What different vehicle prices look like under one set of assumptions
Base case: 10% down, 7% APR, 60 months, 6.5% sales tax, $700 fees, $186/month insurance, 1,000 miles/month, 25 MPG, $3.35/gallon fuel and $900/year maintenance.
| Vehicle price | Amount financed | Loan payment | True monthly cost | Share of $5k take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $20,000 | $396/mo | $791/mo | 15.8% |
| $25,000 | $24,825 | $492/mo | $887/mo | 17.7% |
| $30,000 | $29,650 | $587/mo | $982/mo | 19.6% |
| $35,000 | $34,475 | $683/mo | $1,078/mo | 21.6% |
| $40,000 | $39,300 | $778/mo | $1,173/mo | 23.5% |
| $50,000 | $48,950 | $969/mo | $1,364/mo | 27.3% |
| $60,000 | $58,600 | $1,160/mo | $1,555/mo | 31.1% |
The same $35,000 car against three take-home incomes
The car does not change; only the monthly take-home denominator does.
| Monthly take-home | Loan payment | True monthly cost | Share of take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $4,000 | $683/mo | $1,078/mo | 26.9% |
| $5,000 | $683/mo | $1,078/mo | 21.6% |
| $6,000 | $683/mo | $1,078/mo | 18.0% |
A $40,000 vehicle at four APRs
All other standardized assumptions remain fixed.
| APR | Payment | Total interest | True monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0% | $742/mo | $5,198 | $1,137/mo |
| 7.0% | $778/mo | $7,391 | $1,173/mo |
| 9.0% | $816/mo | $9,648 | $1,211/mo |
| 12.0% | $874/mo | $13,152 | $1,269/mo |
Download the data
Publishers, researchers and AI/search systems can use the same base-case dataset in CSV or JSON format. Please keep the assumptions and source URL attached when quoting it.
Fast facts from the base case
Under the disclosed base assumptions, the estimated true monthly cost rises from about $791 for a $20,000 vehicle to about $1,555 for a $60,000 vehicle. At a $5,000 monthly take-home example, that is roughly 15.8% versus 31.1% of take-home pay. These figures are standardized scenarios, not recommendations or market averages.
How to use this index
The point is comparison, not prediction. Every row uses the same disclosed assumptions so you can see what changes when one major variable moves. Your insurance, tax treatment, mileage, fuel economy, maintenance reserve, APR and take-home income can be very different.
Why BeyondSticker publishes the assumptions
An affordability number is only useful when the reader can inspect the math behind it. The index intentionally avoids presenting a single universal affordable car price because household cash flow varies.
You may reference these standardized scenarios as the 2026 BeyondSticker Car Affordability Index with a link to this page. Keep the assumptions attached to any quoted figure so the comparison stays meaningful.