What costs should I include in car ownership?

Include fuel, insurance, maintenance and repairs, registration or taxes, parking, finance charges and depreciation. Add any recurring cost that applies to your vehicle.

Why include depreciation?

Depreciation estimates how much value the vehicle may lose while you own it. It is not a cash bill every month, but it affects the true cost if you sell or trade the car later.

Is this the same as an auto loan calculator?

No. An auto loan calculator estimates monthly payments and interest. This tool estimates broader ownership cost, including operating expenses and depreciation.

Car Ownership Cost Calculator

Estimate the total cost of owning a car with fuel, insurance, maintenance, registration fees, finance charges and depreciation.

Purchase price ($)

Ownership period (years)

Fuel price ($/gal)

Fuel economy (MPG)

Annual mileage

Insurance ($/year)

Registration, taxes and fees ($/year)

Maintenance and repairs ($/year)

Parking ($/month)

Finance charges ($/year)

Other annual costs ($)

Depreciation rate (%/year)

The model caps depreciation at 100% per year.

Use annual estimates for insurance, registration fees, maintenance and repairs. Actual costs vary by vehicle, state, driver profile and market conditions.

Total cost of owning a car

US car-ownership searches usually expect a total-cost view, not just fuel. The calculator combines out-of-pocket annual costs with depreciation so the result can be compared by ownership period, cost per day and cost per mile.

Enter the purchase price and ownership period.
Add annual mileage, MPG and fuel price.
Enter yearly insurance, registration or tax fees, maintenance, repairs and finance charges.
Choose a depreciation rate to estimate residual value and value loss.

Estimate, not a vehicle quote

This tool does not price a specific VIN, quote insurance, predict resale value or replace lender and dealer disclosures. Local taxes, incentives and market prices can change the result.

Ownership cost formula

F u e l cos t = \frac{A nn u a l mi l es}{M P G} \times F u e l p r i ce

F i x e d ann u a l cos t s = I n s u r an ce + F ees + M ain t e nan ce + P a r k in g + F inan ce + O t h er

T C O = (F u e l + F i x e d ann u a l cos t s) \times Y e a r s + D e p r ec ia t i o n l oss

C os t p er mi l e = \frac{T C O}{A nn u a l mi l es \times Y e a r s}

Cost categories to review

Category	Why it matters
Depreciation	Often one of the largest ownership costs and highly dependent on model, age, mileage and demand.
Insurance	Varies by driver, state, coverage, vehicle and claims history.
Fuel	Depends on miles driven, MPG and local fuel prices.
Maintenance and repairs	Can rise as the vehicle ages or if scheduled service is missed.
Registration, taxes and fees	State and local rules can materially change the annual total.
Finance charges	Loan APR, term, down payment and credit profile affect the cost of borrowing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources and References

Calculations are based on the listed reference sources. Links open in a new tab.

Updated: June 2, 2026

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