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What does a car cost per month?

Are you planning to purchase a car and wondering what a car actually costs per month? A car offers a lot of freedom, but it is often not cheap. In addition to the one-time purchase cost, there are also a lot of monthly costs, such as car insurance. This is why it is important that before buying the car, you know what costs you can approximately expect each month. On Alpina.nl we have listed all the costs of a car for you!

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what does a car cost

How much does a car cost per month for a novice driver?

For a first-time driver, the monthly costs for a car will be more expensive than for an older driver. This is mainly because of the car insurance. The costs for a car insurance are higher for a starting driver than for a more experienced driver. Younger drivers cause more accidents. The chance that you, as a beginner driver, cause damage is a lot higher than when you have more driving experience. Insurers therefore consider this to be a bigger risk. As a result, young drivers pay a lot more per month in premiums. When you get your licence, you are a beginner driver for the first 5 years.

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What does a car cost on average per month?

There are some costs that recur every month and some that you might pay once every six months or year. There are also costs that are the same each month and costs that may vary each time. To give you a good idea of what a car costs per month, we have divided the costs into fixed costs and variable costs.

Fixed costs

There are a number of costs for your car that recur every month. The amount of these costs is also fixed. You should take into account the following fixed costs:

Car Insurance

In the Netherlands, it is compulsory to take out at least a third-party car insurance. This is the basic coverage. You can also choose for a more extensive coverage, such as WA + Beperkt Casco or the all-risk insurance. Of course, the more extensive the coverage, the higher the monthly premium. In addition to the standard coverage, you can opt for additional insurances. Many of the insurances chosen are the accident passenger insurance and the damage passenger insurance. These insurances pay out an amount in case of damage to the passengers or the possessions of the passengers as a result of an accident. You can also insure legal aid and even breakdown assistance. The more additional insurances you take out, the higher the monthly premium.

Road tax

Just like every other road user in the Netherlands, you have to pay motor vehicle tax, also known as road tax. The amount of road tax you pay depends on a number of factors, such as: the weight of the car, the type of fuel the car uses, how polluting the car is and the region where you live. You can use the calculator from the tax authorities to calculate how much road tax you will have to pay for the car you have in mind.

Amortisation

Car depreciation is not a fixed amount that you pay every month, but it is a fixed cost that you have to deal with when you sell your car. After purchase, the value of your car decreases a little each month. Your car gets older every day. If you sell your car after a few years, you will get less money for it than you paid when you bought it. Therefore, depreciation is an important cost item to include in the calculation.

Fixed maintenance

Finally, every car owner has to deal with maintenance costs. For example, the car has to undergo an annual MOT check. The APK report that you receive contains repair, advice and rejection points. On the basis of these points it is determined whether your car is approved or rejected. If the inspection reveals repair and rejection points, you will have to have them repaired.

Variable costs

Besides the fixed costs for your car, there are also variable costs. These costs depend on the use of your car. The amount of the costs may not be the same every month or every year. You should consider the following variable costs:

  • Fuel
  • Maintenance and repair costs

Fuel

How much you spend on fuel each month naturally depends on how often you use your car. If you drive a long way to and from work every day, you will use more fuel than if you only use the car occasionally for short distances. In addition, the use of your car can also vary from month to month. Perhaps you drive longer distances in the summer, because you go out more often than in the winter. In that case, you will also use more fuel in the summer. The type of car you drive and your style of driving also affect your fuel consumption. For example, a heavier car will use more fuel than a lighter one. And if you like to drive fast and accelerate a lot, the car will also use more fuel. Finally, fuel prices can vary. For example, one month you will pay more for refuelling than the next.

Maintenance and repair costs

Maintenance costs have also been mentioned under fixed costs, but there we were talking about maintenance, such as the MOT. In addition, as a car owner you also have to deal with variable maintenance and repair costs. If you use your car often, the tyres wear out more quickly, for example. At some point, the tyres will need to be replaced. Other components, such as brakes and windscreen wipers, also need to be serviced and the oil topped up. The cost of these services depends on the part that needs to be replaced.

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Calculate what a car costs per month

To give you a better idea of what a car costs per month, we have included the monthly costs for different cars in the overview below. The data are from the NIBUD.

The costs are based on a new car for the first ten years, with an average annual mileage. Especially fuel and depreciation depend on the number of kilometres. Maintenance and repair depend more on the age of the car, and insurance and taxes depend on the type of car.

The calculations are based on ten years, at 9,000, 10,000, 11,500 and 11,000 km per year respectively.
Costs Mini class Compact class Small middle class Middle class
Car Insurance €42 €49,50 €60,50 €85,50
Road tax €22 €33,50 €49,50 €68,50
Amortisation €59 €83,50 €128,50 €235
Fixed maintenance €21 €21 €21,50 €21
Total fixed costs €144 €187,50 €260 €410
Fuel €71 €86,50 €103 €109
Maintenance and repair costs €39,50 €46 €57 €77
Amortisation €22,50 €31 €41,50 €72,50
Total variable costs €133 €163,50 €201,50 €258,50
Total monthly cost €277 €351 €461,50 €668,50

What does car insurance cost per month?

Let's take a closer look at the monthly costs for car insurance. These can vary enormously per person and per car. On average, car insurance costs about 75 euros per month. However, it is also possible that you pay 40 or 90 Euros per month. The amount of the premium is determined by a number of factors, such as the coverage you choose, your age, where you live and the number of years without claims you have built up. By looking at these factors, the insurer determines the amount of the premium. In addition to the premium for the coverage and the additional coverage, you also pay policy costs (costs for drawing up the policy and registering the car with the RDW), prolongation costs (administration costs) and 21% insurance tax.

Frequently asked questions about car expenses

What does a diesel car cost per month?

The costs for a diesel car and a petrol car are similar. However, the fuel price of diesel is lower than that of petrol. A diesel car is especially a good choice if you drive many kilometres every year, for example for your work. In addition, the engine of a diesel car often has a longer life and requires less maintenance. However, you do pay a lot more in road tax for a diesel car than for a petrol car.

What does a company car cost per month?

When you drive a company car, you pay an additional amount every month. The amount of the addition depends on the type of car you choose and the catalogue value of the car. Costs for maintenance, insurance and fuel are usually included in the total lease price.

What does a van cost per month?

For a delivery van the same monthly costs apply as for a passenger car. The difference is that you have to take out a special delivery van insurance for a delivery van. The cost of a van insurance depends on the desired type of insurance, the current value of the van, your age, where you live and the number of claim-free years you have built up. With the licence plate number and the number of accumulated claim-free years you already know enough to calculate the van insurance premium.

What is the cheapest car per month?

Do you mainly have a car for practical reasons, but are not really a car lover? Then perhaps you are looking for the cheapest car per month. It is always nice to be able to save on costs, and a car is often expensive enough. The cheapest car per month is a car with low monthly costs for road tax, fuel consumption, maintenance, repairs, parts, depreciation and car insurance. The purchase value is also important. You will soon end up with a somewhat smaller car, preferably one that drives economically. A very new or expensive car is more expensive to insure. The car will also have few extras or options. A great car to get you from A to B.

What does an electric car cost per month?

It is generally thought that electric cars are more expensive than petrol, diesel or gas cars. This may indeed be the case, but it is not necessarily a fact. The purchase costs for an electric car are indeed often more expensive. Maintenance costs do not have to be more expensive than for a petrol car, for example. With an electric car, you spend less money on regular maintenance, because things like changing the oil and replacing the clutch or the timing belt are not an issue. Of course, the tyres and brakes can wear out. The biggest potential expense is replacing the battery pack.

In addition, with an electric car you do not pay for fuel, but for energy. The monthly costs depend on the use of the car, but also on the charging location. The cheapest way is to charge at home at your own charging station. You then pay the same electricity rate as you would at home. Charging at a public charge point costs more, but fast charging along the motorway is the most expensive. So the cost of charging depends on the method of charging, but it is almost always lower than the cost of fuel for a comparable petrol car. Finally, there are of course the costs for insuring the electric car.

How can I save on the monthly cost of a car?

It is only natural that you would like to save as much as possible on the monthly costs of a car. That is why we have listed a number of tips for keeping the cost of a car as low as possible:

Tip 1: Find out where you can fill up cheaply

The fuel prices can differ greatly from one filling station to another. For example, filling up along the motorway is often more expensive than filling up at a local station. Nowadays there are also apps that allow you to easily see the current fuel price at each filling station in your area. So you can easily see where you can fill up the cheapest in your neighbourhood.

Tip 2: Save on car insurance

Take a look at your car insurance. Is your car a bit older? Then maybe you don't necessarily need the most extensive coverage, but a third-party car insurance is enough. Also check if you have double coverage. If you already have a separate breakdown cover, you don't need to include it in your car insurance again.

Tip 3: Regularly check your car's tyre pressure

Regularly checking the tyre pressure can also save you money. A car with insufficient tyre pressure often uses more fuel than necessary. Many petrol stations offer the option of checking tyre pressure. This allows you to check it, for example, every month after refuelling so that it does not take up any extra time.

Tip 4: Watch your driving style

A very easy way to save on costs is to watch your driving style. Think about this:

  • Driving fast = more consumption
  • Try to brake as little as possible and let the car coast a bit more often.
  • Choose the right gear
  • Make sure you have the right tyres in every season. So winter tyres in the winter and summer tyres in the summer.

Tip 5: Maintain the car properly

By maintaining the car properly, you reduce the risk of defects. Have your car checked regularly, don't let repairs take too long and get advice from a garage or mechanic. If you are a bit handy, you may be able to carry out small repairs yourself. Think about replacing a light bulb and topping up oil, brake and coolant. Or maybe you know a handy family member.

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  • To calculate premiums, we need the zip code of the primary driver. For private use, the youngest driver must reside at the same address as the applicant. In case of business use, you can enter the postal code of the company here.

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