Costs & budget

Cost of owning a car in Poland in 2026: the full yearly bill

Before you buy a car in Poland, it’s worth knowing what a year of ownership really costs — because it’s not just fuel. In 2026 the average driver spends roughly 10,900 to 11,900 zł a year on running a car (excluding any finance payment), and the largest, most often underestimated item tends to be depreciation. Below we break the yearly cost into its parts and show how to calculate your own — especially useful if you’ve just arrived and don’t yet know Polish prices.

What the yearly cost of owning a car is made of

The total cost of ownership (TCO) is the sum of several items. Some are fixed, others grow with mileage:

• Fuel or energy — the biggest item, over 70% of the bill. Depends on consumption, mileage and fuel price.
• Insurance — compulsory OC plus optional AC.
• Scheduled servicing and repairs — oil, filters, pads, discs, plus a reserve for breakdowns (grows with the car’s age).
• Tyres — a set divided across seasons, changeovers and storage.
• Roadworthiness test — from 2026 149 zł (previously 98 zł; LPG cars ~90 zł more).
• Parking, motorways, car wash — monthly amount × 12.
• Depreciation — the difference between the car’s value today and in a year. Most often skipped, yet often the largest.

What it really costs in 2026 — the numbers

Per Rankomat.pl data and estimates (based on an average ~18,600 km/year and ~7 l/100 km consumption), the yearly running cost in 2026 looks like this:

Fuel prices in 2026 are subject to a price cap: petrol Pb95 up to 6.23 zł/l, diesel up to 7.65 zł/l. At 18,600 km and 7 l/100 km that’s about 1,300 litres a year — fuel alone is 8,000–10,000 zł. Servicing rises 4–6% a year, and OC premiums are forecast up by about 11%.

Depreciation — the hidden, biggest cost

This is the item most drivers skip, yet it can exceed fuel. A new car loses about 20% of its value in the first year and 40–50% after three years. A used car a few years old loses far more slowly — usually low-to-mid teens percent of current value per year, and a well-kept, accident-free example even less. That’s exactly why, cost-wise, it’s smartest to buy a 3–5-year-old car — someone else has already absorbed the steepest drop.

Note: a car that has been in an accident or has a “clocked” odometer loses value faster and is harder to sell later. So when buying used, the key is to check the real value and history before you pay.

How to calculate your yearly cost — step by step

• Fuel: real consumption × fuel price × your annual mileage. For an EV: kWh/100 km × price per kWh (home and public charging separately).
• Insurance: the sum of OC and AC from the last year.
• Servicing: service cost × number per year + recurring items (pads, discs, filters).
• Tyres: price of a set ÷ number of seasons + changeovers and storage.
• Roadworthiness test: 149 zł.
• Parking, motorways, car wash: monthly amount × 12.
• Depreciation: value today − estimated value in a year (simplest: prices of the same model one year older).
• Breakdown reserve: for a car 8 years or older, set a fixed monthly amount and treat it like a subscription.

Add it all up and divide by 12 — that’s your real monthly cost of ownership. It’s a number that tells you far more than the purchase price alone.

How to lower the yearly cost

Three things save the most: comparing OC/AC (premiums can differ by several hundred złoty for the same cover), choosing a car with low depreciation and reasonable consumption, and avoiding a car that’s been in an accident, which brings hidden repair costs and loses value. If you finance the purchase, also calculate the real cost of the loan or lease — sometimes that’s what decides whether it pays off.

This material is informational. The figures are market averages and estimates (incl. Rankomat.pl); your cost depends on the car, mileage, driving style and local prices. Fuel prices, OC rates and fees change during the year.

Financing the purchase? Calculate the real cost of a loan or lease: Finumero →

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How much does it cost to own a car in Poland in 2026? On average from about 10,925 zł a year for a petrol car, 11,922 zł for diesel and 7,186 zł for LPG, excluding any finance payment. Per month that’s usually 700–1,500 zł. The biggest item is fuel — over 70% of the bill.

How much is the roadworthiness test in 2026? 149 zł from 2026 (previously 98 zł — the first rise in 21 years). LPG cars pay about 90 zł more.

What are fuel prices in Poland in 2026? Prices are subject to a cap: petrol Pb95 up to 6.23 zł per litre, diesel up to 7.65 zł per litre. Fuel is over 70% of the yearly cost of owning a car.

How much does a car depreciate per year? A new car loses about 20% in the first year and 40–50% after three years. A car a few years old loses far more slowly, usually low-to-mid teens percent of current value per year, and a well-kept accident-free example even less.