From the dockmaster's desk
If you called five marinas about liveaboard vs rv living, you'd get five different answers — not because anyone is hiding the truth, but because every harbor runs on its own contracts, depths, and storm policies. This page is the version we wish every dockmaster had time to give a first-time caller.
Liveaboard and RV life share core appeal — mobility, low square footage, community — but operate on different cost structures and infrastructure dependencies. The right choice depends on geography, climate tolerance, and where you want to wake up.
RV: $300–$2,500/month for site + utilities, depending on park grade. Move whenever you want, drive 60 mph, fuel at any gas station. Limited by national park access, hookup availability, and weather.
Liveaboard: $1,500–$4,000/month all-in. Slow movement (6–8 knots), expensive fuel, but you can wake up in the Bahamas, the San Juan Islands, or the Florida Keys. Water is the only road.
Liveaboard wins when
- • Love water
- • Want coastal/island access
- • Community matters
- • Mild climates
- • Cruising is the point
RV wins when
- • Want max mobility
- • Cold climates OK
- • National parks priority
- • Mountain access
- • Cost-sensitive