Vehicle use-cost scenario

Lease vs. buy car cost comparison

Compare entered lease payments and fees with financing a car and selling it at the end of the same term, using your own resale-value estimate.

Compare the estimated cash cost of leasing for a chosen term with financing and then selling a vehicle at the end of that same period. Enter figures from written offers and your own resale estimate. The tool does not forecast vehicle value or recommend leasing or buying.

Lease assumptions

Lease monthly payment ($) Lease term (months) Nonrefundable lease costs due at signing, excluding monthly payment ($) Estimated turn-in, wear, and other end fees ($) Annual miles allowed Expected miles driven per year Excess-mile charge ($ per mile)

Purchase assumptions

Vehicle purchase price ($) Taxes and fees included in purchase financing ($) Down payment ($) Fixed annual loan interest rate (%) Loan term (months) Estimated vehicle resale value at comparison end ($)

Enter lease and purchase assumptions from offers, plus your resale-value estimate.

The comparison period is the lease term. Lease cost includes all monthly payments, nonrefundable signing costs you enter, estimated end fees, and an excess-mile estimate based on annual mileage over the full term. Purchase cost includes the down payment, modeled loan payments during that period, the remaining loan payoff at the end, and entered financed taxes/fees; it subtracts your entered resale value as if you sell then. Signing costs must exclude any lease monthly payment to avoid counting it twice. Deposits assumed refundable are excluded.

How to use the result

Compare written lease and financing terms, including total payments, fees, amount financed, and what happens at the end. A lease payment does not build ownership by itself; returning a leased vehicle can involve mileage, wear, or other contract charges. Buying may leave you with a vehicle to sell or keep, but the resale amount is uncertain. Use a value estimate you can explain and try more than one plausible value.

This simplified comparison excludes insurance, registration, fuel, maintenance, repairs, taxes not entered, opportunity cost, financing charges omitted from the stated loan rate, and changes in vehicle value. It assumes lease payments and loan installments are made on schedule. It does not model a lease purchase option, early termination, trade-in, or tax treatment. Actual contracts and local rules control.

At lease end, compare a buyout quote with estimated return charges using the lease-end buyout vs. return calculator. For a purchase-only payment estimate, see the auto loan payment and total-interest calculator. To compare loan terms, see the 72 vs. 84-month auto loan comparison. This tool is educational and is not personalized financial advice.

Sources checked November 3, 2026: CFPB leasing versus buying guidance, FTC financing or leasing a car, and CFPB auto-loan offer comparison. The calculator models only entered costs and assumptions; actual lease, lender, tax, and local requirements vary, so review the written contracts and applicable rules.

How it works

Enter lease payment, term, mileage and fees; then enter purchase price, down payment, rate, loan term, and an estimated vehicle resale value at the end of the comparison period.

Good to know

How does this compare lease and purchase costs?

It totals the lease payments, nonrefundable signing costs, estimated mileage and end fees over the lease term. The purchase scenario totals the down payment, modeled loan payments through that same period, and remaining loan payoff, then subtracts the resale value you enter. It assumes the purchased vehicle is sold at the end of the comparison period.

Does the calculator predict the car's resale value?

No. Enter your own estimate and test more than one plausible value. Mileage, condition, market changes, and vehicle details can affect resale value; the CFPB explains that lease terms may also include mileage and wear charges.

Are all ownership and lease costs included?

No. Only the fields shown are included. Insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs, omitted taxes and fees, lease purchase options, early termination, and tax treatment are excluded. Compare the written contracts and disclosures.

LendingTree — TODO: apply/approval and configure referral URL — referral link not configured.

Bankrate — TODO: apply/approval and configure referral URL — referral link not configured.

NerdWallet — TODO: apply/approval and configure referral URL — referral link not configured.