Fuel Cost Calculator: Trips and Mileage
Estimate the fuel budget from your expected driving.
Everyday money
Car Ownership Cost and Monthly Budget Calculator
Compare depreciation-based ownership cost with the cash required each month. Use your own resale and payment figures, and keep the two totals separate to avoid counting vehicle capital twice.
Your numbers
How the calculation works
Economic ownership cost and monthly cash requirements are related but different views of a vehicle. One measures capital consumed through depreciation and operating expenses; the other measures the recurring money needed for bills and known loan or lease payments.
Ownership cost = purchase price − resale value + annual running costs × years + total finance interest and fees. Monthly cash budget = annual recurring running costs / 12 + monthly loan or lease payment. Cash flow and depreciation-based ownership cost answer different questions; do not add their totals together.
Measure capital consumed
In ownership mode, subtract expected resale value from purchase price. This measures the scenario's depreciation rather than all cash paid when purchasing.
Add the costs for the horizon
Annual fuel, insurance, tax and maintenance are multiplied by the ownership years. Total interest and fees are then included once.
Build a separate monthly cash view
Annual recurring costs are divided by twelve and the known monthly loan or lease payment is added. This view includes cash repayment requirements without adding depreciation again.
Worked example: Three years
Sample inputs demonstrate the method. They are not a forecast or product offer.
The first example buys at 20,000 and sells at 14,000 after three years. Depreciation is 6,000 and annual running costs total 2,000, adding another 6,000 over the period for a total ownership cost of 12,000.
- Cost view
- Economic ownership cost
- Purchase price (€)
- 20000
- Expected resale value (€)
- 14000
- Ownership period (years)
- 3
- Annual fuel or charging (€)
- 1000
- Annual insurance (€)
- 500
- Annual motor tax (€)
- 200
- Annual maintenance and other costs (€)
- 300
- Total interest and finance fees (€)
- 0
Expected result
- Total ownership cost
- €12,000.00
Worked example: Finance included
Sample inputs demonstrate the method. They are not a forecast or product offer.
- Cost view
- Economic ownership cost
- Purchase price (€)
- 10000
- Expected resale value (€)
- 8000
- Ownership period (years)
- 1
- Annual fuel or charging (€)
- 500
- Annual insurance (€)
- 300
- Annual motor tax (€)
- 100
- Annual maintenance and other costs (€)
- 100
- Total interest and finance fees (€)
- 200
Expected result
- Total ownership cost
- €3,200.00
Worked example: Monthly cash budget
Sample inputs demonstrate the method. They are not a forecast or product offer.
- Cost view
- Monthly cash required
- Annual fuel or charging (€)
- 1200
- Annual insurance (€)
- 600
- Annual motor tax (€)
- 300
- Annual maintenance and other costs (€)
- 300
- Monthly loan or lease payment (€)
- 400
Expected result
- Monthly vehicle cash budget
- €600.00
Understanding your result
A low monthly payment does not establish a low economic ownership cost. A longer finance term or a large residual can change cash timing without removing the vehicle's capital cost.
The model keeps supplied annual costs constant over the chosen years. It does not predict repairs, motor tax, resale markets or a lender's actual payment offer.
Questions you might have
What does this car cost of ownership calculator include?
Plan economic ownership cost or the monthly cash needed for running costs and your loan or lease payment.
Which assumptions should I check?
Do not add loan principal repayments as a separate cost: purchase price already includes the vehicle capital. Resale value is your scenario, not a valuation. For monthly cash flow, enter the payment from your agreement. No loan rate or payment is invented.
Choosing the right inputs
- Cost view
- Choose ownership for the cost over a holding period, or cash flow for a monthly payment budget. The two totals should not be added together.
- Expected resale value
- Use your own end-of-period resale assumption. This is not a valuation generated from the car's age, mileage or model.
- Total interest and finance fees
- Enter total interest and finance fees for the ownership horizon, excluding loan principal already represented by the purchase price.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not include loan principal in the finance-cost field.
- Do not combine the depreciation-based total with the monthly cash total as if they were independent costs.
Assumptions to check
- Do not add loan principal repayments as a separate cost: purchase price already includes the vehicle capital. Resale value is your scenario, not a valuation.
- For monthly cash flow, enter the payment from your agreement. No loan rate or payment is invented.
Sources and method
Read our calculation and testing approach.