Journal · Yachting
How much does a yacht cost: to buy, and to keep?
According to Passion Asset Advisory, independent acquisition advice means representing one side only, on a written mandate confirmed before work begins, positioned alongside your wealth manager rather than in place of them. A decision to ‘do nothing’ is always valid.
Purchase price by size band
Length drives price, but builder pedigree, age, condition, refit history, and survey results move a specific vessel millions within these bands. Pre-owned anchors the low ends; new construction the high.
| Size band | Indicative range | What you're buying |
|---|---|---|
| 60–80 ft production | $1M – $6M | Owner-operated or small crew; Med/coastal cruising |
| 80–100 ft semi-custom | $5M – $15M | Professional crew begins; genuine liveaboard comfort |
| 100–130 ft | $8M – $30M | Full crew, transoceanic range, charter-capable |
| 130–180 ft custom | $25M – $80M | Custom builds, naval-architect territory, 8–12+ crew |
| 200 ft + | $100M+ new | Flagship territory; running costs to match |
Ranges frame the market. A specific vessel is priced by survey, classification status, refit record, and closed comparable sales. This is the core of a yacht acquisition mandate.
The 10% rule: and where the money goes
The working rule across the industry: a crewed yacht costs roughly 10% of its value per year to operate. A $10M boat budgets ~$1M annually; a $50M boat, ~$5M. Older vessels, heavy itineraries, and charter programs push the percentage up; simple, lightly used boats sit below it.
| Line item | Typical share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | ~30–45% | Salaries, rotation, training, crew insurance, provisioning; the largest line on almost every boat |
| Maintenance & shipyard | ~20–30% | Continuous upkeep plus lumpy yard periods; deferred work compounds |
| Dockage | ~10–20% | Home berth plus seasonal marinas; prime Mediterranean berths are scarce and priced accordingly |
| Insurance | ~5–10% | Hull and liability; rises with cruising grounds and charter use |
| Fuel & consumables | ~10–20% | Itinerary-driven; displacement speeds economize, deadlines don't |
Shares vary by vessel and program. The important point is the shape: people first, steel second, and everything else after.
The refit trap
The cheapest yacht on the brokerage market is frequently the most expensive one in the fleet: the discount is the deferred refit, priced optimistically by the seller. Survey-driven diligence quantifies that exposure before the offer. It checks engine hours, classification status, paint, teak, and interior systems. The refit can then be negotiated off the price rather than discovered in the yard. That survey-first discipline is the core of our yacht acquisition mandates.
Does charter income change the math?
Partially. Realistic charter activity offsets a portion of running costs. The amount is often meaningful but rarely a majority, and charter adds wear, scheduling constraints, and commercial-compliance overhead. Treat charter as a discipline on the operation and a partial offset, never as the business case for the purchase. Test sellers' charter-revenue claims against records, as you would any other listing assertion.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yacht cost to buy?
Indicatively, as of mid-2026: well-kept pre-owned 60–80 foot production yachts run roughly $1–6 million; 80–100 foot semi-custom boats $5–15 million; 100–130 feet $8–30 million; 130–180 foot custom superyachts $25–80 million; and 200-plus-foot vessels start above $100 million new. Brokerage (pre-owned) vessels trade well below new-build prices for comparable size.
How much does a yacht cost to run per year?
The industry's working rule of thumb is roughly 10% of the yacht's value per year for a crewed vessel. This covers crew, dockage, insurance, maintenance, and fuel. A $10 million yacht therefore budgets around $1 million annually. The percentage runs higher for older, heavily used, or charter-active boats and lower for simple, lightly used ones.
What is the biggest yacht running cost?
Crew is typically the largest single line for any crewed yacht. It commonly uses a third or more of the annual budget once salaries, rotation, training, insurance, and provisioning are counted. Dockage, maintenance, insurance, and fuel divide most of the remainder, with shipyard periods arriving as lumpy, unavoidable events.
Does chartering out a yacht pay for it?
Almost never fully. Realistic charter activity offsets a portion of running costs. The amount is often meaningful but rarely a majority, and charter adds wear, scheduling constraints, and commercial compliance costs. Charter is best treated as a partial offset and a discipline on the operation, not as a business case for the purchase.
Do running costs differ by cruising region?
Meaningfully. Mediterranean summers concentrate the world's fleet into scarce berths at peak pricing; the Caribbean season shifts crew logistics and insurance zones; year-round tropical operation accelerates maintenance. The 10% rule is the planning anchor, and the itinerary moves you around it.
How much does it cost to run a superyacht each year?
As a working rule, annual running costs are roughly 10% of a yacht's value. This includes crew, dockage, fuel, insurance, classification, and refit reserves. A US$30 million yacht can cost US$2–4 million a year to operate. We model true cost of ownership before you commit, not just the asking price.
Why do running costs matter at purchase?
The annual cost limits the future buyer pool and affects resale. Owners who cannot sustain operations may sell under pressure. Model crew, dockage, fuel, insurance, maintenance and refit reserves before purchase.
New build or brokerage?
Brokerage delivers most of the capability at a fraction of the price and the first owner has absorbed the depreciation, provided the survey is clean. A new build buys exactly what you want, years from now, at full price. The honest answer depends on how specific your requirements really are.
How reliable are these yacht cost estimates?
They are indicative as of July 2026 and are stated to frame decisions. A specific vessel is priced by survey and closed comparables. This is the work of a mandate, not an article.
How much does it cost to charter a yacht?
Crewed superyacht charter is quoted as a weekly base rate plus the APA expenses, typically 25–35% on top, which cover fuel, food, and dockage. Expect roughly $50,000–150,000 a week for a 30–40 metre yacht, and several hundred thousand to over a million for the largest, before VAT and the customary crew gratuity.
Yachting
The range is public. Your number is surveyed.
Acquisition mandates price candidate vessels against survey findings and closed sales before you fall in love.