Ask how much a car costs and most people quote the sticker price or the monthly payment. But the payment is the same in every state — what changes is everything that comes after it: insurance, gas and registration. Those running costs decide how much car your income can really support.
We ran the same $35,000 vehicle, driven 13,500 miles a year, through Cash Pedal's cost model for all 50 states and Washington D.C. The result: the identical car costs $2,964 more per year to run in New York than in Idaho.
Key findings
- Most expensive: New York ($623/mo), Nevada ($619/mo), California ($613/mo), Florida ($606/mo), Colorado ($581/mo).
- Least expensive: Idaho ($376/mo), North Dakota ($383/mo), Vermont ($385/mo), Ohio ($390/mo), Tennessee ($398/mo).
- Insurance drives the gap. Premiums range from $133 to $379 a month for the same car — a bigger swing than gas and registration combined.
- It changes the salary you need. Add the $664 loan payment (20% down, 48 months at 6.5% APR) and keep the total at 15% of income: you'd need about $102,961 in New York, but $83,201 in Idaho.
Full ranking: monthly running costs of a $35,000 car
Running costs exclude the loan payment, which is the same everywhere. Maintenance is held constant at $95/month so the ranking isolates what your state controls.
| # | State | Insurance | Gas | Registration | Total / month | Total / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $371 | $150 | $7 | $623 | $7,476 |
| 2 | Nevada | $325 | $158 | $41 | $619 | $7,428 |
| 3 | California | $283 | $192 | $43 | $613 | $7,356 |
| 4 | Florida | $379 | $129 | $3 | $606 | $7,272 |
| 5 | Colorado | $288 | $133 | $65 | $581 | $6,972 |
| 6 | Louisiana | $363 | $117 | $3 | $578 | $6,936 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $246 | $142 | $63 | $546 | $6,552 |
| 8 | Arizona | $242 | $150 | $52 | $539 | $6,468 |
| 9 | Michigan | $283 | $138 | $22 | $538 | $6,456 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $296 | $138 | $5 | $534 | $6,408 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $271 | $142 | $9 | $517 | $6,204 |
| 12 | Washington D.C. | $258 | $150 | $7 | $510 | $6,120 |
| 13 | Maryland | $275 | $133 | $7 | $510 | $6,120 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $188 | $146 | $81 | $510 | $6,120 |
| 15 | Missouri | $233 | $117 | $61 | $506 | $6,072 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $233 | $133 | $41 | $502 | $6,024 |
| 17 | Virginia | $188 | $129 | $86 | $498 | $5,976 |
| 18 | Delaware | $263 | $129 | $3 | $490 | $5,880 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $238 | $121 | $34 | $488 | $5,856 |
| 20 | Georgia | $263 | $121 | $2 | $481 | $5,772 |
| 21 | Kansas | $221 | $117 | $44 | $477 | $5,724 |
| 22 | Alaska | $217 | $158 | $4 | $474 | $5,688 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $254 | $117 | $8 | $474 | $5,688 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $225 | $142 | $7 | $469 | $5,628 |
| 25 | Montana | $217 | $138 | $18 | $468 | $5,616 |
| 26 | Illinois | $217 | $142 | $13 | $467 | $5,604 |
| 27 | Maine | $154 | $138 | $80 | $467 | $5,604 |
| 28 | Texas | $246 | $121 | $5 | $467 | $5,604 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $167 | $133 | $63 | $458 | $5,496 |
| 30 | Washington | $175 | $167 | $20 | $457 | $5,484 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $196 | $129 | $35 | $455 | $5,460 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $154 | $196 | $6 | $451 | $5,412 |
| 33 | Oregon | $192 | $158 | $6 | $451 | $5,412 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $217 | $125 | $3 | $440 | $5,280 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $183 | $121 | $41 | $440 | $5,280 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $221 | $117 | $2 | $435 | $5,220 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $163 | $129 | $46 | $433 | $5,196 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $163 | $117 | $54 | $429 | $5,148 |
| 39 | Utah | $188 | $142 | $4 | $429 | $5,148 |
| 40 | Iowa | $175 | $125 | $33 | $428 | $5,136 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $204 | $125 | $3 | $427 | $5,124 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $196 | $125 | $3 | $419 | $5,028 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $167 | $125 | $32 | $419 | $5,028 |
| 44 | Indiana | $154 | $129 | $39 | $417 | $5,004 |
| 45 | Alabama | $196 | $121 | $4 | $416 | $4,992 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $175 | $133 | $8 | $411 | $4,932 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $179 | $121 | $3 | $398 | $4,776 |
| 48 | Ohio | $167 | $125 | $3 | $390 | $4,680 |
| 49 | Vermont | $138 | $142 | $10 | $385 | $4,620 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $163 | $121 | $4 | $383 | $4,596 |
| 51 | Idaho | $133 | $142 | $6 | $376 | $4,512 |
What this means if you're shopping
If you live near the top of this list, a "$664 a month" car is really closer to $1,287 a month. Budget from the all-in number, not the payment. Getting insurance quotes before you pick a car matters more in high-premium states, and in states with value-based registration fees, a cheaper car saves you every single year.
Want your own numbers? The Cash Pedal affordability calculator detects your state and works out the most car your salary supports, and the true cost of ownership calculator prices a specific make and model for your ZIP code. For quick answers, see our affordability guides by salary and car price.
Methodology
Insurance is modelled from 2025 state average full-coverage premiums (Bankrate/Quadrant) scaled to the vehicle's value; gas uses state average fuel prices at 28 MPG and 13,500 miles a year; registration applies each state's flat and value-based fees for a new $35,000 vehicle. Figures are estimates for comparison, not quotes — your premium depends on your driving record, credit and coverage.