Car true cost calculator
What does owning this car really cost per month?
The sticker price is the smallest part of car ownership. Add the loan payment, insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking, and you get the true monthly cost — plus the 5-year total and how much of your income it eats.
The car & the loan
Running costs, per month
True monthly cost
loan + running costs
First year (with down payment)
5-year total cost
Healthy. The car eats % of your take-home income — under the common 15% guideline.
Watch it. At % of income, the car is affordable but leaves little room — insurance and fuel rarely go down.
Too heavy. % of your income is above the common 20% ceiling — consider a cheaper or used car.
Loan payment uses a standard amortization formula. Add registration fees and taxes on purchase — and remember: cars depreciate, so the 5-year total is money spent, not value kept.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my true monthly cost higher than my car payment?
Because the payment is only part of ownership. Insurance, fuel, maintenance, taxes and parking typically add hundreds of currency units per month — the calculator adds them all, which is why the result can look uncomfortable.
What share of income should a car cost?
A common guideline is to keep total car costs under 15% of your take-home income, and never above 20%. The calculator colors the result accordingly and warns when you exceed the ceiling.
More tools
Planning aid only. This tool gives general estimates and standard procedures — not legal, financial or medical advice. In a life-threatening situation, call your local emergency number first. Always verify country-specific rules with official sources.