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CalcTortoise

Lease vs. Buy Car Calculator

Enter the lease offer and the loan offer for the same car to see which costs less once the car you would own is valued.

Written by the CalcTortoise editorial team · How we work

Lease

months

Down payment, first month, fees and taxes.

Buy

months

Share of the price the car would sell for then. The lease’s residual value is a guide.

Assumed: 4% return on cash not spent. Change

Paid so far

AfterLeaseBuy
12 months$9,322$15,192
24 months$15,040$24,391
36 months$20,538$33,236

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter the lease term, the amount due at signing, the payment and the end fee.
  2. Enter the purchase price, down payment, loan APR and term.
  3. Estimate the car’s value at the end of the lease and a return on spare cash.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to lease or buy a car?

Over a 36-month lease in the example, leasing costs $5,455 less once the bought car’s value is counted. Buying usually wins if you keep cars for many years; leasing can win if you want a new car every few years.

How much does resale value matter?

A lot. If the car keeps 65% of its price instead of 55%, leasing comes out $1,255 ahead.

What costs does a lease add?

Charges for miles over the allowance, excess wear and the disposition fee at the end. Enter the disposition fee above; add expected mileage charges to it if you drive a lot.

Sources and method

Standard compound-interest formulas, tested against worked examples. Nothing here depends on outside data; the rates you type in are your own assumptions.

No outside data is used. The numbers you type in are the only inputs.

Page and formula last reviewed . How we calculate · Editorial policy · Corrections and change log

Last updated 10 October 2026. For information only — not financial advice. Check the final figures with your lender or bank.