Total Car Ownership Calculator
The full monthly and annual cost of owning a car — not just the loan payment. Useful for honest budgeting.
Inputs
Result
Visual breakdown
System view
See how this fits into your full financial system.
Zoom out and connect income, expenses, debt, savings, housing, transportation, and runway in one private system view.
Formula
Monthly = payment + insurance + fuel + maintenance + fees + parking. Annual = monthly × 12. Total = annual × years.
Example
$450 payment + $130 ins + $180 fuel + $60 maint + $25 fees + $50 parking = $895/mo, ≈ $10,740/yr, ~$53,700 over 5 years.
Related: Auto loan · Fuel cost · Commute cost
How to use
- Use realistic insurance and fuel — pull last 3 months from statements.
- Maintenance averages ~$60–$120/mo on most reliable cars.
- Include depreciation separately if comparing buying vs leasing.
When it's useful
- Deciding if a new car fits the budget.
- Comparing two cars beyond the loan payment.
- Showing the all-in cost vs public transit.
Common examples
Frequently asked
Should depreciation be in here?
We focus on cash outflow. Depreciation matters for resale value but isn't a monthly cost.
Does this include taxes on registration?
Yes — combine your annual registration, plates and any property/excise tax into the registration row.
What if I don't have a payment?
Set payment to $0 — the rest still adds up to a useful all-in number.
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More money & work →Estimates only — not financial advice.