{
    "name": "Auto Lease Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/auto-lease-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/auto-lease-calculator.md",
    "category": "Finance",
    "description": "Work out a car lease payment from the price, residual value, money factor or APR, term, down payment and tax, with the depreciation and rent charge split out.",
    "summary": "A car lease payment has two parts: the depreciation you use up (price minus residual value, spread over the term) and a rent charge, which is the money factor times the price plus the residual.",
    "also_called": [
        "Car lease calculator",
        "Money factor calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "msrp",
            "label": "MSRP (sticker price)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "40000"
        },
        {
            "name": "price",
            "label": "Negotiated price",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "37000"
        },
        {
            "name": "down",
            "label": "Down payment (cap cost reduction)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "2000",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "trade_in",
            "label": "Trade-in credit",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "fees",
            "label": "Fees added to the lease",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "residual_pct",
            "label": "Residual value",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "55",
            "unit": "% of MSRP"
        },
        {
            "name": "rate_type",
            "label": "Rate given as",
            "type": "segmented",
            "default": "apr",
            "options": {
                "apr": "APR %",
                "mf": "Money factor"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "rate",
            "label": "APR or money factor",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "4.8"
        },
        {
            "name": "months",
            "label": "Lease term",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "36",
            "unit": "months"
        },
        {
            "name": "tax",
            "label": "Sales tax on the monthly payment",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0",
            "unit": "%",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "currency",
            "label": "Currency",
            "type": "currency",
            "default": "USD"
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "payment",
            "label": "Monthly payment",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "depreciation_fee",
            "label": "Depreciation part",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "finance_fee",
            "label": "Rent charge (finance part)",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "monthly_tax",
            "label": "Tax per month",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "base_payment",
            "label": "Payment before tax",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "residual",
            "label": "Residual value",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "cap_cost",
            "label": "Adjusted capitalised cost",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "money_factor",
            "label": "Money factor",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "apr",
            "label": "Equivalent APR",
            "format": "percent"
        },
        {
            "key": "total_finance",
            "label": "Total rent charge",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "total_cost",
            "label": "Total cost of the lease",
            "format": "currency"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "Depreciation = (Cap cost − Residual) ÷ n;  Rent charge = (Cap cost + Residual) × MF;  Payment = (Depreciation + Rent charge) × (1 + tax);  MF = APR ÷ 2400",
        "variables": {
            "Cap cost": "negotiated price + fees − down payment − trade-in",
            "Residual": "MSRP × residual %",
            "MF": "money factor",
            "n": "lease term in months"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "msrp": "40000",
            "price": "37000",
            "down": "2000",
            "trade_in": "0",
            "fees": "0",
            "residual_pct": "55",
            "rate_type": "apr",
            "rate": "4.8",
            "months": "36",
            "tax": "0",
            "currency": "USD"
        },
        "steps": [
            "Residual = 40,000 × 55% = $22,000. Cap cost = 37,000 − 2,000 = $35,000.",
            "Depreciation = (35,000 − 22,000) ÷ 36 = $361.11 a month.",
            "Money factor = 4.8 ÷ 2400 = 0.002, so rent charge = (35,000 + 22,000) × 0.002 = $114.",
            "Payment = 361.11 + 114 = $475.11 a month before any tax."
        ],
        "result": "The lease costs $475.11 a month, or about $19,104 over three years including the $2,000 down payment."
    },
    "interpretation": "Most of a lease payment is depreciation, so a higher residual or a lower negotiated price cuts the payment most. A large down payment lowers the monthly figure but not the total cost, and it is lost if the car is written off early.",
    "assumptions": [
        "Payments are monthly, using the standard money-factor method most US lessors use.",
        "Tax, where entered, is charged on each monthly payment."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Tax on the down payment, registration, the disposition fee at lease end and excess-mileage charges are not included.",
        "Some states and countries tax the whole price of the car up front instead of each payment."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "How do I convert a money factor to an APR?",
            "answer": "Multiply by 2,400. A money factor of 0.0025 equals 6% APR. Divide an APR by 2,400 to get the money factor."
        },
        {
            "question": "Why add the residual to the cap cost for the rent charge?",
            "answer": "It is a shortcut for the average amount you are financing over the lease: you start at the cap cost and end at the residual, and (cap + residual) × MF equals the average balance times the monthly rate."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Lease Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/lease-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Cash Back or Low Interest Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cash-back-or-low-interest-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "EMI Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/emi-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Fuel Cost Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/fuel-cost-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": "This calculator gives estimates for planning. It is not financial advice, and lenders’ actual terms, fees and rounding may differ.",
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}