This calculator compares the true cost of leasing a vehicle against buying one outright or on finance, for New Zealand drivers and small businesses weighing the options. It accounts for lease payments, the deposit and finance costs of buying, the vehicle depreciation, and the resale value you keep when you own, then shows the total cost of each path over your chosen period. The tool makes clear that a low monthly lease payment is not the whole story once ownership and resale are considered. The breakdown lays out the total outlay, what you own at the end, and the net cost of each option, helping you choose based on the full picture rather than the headline monthly figure.
Lease
Buy (cash or finance)
Buying net cost is the price plus finance interest, minus the resale value you keep. Set the finance rate to 0 for a cash purchase. Check what each option includes, as some leases bundle servicing and insurance. Estimate only, not financial advice.
The lease total is the monthly payment across the period plus any upfront cost, money that is gone with nothing owned at the end. The buy net cost is the purchase price plus the interest on any finance, minus the resale value you get back because you own the car. That resale value is the key difference, since an owner keeps an asset a leaseholder does not. Comparing the two net figures shows which is genuinely cheaper over your chosen period.
A $750 a month lease over four years with $2,000 upfront costs $38,000, with nothing owned at the end. Buying a $45,000 car with finance interest of around $9,000, then selling it for $27,000, gives a net cost of about $27,000. Here, buying is cheaper because the resale value offsets much of the cost.
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