Know what a car really costs to own
11 free calculators that go past the sticker price — depreciation, fuel, insurance, interest and fees — to the real cost per year, per month and per mile. Every result shows the formula behind it.
Most-used calculators
See what a car really costs over 5 years: depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, interest and fees — per year, per month and per mile.
Open calculatorEstimate your monthly car payment and total interest from price, trade-in, down payment, sales tax, APR and term, with a full amortization schedule.
Open calculatorCompare the running cost of an electric car and a gas car, and find the break-even year when the EV’s higher price pays for itself.
Open calculatorEstimate how fast a car loses value. See the depreciation curve and resale value for each year you own it, and the total value lost.
Open calculatorCalculate your true cost per mile to drive from fuel, insurance, maintenance, depreciation and fees — the honest unit for comparing any two cars.
Open calculatorWork backward from your income to the car price you can afford, using a sensible payment-to-income rule plus down payment, APR and term.
Open calculatorCost to Own
Work out what a car truly costs to own — depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, interest and fees — per year, per month, and per mile.
See what a car really costs over 5 years: depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, interest and fees — per year, per month and per mile.
Open calculatorCalculate your true cost per mile to drive from fuel, insurance, maintenance, depreciation and fees — the honest unit for comparing any two cars.
Open calculatorEstimate how fast a car loses value. See the depreciation curve and resale value for each year you own it, and the total value lost.
Open calculatorFind the real monthly cost of a car — loan payment plus fuel, insurance, maintenance and fees — so you budget for the whole car, not just the payment.
Open calculatorBuying & Loans
Turn a sticker price, trade-in, APR and term into the real monthly payment and lifetime cost — plus how much car you can actually afford.
Estimate your monthly car payment and total interest from price, trade-in, down payment, sales tax, APR and term, with a full amortization schedule.
Open calculatorWork backward from your income to the car price you can afford, using a sensible payment-to-income rule plus down payment, APR and term.
Open calculatorSee whether refinancing your car loan saves money. Compare your current loan with a new rate and term for the monthly and lifetime-interest savings.
Open calculatorCompare leasing and buying the same car over the same years. See the total cost of each and why you pay for depreciation either way.
Open calculatorDecide whether to keep your current car or trade it in. Compare the cost of keeping it running against the cost of upgrading over the next few years.
Open calculatorFuel & EV
Compare what it costs to fuel a car — gas, hybrid or electric — and find the break-even point between an EV and a gas vehicle for your driving.
Compare the running cost of an electric car and a gas car, and find the break-even year when the EV’s higher price pays for itself.
Open calculatorCalculate what fuel costs you per year and per month from your mileage, MPG and gas price — and compare a gas car against a hybrid.
Open calculatorThe formula, shown
Every calculator spells out the math and the assumptions behind its result.
Sourced & dated
National-average defaults come from AAA, the EIA, the FHWA and the EPA — each dated.
A real number for you
Enter your own price, miles and rates and get a personalized cost, not a generic article.