What does it really cost to run a car in New Zealand?

Far more than fuel. Registration, warrant of fitness, insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation all add up. This calculator brings them together to show a realistic annual and per-kilometre cost.

What is the biggest cost of owning a car?

For many cars, depreciation, the value the car loses over time, is the largest cost, often bigger than fuel. Including it gives a true picture of ownership cost.

How do I work out cost per kilometre?

Add up all your annual costs and divide by the kilometres you drive in a year. This calculator does it for you, which is useful for comparing cars or deciding whether a trip is worth driving.

Vehicle Running Cost Calculator

This calculator gives New Zealand drivers the full annual cost of owning and running a vehicle, well beyond the purchase price or fuel alone. It brings together fuel or charging, registration, warrant of fitness, road user charges where they apply, insurance, servicing and maintenance, tyres, and depreciation, to produce a realistic cost per year and per kilometre. The breakdown itemises each cost so you can see where the money goes, helping you budget honestly for a vehicle, compare the true cost of two cars, or decide whether running a second car is worth it, with current prices used as inputs throughout.

Distance per year (km)

Fuel use (L per 100km)

Fuel price ($/L)

Registration (per year)

WOF (per year)

Insurance (per year)

Servicing and tyres (per year)

Depreciation (per year)

total cost to own and run per year

Per week$0

Per kilometre$0

Fuel share$0

Depreciation is often the largest cost and the easiest to overlook; estimate it as the value your car loses in a year. Road user charges apply to diesel and electric vehicles, which you can include in servicing or fuel. Prices change, so use current figures. Estimate only, not financial advice.

How it works

The calculator works out your annual fuel cost from your distance, fuel use and fuel price, then adds the fixed yearly costs of registration, warrant of fitness, insurance, servicing and tyres, and depreciation. The total is your true annual cost of ownership. Dividing by your annual distance gives the cost per kilometre, a powerful figure for comparing cars or judging whether a particular trip is worth driving.

Worked example

Driving 12,000 km at 8 litres per 100 km and $2.80 a litre is about $2,688 of fuel. Add $110 rego, $120 WOF, $900 insurance, $1,000 servicing and tyres, and $2,500 depreciation, and the total is around $7,318 a year, about $140 a week, or roughly 61 cents per kilometre.

Related calculators

Fuel Cost Calculator: fuel for a trip.
Car Depreciation Calculator: estimate depreciation.
EV vs Petrol Calculator: compare fuel types.
Car Insurance Calculator: insurance cost.

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