True Car Cost Calculator
See what your car really costs over 5 years — depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and financing all included.
5-Year Total
$77,544
Per Month
$1,292
Per Mile
$1.03
AI Insights
- ›Fuel is your biggest cost at 43% of the 5-year total — $33,119.
- ›Fuel accounts for 43% of total cost. A 20% more efficient vehicle would save $6,624 over 5 years.
- ›The real monthly cost of this vehicle is $1,292 — not just the loan payment.
Cost Breakdown
Depreciation
$17,50023%
Financing
$12,42516%
Insurance
$9,00012%
Fuel
$33,11943%
Maintenance
$4,0005%
Registration fee
$1,5002%
Cumulative Cost by Year
Vehicle & Financing
$35,000
$3,500$210,000
20.0%
0.0%100.0%
60 mo
12 mo84 mo
7.2%
0.0%35.0%
50.0%
10.0%80.0%
5 years
1 year10 years
Running Costs
15,000 mi
3,000 mi60,000 mi
30 MPG
10 MPG80 MPG
$3.50/gal
$2.00/gal$6.00/gal
$1,800
$540$7,200
$800
$80$4,000
$300
$0$1,500
Fuel cost: price/litre ÷ km/l × annual km (or price/gallon ÷ MPG × annual miles). Not financial advice.
Why depreciation dominates
A new car typically loses 20% of its value in year 1 and 40–50% over 5 years. On a £28,000 / $35,000 car that's £14,000 / $17,500 gone before you factor in a single tank of fuel.
This calculator shows you the true monthly cost so you can compare cars honestly — not just by sticker price or payment.