Leasing or car loan: which will cost more in?

Introduction: why the choice between leasing and credit is not so obvious

At first glance, it seems that it is simple to compare leasing and a car loan: just look at the monthly payment and the final overpayment. But in practice everything is more complicated. Leasing often advertised as a “cheap alternative to credit”, and banks convince that the loan is “more profitable due to ownership”. Who's right? The answer depends on your situation, the type of car and even the region of registration.

In this article we will analyze real numbers using examples of popular models - from Lada Granta up to Toyota Camry, we will take into account hidden commissions, taxes and the nuances of early repayment. We’ll also explain why leasing is almost always cheaper for legal entities, but not always cheaper for individuals.

Spoiler: there is no universal answer. But after reading, you will be able to accurately calculate what will cost more exactly in your case.

1. Main differences between leasing and credit

Before you compare costs, you need to understand how these two products fundamentally differ. The main distinction is property right:

• 🔑 Credit: the car immediately becomes yours, but is pledged to the bank until full repayment.
• 📝 Leasing: the car belongs to the leasing company, you only rent it with the right to buy it.

This affects:

• 💰 Taxes: for legal entities, leasing payments are written off as expenses, reducing income tax.
• 📄 Documents: when leasing, you do not need to register the car in your name (saving on state duties).
• 🔧 Service: Leasing often includes insurance and maintenance, while credit does not.

Another key point - down payment. In a loan it is usually 10–30%, in leasing - from 0% to 40% (but the more, the lower the monthly payment). For example, for Kia Rio 2026:

Important: leasing often has mileage limit (usually 15–30 thousand km per year). Excess costs 3–10 rubles per km. There are no such restrictions on a loan.

2. Comparison of overpayments: loan vs leasing using examples

Let's take three popular models and calculate how much you will have to overpay in each case. For calculations we use current rates for June 2026:

• 🚗 Lada Granta (RUB 1.5 million)
• 🚙 Hyundai Creta (RUB 2.2 million)
• 🚘 Toyota Camry (RUB 3.8 million)

Conditions for a loan (VTB Bank):

• Duration: 5 years.
• The rate is 12% per annum (for salary clients).
• Down payment - 20%.
• CASCO is mandatory (100 thousand rubles per year).

Conditions for leasing (Europlan company):

• Duration: 3 years.
• The rate is 8% per annum (for individuals).
• Down payment - 10%.
• CASCO and maintenance are included in the payment.

Key conclusion: for budget cars (up to 1.8 million rubles), a loan is often cheaper due to lower interest overpayments, and for premium cars, leasing is more profitable due to included services and tax benefits (for individual entrepreneurs/LLCs).

Please note: in leasing, the overpayment seems to be less, but is not taken into account here redemption payment (usually 1–3% of the cost of the car). For example, for Camry that’s another +114,000 rubles.

3. Hidden costs: what is not included in promotional offers

Banks and leasing companies like to talk about “low interest rates” and “favorable conditions”, but are silent about additional expenses. Here's what people often forget to include in their calculations:

• 📑 Early repayment fee: on credit - up to 2% of the balance, on leasing - up to 5% of the cost of the car.
• 🔧 Penalties for wear and tear: in leasing, when returning the car, they can write off up to 50 thousand rubles. for scratches or worn tires.
• 🚛 Transport tax: in leasing, it is paid by the lessor, but can be included in the payment (up to 15 thousand rubles per year for powerful cars).
• 📉 Residual value: If you do not buy the car after leasing, selling it may not cover your expenses.

Case study: a client took Skoda Octavia leased for 3 years with purchase. When returning the car, they discovered that the mileage had been exceeded by 5 thousand km - the fine was 25 thousand rubles. Plus 30 thousand rubles were written off. for “unacceptable wear” of the disks. Result: instead of the expected 50 thousand rubles. I had to pay an additional 105 thousand rubles for the ransom.

⚠️ Attention: In leasing, you cannot return the car early without a penalty. If after a year you decide to sell the car (for example, due to financial problems), you will have to pay the lessor full contract price minus payments already made.

There are no such strict restrictions on a loan, but there are other pitfalls:

• 🔒 Bail: Until the loan is repaid, you cannot sell the car without the bank's consent.
• 📈 Rate change: if the loan has a variable rate, payments may increase (for example, if the key rate of the Central Bank increases).
• 🚨 Bailiffs: in case of delays, the bank can go to court and seize the car.

4. Leasing vs credit for legal entities: why businesses choose leasing

If you are an individual entrepreneur or LLC, leasing is almost always more profitable than a loan. Here's why:

1. Tax benefits: leasing payments are written off as expenses, reducing income tax (saving up to 20% of the payment amount).
2. No VAT: when buying a car on credit, you pay VAT (20%), while leasing it can be reimbursed.
3. Simplified design: no need to put the car on the company’s balance sheet (saving on accounting).
4. Flexible terms: you can choose a payment schedule based on the seasonality of your business (for example, smaller payments in the summer for agricultural enterprises).

Example for an LLC using the simplified tax system (6%):

The company charges Gazelle Next for 3.5 million rubles. leased for 3 years. Monthly payment - 120 thousand rubles, of which:

• 70 thousand rubles. - written off as an expense (tax savings: 70,000 × 6% = 4,200 rubles per month).
• 50 thousand rubles. — VAT refund (if the company is on OSNO).

In total, the real cost of leasing for a business is reduced by 20–30% compared to a loan.

⚠️ Attention: If you are an individual entrepreneur on the patent system, leasing payments do not reduce tax base. In this case, a loan may be more profitable.

Study the terms of early termination|Check whether CASCO is included at full price|Calculate tax savings with an accountant|Check the mileage limit and fines for exceeding-->

5. When a loan is definitely cheaper than leasing

Despite the advantages of leasing, there are situations when a loan will be cheaper:

• 💵 Large down payment: if you have 40–50% of the cost of the car, a loan at 8–10% per annum will be more profitable than leasing with hidden fees.
• 📅 Long term: a loan can be taken out for 7 years, leasing - for a maximum of 5. For expensive cars (from 5 million rubles), the difference in overpayment reaches 500 thousand rubles.
• 🚗 Used car: leasing companies rarely work with cars older than 3 years. On credit you can buy a used car from 2018–2020.
• 🔄 Sales plan in 1–2 years: If you plan to resell the car quickly, the loan is more flexible - there are no penalties for early repayment.

Example: Volkswagen Tiguan 2023 costs 3.2 million rubles. Let's compare:

• Credit (20% initial, 5 years, 11%): overpayment - 950 thousand rubles.
• Leasing (10% initial, 3 years, 7% + redemption 3%): overpayment - 1.1 million rubles. (including ransom).

The difference is 150 thousand rubles. in favor of the loan. But if you consider that leasing includes CASCO (120 thousand rubles per year), the real difference is reduced to 90 thousand rubles.

One more nuance: with a loan you can refinance debt at a lower interest rate if rates fall. This is not possible with leasing.

6. How to calculate what is more profitable for you: step-by-step instructions

To understand exactly what is cheaper - leasing or credit, follow this algorithm:

1. Define parameters:
   • Car model and its cost.
   • Duration (usually 3–5 years).
   • Down payment (from 0% to 50%).
2. Collect offers:
   • Take a calculation from a bank (for example, Sberbank, VTB, Alfa-Bank).
   • Request a commercial offer from 2-3 leasing companies (Europlan, VEB-Leasing, SberLeasing).

4,000,000 (cost) − 1,200,000 (paid) = 2,800,000 (balance)
+ 200,000 (5% penalty) + 150,000 (wear and tear penalty) = RUB 3,150,000