Total Cost of Car Ownership

This total cost of ownership calculator adds every major cost of a car over the years you keep it: depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance, registration and fees, parking and loan interest. Dividing the total by the months and by the distance driven gives the true cost per month and per mile or kilometre.

Reviewed by CostPulse HubLast updated

Car and driving

Imperial units
years
mi
mpg (US)
%
%
%
months

Costs

total
Example price, edit to match your area
total
Example price, edit to match your area
per gallon
Published average: EIA weekly average, week of 5 Oct 2026
per year
Example price, edit to match your area
per year
Example price, edit to match your area
per year
Example price, edit to match your area
per year
Leave empty if none.
Example prices: US (USD) — edit to match your area

Starting prices for the United States in USD. Fields marked “Published average” use the source below, at the date of that source. All other starting prices are example prices: round planning values, not quotes or averages. Prices change by store, area and season, so edit them to match your area. Fuel: U.S. average regular gasoline, $4.354 per gallon, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), week of October 5, 2026 (source).

Your estimate

Results update as you type.

Cost per month
$855.93
Total over the period
$51,355.98 over 5 years
Cost per year
$10,271.20
Cost per distance
$0.86 per mi
Biggest cost
Depreciation (40%)
Car value at the end
$14,616.17

Cost breakdown

ItemQuantityCost
Depreciation$4,076.77 a year$20,383.83
Fuel$1,866.00 a year$9,330.00
Insurance$2,000.00 a year$10,000.00
Maintenance$900.00 a year$4,500.00
Registration and fees$300.00 a year$1,500.00
Parking and tolls$0.00 a year$0.00
Loan interest$1,128.43 a year$5,642.16
Total$10,271.20 a year$51,355.98

How to use the total cost of ownership calculator

  1. Choose miles or kilometres and your fuel-economy unit at the top.
  2. Enter how long you will keep the car and how far you drive each year.
  3. Enter the car price, fuel economy and fuel price, and set the depreciation rates.
  4. Add yearly insurance, maintenance, registration and fees, and parking or tolls if you pay them.
  5. Untick the loan if you pay cash; otherwise enter the down payment, APR and term.

How the total is worked out

Depreciation = price − value after the years you keep it
Fuel = distance per year × fuel used per distance × price × years
Yearly costs × years for insurance, maintenance, fees and parking
Interest = loan payments made during those years − principal repaid
Per month = total ÷ (years × 12); per mile or km = total ÷ total distance

Depreciation is a real cost even though no bill arrives: it is the value you give up by owning the car. The breakdown table shows each cost per year and in total, so you can see where the money goes.

Worked example

A $35,000 car kept for 5 years and 12,000 miles a year at 28 MPG, fuel at $4.354, insurance $2,000, maintenance $900 and fees $300 a year, bought with $5,000 down on a 7% 60-month loan, losing 20% then 15% a year:

  1. Depreciation: $35,000 − $14,616.17 = $20,383.83; fuel: 12,000 ÷ 28 × $4.354 × 5 = $9,330.00.
  2. Insurance $10,000.00, maintenance $4,500.00, fees $1,500.00 and loan interest $5,642.16.
  3. Total: $51,355.98 over 5 years, or $10,271.20 a year.
  4. That is $855.93 a month and $0.86 per mi; the biggest cost is Depreciation (40%).

Load this example into the calculator

Tips for using the result

  • Compare cars on cost per mile or km. It puts a cheap car with high running costs and a dearer car with low running costs on the same scale.
  • Get real insurance quotes. Insurance varies hugely by driver, postcode or zip code and car, and it can change the answer.
  • Plan for tyres and big services. Average them into the yearly maintenance figure rather than forgetting them.
  • Keeping a car longer lowers the yearly cost. Depreciation slows as the car ages and the loan is paid off.
  • Remember the down payment. Cash put into a car could have earned interest elsewhere; the calculator leaves that out, so treat its total as a floor rather than a ceiling.

US, UK and Canada differences

In the US, registration fees and personal property taxes vary by state, and insurance is often the second-largest cost. In the UK, add vehicle excise duty (road tax), an MOT test for cars over three years old, and any congestion or clean-air zone charges under fees or parking. In Canada, licence plate fees and insurance differ by province, and winter tyres are a common extra cost.

Metric units and other countries

In kilometre mode, fuel economy is in L/100 km or km/L and the result is given per kilometre. In Pakistan and other markets with yearly token tax and comprehensive insurance priced as a share of the car’s value, enter those as yearly fees and insurance. Every price starts empty outside the five preset regions. Where fuel prices change monthly, use an average of recent months rather than today’s price.

Frequently asked questions

Related calculators

Results are estimates for planning only. Fuel use, charging costs, finance terms and resale values vary, so check the figures with your lender, dealer, insurer or energy supplier before you decide. See our disclaimer.