toolsko

Choose your language

ToolsKo is written in English. Prefer another language? Open a translated version of this public page.

Browser language suggestion: English. You can choose any language below.

Translation opens in a new tab using Google Translate. It receives this public page URL. Automatic translations may contain mistakes; use the original English page for tool inputs, downloads, and generated documents.

Your choice is remembered on this browser when storage is available. Use Language in the header to change it.

Lease vs Buy Car Calculator: Total Cost Comparison

Compare the total cost of leasing vs buying the same car over the lease term: payments, money factor, residual, sales tax, fees and extra miles.

Tool inputs stay in your browser · optional AI search sends your query

Good to know: Scope: a side-by-side cost estimate in US dollars for leasing or buying (with a fixed-rate loan) the same new car, over the length of the lease. The lease payment follows the Federal Reserve’s Keys to Vehicle Leasing guide: adjusted capitalized cost (price minus your lease down payment) minus residual value, plus the rent charge, divided by the number of payments, then sales tax on each payment. The rent charge comes from the money factor × (adjusted capitalized cost + residual value), or from the total rent charge on your lease disclosure. The money factor is not an interest rate, so no APR is shown. Buying finances the price plus sales tax and fees, less your down payment; its net cost is what you paid in the lease period plus the loan balance left, minus what the car is worth then (the residual value unless you enter your own estimate). Not included: insurance, maintenance and repairs, excess-wear charges, gap coverage, early termination, interest you could earn on cash, rebates, trade-in tax credits and state rules that tax down payments or lease charges differently. Everything stays in this browser tab; nothing is sent or saved. Independent ToolsKo estimate. Sources reviewed November 11, 2026.

How to use it (step by step)

  1. 1Enter the car price and your sales tax rate. For the lease, copy the term, residual value, money factor (or total rent charge), down payment and fees from the dealer’s lease quote.
  2. 2For buying, enter your down payment (cash plus trade-in), the title and registration fees, and the loan rate and length from your lender.
  3. 3Compare the total cost to lease with the net cost to buy. If you drive more than the mileage allowance, add your expected miles: the extra-mile charge can change the answer.

Words to know

Residual value
What the leasing company expects the car to be worth when the lease ends. You can usually buy the car for about this price at the end.
Money factor
A small decimal (for example 0.0025) the leasing company uses to work out the rent charge. It is not an interest rate.
Rent charge
The part of a lease payment that pays the leasing company for its money, like interest on a loan.
Capitalized cost
The price of the car in the lease. A down payment, rebate or trade-in lowers it (capitalized cost reduction).

Explore tools for Australia, the US & Europe →

Sources & methods

References checked November 11, 2026. Read each tool’s scope and assumptions before relying on its result.

More in Money & Finance

Australian GST Calculator (Add or Remove 10%)Add 10% GST to a price or find the GST inside a GST-inclusive price (divide by 11).US Federal Income Tax Calculator 2026Estimate 2026 US federal income tax from your income, filing status and deductions.FICA Tax Calculator 2026 (Social Security)Social Security and Medicare tax on US wages for 2026, per year and per paycheck.Self-Employment Tax Calculator 2026 (US 1099)Estimate US self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare) on freelance or 1099 profit.US Sales Tax Calculator by State (2026 Rates)Add or remove US sales tax using each state’s 2026 rate and its average local rate.UK Take-Home Pay Calculator 2026/27 (Tax & NI)UK take-home pay after Income Tax and National Insurance for 2026/27, including Scotland.