How much it costs to own a car per month
The bill goes far beyond fuel. Insurance, taxes, maintenance, loan payments and the small everyday costs add up every month. Get an estimate here and track the real figure in Drivvo.
- Monthly cost calculator, no sign-up
- Car loan and insurance split month by month
- Cost per day and per km in the app's reports
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Vehicle cost calculator
Fill in what you spend. Yearly costs are divided by 12 and added to the monthly ones. Leave blank whatever does not apply.
Result
Fill in at least one cost to see the total.
This is an estimate based on the numbers you entered. In Drivvo, the real cost comes from your records, month by month.
What goes into the cost of owning a car
A car's costs fall into three groups. If you only add up fuel, you will think the car costs much less than it does.
Fixed costs
Insurance, vehicle taxes and fees, the loan payment and parking at home. You pay them even if the car sits still.
Variable costs
Fuel, maintenance, tires, parking, tolls, car washes and fines. They grow the more you drive.
Loss of value
The car is worth less every year. This cost does not come out of your pocket each month, but it shows up when you sell.
How to calculate your car's monthly cost
- Add up the costs you pay once a year, such as insurance and taxes, and divide by 12.
- Add up the costs of a normal month: fuel, the loan payment, parking and the rest.
- Add the two amounts together. That is the monthly cost.
- For the cost per km, divide the cost of the period by the distance driven in that same period.
Always use the same period. A month with a service or new tires costs more; the average over a year shows the real cost.
How to log your costs in Drivvo
Log each cost on the spot, on your phone or computer. The app adds everything up and splits it by type.
Log the expense
In Expense, pick one or more types of expense, each with its own amount. The Total cost adds up on its own. The discount, payment method and place help keep things organized.
Split it into installments
For a car loan or insurance, enter the total amount, the Installments and the Period. Each installment counts in the month it is due, and the app shows how much has been paid and how much is left.
See where the money goes
In Reports, the Expense tab shows the total, the amount per day and per km, and the chart for each month.
Car loan, insurance and taxes in installments
Paying for insurance in 6 installments should not make the first month look more expensive than the others. In Drivvo, the total is split into up to 99 installments, weekly, every two weeks or monthly, and each one counts in the month it is due.
- Each month's cost is right, with no spike in the month you paid
- The expense screen shows the installments paid and the ones left
- It also works on the Free plan
- To remember the renewal, create a reminder that repeats every year
Where your vehicle's money goes
The app's reports answer the questions the calculator cannot, with your real numbers.
- How much the vehicle cost in the month, the year or any period you choose
- The share of fuel, expenses and services in the total
- The cost of each month, side by side with the previous months
- The types of expense that cost the most, such as insurance or parking
- The cost per day and per km
Cost per km: compare months and vehicles
The total cost changes when you drive more or less. The cost per km shows how much each km driven costs and lets you compare different months or two vehicles. In Drivvo, it comes out on its own from the odometer in your records.
Car expense spreadsheet or app
Prefer to write it down? Print the template, note every cost of the month and add them up at the end. It already has the columns and the monthly summary.
A spreadsheet only adds up what someone types in later. In the app, each cost is logged on the spot, and the cost per month, per day and per km shows up on its own. If you already have a spreadsheet, Drivvo support imports the data into the app. To take your records to a spreadsheet, exporting is part of the paid plans.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to own a car per month?
There is no single figure: it depends on the car, how much you drive, and the insurance and taxes where you live. Add the yearly costs divided by 12 to the costs of a normal month. The calculator on this page does the math, and Drivvo shows the real figure from your records.
What are the costs of owning a car?
Fixed costs, such as insurance, taxes, the loan and parking at home; variable costs, such as fuel, maintenance, tires, parking, tolls and fines; and the car's loss of value over time.
What do you pay for a car every year?
Usually insurance and the vehicle taxes and fees, which change from country to country, plus scheduled services. Divide the total by 12 to know how much to set aside each month, and create a reminder so you do not miss the date.
How do I calculate my car's cost per km?
Divide the cost of the period by the distance driven in that same period. In Drivvo, the cost per km shows up in the reports, calculated from the odometer in your records.
How much do I need to earn to own a car?
It depends on what your car costs. Start with the real monthly cost, with the yearly costs already divided by 12, and see how much of your income it takes.
Is owning a car worth it?
Compare the car's monthly cost with the alternatives, such as public transportation, ride-hailing apps or renting a car. The calculator gives you your number, and the app tracks it month by month.
How do I log a car loan or insurance in installments?
Create an expense with the total amount and enter the installments, the period and the first installment. Each installment counts in the month it is due. It also works on the Free plan.
How do I see how much I spent on my car this month?
In Reports, choose the current month in the period filter. In History, each month has a summary with spending, distance and average.
Can I track my car expenses in a spreadsheet?
Yes. The template on this page can be printed or saved as a PDF. In the app, the math is done for you. If you already use a spreadsheet, Drivvo support imports the data; exporting to a spreadsheet is part of the paid plans.
Which app tracks vehicle costs?
Drivvo brings expenses, fill-ups and services together in one account and shows the cost per month, per day and per km. It works for cars, motorcycles and trucks, on Android, iPhone and the Web.
Is Drivvo free?
The Free plan logs unlimited expenses, fill-ups and services, with installments and reports, for up to 2 active vehicles, with ads. Paid plans remove ads and unlock more vehicles, exporting and attachments.
Can I see the costs of two cars together?
In the app, the reports show one vehicle at a time. On the Web, the All option adds up the vehicles and shows them side by side.
Start with your next expense
Download Drivvo, log your vehicle's costs and see what it really costs, month by month.
Want to track fuel consumption and maintenance too? See everything Drivvo does for personal use