Car / Ownership
Car Cost of Ownership Calculator: Annual Cost and Cost per Mile
Add depreciation, fuel or electricity, insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, parking and financing interest to estimate the cost of owning a car.
Car Cost of Ownership Calculator: Annual Cost and Cost per Mile: Estimates economic ownership cost by adding depreciation, interest accrued during ownership and running costs. It shows each year and the total by category. Principal payments and down payment are not added on top of depreciation. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Changing currency does not convert prices. Unit changes preserve the same physical quantities.
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Depreciation | $17,471.85 |
| Loan interest | $4,287.14 |
| Fuel or electricity | $6,309.02 |
| Insurance | $6,000.00 |
| Maintenance | $3,000.00 |
| Repairs | $1,500.00 |
| Registration and taxes | $2,800.00 |
| Parking and tolls | $0.00 |
| Year | Cost | Car value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12,840.91 | $24,000.00 |
| 2 | $8,348.66 | $20,400.00 |
| 3 | $7,498.38 | $17,340.00 |
| 4 | $6,709.97 | $14,739.00 |
| 5 | $5,970.09 | $12,528.15 |
Economic cost includes depreciation, interest accrued during ownership and running costs. Loan principal and down payment are not added again. Purchase tax is counted once in year one. Energy prices, distance and recurring costs stay constant; inflation, opportunity cost and selling fees are excluded.
Economic cost
Annual depreciation is the fall in estimated resale value. Ownership cost includes that loss, borrowing interest and running expenses. Costs per distance divide the whole ownership total by annual distance × years. The price, currency and depreciation assumptions are editable.
Electricity and losses
Grid energy equals battery energy divided by charging efficiency. The 10% starting loss is an example from the DOE combined-driving diagram, not a universal charging rate: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/atv-ev.shtml
How to use it
- Enter the purchase price, ownership years, depreciation and cash or financing terms.
- Choose petrol or electricity and enter distance, efficiency, prices and annual running costs.
- Read annual costs, the total, cost per mile or kilometre and the chart.
Privacy & limitations
Your car-cost inputs are processed in your browser.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is the purchase price not added in full?
The car retains a resale value. Depreciation measures the lost value, while principal payments transfer cash into ownership. Adding both would count the same cost twice.
Can the first year depreciate faster?
Yes. Enter a separate first-year percentage, then a later annual declining-balance percentage. These are your assumptions, not a market valuation.
What stays constant?
Annual distance, energy prices and recurring costs stay fixed. Purchase tax is charged in year one; financing interest follows the payment schedule. Inflation, selling fees and opportunity cost are excluded.
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