RealCost Hub
Car Ownership Cost Calculators UK
Owning a car costs more than fuel. Insurance, maintenance, road tax, depreciation, tyres, repairs and charging costs can all change whether a car is genuinely affordable.
Use this hub to choose the right RealCost calculator for the decision you are making — buying a car, running a car, comparing petrol and electric, budgeting monthly costs or checking whether ownership still makes sense.
Start with the full car cost calculator
If you only use one calculator, start with the Car Cost Calculator UK. It gives the broadest view of ownership cost by combining the major costs that make a car expensive.
Then use the specialist calculators below to check fuel, insurance, maintenance, road tax, depreciation and EV charging in more detail.
Main car ownership calculator
Use this first if you want one overall view of what a car may cost per month and per year.
Car Cost Calculator UK
Estimate the full cost of owning and running a car, including fuel or charging, insurance, tax, maintenance, repairs, parking and depreciation.
This is the best starting point before buying, financing, replacing or keeping a car.
Core car ownership calculators
Use these to break the real cost of ownership into the parts that matter most.
Car Insurance Cost Calculator
Estimate insurance as part of your car budget before a quote shocks you.
Car Maintenance Cost Calculator
Budget for servicing, MOT, tyres, repairs and wear-and-tear.
Car Depreciation Calculator
Estimate how much value a car may lose while you own it.
Fuel, charging and running-cost calculators
Use these when fuel, charging or commute costs are the main decision.
Fuel Cost Per Mile Calculator
Work out fuel-only pence per mile from MPG and fuel price.
Fuel Cost Calculator UK
Estimate fuel cost for a distance, journey or mileage figure.
Commute Calculator UK
Estimate repeated work travel costs using commute distance and work pattern.
Electric vs Petrol Running Cost Calculator
Compare petrol running costs with electric charging costs.
EV Charging Cost Calculator
Estimate EV charging cost using kWh price, efficiency and charging losses.
Choose the right calculator for your decision
Do not use the wrong tool and get a misleading answer.
Before buying a car
Start with full car cost, then check insurance, depreciation, maintenance and tax.
If fuel feels expensive
Use fuel cost per mile, then compare weekly, monthly or yearly fuel spending.
If you commute
Use the commute calculator instead of a one-off journey calculator.
If comparing EV vs petrol
Compare charging, fuel, mileage and running cost carefully before assuming EV is cheaper.
Before buying a car
A car is not affordable just because the purchase price or monthly payment looks manageable.
Common car ownership cost mistakes
These are the mistakes RealCost is built to help avoid.
Only checking fuel cost
Fuel matters, but insurance, depreciation, tax, repairs and tyres can change the real answer.
Ignoring depreciation
Value loss is a real cost, even if it does not arrive as a monthly bill.
Forgetting repair risk
A cheap used car can become expensive if maintenance has been ignored.
This is not a generic calculator directory
RealCost focuses on UK car cost decisions. These tools are here to help you avoid expensive ownership mistakes, not to list random calculators.
The best result usually comes from using more than one calculator: start with full car cost, then check the biggest risk areas for your situation — insurance, fuel, maintenance, depreciation, tax or charging.
Ownership cost guides to read next
Use these if you want the decision guidance behind the numbers.
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