Advanced Car Lease Payment Calculator
Estimate your monthly car lease payments using the industry-standard formula.
How Car Lease Payments are Calculated
Unlike a traditional car loan where you pay for the entire value of the vehicle plus interest, a lease payment is primarily based on the depreciation of the car over the term of the lease. Here are the core components of the calculation:
- Gross Capitalized Cost: The agreed-upon price of the vehicle, plus any added fees or taxes you choose to finance.
- Capitalized Cost Reductions: This includes your down payment, trade-in value, and any manufacturer rebates. Subtracting this from the Gross Cap Cost gives you the Adjusted Capitalized Cost.
- Residual Value: This is the predicted value of the car at the end of the lease term, expressed as a percentage of the original MSRP.
- Money Factor: This is the lease version of an interest rate. To convert a Money Factor to an APR, multiply it by 2,400. For example, a .00125 money factor equals a 3.0% APR.
The Three-Step Formula
1. Monthly Depreciation: (Adjusted Cap Cost – Residual Value) / Lease Term
2. Monthly Rent Charge: (Adjusted Cap Cost + Residual Value) * Money Factor
3. Total Payment: (Depreciation + Rent Charge) + Sales Tax
Example Calculation
Imagine a car with an MSRP of $40,000 and a sales price of $38,000. You put $2,000 down. The 36-month residual is 60% ($24,000), and the money factor is 0.0015. Your depreciation is ($36,000 – $24,000) / 36 = $333.33. Your rent charge is ($36,000 + $24,000) * 0.0015 = $90.00. Before tax, your payment is $423.33.