Cost of Owning a Car in North Carolina
How North Carolina’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
North Carolina at a glance
Gas price
$3.25per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.12per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
3.00%plus ~$60 average registrationInsurance in North Carolina 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 North Carolina
Costs are held down mainly by sales tax (about $974 less over 5 years) and gas prices (about $620 less over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in North Carolina
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with North Carolina-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$31,9085-year estimate, $532/moSUV / crossover
$43,7185-year estimate, $729/moTruck
$45,7365-year estimate, $762/moElectric
$45,7525-year estimate, $763/moLuxury
$66,3195-year estimate, $1,105/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in North Carolina
2026 Toyota RAV4
$33,2445-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$32,9595-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$29,3335-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$25,3755-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$57,3695-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$36,1775-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$38,1075-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$25,3925-year cost in North CarolinaFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in North Carolina
At North Carolina’s $0.12/kWh electricity and $3.25/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $475 a year, versus about $1,258 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $783 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.