Personal finance

Car Lease Calculator

Enter the capitalized cost, residual value, term and money factor to estimate the monthly payment.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • Updated for 2026

Lease terms

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Enter the lease terms to see the monthly payment.

Worked example

With these example inputs:

  • Capitalized cost$35,000
  • Residual value$21,000
  • Lease term (months)36
  • Money factor0.0025

Monthly lease payment: $529

  • Depreciation$389
  • Finance charge$140

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What this car lease calculator does

This calculator finds your monthly lease payment. You enter the cost, residual, term, and money factor. The tool then shows the payment in your currency. It splits into a depreciation and finance fee. This is a handy leasing tool. You can try other numbers too. The result helps you plan a lease.

What a lease payment is

A lease payment is what you pay to use a car. You do not buy the whole car. You pay for the value it loses. You also pay a finance charge. The same amount is due each month. So it covers use, not ownership. It is shown in your currency.

How it is calculated

The tool adds two parts together. The first is the depreciation fee. That is the cost minus the residual, split over the term. The second is the finance fee. That uses the money factor on the value. The calculator runs the numbers for you.

What the result tells you

The result shows your monthly lease payment. A car at thirty-five thousand with a residual of twenty-one thousand costs about five hundred thirty a month. A higher cost raises it. A higher residual lowers it. So it shows what the lease costs. It is a clear monthly figure.

The depreciation fee

The depreciation fee is the largest part. It is the value the car loses while you lease. You pay the gap between cost and residual. That gap is split evenly over the term. So a car that holds value costs less. A bigger drop costs more. It drives most of the payment.

The finance fee

The finance fee is like interest on a lease. It uses the money factor, a small decimal. Multiply the money factor by twenty-four hundred for a rough rate. A lower money factor means a cheaper lease. So shop the money factor like a rate. It adds to each payment. Ask the dealer for the number.

The residual value

The residual value is the car's worth at lease end. A higher residual means less to pay. So it lowers your monthly payment. It is set by the leasing company. A car that holds value leases cheaper. So the residual matters a lot. Compare it across cars.

How to use it

Enter the cost first. Add the residual, term, and money factor. Read your monthly payment in the currency you pick. Then run it with new values. Compare a few cars and terms. See how each one moves the payment. Use it to plan a lease.

The limits of this calculator

Every tool has its limits. It shows the base monthly payment only. It does not include tax or fees. It ignores any down payment. A dealer may add other charges. So treat it as a rough guide. So treat the number with care.

Common mistakes to avoid

A common mistake is ignoring the money factor. A high one quietly raises the cost. Another is overlooking the residual. It shapes the payment as much as the price. Some forget about tax and fees. Others skip comparing cars. Clear math helps you steer around them.

A final tip

Use this to plan a lease. Remember the payment covers depreciation and finance. Watch the money factor closely. Compare the residual across cars. Add tax and fees to the total. Do not focus on the price alone. A careful pass makes the number reliable.

Frequently asked questions

How is a lease payment calculated?

It combines depreciation, the cost minus residual spread over the term, with a finance charge from the money factor. A $35,000 car with a $21,000 residual over 36 months at a 0.0025 factor is about $529 a month.

What is the money factor?

It is the lease equivalent of an interest rate, usually a small decimal. Multiply it by 2,400 to see the rough annual percentage rate it represents.