Auto Lease Calculator
Updated on Jul. 01, 2025
Use Bankrate's auto lease calculator to estimate how much leasing your next car will cost. To get an accurate result, you will need to enter some basic information about the vehicle you want to lease, including:
- MSRP, or manufacturer's suggested retail price, is the base price of a vehicle.
- Final negotiated price, which includes any incentives, down payment or deposit.
- Down payment, or the amount of money you pay upfront to lease.
- Sales tax rate in your primary state of residence.
- Length of the lease — usually 12 to 36 months.
- New car lending rate, which may be represented as either annual percentage rate (APR) or a factor rate.
- Car's value after the lease ends, also known as residual value.
The calculator will estimate your total monthly payment — before and after tax — as well as the capitalized cost, lease price, residual value, depreciation and lease fees.
Bankrate's lease vs. buy calculator
If you're not sure about whether to lease or buy your next car, explore how much each will cost with Bankrate's calculator.
Learn moreTerms to know
Before you sign any lease agreement, familiarize yourself with common terms your lessor may use.
- Capitalized cost
- Also called cap cost, this is the amount you finance with the lease. If you were buying a car, it would be the selling price. For a lease, the capitalized cost is a basic element of a car lease agreement and the main number used to determine depreciation and monthly payment.
- Depreciation fee
- The depreciation fee is the cost of depreciation spread out through your monthly payments. If the vehicle is worth $30,000 and is estimated to depreciate by $10,000, you will pay $10,000 in depreciation spread over your lease period. For a 36-month lease, this is equal to a monthly depreciation fee of around $280.
- Down payment
- A down payment reduces your monthly payment, taxes and other fees. However, if something happens to a leased car, you won’t get that money back — your insurance will reimburse the lessor, not you. Experts recommend against making a large down payment on leased vehicles for this reason.
- MSRP
- The MSRP is the cost a manufacturer recommends for its vehicles before negotiation. You can find the MSRP for every vehicle on the manufacturer’s website or third-party resources like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.
- Residual value
- Residual value is the estimated value of a vehicle after the lease period ends. It is used to determine your monthly payments and will be the price you pay if you decide to buy the vehicle after leasing. Like a car's MSRP, you can find the residual value estimates on sites such as Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds.
Additional resources about car leases
Car leasing laws you should know
Leasing companies must tell you all of the terms of the deal they are offering you. And there are lease rules you’ll need to follow, too.
Lease buyout: When and how to buy out your car lease
Learn about the process and key considerations for a lease buyout, including financial factors and assessing the car's condition.
10 car leasing traps you should avoid
Leasing a car could cost you more than you expect. Before you head to the dealership, learn about 10 car leasing traps to avoid.
Car-lease incentives: What you need to know
Car lease incentives offered by manufacturers can shrink your monthly payment or help you save on interest. But read the fine print before you pounce.
