What does a car cost per month?

On average, what does a car cost per month?

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

Fixed costs

There are some costs for your car that recur every month. Also, the amount of these costs is fixed. You should consider the following fixed costs:

• Car Insurance
• Road tax
• Depreciation
• Fixed maintenance

Car Insurance

In the Netherlands, it is mandatory to have at least third-party car insurance. This is the basic coverage. You can also choose more extensive coverage, such as WA + Limited Casco or all-risk insurance. Of course, the more extensive the coverage, the higher the monthly premium. In addition to the standard coverage, you can choose additional insurances. Frequently chosen insurances are the accident passenger insurance and the damage passenger insurance. These policies pay out an amount in the event of damage to the occupants or the occupants' belongings as a result of an accident. You can also include legal assistance and even roadside assistance. The more additional insurances you take out, the higher the monthly premium.

Road tax

Like every other road user in the Netherlands, you must pay motor vehicle tax, also known as road tax. How much 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 environmentally polluting the car is, and the region where you live. With the Tax Office's road tax calculator, you can already calculate how much road tax you will have to pay for the car you have in mind.

Depreciation

Car depreciation is not a fixed amount you pay every month, but it is a fixed cost that you have to deal with when you sell your car again. In fact, after purchase, your car becomes worth a little less each month. This is because your car is getting older by the day. Therefore, when you sell your car after a number of years, you get less money for it than you paid for it when you bought it. This is why depreciation is an important cost to include in the calculation.

Fixed maintenance

Finally, every car owner faces maintenance costs. For example, the car must undergo annual MOT inspection. In the MOT report you receive are repair, advisory and rejection points. On this basis it is determined whether your car is approved or rejected. If repair and rejection points come out of the inspection you will have to have them repaired.

Variable costs

In addition to the fixed costs for your car, there are also variable costs. These costs depend on how you use your car. The amount of the cost 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 per month on fuel depends, of course, on how often you use your car. If you drive quite a bit 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 may also vary from month to month. Perhaps you drive longer distances in the summer because you go out more often than in the winter. So in that case, you will also use more fuel in the summer. The type of car you drive and your driving style also affect your fuel consumption. For example, a heavier car consumes more fuel than a lighter car. And if you like to drive fast and accelerate a lot, the car will also consume more fuel. Finally, fuel prices can change. For example, you will pay more for a fill-up one month than the next.

Maintenance and repair costs

Maintenance costs have also been mentioned under fixed costs, but there the main focus was on servicing, such as the MOT inspection. In addition, as a car owner, you also face variable maintenance and repair costs. For example, if you use your car frequently, the tires wear out faster. At some point, the tires then need to be replaced. Other parts also need maintenance, such as the brakes and windshield wipers, as well as oil refills. How high these costs are depends on the part that needs to be replaced.

Car insurance? Calculate your premium!

What does car insurance cost per month?

Let's take another look at the monthly cost of car insurance. In fact, these can vary greatly from person to person and car to car. On average, car insurance costs about 75 euros per month. However, you may also 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 claim-free years you have accumulated. By looking at these factors, the insurer determines the amount of the premium. In addition to the premium for the coverage and for the additional coverage, you also pay policy costs (costs for preparing the policy and registering the car with the RDW), prolongation costs (administration costs) and 21% insurance tax.

What does an electric car cost per month?

It is generally thought that electric cars are more expensive than a gasoline, diesel or gas car. This may indeed be true, but is not necessarily a given. Purchase costs for an electric car are indeed often more expensive. Maintenance costs need not be more expensive than, say, a gasoline-powered car. In fact, with an electric car you spend less money on regular maintenance, because things like oil changes and clutch or timing belt replacement are not an issue. The tires and brakes can wear out, of course. The biggest potential expense is replacing the battery pack.

In addition, with an electric car you obviously do not have fuel costs, but energy costs. What you spend on this per month depends on the use of the car, but also on the charging station. The cheapest way is to charge at home at your own charging station. You then pay the same electricity rate as you pay at home. You already pay more for charging at a public charging station, but fast charging along the highway is the most expensive. So charging costs depend on the method of charging, but they are almost always lower than the fuel cost of a comparable gasoline-powered car. Finally, of course, you have the cost of insuring the electric car.

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

It makes sense that you would like to save as much as possible on the monthly cost of a car. That's why we've listed a few tips that will help you keep the cost of a car as low as possible:

Tip 1: Look where you can fill up cheaply

Fuel prices can vary greatly from one gas station to another. For example, refueling along the highway is in many cases more expensive than at a local gas station. Nowadays there are also apps that allow you to very easily see the current fuel price per gas station in your area. This way you can easily see where you can fill up cheapest in your area.

Tip 2: Save on car insurance

Take a look at your car insurance. Is your car a little older? If so, you may not necessarily need the most extensive coverage; a third-party car insurance policy will suffice. Also check to see if you may have duplicate additional coverages. If you already have a separate roadside assistance insurance, you do not need to insure this again with your car insurance.

Tip 3: Regularly check the car's tire pressure

Checking tire pressure regularly can also save you money. This is because a car with underinflated tires often uses more fuel than necessary. Many gas stations offer the option of checking tire pressure. This allows you to check it, for example, monthly after refueling, so that it does not take extra time.

Tip 4: Pay attention to your driving style

A very easy way to save on costs is to pay attention to your driving style. Consider:

• Driving hard = consuming more
• Try to brake as little as possible and let the car coast a little more often
• Choose the right gear
• Make sure you have the right tires in each season. So winter tires in winter and summer tires in summer

Tip 5: Maintain the car properly

By properly maintaining the car, you reduce the chances of defects. Have the car checked regularly, don't let repairs sit for too long, and get advice from a garage or mechanic. If you are a little handy, you may be able to do minor repairs yourself. For example, change a light bulb and top up oil, brake and coolant. Or maybe you know a handy family member.