Monthly car costs: a line-by-line example in SAR and EGP
What does your car really cost each month? Two full examples in SAR and EGP: fuel, oil, tyres, insurance, fees, and the cost people forget: depreciation.
Reviewed 8 min read
Why cost per km, not sticker price
A ride-hailing driver covers in a month what a family car covers in three or four. At 4,000 km a month, a car reaches about 144,000 km in three years. Over that distance, every tenth of a litre and every thousand riyals of purchase price turns into a big number. The platform pays you by the km and the minute, so the right comparison is how much your car costs for every km it drives.
Cost per km = (fuel + service and tyres + lost value + insurance) ÷ km
Worked example: three car types in Saudi Arabia
Assumptions: 4,000 km a month in the city, three years (144,000 km), 91 petrol at SAR 2.18 a litre (October 2026, Saudi Aramco), and we assumed each car loses 40% of its price over three years at that mileage (an illustration; use your own number). Insurance is similar across the three, so it's left out. All figures are illustrative; put in the numbers for the car you're considering.
| Small 1.5 L sedan | Hybrid sedan | Larger 2.5 L sedan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | 75,000 | 115,000 | 110,000 |
| City consumption | 7.5 لتر/100 كم | 4.8 لتر/100 كم | 9.5 لتر/100 كم |
| Fuel per km | 0.16 | 0.10 | 0.21 |
| Service and tyres per km | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.07 |
| Lost value per km | 0.21 | 0.32 | 0.31 |
| Total per km | 0.43 | 0.48 | 0.58 |
Fuel = consumption ÷ 100 × price per litre. Lost value = 40% of price ÷ 144,000 km. Example: small sedan 75,000 × 40% = 30,000 ÷ 144,000 = SAR 0.21 per km.
What the example shows
The hybrid saves about 6 halalas per km in fuel, roughly SAR 8,500 over three years. But if it costs SAR 40,000 more, its lost value eats that saving. If the gap were only SAR 15,000 (a SAR 90,000 price), its cost drops to about SAR 0.41 per km and it wins. The rule: a hybrid pays off the more you drive, the smaller the price gap and the better it holds its value. The larger sedan is comfier for riders but costs you about 35% more per km.
Good to know: A hybrid uses far less in traffic than on the highway, the opposite of a regular car. So it suits city work better than long intercity trips.
In Egypt: petrol or natural gas?
In Egypt, natural gas changes the whole comparison for anyone working long hours. Example: a small sedan using 7.5 L/100 km and driving 5,000 km a month. On 92 at an example EGP 19.25 (not today's price), fuel alone is about EGP 1.44 per km. After converting to gas, at an example EGP 7 per m³ (not today's price) and with 10% of the distance still on petrol, fuel drops to about EGP 0.62 per km. That's roughly EGP 4,100 a month before the gas-kit upkeep.
That's why ride-hailing drivers usually recover the conversion cost within a few months, while a family car takes much longer. Mind the downsides: the cylinder takes part of the boot (it matters for airport and delivery jobs), gas stations are fewer in some areas, and the kit needs a check every 10,000 km or 6 months.
Seven things to check before buying a work car
- Platform rules: model year, doors, seats and AC. They differ by city and change over time, so check them in the platform's driver app before buying.
- City consumption, not the advertised highway figure.
- Parts availability and price, and how many workshops know the car.
- What the car will be worth at 150,000 km.
- Strong AC that copes with midday hours.
- Boot space (for airport runs and big orders).
- If used: its service history and real mileage.
New or used?
A clean two- or three-year-old car has already lost the biggest part of its value, so that line in your cost per km shrinks. But it may soon need tyres, a battery and brakes, and the platform may refuse it if it's too old. Work out both with the same table: purchase price, what you'll sell it for in two years, and expected service.
Read next: Monthly car costs, line by line
After you buy: know your real cost per km
The example figures are estimates. You find the real number from your own log: record every fill-up, service, tyre change and expense in Sayarti+, and it works out your car's cost per km each month and shows consumption after each fill-up. Sayarti+ doesn't record income in this version; compare your cost per km with what the platform pays you per km.
Read next: Cost per km for Uber and Careem drivers · Delivery driver costs · Own cars that others drive on the apps?
FAQ
What's the best car for Uber and Careem?
The one with the lowest city cost per km that the platform accepts. Usually an economical small or mid sedan, or a hybrid if its price gap is small and you drive a lot.
Is a hybrid cheaper for ride-hailing?
On fuel, yes, especially in traffic. But count its lost value: if it costs much more, the saving can vanish.
Petrol or CNG for Uber in Egypt?
For 4,000–5,000 km a month, CNG saves a lot and usually pays back within months. Work it out with your numbers in the CNG calculator.
What are the car requirements for Uber in Saudi Arabia?
They vary by city and change, usually covering model year, doors and AC. Check them in the platform's driver app before you buy.
What's the cost per km of a delivery car?
In our example SAR 0.43–0.58 per km in Saudi Arabia depending on the car, before insurance. Your car's real number comes from your log.
Sources
We write practical guides on car costs, maintenance and company cars. Every number has a source.
From Sayarti+ — sayartiplus.com · Not affiliated with any government entity
