Cost of Owning a Car in Alabama
How Alabama’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
Alabama at a glance
Gas price
$3.35per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.15per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
4.00%plus ~$90 average registrationInsurance in Alabama runs close to the national average in this model, reflected as a 0.95× multiplier on our base class rates.
What drives the cost in Alabama
Costs are held down mainly by sales tax (about $495 less over 5 years) and insurance rates (about $408 less over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in Alabama
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with Alabama-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$32,5155-year estimate, $542/moSUV / crossover
$44,4575-year estimate, $741/moTruck
$46,5675-year estimate, $776/moElectric
$46,9705-year estimate, $783/moLuxury
$67,2985-year estimate, $1,122/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in Alabama
2026 Toyota RAV4
$33,8745-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$33,5765-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$29,8505-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$25,8595-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$58,3625-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$37,2195-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$38,7115-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$25,8555-year cost in AlabamaFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in Alabama
At Alabama’s $0.15/kWh electricity and $3.35/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $594 a year, versus about $1,297 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $703 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.