Ownership costs

Car running cost calculator

Estimate depreciation, fuel or electricity, insurance, tax, servicing and repairs in GBP, USD or EUR over the time you expect to own a car.

Build your ownership estimate

Enter the costs you know in one currency. Sensible estimates are fine for comparing two cars.

CurrencyCurrency selection changes labels and formatting only. Enter every price in the same currency; no exchange rate is applied.
Powertrain
Fuel price basisPer Litre uses UK/Imperial MPG; Per US Gallon uses US MPG.

What the running cost estimate includes

The result combines the value you expect the car to lose with recurring ownership costs. It then shows the total, average monthly cost and cost for every mile driven.

Total ownership cost = depreciation + (annual energy cost + annual fixed costs) × years owned.

Why depreciation matters

Depreciation can be a larger expense than fuel, but it is easily missed because it is not paid as a monthly bill. Enter a cautious resale estimate and try a lower figure to see how sensitive your total cost is.

Costs not automatically included

The calculator does not automatically include finance interest, home-charger installation, parking, congestion charges, tolls, breakdown cover or unexpected major failures. Add relevant amounts to the annual fields when comparing cars.

Frequently asked questions

What costs should I include?

Include purchase price, expected resale value, fuel or electricity, insurance, vehicle tax, servicing, MOT costs, repairs and tyres. Finance interest, parking and tolls are not included unless you add them to another annual-cost field.

Is this a car valuation?

No. You provide the expected resale value, so the result is an estimate rather than a market valuation or guaranteed future value.

Can I compare an EV with a petrol or diesel car?

Yes. Calculate each car separately using the same ownership period and annual mileage, then compare total cost, monthly cost and cost per mile.

Can I use dollars or euros and US MPG?

Yes. Choose GBP, USD or EUR and keep every monetary input in that currency. For a petrol or diesel car, select either Imperial or US gallons to match the MPG figure.

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