Money MoveThe Real Cost of a Car Payment Is Not the Monthly Number. It Is Everything Around It.
A viral video reminded 600,000 people that car payments aren't normal. Here's the math they didn't show you.
By Mira·March 3, 2026·1 min read
TL;DR
The average new car payment is $734 per month. But the real cost of financing a vehicle, including insurance premiums tied to loan requirements, interest over 72 months, depreciation during the loan period, and gap coverage, pushes the true monthly burden past $1,100 for most buyers. Here is how the math actually works.