Cost of Owning a Car in Kentucky
How Kentucky’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
Kentucky at a glance
Gas price
$3.35per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.13per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
6.00%plus ~$45 average registrationInsurance in Kentucky runs close to the national average in this model, reflected as a 1.00× multiplier on our base class rates.
What drives the cost in Kentucky
Costs are pushed up mainly by sales tax (about $464 more over 5 years). Working in your favor: gas prices (about $389 less over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in Kentucky
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with Kentucky-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$33,6265-year estimate, $560/moSUV / crossover
$45,7965-year estimate, $763/moTruck
$48,0405-year estimate, $801/moElectric
$48,1935-year estimate, $803/moLuxury
$69,2515-year estimate, $1,154/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in Kentucky
2026 Toyota RAV4
$35,0805-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$34,7315-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$30,9125-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$26,7685-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$60,0825-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$38,2805-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$39,7955-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$26,7305-year cost in KentuckyFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in Kentucky
At Kentucky’s $0.13/kWh electricity and $3.35/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $515 a year, versus about $1,297 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $782 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.