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Car Affordability Calculator

A $450 monthly budget at 6.5% APR over 60 months supports a loan of about $22,999, which with $3,000 down and 6% sales tax works out to a vehicle price near $24,527. Enter your own budget below.

Details

Monthly payment budget ($)

Interest rate (% APR)

Term (months)

Down payment ($)

Trade-in value ($)

ZIP code (auto-fills below)

Sales tax (%)

Results

Affordable car price -

Maximum loan -

Estimated tax -

Total budget -

Estimates only. Confirm exact terms with your lender or dealer.

By Jessica Martinez, Contributing Writer, Business & Finance · Updated 2026-07-02

How much car can a given monthly budget afford?

We turn your monthly payment budget into the maximum loan it supports (reverse amortization), then add your down payment and trade-in and account for sales tax to find an affordable vehicle price.

Rule of thumb: keep total car costs (payment, insurance, fuel) under about 15-20% of take-home pay.

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Good to know

FAQs

How much car can I afford?

Start from a comfortable monthly payment; we convert it to an affordable price with your down payment and tax.

What payment is reasonable?

Many keep the car payment under 10-15% of monthly take-home pay.

Does a trade-in help?

Yes - it lowers the loan needed and can reduce taxable price.

Should I include insurance?

Budget for it separately; this tool focuses on price and loan payment.

Is this financial advice?

No - it’s an estimate to guide your budgeting.