How much will your car cost to run?
Enter annual distance in miles, fuel economy in imperial mpg, a local fuel price per litre, and annual insurance, maintenance, registration and other bills. Add purchase and resale values, ownership years, and total financing interest for an economic ownership estimate.
How the estimate works
Annual operating cost equals fuel, insurance, servicing and repair reserves, recurring registration or inspection costs, and other annual expenses. Depreciation equals purchase cost minus expected resale, divided by ownership years. Annual economic cost adds depreciation and total financing interest divided by ownership years.
Fuel litres = annual miles ÷ imperial mpg × 4.54609. Imperial gallons differ from US gallons. Fuel cost equals litres multiplied by your price per litre. Calculations retain precision until displaying monetary totals.
Which local costs should you include?
Use GBP throughout without mixing currencies. Include annual vehicle tax and mot reserve and annual parking, clean-air charges and tolls. For bills due less often than annually, enter an annual reserve. One-off purchase taxes and transfer fees belong in the purchase input once.
GOV.UK vehicle tax, MOT and insurance. Verify the rules for your vehicle and jurisdiction; these resources do not supply the numbers entered here.
Frequently asked questions
How do I estimate car running costs in UK?
Enter annual distance in miles, fuel economy in imperial mpg, a local fuel price per litre, and annual insurance, maintenance, registration and other bills. Add purchase and resale values, ownership years, and total financing interest for an economic ownership estimate.
Are tax and insurance costs calculated automatically?
No. Enter verified GBP amounts for your vehicle and location. The calculator does not supply current tax bands, inspection fees, insurance quotes or eligibility decisions.
Does the monthly result include my loan repayment?
No. It averages economic cost, including depreciation and financing interest. Adding principal repayments as well would count the purchase cost twice. Use your lender’s repayment schedule to plan cash flow.
Can I use it for an electric car?
This version models liquid fuel in litres. It does not model electricity consumption, charging losses or mixed plug-in hybrid usage. Do not enter kWh values into the fuel inputs.
How accurate is the estimate?
The arithmetic follows the displayed formula; future fuel prices, repairs, insurance and resale are uncertain. Compare several scenarios and keep a repair reserve. No result guarantees affordability or a vehicle’s value.
Keep planning
Read the UK buying guide and use the inspection checklist before committing.