Used Car Total Cost Calculator

The sticker price is only the beginning. This calculator adds up everything a used car really costs over the years you own it — purchase price, loan interest, insurance, fuel, maintenance and registration — then credits back what you get at resale, so you can compare cars on what they truly cost per year and per month.

📖 How it works & FAQ

Purchase price ($)

Down payment ($)

Loan APR (%)

Loan term (months)

Years you'll own it

Insurance ($/year)

Miles driven per year

Fuel economy (MPG)

Gas price ($/gal)

Maintenance & repairs ($/year)

Registration & fees ($/year)

Expected resale value ($)

What counts toward the true cost of a used car

Two cars with the same asking price can cost wildly different amounts to actually own. This calculator adds six real-world buckets — the purchase price itself, the interest you pay on a loan, insurance premiums, fuel, maintenance & repairs, and registration & fees — then subtracts what the car is worth when you sell it. The result is the number that matters: what the car costs you per year, per month and per mile. Loan interest is computed with standard amortization on the amount you finance (price minus down payment), and only the interest you actually pay during your ownership window is counted — so if you sell a car three years into a five-year loan, you are charged the front-loaded interest of those early payments, not the whole schedule. Everything updates live as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.

How to use it

Enter the purchase price and your down payment. Paying cash? Set the down payment equal to the price (or APR to 0).
Add your loan APR and term in months from your financing quote.
Set how many years you plan to own the car — this is the window every cost is spread across.
Fill in yearly insurance, miles driven, MPG, local gas price, maintenance and registration. All assumptions are editable, so use your own quotes where you have them.
Estimate the resale value at the end of your ownership period — a price guide for a car of that age and mileage is a good source.
Compare the per-year and per-mile cards across different cars you are considering.

These figures are estimates only, not professional, financial, tax or legal advice.

FAQ

Why is resale value subtracted?: Because you get that money back when you sell. What you really "spend" on the car itself is depreciation — purchase price minus resale — and the calculator shows that as its own card.
How is loan interest calculated?: A standard amortized payment is computed on the financed amount over the full term, then only the interest portion of the payments made during your ownership years is added to the total.
What is a realistic maintenance number?: Roughly $600–$1,200 per year for a typical used car, higher for older, luxury or European models. Include tires, brakes and fluid services, not just oil changes.
Does the calculator send my numbers anywhere?: No. Everything runs locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded, stored or shared.