Cost of Owning a Car in Tennessee
How Tennessee’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
Tennessee at a glance
Gas price
$3.20per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.12per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
7.00%plus ~$30 average registrationInsurance in Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Costs are pushed up mainly by sales tax (about $943 more over 5 years). Working in your favor: gas prices (about $735 less over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in Tennessee
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with Tennessee-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$33,7055-year estimate, $562/moSUV / crossover
$45,9145-year estimate, $765/moTruck
$48,1735-year estimate, $803/moElectric
$48,5745-year estimate, $810/moLuxury
$69,5605-year estimate, $1,159/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in Tennessee
2026 Toyota RAV4
$35,1965-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$34,8045-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$31,0655-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$26,7795-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$60,2805-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$38,5815-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$39,7985-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$26,7315-year cost in TennesseeFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in Tennessee
At Tennessee’s $0.12/kWh electricity and $3.20/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $475 a year, versus about $1,239 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $764 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.