What salary do I need to afford a £30,000 car?

On HP with a £3,000 deposit over 60 months at 6.9% APR, a £30,000 car costs about £533 a month. Keeping that within 15% of take-home needs a salary of roughly £55,000 (2026/27 tax and NI). On PCP with a 40% balloon over 48 months, about £427 a month, which needs roughly £42,600 at 15%. Remember the PCP balloon of about £12,000 if you want to keep the car.

Can I afford a £30k car on a £30k salary?

Not comfortably on finance. Take-home on £30,000 is about £2,090 a month, so a £533 HP payment would be over 25% of take-home and even a £427 PCP payment would be about 20%. A budget of 10–15% (£210–£315) fits a car of roughly £11,000–£15,000 with a £2,000 deposit over 48 months.

How much is a £30,000 car per month?

With a 10% deposit at 6.9% APR: about £645 a month on HP over 48 months, £533 on HP over 60 months, or £427 on PCP over 48 months with a 40% balloon. A higher APR increases this: at 9.9%, 60-month HP is about £572.

Is a £30,000 car more expensive to tax?

Not because of the price alone. The expensive car supplement (£440 a year for five years from the second year of tax) applies to petrol and diesel cars with a list price over £40,000, and to electric cars registered from 1 April 2025 with a list price over £50,000. A £30,000 car pays the £200 standard rate from the second year (2026/27 rates).

Should I buy a £30,000 car new or used?

A used car that cost £30,000 new may be available for much less after a few years, which can bring it within reach on a lower salary. Check its history, MOT record and remaining warranty before buying.

Can I afford a £30,000 car?

Short answer: on HP over five years with a 10% deposit, a £30,000 car costs about £533 a month at 6.9% APR. To keep that within 15% of take-home pay you would need a salary of roughly £55,000. On PCP the monthly cost is lower (about £427), so roughly £42,600 at 15%, but you would owe a final payment of around £12,000 to keep the car. The calculator is pre-filled for a £30,000 car so you can test your own deposit, term and rate.

Reviewed by: Oliver Burton, Editor · Last updated: 09 October 2026

Monthly payment

Amount financed: £27,000
Estimated monthly payment: £533
Total interest: £5,002
Total repayable: £32,002

Disclaimer

This calculator is for estimation only. It is not financial advice and does not represent a lending decision. Your actual affordability and car finance options in the UK depend on your circumstances and the lender's criteria.

What a £30,000 car costs each month

Deal (10% deposit, 6.9% APR)	Monthly	Paid over the term	Left to pay
HP, 48 months	£645	£30,970 + £3,000 deposit	Nothing
HP, 60 months	£533	£32,000 + £3,000 deposit	Nothing
PCP, 48 months (40% balloon)	£427	£20,500 + £3,000 deposit	£12,000 balloon

Rounded. Real PCP balloons depend on the car, mileage and term. Excludes fees.

If you pay the balloon, PCP ends up costing about £35,500 in total versus about £35,000 on 60-month HP in this example, so PCP is not cheaper overall; it moves cost to the end.

Salary needed for common car prices

Car price	HP 60m / month	Salary at 15%	Salary at 20%	PCP 48m / month	Salary at 15%
£20,000	£356	~£34,600	~£24,700	£285	~£26,800
£25,000	£444	~£44,500	~£32,200	£356	~£34,700
£30,000	£533	~£55,400	~£39,600	£427	~£42,600
£40,000	£711	~£79,900	~£55,400	£570	~£60,400

10% deposit, 6.9% APR, PCP balloon 40%. Salary is the gross figure whose 2026/27 take-home (standard tax code, England/Wales/NI, no pension or student loan) makes the payment 15% or 20% of take-home, before other debts.

20% is the top of most rules of thumb and leaves little slack. If you already have loan or credit card repayments, subtract them from take-home first, which raises the salary needed.

Ways to make a £30k car more affordable

Bigger deposit: £6,000 down cuts 60-month HP to about £474 a month; £10,000 down, about £395.
Better rate: the difference between 6.9% and 9.9% APR is about £39 a month on 60-month HP.
Nearly new: an £18,000 used example of the same model on 60-month HP with a 10% deposit is about £320 a month.
PCP: lower payments, but only if you are comfortable with the balloon or handing the car back.

Compare deal types with the PCP vs HP calculator, or start from your income with the car affordability calculator.

Running costs on a £30,000 car

A £30,000 car is below both expensive car supplement thresholds (over £40,000 for petrol and diesel; over £50,000 for electric cars registered from April 2025), so from the second year it pays the £200 standard rate of vehicle tax. Insurance can be significant on newer, higher-value cars, so get a quote before you commit. For electric options, see electric car running costs.

By salary

£30k salary £40k salary £50k salary £60k salary

Frequently asked questions

What salary do I need to afford a £30,000 car?: On HP with a £3,000 deposit over 60 months at 6.9% APR, a £30,000 car costs about £533 a month. Keeping that within 15% of take-home needs a salary of roughly £55,000 (2026/27 tax and NI). On PCP with a 40% balloon over 48 months, about £427 a month, which needs roughly £42,600 at 15%. Remember the PCP balloon of about £12,000 if you want to keep the car.
Can I afford a £30k car on a £30k salary?: Not comfortably on finance. Take-home on £30,000 is about £2,090 a month, so a £533 HP payment would be over 25% of take-home and even a £427 PCP payment would be about 20%. A budget of 10–15% (£210–£315) fits a car of roughly £11,000–£15,000 with a £2,000 deposit over 48 months.
How much is a £30,000 car per month?: With a 10% deposit at 6.9% APR: about £645 a month on HP over 48 months, £533 on HP over 60 months, or £427 on PCP over 48 months with a 40% balloon. A higher APR increases this: at 9.9%, 60-month HP is about £572.
Is a £30,000 car more expensive to tax?: Not because of the price alone. The expensive car supplement (£440 a year for five years from the second year of tax) applies to petrol and diesel cars with a list price over £40,000, and to electric cars registered from 1 April 2025 with a list price over £50,000. A £30,000 car pays the £200 standard rate from the second year (2026/27 rates).
Should I buy a £30,000 car new or used?: A used car that cost £30,000 new may be available for much less after a few years, which can bring it within reach on a lower salary. Check its history, MOT record and remaining warranty before buying.

Sources & notes

Our calculators and guides draw on publicly available UK guidance. We review content periodically but do not guarantee that external sources remain unchanged. See our about page for how we use these tools.

MoneyHelper – How to find the right way to buy a car
General guidance on budgeting and car finance options in the UK.
MoneyHelper – Work out your budget
Household budgeting principles used alongside affordability rules of thumb.
FCA – Consumer credit and your rights
Regulatory context for regulated car finance agreements.
FCA Handbook – CONC 5.2A (creditworthiness and affordability)
How FCA-regulated lenders must assess affordability (illustrative reference).
Black Horse – Car finance (sample lender information)
Example of how a major UK motor-finance provider describes its products.
Santander – Car finance (sample lender information)
Example lender product information; rates and criteria vary by provider.

Compliance notes

Car Affordability UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We do not provide regulated financial advice, credit broking or lending.
Calculator outputs are illustrative estimates based on the inputs you provide and published third-party guidance. They are not quotes, offers of credit or lending decisions.
FCA-regulated lenders apply their own affordability assessments, which may differ from the percentage rules of thumb used on this site. Always check formal terms before signing any agreement.
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