Cost of Owning a Car in Rhode Island
How Rhode Island’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
Rhode Island at a glance
Gas price
$3.55per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.25per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
7.00%plus ~$90 average registrationInsurance in Rhode Island runs above the national average in this model, reflected as a 1.10× multiplier on our base class rates.
What drives the cost in Rhode Island
Costs are pushed up mainly by sales tax (about $943 more over 5 years) and insurance rates (about $867 more over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in Rhode Island
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with Rhode Island-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$35,2175-year estimate, $587/moSUV / crossover
$47,6315-year estimate, $794/moTruck
$50,0225-year estimate, $834/moElectric
$52,1585-year estimate, $869/moLuxury
$71,6955-year estimate, $1,195/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in Rhode Island
2026 Toyota RAV4
$36,7625-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$36,4145-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$32,3475-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$28,2145-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$62,2655-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$41,8535-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$41,4865-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$28,1495-year cost in Rhode IslandFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in Rhode Island
At Rhode Island’s $0.25/kWh electricity and $3.55/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $990 a year, versus about $1,374 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $384 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.