Estimate everything a car costs beyond its sticker price. Pick how long you plan to keep it, then adjust the price, loan and running costs to match your situation.
Some fields need a fix, so the result shows your last valid numbers.
Biggest cost: —. The car is worth about — after 5 years.
How the car ownership cost calculator works
The calculator adds up six costs over the years you plan to own the car: depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, financing interest and the sales tax and fees you pay up front. It then shows the total, what that means per month and per mile, which cost is biggest and roughly what the car will be worth when you are done.
The assumptions in plain English
- Depreciation is the purchase price minus the estimated resale value. Resale assumes the car loses the same percentage of its remaining value each year.
- Fuel is miles per year ÷ mpg × gas price × years.
- Insurance and maintenance are your yearly figures × years. They are held flat, although both tend to rise as a car ages.
- Financing is the total interest on a standard fixed-rate loan for the price minus your down payment. If you sell before the loan ends, it counts only the share of interest for the years you own it.
- Taxes and fees are the percentage you enter, applied once to the purchase price.
With the defaults, a $32,000 car kept for five years comes to about $43,500, or roughly $725 a month and 73 cents a mile, with depreciation as the biggest cost. These numbers are placeholders to show how the calculator works, not national averages. Replace them with your own quotes.
Getting good inputs
- Price and loan: use the out-the-door quote and the APR you have been offered, not the advertised rate.
- Depreciation: check what three- and five-year-old versions of the same model sell for. Some models hold value far better than others.
- Insurance: get a real quote for this exact car. It can vary a lot by model, location and driver.
- Fuel: use the mpg you expect in your driving, and your local gas price. The MPG calculator helps if you already own the car.
- Maintenance: include tires, brakes, oil changes and a battery every few years, not just routine services.
How to use the result
Compare two cars. Run each one with the same years and miles. A cheaper car with poor resale value or high insurance can cost more to own than a pricier one.
Pick how long to keep it. Switch between 3, 5, 7 and 10 years. Depreciation usually slows as the car ages, so the cost per month often falls the longer you keep it, until big repairs start.
Plan for the surprises. The maintenance line is an average, but bills arrive in lumps. A battery, for example, is a predictable expense: see how long a car battery lasts and the typical car battery replacement cost. When a large repair does land on an older car, the repair or replace calculator helps you decide whether to fix it.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in the total cost of owning a car?
Depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, loan interest, and the sales tax and fees at purchase. This calculator leaves out parking, tolls, registration renewals and big unexpected repairs.
Why is depreciation usually the biggest cost?
A new car loses value fastest in its first few years. You do not pay it as a bill, but you get less back when you sell or trade in, so it is a real cost.
Does paying cash change the result?
Yes. Enter the full price as the down payment and the financing cost drops to zero. Keep in mind that the cash also could have earned interest elsewhere.
Are my numbers saved?
No. The calculator runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is stored or sent to us.