Car Lease vs. Buy Calculator

Use complete payment and fee quotes for each option. For buying, enter the equity you expect to retain at the end of the comparison after subtracting any remaining loan balance.

Enter all amounts in one currency. Currency selection changes labels, not amounts or jurisdiction. No conversion is performed.

Range: 1–1,200; whole numbers
Range: 0–1,000,000,000
Range: 0–1,000,000,000
Range: 0–1,000,000,000
Range: 0–1,000,000,000
Range: 0–1,000,000,000
Range: 0–1,000,000,000
Range: -1,000,000,000–1,000,000,000

Enter your values to see an estimate. Enter 0 for amounts that do not apply.

How this calculator works

Lease cost equals upfront costs, monthly payments and other costs. Buy cost uses the same cash categories and subtracts terminal vehicle equity. The comparison uses undiscounted totals over one shared horizon.

Worked example

Over 36 months, a lease with 2,000 upfront, 400 monthly and 500 other costs totals 16,900. Buying with 5,000 upfront, 600 monthly, 1,000 other costs and 15,000 terminal equity costs 12,600, or 4,300 less.

Assumptions and limits

Terminal equity equals vehicle value minus remaining debt; enter a negative amount when debt exceeds value. Include taxes, excess-mileage charges, disposition fees and maintenance in your own totals where applicable. Does not estimate tax rules, financing terms, opportunity cost or future vehicle value.

How to choose your inputs

Obtain complete lease and purchase quotes over the same horizon, including upfront amounts and charges you expect to pay. For the buy option, calculate terminal equity as expected vehicle value minus debt still owed; enter a negative amount when debt exceeds value. Do not subtract the remaining loan again through another cost field.

How to interpret your result

Compare net cost only after checking what each quote includes, especially mileage, return charges and maintenance. The buy option’s terminal equity is an assumption about a future asset and debt balance, not guaranteed cash. Test a lower terminal value to see whether the preferred option changes before relying on one resale estimate.

Primary references

This educational estimate uses your inputs. It is not individualized financial, tax, insurance, or investment advice, a lender offer, approval decision, or a promise of future results.

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