How much does a 40 m superyacht cost to run per year?

At a glance


A published 40 m budget	€800,000–€1.2 million a year, commercially run (Breeze Yachting)
Largest line	Crew: seven to eight people in that budget, €350,000–€450,000
Rule of thumb	10–15% of purchase value a year (Fraser); 10–20% (Ocean Independence)
Not included	Depreciation, financing, management fees, your own provisions
The one thing to ask	Three years of the yacht's actual running accounts

A published 40 m budget, line by line

Breeze Yachting publishes an example budget for a 40 m yacht run commercially, meaning registered and crewed for charter:

Cost line	Per year
Crew (seven to eight people)	€350,000–€450,000
Fuel	€80,000–€120,000
Berthing	€80,000–€120,000
Maintenance, including refit work	€100,000–€150,000
Insurance	€40,000–€70,000

Breeze gives the overall budget as €800,000–€1.2 million. The five lines listed add up to €650,000–€910,000, so the headline includes an allowance that Breeze does not break down. Treat the headline as Breeze's overall estimate, not as the sum of these lines. At the ECB reference rate of $1.1133 per euro (28 October 2026), €800,000–€1.2 million is about $890,000–$1.34 million.

Why broker figures differ

Brokers also express running costs as a share of purchase value. Fraser Yachts gives 10–15% a year and Ocean Independence 10–20%.

These are different ways of budgeting, not estimates to add together. For example, Fraser puts routine maintenance alone at 5–10% of purchase value a year. On a yacht worth €11 million that would be €550,000–€1.1 million, far above the €100,000–€150,000 maintenance line in Breeze's budget. A percentage of value is a rough cross-check; a line-by-line budget for the actual yacht is what to rely on.

Crew: the largest line

Headcount. Breeze's example has seven to eight crew. Ocean Independence puts a 40 m yacht at around eight to ten, costing about $500,000–$600,000 a year. YachtBuyer gives eight to twelve crew for 40–50 m.
Captain. YPI Crew's 2026 guide gives €8,500–€12,500 a month for 40–50 m yachts. YachtBuyer's figures for a 40 m captain are $156,000–$246,000 a year in base salary.
Other roles at 40 m (YachtBuyer, base salary a year): chef $96,000–$132,000; chief engineer $84,000–$120,000; chief stew $84,000–$96,000; first officer $72,000–$96,000; deckhand $42,000–$58,000.

YPI Crew says equal rotation, where time off matches time aboard, is starting to appear at 40–50 m for captains. Where a post is on rotation, two people share it. Flights, medical cover, training, uniforms and recruitment fees come on top of base pay.

Maintenance, insurance and berthing

Maintenance. Fraser puts routine maintenance at 5–10% of purchase value a year before unscheduled repairs, with a major refit every five to seven years. Years with a refit cost far more than quiet years.
Insurance. Ocean Independence's management page gives premiums of $70,000–$120,000 a year for 40–50 m yachts. Fraser gives 0.5–2% of value.
Berthing. Depends entirely on where she is kept. Breeze budgets €80,000–€120,000 a year in its example. At the top of the market, a 2023 Greek press report put the price of a 30-year right to a 46–50 m berth at Astir Marina, Vouliagmeni, near Athens, at about €4.5 million. That is the price of a long-term right, not an annual rent.

What charter can earn back

Weekly base rates for yachts of about this size, before APA, tax and gratuity:

Our Charter Price Index: Mediterranean motor yachts of 30–45 m at €90,000–€148,000 a week (two Boatbookings listings, read 29 October 2026).
Infinity Yacht Charters (2026): $170,000–$340,000 a week for 40–50 m.

Charter income has to be set against broker commission, the extra crew and running costs of charter weeks, and wear. Whether it covers a large share of the budget depends on the yacht, the weeks booked and the rate. See can chartering out your yacht cover its running costs?

What to ask your broker

What did she actually cost to run in each of the last three years, line by line?
Is she commercially registered for charter, and how many weeks did she charter last year?
How many crew does she carry, which posts are on rotation, and are they staying with the sale?
When was the last refit, and what is due in the next survey cycle?
What berth comes with her, and on what terms?

When this is not the right choice

You will be aboard only a few weeks a year. Compare the yacht's full yearly cost with what the same weeks would cost to charter a similar yacht.
You want a fixed yearly cost. Refit years, crew changes and repairs make the bill vary from year to year.

Talking to a broker

If you are weighing up a purchase, one of our partner yacht sales brokers can go through real listings and real running accounts with you. You can send an enquiry or try the ownership cost calculator first.

Questions people ask

How many crew does a 40 m yacht have?

Usually seven to twelve. Breeze Yachting's 40 m example has seven to eight, Ocean Independence says around eight to ten, and YachtBuyer gives eight to twelve for 40–50 m. Charter use and rotation can push the number up.

How much does a 40 m superyacht cost to buy?

It varies widely with age and builder. Ocean Independence's 2026 guide puts 40–60 m yachts at $10–$30 million pre-owned and $15–$40 million new.

How much is insurance on a 40 m yacht?

Ocean Independence gives $70,000–$120,000 a year for 40–50 m yachts, and Breeze Yachting budgets €40,000–€70,000 for its 40 m example. Cruising area, claims history and hull value set the actual premium.

Why do published running costs for a 40 m yacht differ so much?

They count different things. Some budgets include refit work, tenders or management and some do not, and a percentage of value is a different method from a line-by-line budget. Ask for the actual accounts of the yacht you are considering.