It can be a jungle to figure out how much you should expect to pay for a yacht.
This article will help guide your research about prices for different sized yachts to help you make the best decision:
Here’s How Much Yachts Cost on Average:
Yachts start around $300,000 for smaller 40-foot models and can go as high as several hundred million dollars for superyachts.
This average amount is all-encompassing. It factors in all yachts of all sizes, ages, builds/brands, and luxury levels, including outliers such as superyachts.
The latter brings the total up quite a bit.
Therefore, it makes more sense to research yachts’ costs by the more specific categories they might fall into to get a more accurate price based on your personal scale.
These are the main contributing factors to the price of a yacht:
- The size of the yacht
- The age of the yacht
- The brand and type of yacht
In general, the larger the yacht is, the more important the quality of the build becomes.
Also, potential owners need to understand the cruising speed and propulsion of different yachts.
The yacht type is also broken down into two categories:
- The express yacht
- The flybridge yacht
An express yacht is often referred to interchangeably as an express cruiser or sports cruiser.
It has a single deck above the hull with a living space below.
They are much sleeker, too.
Within the express category, there are other subcategories:
- Mediterranean Style
Open style expresses yacht with maximum space for sun, little-to-no shade on the deck. - Hard-top express
Semi-enclosed or fully-enclosed space on deck for the operator
A flybridge yacht is often referred to as a sedan bridge or sport bridge, and it is typically used for fishing. It has additional space above the main deck.
Since the flybridge area has more space on the second deck, the main deck is normally made up of enclosed spaces and rooms.
It can have an open-air layout but can also have a hard-top.
Average Prices For 40 Foot Yachts
A 40-foot yacht can be found used for around $200,000 and new models can cost as much as a million dollars. There are always lots of used yachts for sale around 40 feet in length, which makes them more attractive to first-time buyers.
Technically, a yacht begins at 23 feet. However, yachts that size will more often be referred to as boats.
A 40-foot yacht is a great option for looking for relative simplicity and plenty of comfort and capability. This size is great for day trips dedicated to speed boating or simple cruising.
The size remains manageable, but the vessel can be updated with extra living spaces and amenities as desired, with a more affordable price than larger options.
The maintenance prices will remain lower as well.
Make sure you are considering the age of your yacht. Even if it is on the smaller end, it will be more expensive if it is new and custom-built to your wants.
Even if you think a 40-foot yacht is the cheapest option, these small factors make for a sliding price scale.
You might find that a smaller, new, custom yacht is more expensive than an older, simpler, larger yacht. One benefit of an older yacht is that it should have the improvements and equipment that make it comfortable to operate and will not have those additional costs.
For sailboat prices specifically, check out this article.
Our Pick: Viking 42 Convertible: Cruise and Fish
Price: $895,000
Features For 2014 Used Models:
- Cushioned seats
- Underwater lights
- Recent engine and service
- Joystick control
- TV
- Cockpit shade with poles, freezer, and step-up box
- Custom chairs
- Coach roof overhang to provide shade
Features For 2013 Used Model
- Flybridge fiberglass hard-top
- Upgraded chairs
- Cockpit freezer and drink box
- Forward-facing viewing windows in deckhouse
- Freshwater wash area
- Blue hull color
- Two staterooms
- Carpet, barstools, dining table
- A flat-screen TV, home theater
Price: $749,000
Here’s a great example of a yacht with differing ages and year models. They both have twin diesel engines, 600 hp each, and cruise at 35 mph. They are fast.
Comparing the features and prices side by side can show you just how much you are paying for, and how much the boat’s age really matters in the grand scheme.
You could save yourself quite a bit of money if you go with the older model.
Three Other 40-50 Foot Yacht Price Examples
- 42-foot Grand Banks 42 Classic; trawler-cruiser style yacht; twin diesel, 350 hp each, cruising speed is 13 mph.
Price: $370,000 for 2004; $124,500 for 1986; older ones for less - 45-foot 2012 Sea Ray 450 Sundancer or Sedan Bridge; single or twin diesel, about 1,000 hp total; cruising speed about 26 mph
Price: $472,000 for 2012 twin-engine - 41-foot 2016 Back Cove Downeast; single diesel 715 hp; cruising speed is 26 mph
Price: $619,000
Average Prices for 50-foot Yachts
50-foot yachts are great options if you’re looking for more than just a simple day excursion.
They are normally owner-operated, so you likely wouldn’t need to pay for a crew.
They can provide more living space giving the owner flexibility for more guests and making it a more permanent residential option. With more space comes the opportunity to install more amenities as well.
The biggest difference between the 40-foot vessel and the 50-foot is the accommodations.
Once you upgrade, you can likely expect three-cabin layouts, which give plenty of space for rest. The opportunity to create guest rooms, owners’ suite, and entertainment spaces are better with these yachts.
Our Pick: Hatteras GT54 Convertible Sportfish
The price for the 2017 model of this boat starts at $2,249,000.
This yacht is 53′ 10″ long and weighs 75,000 pounds! It has twin diesel engines, 1,300 hp each, cruising speed of 35 mph.
It has a 1200-gallon fuel capacity with three staterooms. It sleeps up to 6 people, so it is perfect for entertaining without being so large to the point where maintenance becomes very difficult. It is known for its great propulsion rates and is very smooth and agile.
It specializes in a fishing boat but allows plenty of room for guests. In addition to the three staterooms, it has a large salon deck, a spacious galley, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
Two Other 50 Foot Yacht Price Examples
- 51-foot 2013 Azimut Magellano 50; express cruiser; twin diesel engines, 425 hp each, cruising speed 16 mph
Price: $670,760 - 52-foot Carver C52 Command Bridge; twin diesel engines, 600 hp each; cruising speed 18- 26 mph
Price: $1,149,000 for 2017; $1,750,00 for 2021 with bow thrusters, gyro-stabilizer
Average Prices For 60 Foot Yachts
A yacht in this range approaches the upper end of the owner/operator criteria.
This means that owners need to now factor in deciding whether or not they can handle this size yacht on their own or if they need to hire outside help from a crew.
A crew means another added expense. If you’re thinking of buying a boat this size, the cost may not be an issue, but it is something to deal with.
This size is great for longer travels beyond day trips and adds more and more space for extra amenities. Hosting guests becomes easier. Buying this size yacht will involve more decisions than smaller ones.
Here are some examples to add to your research list.
Our Pick: Hatteras M60
The average base price for this model is around $2,995,000.
The Hatteras M60 is great for someone who wants the luxury of a larger yacht but still wants to be an owner-operator. The deck’s layout below and above is spacious, with a large salon and a full master suite. It can be customized to order with hardwood floors or specific carpeting and amenities like flat-screen TVs, a bar, a full kitchen, etc. It is a motor yacht, meant for pleasure cruising.
It has twin diesel engines, 1135 hp each; cruising speed is 28 mph.
Other 60 Foot Yacht Price Examples
- 64 foot 2017 Schaefer 640; express cruiser; twin diesel engines, 625 hp each; cruising speed 25 mph
Price: $1,299,000 - 60-foot 2009 Sunreef 62 Sailing Catamaran; twin diesel engines 110 hp each; cruising speed 10 mph
Price: $990,000
Average Prices For 70 Foot Yachts
Once you reach this size yacht, it is almost guaranteed you will need a crew to help operate it.
This is just shy of the superyacht category, so if you settle on this size, know you are almost there!
Like previously mentioned, as the yacht size gets larger, so do the number of factors that make the purchase more layered and complex.
When yachts reach this size, the interior layout begins to change more drastically. They often have a spacious main deck perfect for dining and entertaining guests, whereas below, the yacht would likely have four or more cabins and crew quarters.
With more rooms comes more cost and more opportunity to customize the space to make it your own.
Here are some great options for this size:
Our Pick: Hatteras GT70 Convertible Sportfish
The 2017 GT70 model runs around $4,500,000, but keep in mind the extra costs of maintenance, furnishing, and a cabin crew to help it run.
The GT70 convertible sportfish is known for its speed and agility, and high propulsion power. It has twin diesel engines, 1900 hp each; cruising speed over 30 mph.
It is 70′ 6″ with 2,140-gallon fuel capacity. The inside is lavish, with a galley, a huge salon, and five staterooms.
Other 70 Foot Yacht Price Examples
- 75-foot 2017 Hatteras Motor Yacht; sport cruiser; twin diesel, 1800 hp each; cruising speed 28 mph.
Price: $4,375,000 - 74-foot 2011 Ocean Alexander Motoryacht; twin diesel, 1150 hp each; cruising speed 24 mph.
Price: $1,895,000
Average Prices For 100 Foot Yachts (and up):
You are officially in the superyacht range.
These yachts come in all styles and shapes, allowing for cruising along coastlines or focusing on watercraft and speed boating.
Since this is likely the peak size boat for practical use, you can expect to pay extra costs for hiring a crew, maintenance, docking, as well as stocking your boat full of amenities.
You’re likely to spend a bulk of your costs furnishing this size boat because it doesn’t make much sense to have a huge sized yacht with nothing inside.
Check out these great examples of 100-foot yachts.
Our Pick: 143′ 04″ 2019 Virtus 44
This model cost around $20,189,000.
This megayacht is anyone’s dream.
It is home to a fully integrated beach club with room for a pool deck, floor-to-ceiling windows in the main salon, a hot tub on the top deck, five staterooms, an 8-person crew, and room to sleep ten guests.
It has room for water toys and other gadgets, with a layout that keeps them purposefully hidden from the outside world. It has a 12-knot cruising speed and 16-knot max speed,
Other 100+ Feet Yachts Price Examples
- 98′ 5″ 2018 AB 100
Price: $8,843,260 - 161′ 04″ 2012 Acico Nassima
Price: $17,933,000
How Much Does a Luxury Yacht Cost?
Superyachts fall under the category of “luxury” yachts.
The world’s largest private vessel belongs to the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s Azzam. It is 590 feet long and costs $600 million to build!
It is outliers like these that increase the price average for yacht owners, perhaps scaring potential owners when they start their research.
Currently, the average superyacht costs $275 million. This does not even account for maintenance costs, either.
Superyachts are large and luxurious, needing a professional crew to help them run. They are designed to emphasize comfort, speed, and longer expeditions.
They might have swimming pools, water toys, diving and fishing poles, fully furnished rooms, helicopter landing pads, and smaller support vessels, to name a few amenities. They are truly the epitome of the elite.
What Size Boat is Considered a Yacht?
A yacht is a vessel for leisure. It is used for pleasure sailing, racing, cruising, or watercraft sport. It does not have to have luxury features to be considered a yacht.
It can be minimal and stripped of the “extra” stuff to fall into the yacht category, so long as it meets the size and length criteria.
The normal yacht length starts at around 23 feet, and as previously mentioned, can extend hundreds of feet.
If the boat meets 23 feet, it can be considered a yacht.
11 Things to Consider Before You Purchase
When making this purchase, the yacht size you buy needs to reflect what you hope to get out of the vessel.
Some important questions to ask yourself before you buy are:
- What does your perfect day on the water look like?
- How long will your average day on the water be?
- Will it be more boating/watercraft focused or long cruise focused?
- Will you use the yacht for fishing?
- Will you be on the yacht every day of the week or just on weekends?
- How many people do you hope to fit on the yacht?
- Do you plan to stay on the yacht overnight?
- Where will you dock the yacht?
- How much boating experience do you have?
- How fast do you want the yacht to go?
- How important is it to have extra amenities like furnished rooms, water toys, electronics, etc.?
These questions will guide you to understand the size you really need and will be able to realistically maintain versus what your most ideal yacht would look like.
When Do You Need a Full-Time Crew?
At length over 50 or 60 feet, you may need a full-time captain or crew.
A full-time crew person will be needed to keep all the varnished woodwork looking good and all the little things maintained.
Sometimes, you must be honest with yourself about what you want and what you actually need. Be self-aware about your abilities (or lack thereof) in taking care of a specific size yacht.
If you don’t know much about boats and navigation, you will need more help to use your vessel.
Hopefully, this comprehensive guide gives you a good starting point as you begin your yacht price research process.
Important Things to Consider As Well
Although there are many factors to consider when understanding a yacht’s prices, it is an exciting purchase nonetheless and should be enjoyed as much as possible.
At the end of your research, you’ll be the owner of a beautiful yacht you can use for leisure, cruising, sports craft, fishing, or all of the above.
Although this article is a good starting point, we would also recommend getting in touch with a yacht broker who can help you find your best fit, model, year, and the price is given your personal budget.
They are great sources of knowledge in addition to personal research.
Make sure you are as patient as possible in this process to make sure you are covering all your bases, but most importantly, enjoy the process!

