How to use it
- Type what you spend in a year on Fuel, Insurance, Service and maintenance, Tyres, Road tax and registration and Depreciation. Enter 0 for an item that does not apply.
- Enter the Kilometres a year you drive.
- Read Yearly running cost, then Per month and Per kilometre.
- Check the table Each item to see which item takes the largest share.
How the running cost is added up
The yearly running cost is the sum of six items: fuel, insurance, service and maintenance, tyres, road tax and registration, and depreciation. Each item is the amount you expect to pay or lose in one year.
The cost per kilometre divides the yearly total by the distance driven in the year. The monthly figure divides the same total by 12.
Yearly running cost = fuel + insurance + service + tyres + road tax and registration + depreciation
Per month = yearly running cost ÷ 12
Per kilometre = yearly running cost ÷ kilometres driven in a yearWhere the figures come from
- Fuel: the cost of fuel or electricity for the year. The fuel cost calculator works it out from a trip or a fill-up, and the EV charging calculator from a charge.
- Depreciation: the fall in value over the year. The car depreciation calculator estimates it from a yearly rate or from two prices.
- The other items: the premium, the service bills and the tax notice you have, or the averages you expect.
- The US Department of Energy's Vehicle Cost Calculator is also built around total cost of ownership.
What this calculator does not include
- Finance charges, parking, tolls, fines and cleaning.
- Costs that change from year to year, such as a major repair. Average them over the years you keep the car.
- The price you will get when you sell the car. The depreciation item covers the value the car loses.
Worked example: 4,300 a year at 15,000 km
The six items add up to 1,200 + 900 + 350 + 150 + 200 + 1,500 = 4,300 a year. Per month that is 4,300 ÷ 12 = 358, rounded.
Per kilometre it is 4,300 ÷ 15,000 = 0.287. Depreciation, at 1,500, is the largest item, at about 35 percent of the total.
| Item | Per year | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | 1,200 | 27.9 |
| Insurance | 900 | 20.9 |
| Service and maintenance | 350 | 8.1 |
| Tyres | 150 | 3.5 |
| Road tax and registration | 200 | 4.7 |
| Depreciation | 1,500 | 34.9 |
| Total | 4,300 | 100.0 |
Frequently asked questions
What does a car cost to run in a year?
It depends on the car, the fuel price, the insurance and how far you drive. Add the six yearly items in this calculator; in the example the total is 4,300 a year.
Is depreciation a running cost?
It is not a payment, but it is a real cost of owning the car: the value it loses over the year. This calculator shows it as its own item, which you can set to 0 if you only want the cash cost.
How do I work out the cost per kilometre?
Divide the yearly total by the kilometres you drive in the year. The example gives 4,300 ÷ 15,000 = 0.287 per kilometre.
Why does my cost per kilometre differ from another calculator?
The result depends on the items you enter and on the kilometres. Another calculator may include finance charges, parking or a different depreciation figure, so compare the same items.
Does the calculator keep the numbers I type?
The page works in your browser and sends nothing to a server. The numbers stay in the page address, so a copied link shows the same figures.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.