Cost per mile calculator
Gas is only part of it. Add your car's yearly costs to see what every mile really costs, and which cost is the big one.
Depreciation
Where each mile's money goes
This bar updates with your numbers. Try doubling the miles per year: the fixed costs (insurance, fees, much of depreciation) spread thinner, and fuel's share grows.
Fixed costs vs running costs
Running costs (fuel, tyres, most maintenance) grow with every mile. Fixed costs (insurance, registration, loan interest, and the time-based part of depreciation) arrive whether you drive or not. AAA's annual "Your Driving Costs" study uses this same split, and so does the IRS when it sets the standard mileage rate.
That split answers practical questions. Selling a second car saves the fixed costs. Driving it less saves only the running costs. For a trip-by-trip decision (drive or take the train?), compare the other option's fare with your running cost per mile, not the full figure. Fuel alone comes from the trip fuel cost calculator. For employer claims see the mileage reimbursement calculator.
Ask how to cut your driving costs
An AI assistant reads the figures above and answers in plain English. It only runs when you press the button; the calculator works without it.
Questions drivers ask
How do I calculate my car's cost per mile?
Add up a year of running costs (fuel, insurance, maintenance, tyres, registration, parking) plus depreciation and loan interest, then divide by the miles you drive in a year. $9,600 ÷ 12,000 miles = 80¢ per mile.
What is the biggest cost of owning a car?
For a new car it is usually depreciation, the value it loses each year, which often exceeds fuel. For an older, paid-off car, fuel and repairs dominate.
How do I estimate depreciation?
Take what you paid, subtract what you expect to sell it for, and divide by the years you plan to keep it. A $32,000 car worth $17,000 after five years depreciates $3,000 a year.
Why does driving more lower my cost per mile?
Fixed costs such as insurance, registration and much of depreciation are spread over more miles. Fuel, tyres and maintenance rise with mileage, so the per-mile saving flattens out.