Car Total Cost of Ownership Calculator
The sticker price is only the start. Add depreciation, interest, fuel, insurance and upkeep to see what a car really costs per month and per mile.
$817 a month · $9,806 a year
| Depreciation | $20,577 | 42% |
| Fuel / charging | $6,800 | 14% |
| Insurance | $9,500 | 19% |
| Maintenance & repairs | $5,280 | 11% |
| Loan interest | $4,871 | 10% |
| Taxes, registration, fees | $2,000 | 4% |
Maintenance grows about 8% per year of vehicle age. Fuel price is held flat.
Why depreciation dominates
On a new car, depreciation is usually the biggest slice, often more than fuel and insurance combined in the first few years. It's also the easiest to overlook, because you never write a cheque for it: you find out when you sell or trade in.
Try setting the age to 3 and the price to what a 3-year-old version costs. Depreciation shrinks sharply while maintenance rises only a little, which is why lightly used cars are often the cheapest to own.
Comparing specific options? Save each one on the depreciation calculator and line them up on the compare page.
Get a plain-English read of your numbers, or ask anything about depreciation, when to sell or lease vs buy. Nothing is sent until you press Ask.
Questions people ask
What is total cost of ownership for a car?
Everything you spend to own and drive it over a period: depreciation, loan interest, fuel or charging, insurance, maintenance and repairs, and taxes and fees. Edmunds calls this "True Cost to Own"; AAA publishes a similar yearly "Your Driving Costs" study.
What is the biggest cost of owning a new car?
For most new cars it's depreciation. AAA's Your Driving Costs study has repeatedly found depreciation to be the largest single ownership cost for a new vehicle, ahead of fuel, insurance and maintenance.
How can I lower my cost of ownership?
Buy a model that holds value, consider a 2–3-year-old car, keep it longer, pay cash or get a low APR, shop insurance each year, and follow the maintenance schedule so repairs stay small.