You’ll struggle to find a more beautiful road trip destination than Scotland. We can picture craggy mountains, rugged coastlines, uninterrupted miles of greenery, lush forests and pristine beaches. It’s not just the untamed wilderness that makes Scotland so incredible, but the settlements too. From bustling cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow to picturesque villages with one pub and supermarket on offer, the culture of Scotland is truly unbeatable.
Before you head out on this life-changing adventure, you’d surely like to know the costs of a road trip in Scotland. How much should you budget for this holiday? What kind of unforeseen costs should you consider? Have no fear, we’ve rounded it all up so you won’t have to deal with surprises later.
How much does a campervan hire in Scotland cost?
If you’ve got your own motorhome, then you can head straight to the next section. However, in that case, if you’d like to cover the costs for your trip, consider hiring out on Goboony when you’re not using your motorhome. Just two weeks of hire could easily cover a week’s holiday in Scotland.
For those of you still in need of a home on wheels, let’s dive into the estimated cost of campervan hire in Scotland. For this, we’ll look at a week’s trip in June.
For a two-berth campervan, you’re looking at £95-£145 per day, depending on the size and amenities of the vehicle. The majority of transporter vans appear to be about £110 per day.
For a four-berth motorhome, you’re looking at around £125-£180 per day, once again depending on size and amenities. For example, if you’re travelling as a group of two adults and two little kids, a cosy campervan would be a tight squeeze but possible. But if you’re four adults, or bringing your dog too, you’ll likely opt for a larger motorhome for comfort and moving space.
If you’re travelling with six people, it’s no surprise that your motorhome hire will be more expensive. For a 6-berth motorhome, you can expect to pay £150-£215 per day of hire. This may feel like quite a lot, and it is, but consider that this covers six people’s accommodation and transport costs.
Before confirming your booking, make sure to check whether insurance is included, and if you’re eligible for this insurance.
How much does fuel in Scotland cost?
Now it’s time to hit the road! But to drive to all your destinations, you’ll need some fuel in that tank — no, I’m not talking about road trip snacks. It’s hard to predict fuel prices as they can vary so much, but we’ll try to give you an expectation and compare it to other destinations.
Petrol prices in Scotland tend to be higher than in the rest of the UK, and more than in other destinations in Europe. It’s particularly expensive around the Highlands and major cities, so aim to stop for petrol in rural regions to cut costs.
You can use apps like Waze or PetrolPrices to find the cheapest options on your route.
How much do campsites in Scotland cost?
It’s time to consider where you’ll be resting your weary head in Scotland. Let’s look at how much campsites cost in Scotland.
Firstly, instead of staying at campsites, you may have considered going wild camping instead. Scotland is the only country in the UK, and one of the few in Europe, where wild camping is legal. Be aware that this doesn’t apply to motorised vehicles, such as motorhomes and campervans, which means you must always ask the landowner's permission to stay anywhere in the wild.
You can ‘book’ a wild camping spot through platforms like Wild With Consent, where you pay a landowner to stay on their property. This is the closest you’ll get to ethically wild camping in a campervan, and it can feature some of the most beautiful locations. You’re guaranteed to be the only person on-site, so it’ll feel like no one else exists. This is only for self-contained vehicles and costs around £30-£45 per night in June.
For a regular campsite, you can expect to pay anywhere from £15 to £40 per night. This is largely dependent on the services offered at a campsite. A simple, rural site may charge £15 per night for two adults, with additional costs for an electric hookup or having a tent beside your van. A holiday park with a pool, playground and restaurant may charge £35 per night, with additional charges for extra adults.
How much do activities in Scotland cost?
One of the perks of travelling to Scotland is that you don’t have to spend a lot on activities because almost everything you want to do is FREE. Yep, we’re talking about the great outdoors, as corny as that sounds. Scotland is a hillwalker's dream, filled with incredible routes at every twist and turn. Whether you want to tackle a mountain, like the mighty Ben Nevis, or just stick to smaller walks each day, you’ve got plenty of options. And it’s a great way to save pennies on your trip, as you just need to make sure you’ve got the right hillwalking gear beforehand.
Alternatively, you could go cycling for a day, either by bringing your own bike from home or renting one. Bike hire in Scotland usually costs £20-£25 for a full day.
Okay, now let’s consider some paid activities in Scotland. As you probably know, Scotland is renowned for its lochs, and you might want to head onto the mysterious waters on one of these. For example, at Loch Lomond, you can hire a pedal boat or row boat for half an hour for £25. Or £40 for a full hour.
If you’d like to head indoors, you’ll find plenty of free museums in Scotland. For example, within Edinburgh, you can visit the National Museum of Scotland or the National War Museum for free. There are also great paid museums and attractions, such as the Edinburgh Dungeon, which costs £18pp.
While in Scotland, we recommend visiting a distillery for a tour and tasting, which can cost between £25 and £65 per person, depending on the length and number of drinks offered. If you’re a fan of whisky, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.
How much does food in Scotland cost?
Last but not least, let’s consider what you’ll be eating during your road trip in Scotland. In terms of groceries, you’ll find that it is roughly the same as what you’d pay in the rest of the UK, barring London, of course. A week’s worth of groceries for a family of four can cost around £120-£200, depending on where you shop and the type of food you buy. As for going out for meals, a traditional pub meal will cost about £12-£25 for a main course and £6-£10 for a starter or dessert. A pint of beer should cost around £5.
It’s difficult to determine exactly how much a road trip in Scotland will cost, as it is so dependent on how you like to travel, eat, and spend your time. But if you’re aiming to be thrifty on your trip, not driving great distances, and cooking your own meals, you could expect to pay £90 per person, per day of your holiday (including campervan hire).
We’ve got plenty of tips for budget motorhome travel, as well as affordable campervan hire options. With the right planning, your trip doesn’t have to be unnecessarily expensive, and can instead be the great adventure it is intended to be!
