Home›Auto›How much car can I afford?

Auto tools

How much car can I afford?

A car payment is only part of the cost — insurance, fuel, and maintenance ride along with it. This works out a price range from your whole transportation budget, not just what a lender will approve.

Your budget

INCOME
$

Before tax, household total.

$

Rent or mortgage, student loans, credit cards. These hold the car payment down: everything you owe each month, the new car included, is kept under 36% of gross income.

$
$

The deal

FINANCING
$
$
$

Owe more than the trade is worth and the shortfall rolls into the new loan, which comes straight off the car you can afford rather than off the payment.

%
mo
%
🧮

Enter your gross monthly income to see what you can afford.

Save or send these numbersEmail

All four happen in your browser. Your figures are not sent anywhere — the email opens in your own mail app, already filled in.

Related calculators

What will this car really cost?

Add up depreciation, fuel, insurance, and repairs — the real price of a car.

Should I finance or pay cash?

Weigh loan interest against what your cash could earn instead.

Should I lease or buy?

Compare the true cost of leasing or buying your next car.

What 20/4/10 actually saysA written guide to the rules behind this calculator →
For educational purposes only. Actual approval depends on credit score, income verification, and the lender's own limits. Insurance quotes vary widely by vehicle, so get a quote on the specific model before committing — a sports car and a sedan at the same price can differ by hundreds a month.