Car Cost Calculator

Q: How much does it cost to own a car per year?

Most drivers in the US spend about $10,000 to $12,000 a year to own a newer car. That covers gas, insurance, repairs, registration, loan interest, and lost value. Here is a rough yearly breakdown for a $35,000 car driven 15,000 miles: Depreciation: $3,500 to $5,000 Fuel or charging: $1,200 to $2,400 Insurance: $1,500 to $2,200 Maintenance and repairs: $900 to $1,400 Loan interest: $800 to $1,800 Registration and taxes: $200 to $600 Older paid-off cars cost far less, often $4,000 to $6,000 a year.

Q: What is the biggest cost of owning a car?

Depreciation. It is the value your car loses as it ages, and it usually costs more than fuel and insurance combined. A new car often loses about 15% to 20% in year one, then roughly 10% each year after. On a $35,000 car, that is about $5,000 gone in the first 12 months alone. You do not see this cost until you sell or trade in, which is why many people forget it.

Q: How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?

Multiply your battery size by your electric rate. Cost = kWh used × price per kWh Example: a 75 kWh battery at $0.16 per kWh costs about $12 for a full charge . That charge covers around 250 miles, so about 5 cents per mile. Rates change a lot by state. Washington and Idaho sit near 11 cents. Hawaii and California run over 30 cents.

Q: How much does a plug-in hybrid actually save compared to a regular hybrid?

It depends almost entirely on how often you plug in. Plug in daily, short commute: you may drive 60% to 80% of miles on cheap electricity and save $400 to $800 a year over a hybrid. Plug in rarely: you carry a heavy battery around and save little or nothing. PHEVs cost more up front too, often $5,000 to $10,000. A driver with a 20-mile commute and a home charger gets real value. A driver without a plug does not.

Q: Does E85 save money compared to regular gas?

Only if it is cheap enough. E85 holds about 27% less energy than gas, so your mpg drops by roughly the same amount. Rule of thumb: E85 must be at least 25% cheaper than gas to break even. If gas is $3.89, E85 needs to be under about $2.90 to save you money. Many stations price E85 only 10% to 15% below gas, which means you actually pay more per mile.

Car Cost Calculator

Introduction

A car costs more than its sticker price. Gas, charging, insurance, repairs, and loan interest add up fast. This Car Cost Calculator puts numbers on all of it before you buy.

Pick a year, make, and model, or type in your own car. You can compare up to 8 cars side by side. Add your daily driving, fuel prices, and loan details. The tool then shows your fuel cost per year, cost per mile, cost per fill-up, and your full cost of ownership over 1, 3, 5, or 10 years.

It works with gas, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, E85, CNG, and propane cars. You can switch between miles and kilometers. You can also see break-even points, so you know how long it takes for a pricier car with better mileage to pay you back. Charts and step-by-step math show exactly how each answer was found.

How to use our Car Cost Calculator

Pick the cars you want to compare, tell us how much you drive, and enter your fuel and ownership costs. The calculator shows your yearly fuel cost, cost per mile, cost per fill-up, total cost of ownership, and the break-even point between cars.

Unit System: Choose US (miles, gallons, mpg) or Metric (kilometres, litres, L/100 km). Every box and result switches with it.

Model Year: Pick the year of the car. Older years lower the starting price.

Make: Pick the brand, like Toyota, Ford, or Tesla.

Model: Pick the exact model. The fuel type shows next to the name.

Add to Comparison: Click this to put the car in the table. You can add up to 8 cars.

Add a Custom Vehicle: Click this if your car is not in the list. Type a name, price, fuel type, fuel economy or kWh use, tank size, and electric range.

Comparison table boxes: Change any white box to match your real car, such as price, city and highway mpg, kWh per 100 miles, battery size, or tank size.

Home Charging Share: For electric cars, enter the percent of charging you do at home instead of at public chargers.

PHEV Plug-in Frequency: For plug-in hybrids, choose how often you charge: twice a day, daily, or every other day.

E85 Usage: For flex-fuel cars, enter the percent of fill-ups that use E85 instead of gas.

Biodiesel Blend and Usage: For diesel cars, pick B20 or B100 and enter how often you use it.

Clear All Vehicles: Click this to empty the table and start over.

Quick presets: Click Low, Average, or High to fill your driving numbers fast.

Average Daily Distance: Enter how far you drive on a normal driving day.

Days Driven per Week: Enter 1 to 7 days.

Weeks Driven per Year: Pick 40 to 52 weeks. Use fewer weeks if you take time off.

Highway Share of Daily Driving: Enter the percent of daily miles on the highway. The rest counts as city.

Annual Distance for Other Trips: Enter extra miles each year for road trips and vacations.

Highway Share of Other Trips: Enter the percent of those trip miles on the highway.

Fuel prices: Enter your local price for gas, diesel, E85, B20, B100, natural gas, or propane. Only the fuels your cars use will show.

State: Pick your state to fill in the home electricity rate. You can still type your own rate.

Home Electricity and Public Charging: Enter what you pay per kWh at home and at public chargers.

"What If" Fuel Price Shift: Slide this to raise or lower all pump prices at once and watch your totals move.

Down Payment: Enter the percent of the price you pay up front.

Loan APR: Enter your loan interest rate.

Loan Term: Enter how many months your loan lasts.

Annual Insurance: Enter what you pay for insurance each year.

Annual Maintenance: Enter yearly upkeep for a gas car. Electric, hybrid, and diesel cars are adjusted for you.

Annual Registration & Taxes: Enter your yearly tags and tax cost.

Depreciation First Year and Later Years: Enter the percent of value the car loses in year one and in each year after.

Result View: Choose Fuel Cost Only or Full Cost of Ownership.

Projection Horizon: Pick 1, 3, 5, or 10 years for your totals.

Show the worked calculation for: Pick one car to see the math step by step.

Calculate and Reset: Click Calculate to update the results, or Reset to go back to the sample setup.

What Car Cost Really Means

The sticker price is only part of what a car costs. Every year you also pay for fuel or electricity, insurance, oil changes and repairs, registration, taxes, and loan interest. The car also loses value as it gets older. Add all of that up and you get the total cost of ownership. A cheap car to buy can be an expensive car to own, and a pricey car can pay you back over time.

Fuel and Energy Costs

Fuel is the cost you feel most often. It depends on three things: how far you drive, how much fuel your car uses, and what fuel costs where you live. Gas cars are rated in miles per gallon (mpg). Electric cars are rated in kilowatt-hours per 100 miles (kWh/100 mi). Most cars use more fuel in stop-and-go city traffic than on the highway, but hybrids are often the other way around because they recover energy when you brake.

City Miles vs. Highway Miles

Your driving mix changes your yearly bill a lot. Short city trips, cold starts, and traffic all burn extra fuel. Long steady highway trips are usually cheaper per mile for gas cars. For electric cars, high speeds cut range, so highway driving can cost a bit more per mile than city driving.

Gas, Hybrid, Plug-In, and Electric

Gas: lowest price to buy, highest fuel cost.
Hybrid: uses a small battery to save gas, no plug needed.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV): drives short trips on electricity, then switches to gas. Savings depend on how often you plug in.
Electric (BEV): no gas at all. Home charging is usually much cheaper than public fast charging.
Diesel, E85, CNG, propane: found mostly on trucks and vans, with their own pump prices and mileage.

Depreciation and Break-Even

Depreciation is the value a car loses over time, and it is often the biggest cost of all. New cars drop the fastest in the first year. Break-even is the point where a car that costs more to buy has saved you enough on fuel to catch up with a cheaper car. If you drive a lot of miles each year, you reach break-even sooner. If you drive very little, a cheaper, less efficient car may still win.

Simple Ways to Lower Your Car Costs

Keep tires at the right pressure and skip hard, fast starts.
Charge at home overnight if you drive electric.
Compare insurance quotes every year.
Do basic maintenance on time to avoid big repair bills.
Pick a car that matches your real driving, not your rare long trips.

Formulas used

Total annual driving distance

D_{total} = (D_{daily} \times \text{days/week} \times \text{weeks/year}) + D_{other}

City / highway distance split

D_{hwy} = D_{daily,yr} \times \frac{h_{d}}{100} + D_{other} \times \frac{h_{o}}{100}, \qquad D_{city} = D_{total} - D_{hwy}

Annual fuel cost (liquid / gaseous fuel)

C_{year} = \left( \frac{D_{city}}{E_{city}} + \frac{D_{hwy}}{E_{hwy}} \right) \times p_{fuel}

Annual electricity cost (BEV) with blended rate

C_{year} = \left( \frac{D_{city} \cdot k_{city}}{100} + \frac{D_{hwy} \cdot k_{hwy}}{100} \right) \times \left( \frac{h}{100} p_{home} + \left(1 - \frac{h}{100}\right) p_{pub} \right)

Residual value and depreciation over the horizon

R = P \times \left(1 - \frac{d_1}{100}\right) \times \left(1 - \frac{d_n}{100}\right)^{Y-1}, \qquad \text{Dep} = P - R

Monthly loan payment

\text{Pay} = \frac{L \cdot r}{1 - (1 + r)^{-n}}, \qquad L = P\left(1 - \frac{down}{100}\right), \quad r = \frac{APR}{1200}

Total cost of ownership over Y years

TCO = C_{year} \cdot Y + (\text{Ins} + \text{Maint} + \text{Reg}) \cdot Y + I_{paid} + \text{Dep}

Break-even time versus the lowest-price vehicle

Y_{BE} = \frac{P_{veh} - P_{base}}{C_{base} - C_{veh}}, \qquad D_{BE} = Y_{BE} \times D_{total}

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to own a car per year?

Most drivers in the US spend about $10,000 to $12,000 a year to own a newer car. That covers gas, insurance, repairs, registration, loan interest, and lost value.

Here is a rough yearly breakdown for a $35,000 car driven 15,000 miles:

Depreciation: $3,500 to $5,000
Fuel or charging: $1,200 to $2,400
Insurance: $1,500 to $2,200
Maintenance and repairs: $900 to $1,400
Loan interest: $800 to $1,800
Registration and taxes: $200 to $600

Older paid-off cars cost far less, often $4,000 to $6,000 a year.

What is the biggest cost of owning a car?

Depreciation. It is the value your car loses as it ages, and it usually costs more than fuel and insurance combined.

A new car often loses about 15% to 20% in year one, then roughly 10% each year after. On a $35,000 car, that is about $5,000 gone in the first 12 months alone.

You do not see this cost until you sell or trade in, which is why many people forget it.

How do you calculate cost per mile to drive?

Divide your total yearly cost by the miles you drive that year.

Cost per mile = total yearly cost ÷ yearly miles

Example: you spend $9,000 a year and drive 15,000 miles. That is $9,000 ÷ 15,000 = $0.60 per mile.

For fuel only, divide fuel cost by miles. A car getting 30 mpg with $3.89 gas costs about $0.13 per mile in fuel.

Are electric cars cheaper to own than gas cars?

Often yes, but it depends on how much you drive and where you charge.

Fuel: charging at home usually costs 3 to 5 cents per mile. Gas costs 12 to 18 cents per mile.
Maintenance: EVs skip oil changes and have fewer parts, so upkeep runs about 25% less.
Price: EVs often cost more up front.
Public charging: fast chargers can cost 3 times the home rate and erase savings.

Drivers who go over 12,000 miles a year and charge at home usually save the most.

How many miles do you need to drive for a hybrid to pay for itself?

Divide the extra price by your yearly fuel savings.

Example: a hybrid costs $3,000 more but saves $700 a year in gas. That is $3,000 ÷ $700 = about 4.3 years. At 15,000 miles a year, that is roughly 64,000 miles.

Most hybrids break even in 3 to 6 years for average drivers. Drive more miles and it happens faster. Drive under 8,000 miles a year and it may never pay off.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?

Multiply your battery size by your electric rate.

Cost = kWh used × price per kWh

Example: a 75 kWh battery at $0.16 per kWh costs about $12 for a full charge. That charge covers around 250 miles, so about 5 cents per mile.

Rates change a lot by state. Washington and Idaho sit near 11 cents. Hawaii and California run over 30 cents.

Is it cheaper to buy a used car or a new car?

Used is usually cheaper overall. A 3-year-old car has already taken its biggest depreciation hit, so you lose less value each year you own it.

But used cars have trade-offs:

Higher loan rates, often 1 to 3 points more
More repairs as parts wear out
Little or no warranty left

A used car with a good repair record almost always wins on total cost. A used car with hidden problems can cost more than new.

Why do hybrids get better mpg in the city than on the highway?

Hybrids use the electric motor most at low speeds and capture energy when you brake. City driving has lots of stops, so the battery gets refilled again and again.

On the highway the gas engine runs almost all the time, and there is little braking to recover energy. Wind resistance also climbs fast above 55 mph.

That is why a Prius may be rated 57 mpg city and 56 mpg highway, while a regular gas car is rated much lower in the city than on the highway.

How much does a plug-in hybrid actually save compared to a regular hybrid?

It depends almost entirely on how often you plug in.

Plug in daily, short commute: you may drive 60% to 80% of miles on cheap electricity and save $400 to $800 a year over a hybrid.
Plug in rarely: you carry a heavy battery around and save little or nothing.

PHEVs cost more up front too, often $5,000 to $10,000. A driver with a 20-mile commute and a home charger gets real value. A driver without a plug does not.

Does E85 save money compared to regular gas?

Only if it is cheap enough. E85 holds about 27% less energy than gas, so your mpg drops by roughly the same amount.

Rule of thumb: E85 must be at least 25% cheaper than gas to break even. If gas is $3.89, E85 needs to be under about $2.90 to save you money.

Many stations price E85 only 10% to 15% below gas, which means you actually pay more per mile.

How much does car insurance cost per year?

The US average is about $1,800 to $2,200 a year for full coverage. Liability only runs closer to $700.

Your rate changes with:

Your age and driving record
Your state and ZIP code
The car's value and repair cost
Your deductible and coverage limits

EVs and luxury cars often cost more to insure because parts and repairs are pricier.

What is a good annual mileage for a car?

The US average is about 13,500 miles a year. Many people plan around 15,000 miles because that is the common lease limit.

Rough groups:

Low: under 8,000 miles a year
Average: 10,000 to 15,000 miles
High: over 20,000 miles

High mileage makes fuel efficiency matter much more. Low mileage makes purchase price and insurance matter more.

How much does depreciation cost per year?

Most cars lose about 15% to 20% in the first year, then near 10% of the remaining value each year after.

On a $30,000 car:

Year 1: about $4,500 lost, worth $25,500
Year 2: about $2,550 lost, worth $22,950
Year 5: worth roughly $16,700

That is about $13,300 in 5 years, or $2,660 a year. Trucks and popular SUVs hold value better. Luxury sedans and slow-selling models drop faster.

Does driving slower save gas?

Yes, up to a point. Most cars hit their best mpg between 45 and 55 mph. Above that, wind resistance grows fast.

Every 5 mph over 55 costs you roughly 7% in fuel economy. Driving 75 instead of 65 can cut your mpg by 10% to 15%.

Hard starts and hard braking waste even more. Smooth driving can save 10% to 30% in city traffic.

How much does maintenance cost per year on a car?

Plan on $900 to $1,400 a year for an average gas car. Newer cars cost less, and cars past 100,000 miles cost more.

By fuel type, using a gas car as the baseline:

Electric: about 25% less, no oil changes or exhaust work
Hybrid and plug-in hybrid: about 12% less, brakes last longer
Diesel: about 10% more, pricier filters and fluids

Tires, brakes, and fluids make up most routine costs.

How do you compare the true cost of two cars?

Add up every yearly cost for each car over the same number of years, then compare the totals.

Include these six items:

Fuel or charging
Depreciation (price minus resale value)
Insurance
Maintenance and repairs
Registration and taxes
Loan interest

Use the same yearly mileage and the same time span for both. A 5-year window is standard because it matches most loan terms.

How much does public fast charging cost compared to home charging?

Public DC fast charging usually runs $0.40 to $0.60 per kWh. Home charging averages about $0.16 per kWh.

That means a 75 kWh fill-up costs about $12 at home and $34 at a fast charger. Over a year at 15,000 miles, an EV driver paying home rates spends around $700. Fast charging only, that same driver pays close to $1,900.

Charging at home most of the time is the key to EV savings.

Is a diesel truck cheaper to run than a gas truck?

Diesel trucks get about 25% to 30% better mpg, but they cost more to buy and diesel fuel usually costs more per gallon.

Quick math on 15,000 miles:

Gas truck at 18 mpg with $3.89 gas: about $3,240 a year
Diesel at 24 mpg with $4.49 diesel: about $2,806 a year

That is $434 saved. With a $7,000 price gap, break-even takes over 15 years. Diesel wins mainly if you tow heavy loads or drive very high miles.

What is a good APR for a car loan?

As of 2026, good rates run about 5% to 7% for new cars and 7% to 10% for used cars with strong credit.

Interest adds up fast. On a $30,000 loan over 60 months:

At 5%: about $3,970 in interest
At 7.25%: about $5,830 in interest
At 10%: about $8,180 in interest

A bigger down payment and a shorter term both cut the total interest you pay.

Does a bigger down payment save money on a car?

Yes. A bigger down payment lowers the loan amount, so you pay less interest overall.

On a $35,000 car at 7.25% for 60 months:

10% down: you borrow $31,500 and pay about $6,120 in interest
20% down: you borrow $28,000 and pay about $5,440 in interest

That saves about $680. It also keeps you from owing more than the car is worth in the first year or two.

Normal Daily Use

Other Trips (road trips, vacations)

Chart data (text alternative)

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Introduction

How to use our Car Cost Calculator

What Car Cost Really Means

Fuel and Energy Costs

City Miles vs. Highway Miles

Gas, Hybrid, Plug-In, and Electric

Depreciation and Break-Even

Simple Ways to Lower Your Car Costs

Formulas used

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to own a car per year?

What is the biggest cost of owning a car?

How do you calculate cost per mile to drive?

Are electric cars cheaper to own than gas cars?

How many miles do you need to drive for a hybrid to pay for itself?

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?

Is it cheaper to buy a used car or a new car?

Why do hybrids get better mpg in the city than on the highway?

How much does a plug-in hybrid actually save compared to a regular hybrid?

Does E85 save money compared to regular gas?

How much does car insurance cost per year?

What is a good annual mileage for a car?

How much does depreciation cost per year?

Does driving slower save gas?

How much does maintenance cost per year on a car?

How do you compare the true cost of two cars?

How much does public fast charging cost compared to home charging?

Is a diesel truck cheaper to run than a gas truck?

What is a good APR for a car loan?

Does a bigger down payment save money on a car?

Car Cost Calculator

Normal Daily Use

Other Trips (road trips, vacations)

Chart data (text alternative)

Rate this calculator

Introduction

How to use our Car Cost Calculator

What Car Cost Really Means

Fuel and Energy Costs

City Miles vs. Highway Miles

Gas, Hybrid, Plug-In, and Electric

Depreciation and Break-Even

Simple Ways to Lower Your Car Costs

Formulas used

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to own a car per year?

What is the biggest cost of owning a car?

How do you calculate cost per mile to drive?

Are electric cars cheaper to own than gas cars?

How many miles do you need to drive for a hybrid to pay for itself?

How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?

Is it cheaper to buy a used car or a new car?

Why do hybrids get better mpg in the city than on the highway?

How much does a plug-in hybrid actually save compared to a regular hybrid?

Does E85 save money compared to regular gas?

How much does car insurance cost per year?

What is a good annual mileage for a car?

How much does depreciation cost per year?

Does driving slower save gas?

How much does maintenance cost per year on a car?

How do you compare the true cost of two cars?

How much does public fast charging cost compared to home charging?

Is a diesel truck cheaper to run than a gas truck?

What is a good APR for a car loan?

Does a bigger down payment save money on a car?

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