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Car cost calculator

Calculate the total cost of vehicle ownership from depreciation, energy, tax, insurance and maintenance - per month, year and kilometre.

Available

Inputs

Enter values

Live

Vehicle

EUR
EUR
years

Usage and energy

km
l or kWh

Litres for combustion engines, kWh for electric.

€/l or €/kWh

Matching the consumption unit; no market prices are stored.

Load example

For illustration only – your own calculation is what counts.

Explanation

How Car cost calculator works

The car cost calculator bundles all the key cost blocks of vehicle ownership into total costs over the holding period and breaks them down per month, year and kilometre.

Cost blocks

DepreciationPurchase price − residual value

Usually the largest single item.

Energy costs(Total distance / 100) × consumption × price

Works for litres or kWh.

Cost per kilometreTotal costs / (Annual mileage × Holding period)

Makes different vehicles comparable.

Practice

Practical examples

For illustration only – your own calculation is what counts.

Compact car over four years

Purchase price EUR 28,000, residual value EUR 14,000, 4-year holding period, 15,000 km/year, 6.5 l/100 km, EUR 1.80/l, EUR 120 tax, EUR 600 insurance, EUR 500 maintenance, EUR 300 tyres, EUR 240 parking, EUR 0 other, EUR 0 one-off.

Result: Total costs of around EUR 28,060 over four years, about EUR 584.58 per month and roughly EUR 0.47 per kilometre.

Electric car with charging costs

Purchase price EUR 42,000, residual value EUR 20,000, 5 years, 12,000 km/year, 18 kWh/100 km, EUR 0.35/kWh, EUR 0 tax (exemption), EUR 700 insurance, EUR 300 maintenance, EUR 350 tyres, EUR 0 parking, EUR 0 other, EUR 800 one-off (wallbox).

Result: Energy costs of around EUR 3,780 over five years; total costs of around EUR 33,330, about EUR 555.50 per month.

Notes

Common mistakes

  1. Depreciation forgotten

    Only the ongoing costs are considered.

    Enter a realistic residual value; depreciation often dominates the total costs.

  2. Consumption and price do not match

    A kWh consumption is combined with a per-litre price.

    State consumption and price in the same unit.

  3. Cost per km compared without the holding period

    One-off costs distort short holding periods.

    Choose the same holding period and mileage for fair comparisons.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does the car cost calculator compute?

It determines the total cost of vehicle ownership over the holding period as well as the costs per month, year and kilometre from your inputs.

How is depreciation taken into account?

Depreciation is the difference between the purchase price and the entered residual value. It is usually the largest cost block.

How are the energy costs calculated?

From mileage, consumption per 100 km and your price per litre or kWh. This lets the calculator work for combustion engines and electric cars alike.

Are market prices stored?

No. All prices are user inputs or clearly marked example values. No current fuel or electricity prices are assumed.

Where does the vehicle tax come from?

You enter the annual amount. For a precise figure you can use the vehicle tax calculator and enter its result here.

How do the costs per kilometre arise?

The total costs over the holding period are divided by the total mileage. This makes fixed and variable costs comparable.

What counts as one-off costs?

For example registration, delivery or a wallbox. They flow undistributed into the total costs over the holding period.

How does the holding period affect the result?

A longer holding period spreads depreciation and fixed costs over more years and kilometres and therefore usually lowers the cost per kilometre.

Which costs are missing from the model?

Financing interest, value loss from accidents, fines or heavily fluctuating repairs are not estimated automatically.

Are the results binding?

No. They are planning orientation based on your assumptions; the actual costs depend on usage, the market and the vehicle.

Limits

Limitations

  • All prices and consumption figures are user inputs; no market prices are stored.
  • Financing interest and the opportunity cost of capital are not included.
  • Not a binding cost commitment; the actual costs depend on usage and the market.

Sources

Sources and references

  • Autokosten und KostenvergleichADAC e.V.

    Methodological reference on the cost blocks of vehicle ownership (fixed costs, running costs, depreciation).

    View sourceRetrieved: 08/03/2026 · Verified on: 08/03/2026
  • Kraftfahrzeugsteuer für PersonenkraftwagenGeneralzolldirektion (Zoll)

    Official explanation of how vehicle tax for passenger cars is calculated and the relevant assessment bases.

    View sourceAs of: 08/03/2026 · Retrieved: 08/03/2026 · Verified on: 08/03/2026 · Primary source
  • Kraftstoffverbrauch und EmissionenUmweltbundesamt (UBA)

    Official background information on the consumption and emissions of motor vehicles.

    View sourceRetrieved: 08/03/2026 · Verified on: 08/03/2026

Knowledge