Transportation True Cost Calculator

Compare the total monthly cost of owning a car vs public transit, rideshare, and biking to find the cheapest option.

Financial Disclaimer

This calculator is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs provided. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment or financial planning decisions.

Inputs

Car Payment

Car Insurance

Gas / Charging

Maintenance / Repairs

Parking

Car Wash / Misc

Public Transit Monthly

Rideshare Monthly

Bike Maintenance Monthly

Monthly Miles Driven

Tab to move between fields

Results

Total Car Cost / Month

$925.00

≈ 7 pairs of sneakers

Cheapest Option

Bicycle

Transit Cost / Month$100.00

Rideshare Cost / Month$200.00

Car Cost Per Mile$0.93

Annual Savings (Cheapest vs Car)$10,920.00

How to Use This Calculator

Enter all car-related monthly costs: payment, insurance, gas, maintenance, parking, and miscellaneous.
Add public transit and rideshare monthly spending to compare all options side by side.
Input your monthly mileage to calculate cost per mile for car ownership.
Review Total Car Cost, Total Transit Cost, and Total Rideshare Cost to find the cheapest option.
Check Annual Savings Switching to see how much you'd save per year by moving to a lower-cost transport mode.

How the result changes with Car Payment

Car Payment	Total Car Cost / Month	Cheapest Option
$200.00	$675.00	Bicycle
$700.00	$1,175.00	Bicycle
$1,300.00	$1,775.00	Bicycle
$1,800.00	$2,275.00	Bicycle

What each input means

Car Payment: Monthly car loan or lease payment.
Car Insurance: Monthly auto insurance premium.
Gas / Charging: Monthly fuel or EV charging cost.
Maintenance / Repairs: Average monthly maintenance (oil, tires, repairs).
Parking: Monthly parking fees.
Car Wash / Misc: Car wash, tolls, and other misc costs.
Public Transit Monthly: Monthly transit pass or average transit cost.
Rideshare Monthly: Monthly Uber/Lyft spending.
Bike Maintenance Monthly: Monthly bike upkeep (tubes, tune-ups, etc.).
Monthly Miles Driven: Average miles driven per month.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Car Payment = 450, Car Insurance = 150, Gas / Charging = 180, Maintenance / Repairs = 75 = 10 input(s) provided
Calculate Total Car Cost / Month
Total Car Cost / Month
925 = $925
Calculate Cheapest Option
Cheapest Option = cheapest.name
Bicycle = Bicycle
Calculate Transit Cost / Month
Transit Cost / Month
100 = $100
Calculate Rideshare Cost / Month
Rideshare Cost / Month
200 = $200

Engine last updated July 28, 2026. Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators.

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