Car vs Uber
Compare the real cost of owning a car vs Uber and Bolt in South Africa. Use our free calculator with current petrol prices for a monthly and annual breakdown.
How the Car vs Uber calculator works
Owning a car costs far more than petrol. There is the monthly instalment or the cash you have tied up, insurance, licensing, servicing, tyres and depreciation, the value the car loses every year whether you drive it or not. Ride-hailing with Uber or Bolt has a clear price per trip, but it adds up quickly if you travel often.
This free calculator adds your real ownership costs and compares them against what the same travel would cost on Uber or Bolt at current South African petrol prices. It gives you a monthly and annual figure so you can see which option is genuinely cheaper for the way you actually drive. You can also browse all our free South African tools and calculators.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to own a car or use Uber in South Africa?
It depends almost entirely on how much you drive. For low mileage, a few short trips a week, ride-hailing often wins because you avoid insurance, depreciation and maintenance. For daily commuting and longer distances, owning usually becomes cheaper per kilometre. The calculator works out your break-even point from your own numbers.
What costs does the calculator include for owning a car?
It accounts for the monthly instalment or the cash value tied up, insurance, licence fees, fuel at current petrol prices, servicing, tyres and depreciation, not just the petrol, because those hidden costs are what people usually forget.
Does it use current petrol prices?
Yes. The fuel side of the comparison uses current South African petrol prices, so the running cost reflects what you actually pay at the pump rather than an old estimate.
Does it work for Bolt as well as Uber?
Yes. The ride-hailing cost is an estimate of what your trips would cost on a typical e-hailing service such as Uber or Bolt, so you can use it for either.
Why does depreciation matter so much?
Depreciation is the largest hidden cost of car ownership, and the calculator includes it, because a car loses value every year whether you drive it or not. Leaving it out makes owning look cheaper than it really is.