Car Affordability Calculator
What price car can you afford based on your monthly budget?
Interactive calculator
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$
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%
years
Result
Max car price
$27,457
Max loan amount
$22,457
What it is
Reverse the loan math: pick a monthly payment you can live with, and find the car price that fits.
The formula
Loan = PMT × (1 − (1 + r)^−n) ÷ r Price = Loan + Down + Trade
Why it matters
Rule of thumb: total monthly transportation cost (payment + insurance + gas + maintenance) under 15–20% of take-home.
Worked examples
Try the example
Use the defaults above as a starting point — then adjust the inputs to match your situation.
Common pitfalls
- Double-check the units on every input — most errors come from mixing units.
- Round at the end, not in the middle of the formula.
Frequently asked questions
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