Car affordability calculator UK
See how much car you can afford based on your income, deposit and affordability preference. We estimate your monthly take-home from your salary if you don't enter it, then work out a suggested monthly payment and maximum car budget. This is an estimate only—not financial advice or a lending decision.
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 criteria of individual UK lenders. Always check real quotes from lenders or speak to a regulated financial adviser before committing.
Quick answer: how much car can I afford?
Many UK guides suggest keeping your monthly car finance payment within 10–15% of your net (take-home) income, and only going up to around 20% if you have few other commitments and are comfortable spending more on the car. For example, if your take-home pay is £2,000 per month, a typical safe range for the finance payment alone is roughly £200–£300 per month.
This calculator applies those percentages to your UK income and outgoings to estimate a maximum monthly payment and car price. You can then adjust the deposit, term and APR to see what feels affordable for you.
Calculator
Your affordability result
Stretch- Recommended max monthly payment
- £348
- Estimated max car budget
- £16,552
- Estimated finance amount
- £14,552
- Total interest
- £2,142
- Total repayable
- £16,693
Based on your income and 15% affordability, you could put around 348 per month towards a car. Over 48 months at the rate you entered, that supports a finance amount of about 14552. With your deposit, your total car budget is approximately 16552. This is an estimate only—actual offers depend on lender criteria.
Check your finance options
Use the calculators on this site to see a rough budget, then check live offers with UK finance providers. We are not a lender and we do not make lending decisions—everything here is an estimate only.
Calculators run in your browser and do not store personal details.
How the calculator works
We start with your annual salary and optionally your actual monthly take-home. If you don't provide take-home, we use a simple UK approximation for tax and National Insurance. We then subtract any monthly committed outgoings you enter (e.g. rent, other loans) to get your adjusted net income.
Your affordable car payment is a percentage of that: 10% (conservative), 15% (standard), or 20% (aggressive). From that monthly payment, the APR and term you choose, we calculate the maximum loan amount. Adding your deposit gives your total maximum car budget.
Why use an affordability percentage?
Lenders and guides often suggest keeping total car costs (finance, insurance, fuel, tax) within a slice of your income so you can still cover housing, bills and savings. The 10–20% range is a rule of thumb for the finance payment alone; the rest of your budget should allow for running costs. Conservative (10%) suits tighter budgets; aggressive (20%) assumes you have few other commitments and are comfortable spending more on the car.
How your deposit changes the result
A larger deposit means you borrow less, so for the same monthly payment you can afford a higher total car price—or the same car with a lower monthly payment. Try increasing the deposit in the calculator to see how it shifts your maximum car budget. If you have no deposit, use zero; the result shows the most you could finance without a lump sum (subject to lender rules, which often require a minimum deposit).
What to do with your result
Use the suggested maximum car budget and monthly payment as a ceiling when shopping. Compare real finance offers from UK lenders and brokers—actual rates and terms will vary. If you are also considering leasing, use the same monthly budget to compare lease deals; see our leasing affordability page for more on that.
Compare car finance offers
Use the calculators on this site to see a rough budget, then check live offers with UK finance providers. We are not a lender and we do not make lending decisions—everything here is an estimate only.
Calculators run in your browser and do not store personal details.
Car affordability calculator UK – frequently asked questions
What is a car affordability calculator UK?
A car affordability calculator UK helps you estimate how much you can spend on a car based on your income, outgoings, deposit and repayment term. Ours uses UK tax and typical affordability rules to suggest a monthly payment and maximum car budget. It is a guide only, not a lending decision.
How is my affordable monthly payment worked out?
We take your estimated monthly take-home (or your override), subtract any committed outgoings you enter, then apply an affordability percentage. Conservative is 10%, standard 15%, and aggressive 20% of that net figure. UK lenders use their own rules, so this is only a guide.
What if I don't know my take-home pay?
Leave the monthly take-home override blank. We estimate it from your annual salary using a simple UK tax and National Insurance approximation. For a more accurate result, use your actual take-home from your payslip.
Is this a guarantee I can borrow this amount?
No. This calculator is an estimate only. Lenders decide affordability using their own criteria, your credit file, and other factors. Always check with UK lenders or a broker before committing.
What does conservative, standard and aggressive mean?
Conservative (10%) keeps car costs low relative to income. Standard (15%) is a middle ground. Aggressive (20%) assumes you are comfortable spending more on the car. Choose based on your other commitments and comfort level.