Lease Calculator
Lease Payment Calculator works out Base monthly payment and Estimated monthly payment from Solve for, Adjusted capitalized cost and Residual value. The default figures on this page give estimated monthly payment of 433.33; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
5 steps
- Monthly depreciation = (30000 - 18000) / 36 = 333.33
- Monthly rent charge = 3600 / 36 = 100
- Base monthly payment = 333.33 + 100 = 433.33
- Estimated payment = base + entered tax and fees = 433.33 + 0 = 433.33
- Money factor = 100 / (30000 + 18000) = 0.002083, i.e. 5% APR
Its 5 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed
Sources and references
3 sources
Keep this result
Save it, change one figure, then compare the two
The calculation stays free. Save this scenario, adjust one assumption, save that too, and put them side by side to see exactly what the change costs you. A free account keeps 5 scenarios and 2 comparisons; Personal makes both unlimited and adds exports and private links. Nothing is saved unless you press Save.
What the Lease Payment Calculator calculates
Estimates the base and total monthly payment on a closed-end vehicle or equipment lease from the adjusted capitalized cost, residual value, term and rent charge, and can solve backwards for the money factor or the capitalized cost a payment supports.
How to use this Lease Payment Calculator
Enter Solve for, Adjusted capitalized cost, Residual value and Lease term. Base monthly payment updates as you type, and “Use a worked example” loads checked figures you can adjust. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Base monthly payment, Estimated monthly payment and Monthly depreciation.
The method follows 12 CFR 1013.4 (Regulation M) - Content of disclosures, CFPB - What should I know about leasing versus buying a car? and Edmunds - Calculate Your Own Car Lease Payment.
Research case R80-GT-1: 30,000 cap cost, 18,000 residual, 36 months, 3,600 rent charge example
With Adjusted capitalized cost: 30000, Residual value: 18000, Lease term: 36, Total rent charge: 3600, the calculator returns Base monthly payment: 433.333333, Monthly depreciation: 333.333333. This example is checked against an independent source in the test suite.
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Base monthly payment, Estimated monthly payment and Monthly depreciation. The inputs you can vary are Solve for, Adjusted capitalized cost, Residual value, Lease term, How the rent charge is stated and Total rent charge.
Understanding Base monthly payment, Estimated monthly payment and Monthly depreciation
This is an estimate built from the figures you entered. Only the lessor's own lease agreement and Regulation M disclosures are binding.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1.5% rule when leasing a car?
On the figures this page opens with — adjusted capitalized cost 30,000, residual value 18,000 and total rent charge 3,600 — the estimated monthly payment is 433.33. No single number fits everyone: change any figure above and the answer updates as you type, with each step of the arithmetic beside it.
How much would a lease be on a $30,000 car?
It needs Solve for, Adjusted capitalized cost, Residual value, Lease term, How the rent charge is stated and Total rent charge. Nothing else is required, and the figures stay in your browser.
How much is a lease payment on a $70,000 car?
The result gives Base monthly payment, Estimated monthly payment, Monthly depreciation, Monthly rent charge, Total rent charge and Total depreciation, each labelled with its unit so the figure can be read on its own.
What is the average lease payment for a $50,000 car?
The page opens with worked default figures: estimated monthly payment of 433.33. Replace them with your own and every figure updates as you type.
What information do I need for the Lease Payment Calculator?
You need Solve for, Adjusted capitalized cost, Residual value, Lease term, How the rent charge is stated, Total rent charge, Money factor and Monthly taxes and recurring fees. The page opens with default figures that give estimated monthly payment of 433.33, so you can see the scale before entering your own.
What does this Lease Payment Calculator show?
It shows Base monthly payment, Estimated monthly payment, Monthly depreciation, Monthly rent charge, Total rent charge, Total depreciation, Money factor and Equivalent APR, with the working and any warnings for your entries.