Selflender logo Back to Data & Guides
cars icon Cars

The Cost Per Mile For Driving, Taxiing, and Public Transport in America

Data & Guides Cars Cost Per Mile in America

With the gas vs EV (Electric Vehicles) argument being discussed continuously due to fluctuating gasoline prices, the need for more information on automobile related costs remains high.

Taking that into consideration, this study has investigated how much it costs drivers across the U.S. to drive, taxi, or travel by public transport a total of one mile in each city. 

By analyzing operating and ownership costs alongside public transportation fees, using local data for the 50 most populated cities in the U.S. [1] World Population Review - The 300 Largest Cities in the United States by Population 2023 https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities, the study has determined the vast difference in travel costs per mile geographically. Read on to discover transportation costs per mile in your city.

Contents

Key findings

Nashville is the most expensive city to travel per mile

To create the cost per mile index the below was investigated:

The analysis of car travel costs, cab fares and public transport across America identified a clear divide in the cost of getting around the country. Nashville was shown to be the most expensive city to travel per mile out of the 50 cities reviewed. 

The city’s average car cost per mile came to $2.66, this is made up of the average operating and ownership cost per mile. This is based on running a Ford F-150 as America’s most popular car to provide a fair comparison across each city. [2] Motor Biscuit - How Many Years Has the Ford F-150 Been the Best-Selling Truck? https://www.motorbiscuit.com/how-many-years-has-the-ford-f-150-been-the-best-selling-truck/

A one mile cab ride plus the standard starting fee was found to cost people a hefty $9.01 on average according to data from Numbeo. [3] Numbeo - Cost of Living https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living The cost of a one way trip on public transport per mile was shown to be $3.69 on average.

With a potential score of 10 given to each data point, with higher figures scoring higher, and then an average taken from all three scores, Nashville scored the highest overall figure of 7.89 out of a possible 10 points.

San Francisco followed closely with an overall score of 7.78 out of 10, scoring highly for the city’s high cab total cost per mile ($7.13) and public transport costs ($2.95 per mile).

Long Beach, Sacramento and Oakland made up the rest of the top five most expensive U.S. cities respectively for transport per mile costs.

U.S. transport costs per mile

Rank U.S. city Car cost per mile Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee One way local transport per mile Average score out of 10
Rank1 U.S. cityNashville Car cost per mile$2.66 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.01 One way local transport per mile$3.69 Average score out of 107.89
Rank2 U.S. citySan Francisco Car cost per mile$2.78 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.13 One way local transport per mile$2.95 Average score out of 107.78
Rank3 U.S. cityLong Beach Car cost per mile$2.79 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.47 One way local transport per mile$1.50 Average score out of 107.61
Rank4 U.S. citySacramento Car cost per mile$2.77 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.00 One way local transport per mile$2.75 Average score out of 107.37
Rank5 U.S. cityOakland Car cost per mile$2.77 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.00 One way local transport per mile$2.75 Average score out of 107.35
Rank6 U.S. cityLas Vegas Car cost per mile$2.79 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.72 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 107.13
Rank7 U.S. citySan Jose Car cost per mile$2.78 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.75 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 107.05
Rank8 U.S. cityPhiladelphia Car cost per mile$2.68 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.19 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 106.99
Rank9 U.S. cityNew York City Car cost per mile$2.72 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.50 One way local transport per mile$2.75 Average score out of 106.93
Rank10 U.S. cityWashington Car cost per mile$2.71 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.16 One way local transport per mile$2.75 Average score out of 106.61
Rank11 U.S. cityBaltimore Car cost per mile$2.74 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$8.00 One way local transport per mile$1.90 Average score out of 106.58
Rank12 U.S. citySan Diego Car cost per mile$2.78 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.80 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 106.56
Rank13 U.S. citySeattle Car cost per mile$2.70 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.85 One way local transport per mile$2.75 Average score out of 106.32
Rank14 U.S. cityLos Angeles Car cost per mile$2.78 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.75 One way local transport per mile$1.75 Average score out of 106.25
Rank15 U.S. cityChicago Car cost per mile$2.70 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.89 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 106.15
Rank16 U.S. cityMiami Car cost per mile$2.73 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.00 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 105.96
Rank17 U.S. cityCharlotte Car cost per mile$2.58 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.63 One way local transport per mile$2.45 Average score out of 105.91
Rank18 U.S. cityBakersfield Car cost per mile$2.77 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.75 One way local transport per mile$1.75 Average score out of 105.67
Rank19 U.S. cityMilwaukee Car cost per mile$2.60 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$8.00 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 105.47
Rank20 U.S. cityMinneapolis Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.25 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 105.32
Rank21 U.S. cityFresno Car cost per mile$2.76 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.85 One way local transport per mile$1.50 Average score out of 105.29
Rank22 U.S. cityAtlanta Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.12 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 105.29
Rank23 U.S. cityJacksonville Car cost per mile$2.74 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.65 One way local transport per mile$1.75 Average score out of 105.1
Rank24 U.S. cityBoston Car cost per mile$2.66 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.00 One way local transport per mile$2.40 Average score out of 105.07
Rank25 U.S. cityFort Worth Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.40 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 104.98
Rank26 U.S. cityTulsa Car cost per mile$2.59 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.50 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 104.97
Rank27 U.S. cityHouston Car cost per mile$2.66 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.98 One way local transport per mile$1.25 Average score out of 104.85
Rank28 U.S. cityDetroit Car cost per mile$2.72 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.00 One way local transport per mile$2.00 Average score out of 104.84
Rank29 U.S. cityDallas Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$4.60 One way local transport per mile$2.75 Average score out of 104.83
Rank30 U.S. cityColumbus Car cost per mile$2.63 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.75 One way local transport per mile$2.10 Average score out of 104.69
Rank31 U.S. cityMesa Car cost per mile$2.69 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.34 One way local transport per mile$2.00 Average score out of 104.67
Rank32 U.S. cityWichita Car cost per mile$2.69 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$4.25 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 104.56
Rank33 U.S. cityDenver Car cost per mile$2.60 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.25 One way local transport per mile$3.00 Average score out of 104.51
Rank34 U.S. cityIndianapolis Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.07 One way local transport per mile$1.72 Average score out of 104.48
Rank35 U.S. cityPhoenix Car cost per mile$2.68 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.10 One way local transport per mile$2.00 Average score out of 104.36
Rank36 U.S. cityOmaha Car cost per mile$2.65 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.15 One way local transport per mile$1.25 Average score out of 104.26
Rank37 U.S. cityOklahoma City Car cost per mile$2.59 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.00 One way local transport per mile$2.00 Average score out of 104.22
Rank38 U.S. cityRaleigh Car cost per mile$2.57 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.50 One way local transport per mile$1.62 Average score out of 103.86
Rank39 U.S. cityPortland Car cost per mile$2.56 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.00 One way local transport per mile$2.50 Average score out of 103.85
Rank40 U.S. cityMemphis Car cost per mile$2.66 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.15 One way local transport per mile$1.75 Average score out of 103.82
Rank41 U.S. citySan Antonio Car cost per mile$2.65 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.65 One way local transport per mile$1.50 Average score out of 103.76
Rank42 U.S. cityAlbuquerque Car cost per mile$2.60 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.78 One way local transport per mile$1.00 Average score out of 103.68
Rank43 U.S. cityVirginia Beach Car cost per mile$2.59 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.90 One way local transport per mile$2.00 Average score out of 103.62
Rank44 U.S. cityTucson Car cost per mile$2.65 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.00 One way local transport per mile$1.62 Average score out of 103.5
Rank45 U.S. cityAurora Car cost per mile$2.60 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.20 One way local transport per mile$1.50 Average score out of 103.48
Rank46 U.S. cityAustin Car cost per mile$2.66 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.00 One way local transport per mile$1.38 Average score out of 103.41
Rank47 U.S. cityColorado Springs Car cost per mile$2.58 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.30 One way local transport per mile$2.00 Average score out of 103.26
Rank48 U.S. cityEl Paso Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$3.90 One way local transport per mile$1.50 Average score out of 103.07
Rank49 U.S. cityArlington Car cost per mile$2.67 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.16 One way local transport per mile$0.84 Average score out of 103.04
Rank50 U.S. cityKansas City Car cost per mile$2.61 Cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.05 One way local transport per mile$1.50 Average score out of 102.87

At the other end of the scale the results showed that Kansas City offers the most affordable travel per mile across the 50 U.S. cities analyzed.

The cost of owning a car per mile on average is $2.61, with a one mile cab ride plus the standard starting fee in the city coming to $5.05. A one way trip on public transport for a mile came in at $1.50. This resulted in Kansas City scoring the lowest overall figure of 2.87 out of a possible 10 points.

Arlington was shown to be the second most affordable city to travel in. Car costs came to $2.67 per mile, a one mile cab ride plus starting fee costs $5.16 on average and a one way trip on public transport comes to just $0.84.

El Paso, Colorado Springs, and Austin made up the remaining top five most affordable U.S. cities to travel in respectively. 

Car costs per mile across America

To calculate car ownership costs in the 50 cities studied a number of datapoints were analyzed. These include:

This provided a total price of car ownership in each city. The Ford F-150 XL was used in the calculations as this was shown to be the most popular car in America. In fact data from Motor Biscuit shows that Ford sold more than 640,000 F-series trucks in 2022, making it  America’s best-selling truck for 46 consecutive years, and the best-selling vehicle of any type for 41 years. [4] Motor Biscuit - How Many Years Has the Ford F-150 Been the Best-Selling Truck? https://www.motorbiscuit.com/how-many-years-has-the-ford-f-150-been-the-best-selling-truck/

The below was also taken into consideration:

This provided a total gas price and the average cost per mile in each city. This identified the total operating costs.

Cost per mile was calculated by adding the ownership and operating costs together and dividing by the average miles driven. Research from the Federal Highway Association shows that the average American drives 13,476 miles per year. [5] U.S Department of Transportation Federal Highways Administration https://highways.dot.gov/

The total car cost includes the cost of the car plus annual figures like tax, insurance and operating figures including fuel. 

Long Beach was shown to be the most costly city to drive in with a total annual cost of owning a car at $37,633, giving it the maximum score of 10 out of 10 in the 50 cities studied.

Las Vegas was shown to be the second most expensive city with the total cost of owning and operating the car in the city coming to $37,563.

San Diego, San Jose, and Los Angeles made up the remaining top five most expensive cities to own and run a car respectively. 

U.S. cost per mile for cars

Rank U.S. city Total price of car ownership Total operating cost Cost per mile total Total cost to own a car Average score out of 10
Rank1 U.S. cityLong Beach Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$3,231 Cost per mile total$2.79 Total cost to own a car$37,633 Average score out of 1010.00
Rank2 U.S. cityLas Vegas Total price of car ownership$34,918 Total operating cost$2,645 Cost per mile total$2.79 Total cost to own a car$37,563 Average score out of 109.80
Rank3 U.S. citySan Francisco Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$3,099 Cost per mile total$2.78 Total cost to own a car$37,500 Average score out of 109.63
Rank4 U.S. citySan Diego Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$3,042 Cost per mile total$2.78 Total cost to own a car$37,444 Average score out of 109.47
Rank5 U.S. citySan Jose Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$3,042 Cost per mile total$2.78 Total cost to own a car$37,444 Average score out of 109.47
Rank6 U.S. cityLos Angeles Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$3,023 Cost per mile total$2.78 Total cost to own a car$37,425 Average score out of 109.41
Rank7 U.S. cityBakersfield Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$2,966 Cost per mile total$2.77 Total cost to own a car$37,368 Average score out of 109.25
Rank8 U.S. citySacramento Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$2,966 Cost per mile total$2.77 Total cost to own a car$37,368 Average score out of 109.25
Rank9 U.S. cityOakland Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$2,947 Cost per mile total$2.77 Total cost to own a car$37,349 Average score out of 109.20
Rank10 U.S. cityFresno Total price of car ownership$34,402 Total operating cost$2,796 Cost per mile total$2.76 Total cost to own a car$37,198 Average score out of 108.77
Rank11 U.S. cityBaltimore Total price of car ownership$34,094 Total operating cost$2,834 Cost per mile total$2.74 Total cost to own a car$36,928 Average score out of 108.01
Rank12 U.S. cityJacksonville Total price of car ownership$34,628 Total operating cost$2,229 Cost per mile total$2.74 Total cost to own a car$36,858 Average score out of 107.81
Rank13 U.S. cityMiami Total price of car ownership$34,628 Total operating cost$2,116 Cost per mile total$2.73 Total cost to own a car$36,744 Average score out of 107.49
Rank14 U.S. cityDetroit Total price of car ownership$34,236 Total operating cost$2,418 Cost per mile total$2.72 Total cost to own a car$36,655 Average score out of 107.24
Rank15 U.S. cityNew York City Total price of car ownership$34,201 Total operating cost$2,437 Cost per mile total$2.72 Total cost to own a car$36,638 Average score out of 107.19
Rank16 U.S. cityWashington Total price of car ownership$34,077 Total operating cost$2,418 Cost per mile total$2.71 Total cost to own a car$36,495 Average score out of 106.79
Rank17 U.S. cityChicago Total price of car ownership$33,773 Total operating cost$2,645 Cost per mile total$2.70 Total cost to own a car$36,418 Average score out of 106.57
Rank18 U.S. citySeattle Total price of car ownership$33,694 Total operating cost$2,645 Cost per mile total$2.70 Total cost to own a car$36,339 Average score out of 106.35
Rank19 U.S. cityMesa Total price of car ownership$33,567 Total operating cost$2,702 Cost per mile total$2.69 Total cost to own a car$36,268 Average score out of 106.15
Rank20 U.S. cityWichita Total price of car ownership$34,156 Total operating cost$2,078 Cost per mile total$2.69 Total cost to own a car$36,234 Average score out of 106.05
Rank21 U.S. cityPhoenix Total price of car ownership$33,567 Total operating cost$2,513 Cost per mile total$2.68 Total cost to own a car$36,079 Average score out of 105.61
Rank22 U.S. cityPhiladelphia Total price of car ownership$33,784 Total operating cost$2,267 Cost per mile total$2.68 Total cost to own a car$36,051 Average score out of 105.53
Rank23 U.S. cityDallas Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$2,154 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$36,033 Average score out of 105.48
Rank24 U.S. cityFort Worth Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$2,154 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$36,033 Average score out of 105.48
Rank25 U.S. cityIndianapolis Total price of car ownership$33,646 Total operating cost$2,343 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$35,989 Average score out of 105.36
Rank26 U.S. cityArlington Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$2,078 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$35,958 Average score out of 105.27
Rank27 U.S. cityEl Paso Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$2,078 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$35,958 Average score out of 105.27
Rank28 U.S. cityAtlanta Total price of car ownership$34,058 Total operating cost$1,908 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$35,967 Average score out of 105.29
Rank29 U.S. cityMinneapolis Total price of car ownership$33,862 Total operating cost$2,059 Cost per mile total$2.67 Total cost to own a car$35,922 Average score out of 105.17
Rank30 U.S. cityBoston Total price of car ownership$33,549 Total operating cost$2,343 Cost per mile total$2.66 Total cost to own a car$35,892 Average score out of 105.08
Rank31 U.S. cityHouston Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$1,984 Cost per mile total$2.66 Total cost to own a car$35,863 Average score out of 105.00
Rank32 U.S. cityAustin Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$1,965 Cost per mile total$2.66 Total cost to own a car$35,844 Average score out of 104.95
Rank33 U.S. cityMemphis Total price of car ownership$33,743 Total operating cost$2,040 Cost per mile total$2.66 Total cost to own a car$35,783 Average score out of 104.78
Rank34 U.S. cityNashville Total price of car ownership$33,743 Total operating cost$2,040 Cost per mile total$2.66 Total cost to own a car$35,783 Average score out of 104.78
Rank35 U.S. citySan Antonio Total price of car ownership$33,880 Total operating cost$1,852 Cost per mile total$2.65 Total cost to own a car$35,731 Average score out of 104.63
Rank36 U.S. cityOmaha Total price of car ownership$33,334 Total operating cost$2,343 Cost per mile total$2.65 Total cost to own a car$35,676 Average score out of 104.47
Rank37 U.S. cityTucson Total price of car ownership$33,567 Total operating cost$2,097 Cost per mile total$2.65 Total cost to own a car$35,664 Average score out of 104.44
Rank38 U.S. cityColumbus Total price of car ownership$33,260 Total operating cost$2,154 Cost per mile total$2.63 Total cost to own a car$35,414 Average score out of 103.73
Rank39 U.S. cityAurora Total price of car ownership$32,871 Total operating cost$2,229 Cost per mile total$2.60 Total cost to own a car$35,100 Average score out of 102.85
Rank40 U.S. cityKansas City Total price of car ownership$33,179 Total operating cost$1,927 Cost per mile total$2.61 Total cost to own a car$35,106 Average score out of 102.86
Rank41 U.S. cityMilwaukee Total price of car ownership$33,098 Total operating cost$2,003 Cost per mile total$2.60 Total cost to own a car$35,101 Average score out of 102.85
Rank42 U.S. cityDenver Total price of car ownership$32,871 Total operating cost$2,173 Cost per mile total$2.60 Total cost to own a car$35,044 Average score out of 102.69
Rank43 U.S. cityAlbuquerque Total price of car ownership$32,873 Total operating cost$2,116 Cost per mile total$2.60 Total cost to own a car$34,989 Average score out of 102.53
Rank44 U.S. cityOklahoma City Total price of car ownership$32,924 Total operating cost$1,965 Cost per mile total$2.59 Total cost to own a car$34,889 Average score out of 102.25
Rank45 U.S. cityVirginia Beach Total price of car ownership$32,902 Total operating cost$1,965 Cost per mile total$2.59 Total cost to own a car$34,867 Average score out of 102.19
Rank46 U.S. cityTulsa Total price of car ownership$32,924 Total operating cost$1,927 Cost per mile total$2.59 Total cost to own a car$34,851 Average score out of 102.14
Rank47 U.S. cityColorado Springs Total price of car ownership$32,871 Total operating cost$1,946 Cost per mile total$2.58 Total cost to own a car$34,817 Average score out of 102.05
Rank48 U.S. cityCharlotte Total price of car ownership$32,528 Total operating cost$2,173 Cost per mile total$2.58 Total cost to own a car$34,701 Average score out of 101.72
Rank49 U.S. cityRaleigh Total price of car ownership$32,528 Total operating cost$2,116 Cost per mile total$2.57 Total cost to own a car$34,644 Average score out of 101.56
Rank50 U.S. cityPortland Total price of car ownership$31,783 Total operating cost$2,664 Cost per mile total$2.56 Total cost to own a car$34,446 Average score out of 101.00

Portland was identified as the least expensive city of the 50 studied to run a car with total ownership and operating costs coming to $34,446.47 scoring just one point of a possible ten in the index.

Raleigh took the second spot for the most affordable city to drive in with a total cost of $34,644.41.

Charlotte, Colorado Springs and Tulsa made up the remaining top five most cost effective cities to drive respectively.

Cab fares by city

Getting around in a city can be made so much easier by taking a cab instead of driving. However, how much can you expect to pay per mile, including the city’s starting fee? Let’s find out.

The study into cab fares per mile in addition to the starting fee, the charge automatically added when you get in the cab, shows that Charlotte is the priciest city to travel around.

The average one mile cab ride will cost $9.63 in Charlotte, the highest across the U.S with El Paso cab rides costing $3.90 on average, the lowest of all 50 cities analyzed.

Philadelphia was shown to have the highest starting fee of $5.50, with Dallas having the lowest at $1.80.

U.S. cab fares in cities per mile

Rank U.S. city Average cab fare Average starting fee Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee
Rank1 U.S. cityCharlotte Average cab fare$5.00 Average starting fee$4.63 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.63
Rank2 U.S. cityLong Beach Average cab fare$5.62 Average starting fee$3.85 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.47
Rank3 U.S. cityPhiladelphia Average cab fare$3.69 Average starting fee$5.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.19
Rank4 U.S. cityNashville Average cab fare$7.00 Average starting fee$2.01 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$9.01
Rank5 U.S. cityBaltimore Average cab fare$4.00 Average starting fee$4.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$8.00
Rank6 U.S. cityMilwaukee Average cab fare$4.50 Average starting fee$3.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$8.00
Rank7 U.S. cityHouston Average cab fare$2.99 Average starting fee$4.99 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.98
Rank8 U.S. cityAlbuquerque Average cab fare$2.95 Average starting fee$4.83 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.78
Rank9 U.S. cityNew York City Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$4.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.50
Rank10 U.S. cityRaleigh Average cab fare$3.75 Average starting fee$3.75 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.50
Rank11 U.S. cityTulsa Average cab fare$5.00 Average starting fee$2.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.50
Rank12 U.S. cityWashington Average cab fare$5.00 Average starting fee$2.16 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.16
Rank13 U.S. cityOmaha Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$3.65 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.15
Rank14 U.S. citySan Francisco Average cab fare$4.00 Average starting fee$3.13 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.13
Rank15 U.S. cityOakland Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$3.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.00
Rank16 U.S. citySacramento Average cab fare$4.00 Average starting fee$3.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.00
Rank17 U.S. cityOklahoma City Average cab fare$5.00 Average starting fee$2.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$7.00
Rank18 U.S. cityChicago Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$3.39 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.89
Rank19 U.S. citySeattle Average cab fare$4.00 Average starting fee$2.85 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.85
Rank20 U.S. cityColumbus Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$3.25 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.75
Rank21 U.S. citySan Jose Average cab fare$3.75 Average starting fee$3.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.75
Rank22 U.S. cityLos Angeles Average cab fare$4.00 Average starting fee$2.75 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.75
Rank23 U.S. cityLas Vegas Average cab fare$3.59 Average starting fee$3.13 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.72
Rank24 U.S. cityMinneapolis Average cab fare$3.75 Average starting fee$2.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.25
Rank25 U.S. cityAurora Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$2.70 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.20
Rank26 U.S. cityAtlanta Average cab fare$2.62 Average starting fee$3.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.12
Rank27 U.S. cityIndianapolis Average cab fare$3.62 Average starting fee$2.45 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.07
Rank28 U.S. cityBoston Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$3.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.00
Rank29 U.S. cityMiami Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$2.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.00
Rank30 U.S. cityPortland Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$2.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$6.00
Rank31 U.S. cityVirginia Beach Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$2.40 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.90
Rank32 U.S. cityFresno Average cab fare$4.00 Average starting fee$1.85 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.85
Rank33 U.S. citySan Diego Average cab fare$2.80 Average starting fee$3.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.80
Rank34 U.S. cityBakersfield Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$2.75 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.75
Rank35 U.S. citySan Antonio Average cab fare$3.12 Average starting fee$2.53 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.65
Rank36 U.S. cityJacksonville Average cab fare$3.50 Average starting fee$2.15 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.65
Rank37 U.S. cityFort Worth Average cab fare$2.25 Average starting fee$3.15 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.40
Rank38 U.S. cityMesa Average cab fare$2.99 Average starting fee$2.35 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.34
Rank39 U.S. cityColorado Springs Average cab fare$2.05 Average starting fee$3.25 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.30
Rank40 U.S. cityDenver Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$2.25 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.25
Rank41 U.S. cityArlington Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$2.16 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.16
Rank42 U.S. cityMemphis Average cab fare$2.00 Average starting fee$3.15 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.15
Rank43 U.S. cityPhoenix Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$2.10 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.10
Rank44 U.S. cityKansas City Average cab fare$2.75 Average starting fee$2.30 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.05
Rank45 U.S. cityAustin Average cab fare$2.50 Average starting fee$2.50 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.00
Rank46 U.S. cityTucson Average cab fare$2.75 Average starting fee$2.25 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.00
Rank47 U.S. cityDetroit Average cab fare$3.00 Average starting fee$2.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$5.00
Rank48 U.S. cityDallas Average cab fare$2.80 Average starting fee$1.80 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$4.60
Rank49 U.S. cityWichita Average cab fare$2.25 Average starting fee$2.00 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$4.25
Rank50 U.S. cityEl Paso Average cab fare$1.65 Average starting fee$2.25 Average cab fare total per mile plus starting fee$3.90

Average cab fares and average starting fees were sourced from Numbero for each city. [6] Numbeo - Cost of Living https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living

Public transportations costs in the U.S.

Those looking to share their journey with others may choose to travel using public transportation. Analysis of city-wide local transport cost data on Numbero [7] Numbeo - Cost of Living https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/ has helped identify the U.S. cities where doing so will set you back more than others.

Those in Nashville will pay an average of $3.69 for a one mile trip, meanwhile Arlington residents benefit from the most affordable public transport costs per mile of $0.84.

U.S. public transport costs per mile

Rank U.S. city Average one way local transport per mile cost
1 Nashville $3.69
2 Denver $3.00
3 San Francisco $2.95
4 Sacramento $2.75
5 Oakland $2.75
6 New York City $2.75
7 Washington $2.75
8 Seattle $2.75
9 Dallas $2.75
10 Las Vegas $2.50
11 San Jose $2.50
12 Philadelphia $2.50
13 San Diego $2.50
14 Chicago $2.50
15 Miami $2.50
16 Milwaukee $2.50
17 Minneapolis $2.50
18 Atlanta $2.50
19 Fort Worth $2.50
20 Tulsa $2.50
21 Wichita $2.50
22 Portland $2.50
23 Charlotte $2.45
24 Boston $2.40
25 Columbus $2.10
26 Detroit $2.00
27 Mesa $2.00
28 Phoenix $2.00
29 Oklahoma City $2.00
30 Virginia Beach $2.00
31 Colorado Springs $2.00
32 Baltimore $1.90
33 Los Angeles $1.75
34 Bakersfield $1.75
35 Jacksonville $1.75
36 Memphis $1.75
37 Indianapolis $1.72
38 Raleigh $1.62
39 Tucson $1.62
40 Long Beach $1.50
41 Fresno $1.50
42 San Antonio $1.50
43 Aurora $1.50
44 El Paso $1.50
45 Kansas City $1.50
46 Austin $1.38
47 Houston $1.25
48 Omaha $1.25
49 Albuquerque $1.00
50 Arlington $0.84

Methodology

U.S. cities analyzed were taken from the top 50 most populated cities in America according to World Population Review. [1] World Population Review - The 300 Largest Cities in the United States by Population 2023 https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities 

Gasoline costs for 1 liter of fuel (volume reported in liters by Numbeo instead of gallons), taxi fares and start fees and the average cost of one way trips on public transport for a journey of a mile in each of the 50 cities were collected from Numbeo on November 24th 2022. [3] Numbeo - Cost of Living https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living Numbeo’s data is self-reported and data quality varies city-by-city. Numbeo does use proprietary algorithms and ‘heuristic technology to maintain data quality, and regularly removes statistically improbable or incorrect data using existing data as a benchmark.’

The Ford F-150 [8] Edmunds - Most Popular Cars in America https://www.edmunds.com/most-popular-cars/ has been the best-selling truck (and vehicle) in the United States for more than 40 years according to multiple sources including Edmunds [9] Ford -2022 F-150® XL https://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/2022/models/f150-xl/, therefore this car was chosen for the analysis. City and state specific sales taxes were then applied. 

Cost per mile figures were calculated by taking the total ownership cost, adding the operating cost and dividing by the national annual average miles driven. The research used 13,476 miles per year to be the average miles driven, according to the Federal Highway Administration. [10] U.S Department of Transportation Federal Highways Administration - Average Annual Miles per Driver by Age Group https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/bar8.htm

Depreciation figures [11] CarEdge - Ford F-150 Depreciation https://caredge.com/ford/f-150/depreciation?y=2&p=%2431%2C520.00&o=2&m=21000 and maintenance costs [12] CarEdge - Ford F-150 Maintenance Costs https://caredge.com/ford/f-150/maintenance for the Ford F-150 were sourced from Care Edge. Depreciation is based on the difference between new-vehicle purchase price and estimated trade-in value. For example, a Ford F-150 will depreciate 13% after 4 years and have a 4 year resale value of $29,608.

National data for average miles driven in the USA were taken from the United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration. [13] U.S Department of Transportation Federal Highways Administration - Average Annual Miles per Driver by Age Group https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/bar8.htm

Average insurance costs were calculated using data taken from Bankrate. [14] Bankrate - Average Cost if Car Insurance By State https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/average-cost-of-car-insurance/#by-state Two million quotes for Premium full coverage and Premium minimum coverage were analyzed and averaged to give an overall cost. The average cost of insurance can vary greatly from state to state and depends on a variety of rating factors such as your age, driving history, and insurance status.

Registration costs and fees by state for 2022 were taken from World Population Review. [15] World Population Review - Car Registration Fees By State https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/car-registration-fees-by-state

Personal Property Tax and Vehicle License Fee information was sourced from Compare.com. [16] Compare.com -Vehicle Title, Tax, Insurance & Registration Costs https://www.compare.com/auto-insurance/coverage/vehicle-costs Some states require you to pay an annual tax on the value of your vehicle, while others charge different rates depending on your city. Vehicle property tax for each state is reviewed.

Cents per mile were calculated using this method. Cents per mile = Total Gas price/ Avg miles driven in the USA

Number of gallons needed were calculated using this method. Number of gallons needed  = Miles driven per licensed driver /27. According to Mechanic Base the average new car gets 27 miles per gallon combined. [17] Mechanic Base - How Many Miles Per Gallon of Gas? https://mechanicbase.com/cars/how-many-miles-per-gallon-of-gas/

Total gas prices were calculated using this method. Total gas price = gasoline (1 Gallon) * Number of gallons needed. 

Sales Tax rates by state were collected from Find The Best Car Price. [18] Find The Best Car Price - Car Sales Tax By State https://www.findthebestcarprice.com/car-sales-tax-by-state/#Car_Sales_Tax_by_State The minimum sales tax varies from state to state. Some have no sales tax, while some states have high sales tax rates above 10%. The amount you pay in sales tax will depend on where the car is registered, not where it was purchased.

Sources

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Related Articles

You are leaving Self Close
Self Financial, Inc. and the issuer(s) of the Credit Builder Account and Secured Credit Card make no representation concerning and is not responsible for the quality, content, nature, or reliability of any hyperlinked site and is providing this hyperlink to you only as a convenience. The inclusion of any hyperlink does not imply any endorsement, investigation, verification or monitoring by Self Financial, Inc and the issuer(s) of the Credit Builder Account and Secured Credit Card of any information in any hyperlinked site. In no event shall Self Financial, Inc. or the issuer(s) of the Credit Builder Account and Secured Credit Card be responsible for your use of a hyperlinked site.