Car running cost calculator
Petrol at the pump is only part of it. Add rego, WOF, insurance and servicing to see the real weekly cost of keeping your car on the road.
What this means for you
See how fuel or energy costs compare to your fixed costs like insurance and rego.
Compare fuel types
Same distance, same fixed costs — see how the running cost changes by fuel type alone.
| Fuel type | Fuel/energy cost | Total per week |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | $0 | $0 |
| Hybrid | $0 | $0 |
| EV | $0 | $0 |
Your currently-selected fuel type is highlighted. This holds your distance, rego/WOF, insurance and servicing figures constant — only the fuel/energy cost and road user charges change.
Assumptions & sources
NZTA road user charge rates; typical NZ fuel and electricity prices; average rego, insurance and servicing costs by fuel type.
1 July 2026
17 July 2026
Sums fuel/energy cost, road user charges (diesel and EV only), registration, WOF, insurance and servicing, divided by 52 for a weekly figure.
Fuel or electricity, road user charges where applicable, registration, WOF, insurance and servicing/tyres.
Vehicle depreciation and any finance costs if you're paying off a loan — see the car depreciation and car finance calculators for those.
Related reading
How much does it really cost to own a car in NZ?
The sticker price is just the start — here's everything else a car actually costs to own in NZ, and how it adds up per week.
Read article →
EV vs petrol: which is cheaper to own in NZ in 2026?
Electric cars cost more upfront but less to run. Here's how the total cost of ownership actually compares in NZ.
Read article →What's in this estimate
This calculator adds together your fuel or electricity cost, road user charges (RUC) where applicable, registration (rego), warrant of fitness (WOF), insurance, and servicing/tyres to give a realistic annual and weekly running cost. Diesel and electric vehicles pay RUC — currently around $76 per 1,000km for light vehicles — instead of, or in addition to, fuel excise, which is why they're broken out separately.
It doesn't include depreciation, which for many vehicles is actually the single largest cost of ownership, or finance costs if you're paying the car off — use the car finance calculator alongside this one if that applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
It varies by vehicle, but a fuel-efficient hybrid at 12,000km/year might run $80-120 a week all-in, while a larger petrol car can be $140-180+ a week. Fuel and insurance are usually the biggest swing factors.
Yes, since 1 April 2024. EVs and plug-in hybrids pay RUC at roughly $76 per 1,000km for light vehicles, the same rate as diesel.
