Your estimate
Your inputs
Assumptions
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Car affordability calculator
Compare three vehicle-budget estimates using the income, debt, and ownership-cost assumptions you provide.
Your income
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Monthly debts
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Housing and debt share of take-home income:
Financial profile
Editable hypothetical assumptions. Fees exclude the recurring registration below. Gross-income deduction is an assumption, not a tax calculation.
Enter a percentage from 0% to 30%. For example, 7.5%.
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Enter a percentage from 0% to 25%. For example, 7%.
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Enter your fuel economy in miles per gallon, from 1 to 200. For example, 28.
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Enter a percentage from 0% to 100%. For example, 25%.
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Vehicle usage
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Estimated purchase price, 15% scenario
≈ /mo · about % of income
For educational and entertainment purposes only. A best-guess estimate, not a quote or tax, legal or financial advice.
Housing and debt share of take-home income
Monthly budget breakdown
Chart will appear once calculated
Chart unavailable — the estimates above are unaffected.
The bar allocates take-home income to housing, debts, living costs and savings first, then the 15% vehicle scenario. Running costs are a month, from a year of insurance, fuel, maintenance, registration and parking.
Over budget by .
Copy results and inputs, including household income and debt amounts.
Your vehicle budget ranges
These percentage scenarios use the living costs and savings reserve entered. They don’t determine whether your household can afford a purchase; future changes need separate consideration.
At least one scenario reaches the supported price limit. Higher price estimates are unavailable.
15% estimate
Uses up to 15% of estimated take-home income for total monthly vehicle costs
Max purchase price
No vehicles currently listed in this price range. Browse the full inventory to see options near your budget.
Search available vehicles →Inventory availability couldn’t be checked for this range.
Browse available vehicles →No supported purchase estimate exists for this scenario. Check the commitments and running costs.
20% estimate
Uses up to 20% of estimated take-home income for total monthly vehicle costs
Max purchase price
extended options available
Current listings within this calculated price range
Browse all vehicles →No current listings were returned for this calculated range.
Search available vehicles →Inventory availability couldn’t be checked for this range.
Browse available vehicles →This tier has the same estimated purchase price as the 15% tier, so no separate inventory range was searched.
25% estimate
Uses up to 25% of estimated take-home income for total monthly vehicle costs
Calculated purchase price
Costs this estimate doesn’t determine:
- Your lender's actual rate, term, taxes, and fees
- Vehicle-specific insurance and maintenance costs
- Whether this spending level fits your other priorities
No vehicles currently listed in this extended range. Explore the full inventory for nearby options.
Browse extended options →Inventory availability couldn’t be checked for this range.
Browse available vehicles →This tier has the same estimated purchase price as the 20% tier, so no separate inventory range was searched.
Compare the three scenarios
Assumptions used
How we calculate this
The calculator models total monthly vehicle costs at 15%, 20%, and 25% of the selected income basis. Gross income is reduced by your editable deduction assumption before those percentages are applied. Payment capacity is the selected percentage minus insurance, fuel, maintenance, annual registration and parking provisions.
Purchase ceilings use a 60-month loan, your assumed annual interest rate, down payment, purchase-tax rate and one-time fees. Rates and insurance are user inputs, with no credit-score mapping. Ceilings are rounded down to whole dollars for inventory search.
Limitations: This is a best-guess estimate for educational and entertainment purposes only, not a lender quote or personal financial advice. Insurance, fuel, maintenance, tax, fees, and financing terms vary by provider, location, driving, and vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
It is the calculator's middle scenario: 20% of the selected income basis is allocated to payment, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and parking. It is a comparison assumption, not a recommendation.
Many buyers focus only on the monthly payment but forget about insurance, fuel, maintenance, and registration. A $500/month payment might seem affordable until you add $200 insurance, $150 fuel, and $100 maintenance. This page shows an illustrative recurring cash budget. It excludes upfront cash, unentered charges and resale value; it is not a complete economic cost of ownership.