If you are searching for campervan rental prices, you have probably noticed that nobody gives a straight answer. A van can cost €16 a day in one country and €157 in another, and the same van can triple in price between November and July. The honest answer is that the country and the season decide most of the bill, and the vehicle decides the rest.

This guide uses the CampervanPlanet price index, which is based on real searches in the booking engine rather than brochure prices. We read the live campervan rental prices page (data from October 2026, last updated on 9 October) and explain what the numbers mean for trip planning in 2027. It is a researched guide, not a claim that we have rented in all these countries, and prices change, so use the numbers to compare destinations and then check the live search for your dates. For the basics of renting abroad, start with our campervan rental guide.

How the price index works

Most price articles mix “from” prices, brochure prices and anecdotes. This index is different, and it is useful to know how it works. Every month CampervanPlanet runs real searches on its own booking engine, the same one customers use, for one seven-night rental per season at up to three pick-up locations in each country, and records every campervan and motorhome offered. Prices are converted to euros with the exchange rate of the day, and rooftop tents are excluded.

Two definitions matter. “From” is the cheapest daily price found, which is almost always a small van in a quiet week. “Typical” is the median daily price of everything on offer for that week, so it is a better guide for a family needing a proper van. The seasons are set by hemisphere: in the north, low season is mid-November, shoulder season is mid-May and peak is mid-July, while in New Zealand and Australia low season is June, shoulder is March and peak is January.

The United States is not in this index. For Las Vegas, CampervanPlanet publishes a separate study with 807 prices from seven companies, and we cover those numbers in our USA RV rental cost guide and on the Las Vegas RV rental prices page.

The cheapest countries

Ranked by the cheapest daily price found in October 2026, the first five are New Zealand from €16 a day, Australia from €40, Iceland from €53, Portugal from €67 and Spain from €71. Sweden starts at €79, Greece at €83 and Austria at €85. A “from” price like New Zealand’s €16 belongs to a southern-winter week and a basic van, so do not plan a December family trip on it.

The typical prices tell a more realistic story. In New Zealand the typical price runs from €78 in low season to about €216 in shoulder season and €223 in peak. Australia is steadier, with typical prices from €103 in low season to €142 in peak. Portugal runs from €96 in low season to €129 in shoulder and €176 in peak, and Spain from €98 to €127 and €157.

The lesson is that southern Europe and the southern hemisphere give you the best value if you can choose your dates. If winter sun is the plan, look at our Australia cost guide and the country pages for Australia, New Zealand and Portugal.

The most expensive countries

At the other end, the index lists Croatia as the most expensive country for the cheapest van in October 2026, at €157 a day, followed by Norway at €136 and Finland at €130. These are the cheapest prices found, not the typical ones, so they show how thin the budget end of the market is in those countries.

Several reasons explain it. The Nordic and Croatian rental fleets are smaller, summers are short and demand is concentrated into a few weeks. Sweden, for example, goes from a typical €147 in low season to €270 in peak, and Greece from €154 to €197. If you are heading north, the Norway campervan rental prices page and the Sweden campervan rental prices page break the numbers down further, and our Nordic road trip cost breakdown covers the cost of fuel, ferries and food on top of the van.

The same applies to the UK, where the UK motorhome hire cost page is the place to check. The advice is simple: in expensive countries, shoulder months and smaller vans are where savings live.

Why season matters more than country

The most striking number in the index is Iceland. Its typical daily price in July is €395, which is 3.4 times the low-season price of €115, with a shoulder-season typical price of €260. The page says the same pattern, with peak-season prices more than double the low-season price, applies to Iceland, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.

That has practical consequences. If your dates are flexible, moving a trip by four weeks can save more than switching countries. A week in Iceland in mid-May costs far less than the same week in July, and a week in Portugal in November costs about half of one in July. If you cannot move dates, move your van: a smaller, older or manual model can lower the bill substantially.

The other lesson is booking time. The index notes that cheaper vans tend to go first, so for peak dates the cheapest option may no longer exist in March. For 2027 summer trips, November to January is a good moment to look. The Iceland campervan rental prices page shows the swing in detail, and our tips for saving money in Norway apply to other expensive destinations too.

What changes the final price

The daily rate is only the beginning. The page lists the factors: the country, the season and the vehicle type decide most of the price, and a two-berth van costs less per day than a motorhome for four to six people. Longer rentals and early bookings usually lower the daily price. Returning the vehicle in a different city usually adds a one-way fee, and the excess, extra cover and mileage limits change the final price.

When you compare two offers, check what is included, such as insurance, mileage and equipment, and what you pay locally. The rental company holds a refundable security deposit on the main driver’s card at pick-up, so make sure your card limit allows it. Fuel, campsites, ferries, tolls and parking are on top, and in some countries they matter more than the van.

If you are unsure which vehicle to choose, CampervanPlanet has a comparison of campervans, motorhomes and RVs, and we explain the rooftop-tent option in our guide to the pros and cons of a rooftop tent. The page for campervan vs motorhome vs RV helps with terms that differ between countries.

How to use the numbers for your trip

Use the index as a decision tool. Start with the season you can travel in, then look at the countries that are cheap in that season. If you can only go in July, Iceland and Norway will be at their most expensive, and southern Europe will be busy but still lower. If you can go in January, New Zealand and Australia are at their peak, but they are an alternative to a cold Northern Hemisphere winter.

Next, choose the vehicle size honestly. A compact van is great for two people on a budget, but it is a tight fit for a family of four. Finally, build a total: van, fuel, campsites, ferries and a buffer. Many travellers find that a slightly pricier van in a cheaper country beats a bargain van in an expensive one.

For a first trip, read our first campervan road trip tips before you choose. If you are still weighing destinations, our country guides cover Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Portugal and Norway.

Booking tips and our discount

When you are ready to compare real offers, enter your dates on the CampervanPlanet prices page and look at the total for each vehicle. Each offer names the rental company, shows what is included and lists anything paid locally. Many bookings take a deposit online and the rest at pick-up, and each company sets its own cancellation terms, shown before you pay.

If your route is not offered, you can send a quote request and the team asks the rental companies for you. Code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off your booking at checkout when you book through our links, which is worth entering before you pay. And remember the key rule from the index: compare the total, not the daily rate, because excess, mileage limits and one-way fees change the final price.

Frequently asked questions