The rental is the largest single cost, and the season matters more than anything else. Companies use dynamic pricing: the same vehicle can cost twice as much in late July as in mid-September, and rates rise as dates fill up.
Starting rates shown on RV comparison sites in October 2026 give an idea of the range:
| Vehicle | Spring and autumn | July to September |
|---|---|---|
| Class C motorhome, Calgary | from about 45 to 55 CAD per night | from about 155 CAD per night |
| Class C motorhome, Vancouver | from about 260 CAD per night | from about 295 CAD per night |
| Truck camper, Calgary | from about 55 to 60 CAD per night | from about 150 CAD per night |
| Camper van, Calgary | from about 115 to 125 CAD per night | from about 240 CAD per night |
These are the lowest prices found for selected dates. Popular vehicles in July and August often cost far more, especially when booked late. Get live quotes from the major Canadian companies, such as CanaDream (opens in a new tab) and Fraserway RV (opens in a new tab), and compare the full price including kilometres and fees.
Ways to pay less:
- Travel in the shoulder season. Late May, June and September cost much less than July and August.
- Book early. For summer, book in the autumn before your trip.
- Look for relocation and one-way specials. Companies move vehicles between stations at the start and end of the season and discount those trips.
- Rent longer. Nightly rates usually drop for rentals of several weeks. CanaDream gives an extra 5 percent off rentals of more than 21 nights.
Fees on top of the nightly rate
- Preparation fee: Fraserway charges 100 CAD per rental. It includes a full propane tank, hoses, toilet chemicals and levelling blocks.
- Kitchen and bedding kits: Fraserway’s Convenience Kit costs 100 CAD per person per rental. The kitchen kit alone costs 80 CAD.
- One-way fees: from 400 to 1,500 CAD at Fraserway, depending on the route. Edmonton to Calgary is free.
- Pets: 200 CAD per pet per rental at Fraserway.
- Generator: CanaDream charges for generator use from May to September. It is free for winter pickups.
- Northern travel: CanaDream charges a northern surcharge for trips to the Yukon, included for Whitehorse pickups. Its Whitehorse surcharge is 75 CAD plus tax.
2. Kilometres
Most rentals charge by the kilometre, and this is easy to underestimate. A loop from Calgary through Banff, Jasper and BC’s Kootenay region easily adds up to 2,000 km.
CanaDream includes 100 km per night in the base rate. You can upgrade to 175 or 250 km per night or buy packages of 500 km, 800 km or unlimited kilometres. Extra kilometres cost 0.41 CAD each at drop-off.
Fraserway sells kilometres separately (2026 prices):
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| 500 km | 210 CAD |
| 1,000 km | 399 CAD |
| Unlimited | 99 CAD per night, minimum 1,386 CAD |
| Each extra kilometre | 0.45 CAD |
Unused prepaid kilometres are not refunded. Add 10 to 15 percent to your route plan for detours, grocery runs and side trips.
3. Insurance and Deposit
Basic insurance is included in every rental, but the deductible is high. You can reduce it for a daily fee.
| CanaDream | Fraserway | |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible with basic cover | 3,000 CAD | 7,500 CAD |
| Reduced deductible | 1,000 CAD or zero, with optional cover | 750 CAD with CDR (32 CAD per night, max. 960 CAD) |
| Zero deductible | optional | CDW on top of CDR (15 CAD per night, max. 450 CAD), not for Whitehorse rentals |
The security deposit is held on your credit card at pickup. At Fraserway it is 7,500 CAD with basic cover, 750 CAD with CDR and 100 CAD with CDW. CanaDream’s deposit also depends on the cover you choose.
Many credit cards and home auto policies exclude motorhomes. Check yours before you decline the extra cover. Pet damage inside the vehicle is not covered by any of Fraserway’s options.
4. Fuel
A Class C motorhome uses roughly 25 to 30 litres per 100 km, a camper van less, and a large Class A more. Wind, mountain passes and a heavy load all add to it. Most rental motorhomes run on regular gasoline.
Fuel prices in western Canada rose sharply in 2026 after crude oil prices jumped, and they still change quickly:
| Region | Regular gasoline |
|---|---|
| Vancouver and other BC cities | about 2.00 to 2.10 CAD per litre (early October 2026) |
| Calgary | about 1.40 to 1.70 CAD per litre (early October 2026) |
| Whitehorse | 1.95 CAD per litre (August 2026 average) |
| Smaller Yukon communities | 1.99 to 2.15 CAD per litre (August 2026) |
Alberta has suspended its 13-cent provincial fuel tax until the end of 2026, which keeps prices there lower than in BC. In the Yukon, diesel cost 2.20 CAD per litre in Whitehorse in August 2026, according to the Yukon Bureau of Statistics. Fill up in Alberta before you cross into BC.
Propane for the fridge, stove and furnace is cheaper: about 1.37 CAD per litre in Whitehorse in August 2026. Over two weeks in summer you will rarely need more than one refill.
5. Campgrounds
Where you sleep is the cost you control most.
| Type | Price per night (2026) |
|---|---|
| Parks Canada, Banff: primitive to unserviced | 22 to 34 CAD |
| Parks Canada, Banff: power or full hookup | 40 to 47.25 CAD |
| Parks Canada, Jasper: full service with fire pit | 61 CAD |
| BC Parks | 5 to 51 CAD, plus 20 CAD per stay for non-BC residents |
| Alberta Parks | 8 to 31 CAD, plus 8 CAD each for power, water and sewer |
| Yukon government campgrounds | 20 CAD cash, 18 CAD online |
| Private RV parks | from about 35 to 55 CAD on booking platforms; full hookups in popular areas cost more |
Add reservation fees: 11.50 CAD online per Parks Canada booking, 6 CAD per night (maximum 18 CAD) at BC Parks and 12 CAD per booking at Alberta Parks. A fire permit in Banff costs 12 to 17 CAD per day. Sani-dump stations in Alberta parks charge 3 to 10 CAD.
6. Park Passes and Ferries
In national parks, you need a park pass. Daily admission costs 12.25 CAD per adult or 24.50 CAD for a family or group in one vehicle. For more than a week, the Parks Canada Discovery Pass is cheaper: 83.50 CAD for one adult or 167.50 CAD for a family or group, valid for 12 months in all national parks. From June 19 to September 7, 2026, admission was free and camping 25 percent cheaper under the Canada Strong Pass. Check parks.canada.ca (opens in a new tab) for the year you travel. In Kananaskis Country you need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass (15 CAD per day or 90 CAD per year).
On the coast, ferries can be a large cost. BC Ferries charges by vehicle length and height, so an RV costs much more than a car. On our Vancouver Island trip, three crossings were one of the bigger items in our budget. Check fares on bcferries.com (opens in a new tab) and reserve on long weekends. We booked our first crossing ahead because it fell on Labour Day weekend, and the ferries were full.
7. Food and Extras
Cooking in the RV saves the most money. Do a large grocery shop in Calgary, Vancouver or Whitehorse at the start. Prices in mountain towns and small northern communities are noticeably higher. On restaurant bills, add 5 percent GST, provincial tax in some provinces and a tip of 15 to 20 percent.
Smaller costs add up too: laundry at campgrounds, bear spray if you hike (it is not allowed on planes, so you buy it on arrival), firewood, coffee stops and parking.
What We Learned on Vancouver Island
Our three weeks on Vancouver Island with a truck camper from Vancouver covered 2,267 km. We spent 14 nights at private campgrounds and three in provincial parks. Looking back, these points made the biggest difference to the total:
- The rental and the ferries together made up more than half of our costs in Canada.
- Groceries cost more than restaurants, because we cooked most meals in the camper and ate out only now and then.
- We added a return package at pickup, so we did not have to clean the camper or empty the tanks before drop-off.
- Coffee and tea stops added up to more than we expected.
Example Budget: 14 Nights in the Rockies
Two adults, a mid-size Class C motorhome, round trip from Calgary via Banff, the Icefields Parkway, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay. About 2,000 km, 8 nights in national park campgrounds, 4 in provincial parks and 2 at private RV parks. Rental fees use Fraserway’s 2026 extras. The nightly rates are examples within the ranges above, not quotes.
| Item | July | Mid-September |
|---|---|---|
| Rental, 14 nights (250 / 150 CAD per night) | 3,500 | 2,100 |
| Preparation fee | 100 | 100 |
| 2 x 1,000 km package | 798 | 798 |
| Deductible reduction (CDR), 14 nights | 448 | 448 |
| Convenience kits, 2 people | 200 | 200 |
| GST 5% on the rental items | 252 | 182 |
| Fuel, about 500 litres at 1.75 CAD | 875 | 875 |
| Campgrounds and reservation fees | 650 | 650 |
| BC Parks non-resident fee | 20 | 20 |
| Parks Canada Discovery Pass (family/group) | 168 | 168 |
| Groceries and some meals out (estimate, 60 CAD per day) | 840 | 840 |
| Dump fees, propane, laundry (estimate) | 50 | 50 |
| Total | about 7,900 CAD | about 6,430 CAD |
| Per person | about 3,950 CAD | about 3,215 CAD |
Flights, the first hotel night, tours, restaurant dinners and park activities are not included. The security deposit (750 CAD with CDR) is refunded after the return.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest time to rent an RV in Canada?
May, early June and September. In the spring and autumn, nightly rates can be less than half of the July and August price, and campgrounds are easier to book.
How much fuel does an RV use?
A Class C motorhome uses about 25 to 30 litres per 100 km. With 2,000 km and gasoline at about 1.75 CAD per litre, plan for about 875 CAD.
Are kilometres included in the rental price?
Not always. CanaDream includes 100 km per night and sells more. Fraserway sells kilometre packages or unlimited kilometres separately. Compare the total price, not only the nightly rate.
Do I need the extra insurance?
It is optional, but the basic deductible is 3,000 CAD at CanaDream and 7,500 CAD at Fraserway. Many renters reduce it. Check first whether your credit card covers motorhomes, since many exclude them.
How much should I budget per day?
For two people in the shoulder season, plan around 450 to 500 CAD per day for rental, kilometres, insurance, fuel, campgrounds and groceries. In July and August, plan 550 CAD or more.
Comments
No comments yet. Questions about this article are welcome.
Thank you. Your comment will appear once we have checked it.