The High Cost of Driving

Los Angeles is the most expensive city in the country when it comes to owning and operating a car. Runzheimer International, a management consulting firm, said the annual cost to operate a 1992 mid-sized, six-cylinder, four-door sedan in the greater Los Angeles area was $7,529. Annual cost is based on keeping the car for four years and 60,000 miles.

Insurance is one of the main culprits in pushing up the cost of driving, representing 15.1% of the cost this year, up from 13.9% in 1991. Insurance costs in Los Angeles are five times greater than in Sioux Falls, S.D., the least expensive city for operating a car.

Operating costs such as fuel, oil, tires and maintenance differ by location too. The annual cost of gasoline this year is 16.5% of total cost, compared to 17.4% in 1991 and 34.7% in 1976. Maintenance cost rose to 6.8% of total cost, up from 6.2.%.

Depreciation and interest fell from 56.6% in 1991 to 55.7% this year. It remains the largest portion of overall cost.

Here are the five most and least expensive cities when it comes to operating a car, according to Runzheimer International:

Most Expensive Cities

Fixed Operating Total City costs costs annual costs Los Angeles $6,074 $1,455 $7,529 Philadelphia $5,118 $1,418 $6,536 Detroit $5,081 $1,343 $6,424 Boston $4,897 $1,500 $6,397 Hartford, Conn. $4,929 $1,425 $6,354

Least Expensive Cities

Fixed Operating Total City costs costs annual costs Sioux Falls, S.D. $3,343 $1,283 $4,626 Eau Claire, Wis. $3,476 $1,208 $4,684 Burlington, Vt. $3,445 $1,268 $4,713 Boise, Ida. $3,479 $1,238 $4,717 Billings, Mont. $3,519 $1,245 $4,764