In 2017, the average US driver faced the highest total annual driving cost of $10,288—55% more than the average UK driver and 14% more than the average German driver—according to INRIX’s first Cost of Driving study. In the study, INRIX calculated vehicle ownership costs for 30 major cities in the US, UK, and Germany.

The $10,288 comprised direct (maintenance, fuel, insurance, and parking and toll fees) and indirect/hidden (wasted time and carbon, parking fines and overpayments) costs. Traffic- and parking-related costs made up nearly half (45%) of the total cost of ownership in the US.

Across the three countries studied, the indirect, hidden costs of driving—such sitting in traffic and searching for parking—represented about a third (30%) of the total cost of driving. For US drivers, that worked out to about $3,037.

Drivers in the largest cities were hit the hardest. New York ($18,926), London (£9,430 / $13,373) and Frankfurt (€9,387 / $11,609) spent the most on vehicle ownership costs. In 2017, the total cost of driving in NYC was nearly two times the US average at $18,926 per driver, mostly due to the cost of parking. New Yorkers parked more often (10 times/week), paid more frequently (60%) and paid the most (average off-street rate of $28 for two hours).

Parking-related costs imposed a significant economic burden in 2017, contributing roughly a third (30%) of the total cost of driving in the US ($3,001), UK. (£1,815 / $,2574) and Germany (€2,037 / $2,519).

Frankfurt was the most expensive city to drive in Germany, with the average driver spending €413 / $511 more than the national average at €9,387 per year. Per mile, this is 27% more than the average US driver but 6% less than the average UK driver. US drivers use their cars more than their German counterparts (13,467 miles driven annually in the US and 8,709 miles driven annually in Germany), but the congestion impact is smaller.