Budgeting for fuel is one of those “how long’s a piece of string?” roadie questions, but you can get it pretty dialled in with a simple rule of thumb.

For most campervan trips, a solid daily fuel budget is:

• Australia: $25-$60 per day for a normal mix of driving and chilling
• New Zealand: $30-$70 per day (fuel can sting a bit more, especially if you’re covering ground)
• Big drive days (300-500 km): $60-$120 per day in either country, depending on your camper and where you’re filling up

If you want a quick way to calculate it for your own trip, use this:

• Daily fuel cost = (km you drive per day ÷ 100) x camper’s L/100 km x fuel price per litre

Typical camper fuel use (rough guide):

• Small 2-3 berth campers: 9-12 L/100 km
• Medium-large 4-6 berth campers: 12-16 L/100 km
• 4WD campers (and heavy rigs): 12-18+ L/100 km

A few real-world tips (because fuel budgets get blown by the sneaky stuff):

• Remote areas cost more (Outback, Far North, West Coast vibes) – add a 20% buffer.
• Wind, hills and “she’s fully loaded” can bump consumption up fast.
• Use price apps to dodge rip-off servos: FuelMap (Aussie) and Gaspy (NZ) are both pretty handy.

If you’re planning to smash big distances most days, budget on the higher end and you’ll be sweet. Yeeeeew! 🚐💨

Hiring a campervan in Victoria (nearly always picking up from Melbourne) is usually pretty close to the national average – but it can be cheaper in winter and spicier in summer thanks to demand around Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road.

As a rough guide for Melbourne/VIC daily hire rates (AUD):

• Budget 2-berth campers (no toilet/shower): roughly $80-$185 per day (and you’ll occasionally see cheaper “from” pricing on the super budget end).
• 2-4 berth with toilet/shower (more “motorhome” vibes): commonly $160-$300 per day.
• Peak dates + last-minute bookings: can jump hard – we’ve seen $500-$1,000+ per day on certain toilet/shower models when availability gets tight.

Why VIC can feel a bit different vs the Aussie-wide average:

• Winter (roughly May-September) is often cheaper out of Melbourne because demand drops off (it’s cooler down there), so you can snag better value if you’re not chasing beach weather.
• Summer (October-April), school hols and big Melbourne dates push prices up, and the “good” vans get snapped up early.
• Optional cover can add to your daily spend (worth budgeting for if you hate big bonds), with some providers’ upgrade packs sitting around $30-$45 per day depending on vehicle.

If you want the bigger picture on what affects pricing Australia-wide (seasonality, vehicle size, length of hire, insurance), our full breakdown on campervan hire costs is here.

Campervan hire in New Zealand can be anything from proper budget to ouch – but most travellers land somewhere around NZ$75-$300 per day, depending on the season and what kind of camper you go for.

A rough real-world guide (in NZD, for the hire price):

• Low season (roughly May-Sep): around NZ$80-$150 per day for a basic 2-3 berth is pretty normal, with some deals dipping even lower.
• Shoulder season (Mar-Apr, Oct-Nov): often NZ$120-$220 per day depending on size and availability.
• Peak summer (Dec-Feb + school hols): expect NZ$180-$350+ per day, especially for newer, bigger vans.

Just don’t forget the sneaky bits that change the total:

• Insurance / liability reduction: basic cover often comes with a chunky excess (you’ll see figures like NZ$7,500), and “stress-free” style cover is commonly ~NZ$25-$75 per day depending on company and vehicle.
• One-way and location fees: if you’re doing Auckland to Christchurch/Queenstown (or similar), one-way fees can be ~NZ$89-$300, plus Queenstown location fees (around NZ$260-$270) with some operators.

Want the absolute cheapest option? Relocation deals can pop up from $1 per day, but they’re strict on dates and timing (you’re basically helping move the vehicle).

In NSW (nearly always picking up in Sydney), campervan hire usually lands in these rough daily ranges, depending on season and how flash you want to go:

• Budget campers: $50-$75 per day (simple setups, perfect for a no-fuss roadie)
• Mid-range campers: $70-$200 per day (more space, better layout, comfier living)
• Luxury motorhomes: $200-$400 per day (bathroom, shower, proper ‘home on wheels’ vibes)

Compared to the Australia-wide averages, NSW/Sydney is often a touch pricier than the cheapest national deals (mainly because Sydney is a mega popular pick-up spot and demand spikes hard in peak periods). Nationally you can sometimes see micro campers from around $30 per day, but Sydney more commonly starts a bit higher.

A few NSW-specific money and “gotcha” bits to keep in mind:

• Peak season (Dec-Feb) can push prices up 30%-50%, so if you’re doing Christmas/New Year in NSW, brace yourself (or book early and laugh later).
• Lower-priced Sydney periods are often May-June and August-September when demand chills out a bit.
• One-way hires (e.g. Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane) often add $150-$300 on top, depending on route and operator.
• Insurance/excess reduction commonly adds $25-$50 per day if you want to avoid a chunky liability.

Most 2WD campers include unlimited kilometres with the big rental brands, which is a big win for NSW loops up and down the coast.

May is usually the cheapest month to hire a campervan in Australia (especially out of the big depots like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) because it sits nicely outside the summer madness and most school holiday spikes.

A few real-world caveats (because… Oz is huge):

• Doing the East Coast or the south (NSW/VIC/SA/TAS)? May (and often early June) is typically the best bang for buck, just expect cooler nights.
• Heading north (Cairns, Darwin, Broome, the red centre)? Prices can rise from May onwards because it’s dry season travel time, and some operators even close certain northern branches Dec-March due to wet season conditions.
• Want cheaper up north? Late wet season/shoulder months can be cheaper, but you’re trading price for weather risk.

If you’re trying to stay on the cheap, the biggest win is simply dodging:

• Christmas/New Year + January
• Easter
• School holidays (varies by state, but they bump prices hard)

And yep, if you want the bigger picture on weather vs. crowds (not just van prices), our best times to travel in Australia guide breaks it down in detail.

Yep – for most campervan roadies in Oz and NZ, excess reduction insurance is genuinely worth it (unless you’ve got a very specific alternative that actually covers campervans properly).

Here’s the deal in normal-people language: your rental comes with insurance, but it usually has a chunky excess (the bit you pay if something goes wrong) and a bond they’ll hold on your card. Excess reduction (sometimes called excess waiver, zero excess or VIP cover) is the add-on that drops that excess and often reduces the bond too.

It’s usually worth it if:

• You’d struggle to swallow a surprise $3,000-$8,000 hit (even if you’d get some back later).
• You’re doing a big distance roadie, city driving, ferry crossings, gravel-ish bits or tight campsites (aka the classic “oops” zones).
• You want less stress at pickup and drop-off – smaller bond, fewer dramas, better holiday vibe 😅.
• You’re sharing driving with mates and don’t fully trust Dave’s reversing skills.

It might not be worth it if:

• You’ve got serious savings and you’re happy to self-insure the risk.
• Your credit card or travel insurance explicitly covers campervan rental excess and the fine print stacks up (a lot don’t cover overhead/underbody, single-vehicle accidents, tyres/windscreen, water damage, beach driving, unsealed roads etc.).
• You’re hiring for a super short trip and staying in easy, low-risk spots.

One spicy truth: excess reduction doesn’t make you bulletproof. If you break the rental rules (wrong fuel, ignored height warnings, beach driving where it’s banned, driving on restricted roads, driving under the influence etc.), you can still be on the hook.

If you want the best of both worlds, we’ll always point you towards the cover option that matches your route and risk level – no fluff, just what actually saves you money (and headaches) when real life happens. Yeeeeew!

No – we do not have mileage limits. You’re free to pack in as much adventure as you can find!

In summary, you need to return the rental with the same level of fuel as you received it on the pick up date. Also, make sure to empty the toilet cassette and grey water tank (if they’re onboard). Just top up the fuel and empty the tanks right before dropping off to avoid extra charges. Easy peasy!

What’s included in the campervan varies by model. Some come with a kitchen, toilet and shower, while others are more basic. The best thing to do is get in touch and we’ll find the perfect match for your needs. You can also browse our campervan pages for more info. Or send us your dates and locations and we’ll show you each model and even send you over spec sheets.

Additional charges can include cleaning fees, late return fees and costs for extra gear like GPS, child seats or camping equipment. If you return the campervan late or in poor condition (make sure to empty those toilet cassettes and grey water tanks too!), you’ll probably face extra charges. We’re all about keeping it transparent, so we’ll share the full terms and conditions with you to dodge any nasty surprises.