Buying
How Much Does a Superyacht Cost?
Purchase price is the smaller question. Here is the whole picture.
7 min read · Updated
The purchase price of a superyacht is the number people ask about. The annual cost is the number that determines whether the ownership works, and it is far less widely understood.
In short
How much does a superyacht cost?
Entry to the used superyacht market currently sits around $5 million to $10 million for a well-maintained vessel in the 100 to 120 foot range. From 130 to 165 feet, prices commonly run from roughly $10 million to $30 million. Above 165 feet, prices start in the tens of millions and extend into the hundreds for recent custom builds.
How much does a superyacht cost to run per year?
A widely used industry rule of thumb is approximately ten percent of the purchase price per year. For a $20 million yacht that means roughly $2 million annually, covering crew, dockage, insurance, fuel, maintenance and a refit reserve. It is a planning figure, and actual costs vary substantially with usage and crew size.
What is the biggest running cost on a superyacht?
Crew, in almost every case. Salaries, benefits, travel, training and rotation typically account for the largest share of the annual budget on a professionally crewed yacht, ahead of dockage, insurance, maintenance and fuel.
Purchase price by size band
These are broad current ranges for used vessels in reasonable condition. Age, builder, refit history and specification move any individual yacht considerably within its band.
- 100–130 ft: roughly $5M to $15M
- 130–165 ft: roughly $10M to $30M
- 165–200 ft: roughly $25M to $80M
- Over 200 ft: from around $50M, with recent custom builds well into the hundreds of millions
The annual budget, itemised
The ten percent rule is a useful planning heuristic and a poor substitute for a real budget. Here is roughly how the money divides on a professionally crewed yacht.
- Crew: commonly 30–40% of the annual budget, including salaries, benefits, travel and training
- Dockage and berthing: 10–20%, heavily dependent on location and season
- Insurance: 5–10%, driven by value, cruising area and crew experience
- Fuel: 5–20%, entirely dependent on how much the yacht actually moves
- Maintenance and yard periods: 15–25%
- Refit reserve: a further allowance, typically several percent of value annually, for the major refit cycle
The costs buyers underestimate
Refit is the big one. A major refit on a 150 foot yacht — paint, interior, machinery survey items — comfortably reaches seven figures, and it arrives on a five-to-eight-year cycle whether or not it has been budgeted for.
Crew turnover is the second. Recruiting, relocating and training a replacement chief engineer is expensive, and the disruption costs more than the fee.
Depreciation is the third and largest. It does not appear in an operating budget, but on a recent-build yacht it typically exceeds every other cost combined in the early years.
Does charter offset it?
Partially, and rarely as much as owners hope. A commercially registered yacht in a good charter market can offset a meaningful share of running costs, but it increases wear, constrains the owner's own use, and brings certification and management obligations.
Treat charter income as reducing the net cost, not as a business case for the purchase.
Put this to use
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to buy used or build new?
Used is cheaper in absolute terms and avoids the first-owner depreciation step. New build gives specification control and a warranty, at the cost of a multi-year delivery slot and a steeper early depreciation curve.
Can superyachts be financed?
Yes. Marine finance is available at this level, typically requiring a substantial deposit, a satisfactory survey and acceptable flag and ownership structure. Terms vary widely with the vessel's age.
Do superyachts hold their value?
They depreciate, and the curve is steepest in the first years after delivery. Well-maintained vessels from respected yards hold value better, and a documented refit history materially supports resale.
What is the cheapest way to own a superyacht?
Buying a well-maintained yacht that is ten to fifteen years old, past its steepest depreciation and through a recent major refit, is generally the most cost-efficient entry to the class.