Car Cost of Ownership Calculator

Adds up what a car really costs to run, from fuel or electricity, insurance, maintenance, parking and tolls to depreciation and loan interest, and shows the cost per month, per year and per km or mile.

How to use

1. Set the "Distance unit", "Distance per year" and "Years of ownership".
2. Choose petrol and similar or "Electric", then enter the fuel economy or energy use and the price; the yearly energy cost is calculated.
3. Under "Running costs", enter each amount and pick whether it is per month, per year or per km (or mile).
4. Enter the "Purchase price", "Expected resale value at the end" and "Total loan interest" for depreciation and finance cost.
5. Tick "Compare two cars" to fill in a second car and see both side by side with the difference.

How it works

• Fuel cost = distance per year ÷ fuel economy × price. Units use 1 mile = 1.609344 km, 1 US gallon = 3.785411784 L and 1 UK gallon = 4.54609 L.
• Depreciation = (purchase price − resale value) ÷ years; loan interest is spread over the same years. Total cost of ownership = total per year × years.
• Taxes, insurance and inspection fees are not calculated; enter them under "Other". The starting prices are examples only.
• Your inputs are remembered in this browser.

Questions and answers

How do I calculate the cost per mile of a car?

Add up every yearly cost, including depreciation, and divide by the miles driven in a year. 7,400 a year over 10,000 miles is 0.74 per mile.

Should depreciation be included in running costs?

For the full cost of owning a car, yes: it is often one of the largest items. The page shows it as its own line so you can see its share.

How do I enter costs that come every few years, such as tires?

Enter them per km (or mile), or divide the cost by the years it lasts and enter it per year.

Can I compare a petrol car with an electric car?

Yes. Tick "Compare two cars", set one car to petrol and the other to "Electric", and enter the same distance and years.