Aisha K.
Mar 12, 2026
Clean layout and the results update instantly. Exactly what I needed for a quick planning check.
Automotive, Travel & Transit
Keep vs Lease vs Buy Calculator — Car Total Cost Matrix
Pick the cheapest fork
Three-way car TCO planner: keep current vs lease vs buy — year-by-year matrix highlighting the cheapest option.
Three-way fork matrix: keep vs lease vs buy — cheapest option highlighted each year. Most free tools only do lease vs buy.
Shared assumptions
Keep current
Lease new
Buy new / used
Winner over horizon
KEEP
Over 5 years, keep wins at ~27,120 total cost. Matrix shows the cheapest fork each year as assumptions compound.
- Keep total
- 27,120
- Lease total
- 29,480
- Buy total
- 36,601
Cheapest fork by year
| Year | Keep | Lease | Buy | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,680 | 9,720 | 13,530 | keep |
| 2 | 10,944 | 16,940 | 22,076 | keep |
| 3 | 16,272 | 24,160 | 30,636 | keep |
| 4 | 21,664 | 26,820 | 39,211 | keep |
| 5 | 27,120 | 29,480 | 36,601 | keep |
Three-way car TCO planner: keep current vs lease vs buy — year-by-year matrix highlighting the cheapest option.
Plain-English guide
Terms & how it works
Confused by a field? Read the short definitions here while you use the tool.
Use workspace controls
The “Use workspace controls” value used in this tool’s formula. Adjust it to see results update live.
- km
Km per year
Drives fuel cost for each fork.
How this calculator works
Three-way car TCO planner: keep current vs lease vs buy — year-by-year matrix highlighting the cheapest option. Accumulate fuel, insurance, repairs, payments, and depreciation/fees for keep, lease, and buy; mark cheapest cumulative cost each year. Example: Over 5 years keep may win early; buy can win later after residual credit — matrix shows the flip year.
Accumulate fuel, insurance, repairs, payments, and depreciation/fees for keep, lease, and buy; mark cheapest cumulative cost each year.
Example: Over 5 years keep may win early; buy can win later after residual credit — matrix shows the flip year.
When to use this Keep vs Lease vs Buy Car TCO
Common use cases
- Compare keep, lease, and buy
- See cheapest option by year
- Model fuel and insurance costs
Localized examples
- Any currency
- Fuel price per liter
- Km per year
What you get
- Three-way year matrix
- Fuel and insurance included
- Residual credit on buy
How to Calculate Keep vs Lease vs Buy Car TCO Step-by-Step
- 1Enter what you still owe, fuel, insurance, and the repairs you expect if you keep the car.
- 2Fill lease payment and fees, then the buy path with down payment and residual.
- 3Read the year-by-year matrix. The cheapest fork often flips after year three.
- 4Taxes and your commute miles move this more than the badge on the trunk.
Governing formula
Cumulative cost_year for keep, lease, buy · cheapest = min of the three
Year-by-year total cost of ownership comparing keep vs lease vs buy.
Example: set Use workspace controls = 0, then read the result.
Variable definitions
- km
Km per year
Drives fuel cost for each fork.
- Currency-agnostic; enter local fuel price per liter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Often yes early on if repairs stay reasonable. This tool compares keep, lease, and buy with your km and fuel price.
Related calculators
Automotive, Travel & Transit
- Emergency Fund & Runway PlannerEmergency fund planner with a life-shock simulator: job loss, medical bill, rent hike, or partner income gone.
- Multi-Goal Savings PlannerMulti-goal savings timeline with a sequential vs split funding optimizer that recommends the fastest path to hit all deadlines.
- Subscription Runway AuditSubscription and fixed-cost audit with a runway extension meter — pause items and see months of emergency runway gained.
- Financial Freedom & Property PlannerFIRE calculator with rental property: model salary, side income, expense inflation, investment returns, rental acquisitions, and net worth milestones to your financial independence date.
- FIRE Early Retirement CalculatorEstimate when you can reach financial independence using savings rate and withdrawal assumptions. Plan your FIRE number with clarity.
- Compound Interest CalculatorProject investment growth with compound interest, regular contributions, and a coasting phase with zero new deposits. Visualize how time and rate multiply wealth after you stop contributing.
Next in Money milestones
Keep going with related planners
These tools share the same journey — use them together for better decisions.
- Emergency Fund & Runway PlannerEmergency fund planner with a life-shock simulator: job loss, medical bill, rent hike, or partner income gone.
- Multi-Goal Savings PlannerMulti-goal savings timeline with a sequential vs split funding optimizer that recommends the fastest path to hit all deadlines.
- Subscription Runway AuditSubscription and fixed-cost audit with a runway extension meter — pause items and see months of emergency runway gained.
- Financial Freedom & Property PlannerFIRE calculator with rental property: model salary, side income, expense inflation, investment returns, rental acquisitions, and net worth milestones to your financial independence date.
- FIRE Early Retirement CalculatorEstimate when you can reach financial independence using savings rate and withdrawal assumptions. Plan your FIRE number with clarity.
Email me when you add a money planner
Occasional email when something new is worth opening. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.
Discover & search
Explore More Tools
Related tools in Automotive, Travel & Transit — strengthening topical internal links.
Same category · 3 tools
Browse all →Road Trip Gas Cost Calculator
Automotive, Travel & Transit
Estimate total fuel cost for a road trip from miles, MPG, and gas price. Budget driving vacations accurately.
EV Charging Cost Calculator
Automotive, Travel & Transit
Calculate EV charging cost from battery size, charge amount, and electricity rates. Compare home vs public charging.
Car Lease vs Buy Calculator
Automotive, Travel & Transit
Compare multi-year lease payments against buying and ownership costs. Decide with clearer long-term math.
Community
Reviews & Ratings
See what others think about this tool, then leave your own rating to help improve CalculioHub.
4.8
out of 5.0
4 reviews
Daniel R.
Feb 28, 2026
Very usable on mobile. Would love a save/export option later, but the math feels solid.
Priya S.
Feb 3, 2026
The FAQ section answered my questions before I even had to search. Smooth dark mode too.
Marcus L.
Jan 19, 2026
Simple inputs, clear outputs. This replaced three bookmarks I used to juggle.
Improve this tool
Suggestion Box
Share an idea, report a bug, or send general feedback for Keep vs Lease vs Buy Car TCO. Your input helps shape what we build next.