Total Cost of Ownership Calculator

The Real Cost of Owning a Car

The monthly instalment is just the beginning. When you own a car in South Africa, you're paying for finance, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation — and the instalment is often less than half the true monthly cost. This calculator adds up all five components so you can see what your car actually costs you, and make informed decisions about what you can afford, whether to keep or sell, and whether a cheaper car might be a better choice.

The most overlooked component is depreciation — the silent cost that eats your car's value every month, even while it sits in your garage. A R350,000 car that's worth R140,000 after 6 years has lost R210,000 in value — R2,917/month, every month, whether you drive it or not. Depreciation is often the single largest cost of car ownership, bigger than fuel or finance. See our depreciation blog post for the full curve and how to minimise it.

The Five Cost Components

• Finance: Your monthly instalment including NCA fees. The obvious cost, but often not the biggest.
• Fuel: Typically R1,500-R3,000/month for average SA driving (15,000 km/year at 7L/100km, R22/L). Electric vehicles are cheaper per km but have higher depreciation.
• Insurance: Comprehensive cover on a financed car is mandatory. R800-R2,500/month depending on the car, your age, and your profile.
• Maintenance: Tyres (R4,000-R8,000 per set every 40,000km), services (R1,500-R4,000 each), and repairs. Average R400-R800/month over the term, more as the car ages.
• Depreciation: The biggest hidden cost. A new car loses 15-20% of its value in year 1, then 10-15% per year after. Over 6 years, a typical car loses 60-65% of its value.

How to Reduce the Total Cost

The single most effective way to reduce the total cost of ownership is to buy a 2-3 year old car instead of a new one. The previous owner has taken the biggest depreciation hit (30-40% in the first 3 years), and you get a nearly-new car at a significant discount. A 3-year-old R350,000 car that was R550,000 new has already lost R200,000 in value — that's a loss you avoid. See our guide on new vs used car finance for the full comparison.

Other cost-reducers: choose a fuel-efficient vehicle (the difference between 6L/100km and 10L/100km is about R13,000/year in fuel); maintain the car properly (preventative maintenance is cheaper than reactive repairs); keep the car longer (the longer you keep it, the more the depreciation is spread); and avoid the balloon payment (it keeps your balance high and worsens your equity position). Use this calculator to model different scenarios before you buy.

Cost per Kilometre

The cost-per-kilometre figure is the most honest way to compare vehicles. A R350,000 car driven 15,000 km/year over 6 years (90,000 km total) might cost R8.50/km all-in. A R200,000 car might cost R5.50/km. A R600,000 car might cost R12/km. When you're deciding between two cars, look at the cost per kilometre, not the monthly instalment — it's the true apples-to-apples comparison. This calculator shows the cost per km based on your inputs.

Related Tools

• Vehicle Finance Calculator — the finance component in detail.
• Vehicle Finance Comparison — compare finance offers.
• Trade-In Equity Calculator — check your position before selling.
• Guide: New vs Used Car Finance