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Cost example updated November 4, 2026
Start with the price you will actually pay
For a representative example, use a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 WT at $39,995 including destination ($37,200 starting MSRP plus the $2,795 destination charge, from Chevrolet 2026 Silverado 1500 pricing via Emich Chevrolet, October 14, 2026; a 2026 buyer’s guide checked October 6, 2026 lands on the same $39,995). The WT is the work truck trim: vinyl floors, cloth seats, and the basics, on the same frame and running gear as the higher trims. The example truck runs the 2.7 liter TurboMax four cylinder with 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, rated to tow up to 9,500 pounds. Cab, bed, and drivetrain move the price from this starting point, so replace it with a written quote for the exact truck you are considering.
The down payment does not make the truck cheaper; it changes how much you finance. With 10% down ($4,000), 8% APR (the yearly interest rate on the loan) and 60 months, and with the 7% sales tax ($2,800, an example rate, since rates run from 0% to over 10% depending on where you register) and $900 in title and dealer fees rolled into the loan rather than paid up front, this example finances $39,695 at $805 a month, and the loan costs about $8,597 in interest over five years.
Fuel: the work year’s biggest line
The TurboMax is rated 19 mpg combined (18 city, 21 highway, per EPA figures for the WT in McKay Chevrolet’s 2026 Silverado mpg table). At 20,000 miles a year that is about 1,053 gallons annually, roughly $4,372 a year, $21,858 over five years at $4.153 a gallon, the EIA national average, week ending November 2, 2026. Per mile, the truck runs 21.9 cents on fuel. The method is simple: miles divided by mpg, times price, times years.
The 20,000 mile year is the example’s stated input, not a published average: it sits between the 12,000 mile personal year used on this site’s other doors and the heavier fleet years published elsewhere. One contractor fleet runs its 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups 30,000 to 35,000 miles a year, per Work Truck Online, so heavier use runs higher still. At the 12,000 mile personal year, the same truck burns $13,115 in fuel over five years, so the extra 8,000 miles a year add $8,743. Loaded miles and hauling drink more than the rating, so a truck that tows daily runs a higher fuel line than this example.
Depreciation is still the biggest bucket
Depreciation is the value a truck loses over time, the gap between what you paid and what it is worth later. The iSeeCars 2026 study puts the Silverado 1500’s five-year value loss at 39.7%, so this example keeps 60.3% of the price: a $24,117 resale value after five years on a $39,995 purchase, about $15,878 of depreciation, roughly $265 a month.
That percentage is the published figure for the model, not a work-adjusted figure. Hard work use and high miles move real resale, and a truck that finishes five years with 100,000 miles on it is not the same truck as one that finishes with 60,000. The example applies the published percentage so the math stays checkable, and a lower resale assumption is the right sensitivity to run before money changes hands.
Insurance: the line a personal average cannot settle
Full coverage averages for a Silverado 1500 cluster between about $158 and $186 a month depending on the source (MoneyGeek and InsuredBetter at the low end, Compare.com at the high end, Insurify in between at about $176), per this site’s Silverado example. This example uses $180 a month, or $10,800 over five years, inside that published range, not at either end.
That line carries a plain limitation: those are personal full coverage averages, and a commercial policy prices by business, state, drivers, and use. A commercial quote replaces this line for a real contractor, and the $180 figure is a placeholder until that quote arrives, not a commercial rate.
Maintenance: work wears parts faster
This site’s Silverado example uses $1,100 a year for maintenance and repairs, which over five years is $5,500. Chevrolet includes the first maintenance visit (12 months or 12,000 miles), which softens year one but not the five-year picture.
Work use consumes wear items ahead of schedule, and that pressure lands on top of the average in real life. This site’s Silverado example puts a set of truck tires at about $1,100 to $1,400 mounted, with one set inside five years a realistic plan at 60,000 miles. This example runs 100,000 miles in five years, so tires, brakes, and fluids cycle faster than a personal truck’s, and a single big repair lands on top of the average in real life.
The full five-year example
Every figure below comes from the site’s own calculator math. The stated inputs are: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 WT, $39,995 price including destination, 10% down ($4,000), 8% APR, 60 months, 7% sales tax, $900 in title and dealer fees, 20,000 miles per year, 19 mpg, $4.153 per gallon, $180 per month insurance, $1,100 per year maintenance and repairs, $24,117 resale value after five years.
- Depreciation: $15,878 ($39,995 minus $24,117 resale)
- Insurance: $10,800 ($180 x 60 months)
- Fuel: $21,858 (20,000 / 19 x $4.153 x 5 years)
- Maintenance and repairs: $5,500 ($1,100 x 5 years, this site’s Silverado example)
- Tax, fees and interest: $12,297 ($2,800 sales tax, $900 fees, $8,597 loan interest)
That totals roughly $66,333, or about $1,106 a month. Notice what that says about the $805 payment: on this truck the payment is not the whole story, it is about 73% of the average month’s true cost, and during the loan years the cash actually going out is about $1,441 a month, the payment plus insurance, fuel and upkeep.
Formula
The five-year total is the sum of five buckets: depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and tax, fees and interest. Depreciation is the $39,995 price minus the $24,117 resale value after five years, which is $15,878. Insurance is $180 a month times 60 months, which is $10,800. Fuel is 20,000 miles a year divided by 19 miles per gallon, times $4.153 a gallon, times 5 years, which is about $21,858. At the 12,000 mile personal year used on this site's other doors, the same truck burns $13,115 in fuel over five years, so the extra 8,000 miles a year add $8,743. Maintenance is $1,100 a year times 5 years, which is $5,500. Tax, fees and interest is 7% sales tax on $39,995, which is $2,800, plus $900 in title and dealer fees, plus about $8,597 of loan interest, which is $12,297.
Added together, $15,878 plus $10,800 plus $21,858 plus $5,500 plus $12,297 equals $66,333, or about $1,106 a month. The amount financed is the $39,995 price plus $2,800 sales tax plus $900 in fees, minus the $4,000 down payment, which is $39,695. The tax and fees are rolled into the loan. At 8% APR over 60 months, the payment on $39,695 is $805 a month, and the loan costs about $8,597 in interest over five years. No upfit cost and no tax benefit are counted in that total.
What business use changes
Three things separate a work truck’s five years from a personal truck’s. First, miles: this example runs 20,000 miles a year, and the fuel line shows it, $21,858 against $13,115 at the personal 12,000 mile year. Second, wear: loaded miles, jobsite dust, and long idle hours consume tires, brakes, and fluids ahead of a personal schedule, so the maintenance average is a floor, not a ceiling. Third, upfit: the gear that turns a stock truck into a trade truck. Published upfit guides put a service body at $9,000 to $25,000, a basic utility body around $10,000, and full builds far higher, with one Ford Pro dealer guide putting Super Duty upfits at $2,000 to $30,000. No upfit dollar is counted in this example, because the range is too wide to pick one; the reader adds their own upfit quote to the total. Tax treatment varies by business and situation, so no tax benefit is counted in this example.
What these numbers do not settle
Honest gaps, stated here rather than settled quietly. First, upfit: no upfit cost sits in the $66,333 total; published ranges run from about $2,000 for a simple setup to $25,000 and beyond for a service body, so the reader’s own upfit quote is the number that belongs here. Second, tax treatment: tax treatment varies by business and situation, and this page gives no tax advice, so no tax benefit is counted anywhere in the example. Third, insurance: the $180 a month is a personal full coverage average, and a commercial quote replaces it; commercial rates move with business, state, drivers, and use. Fourth, gas price: $4.153 a gallon is the EIA national average, week ending November 2, 2026, a dated snapshot, not a five year promise, and pump prices where you live will differ. Fifth, fees: the $900 covers title and dealer fees at purchase only; yearly registration and renewal fees are not in this example and vary by state. Sixth, fuel economy: the 19 mpg rating varies by cab, bed, and drivetrain, and loaded or towing miles drink more than the rating. Seventh, resale: the 60.3% retention is the published model figure, and hard work use moves real resale. Dealer add ons, options, and anything above the price are not included.
Sources: Chevrolet 2026 Silverado 1500 pricing via Emich Chevrolet, October 14, 2026; 2026 Silverado 1500 buyer’s guide pricing check, October 6, 2026; EPA fuel economy figures via McKay Chevrolet’s 2026 Silverado mpg table; EIA national average regular gas, week ending November 2, 2026; iSeeCars 2026 study, Silverado 1500 five-year loss 39.7%; this site’s Silverado example for insurance range and maintenance figure, with its published sources; Work Truck Online fleet mileage reporting; Upfit Insider 2025 upfit pricing guide; Ford Pro dealer upfit guide; OrganizerTone upfit guide. Figures checked November 4, 2026.
Calculation transparency
Jurisdiction. United States. Sales tax, titling, registration and insurance rules are set by your state, so your exact numbers depend on where you buy and register the car. The 7% sales tax and $900 in fees in this example are planning figures, not any one state's actual rates.
Rules and time period. Five years, 20,000 miles a year, gas at $4.153 a gallon (EIA national average, week ending November 2, 2026), 8% APR, 60 months, 10% down. The resale value is a planning assumption, not a forecast. No upfit cost and no tax benefit are counted in this example.
Scope and limitations. Educational estimate only. Insurance and maintenance are planning figures, not quotes. Get a real quote for the same trim, coverage and loan before you decide.
iSeeCars' 2026 study puts the Silverado 1500's five-year value loss at 39.7 percent, which is the figure used here, while its dedicated resale page puts it at 41.7 percent, its comparison pages at 42.5 percent, and CarEdge at 43 percent, so the 39.7 percent figure used here is kept as a planning assumption, not as a current reading. RepairPal's $714 a year is a repair-only average, below the $1,100 a year used here, which also covers routine service and tires, and the example figure is kept as printed.
Source links checked November 6, 2026. Figures: Emich Chevrolet 2026 Silverado 1500 WT price, $39,995 including destination; EPA combined fuel economy, 19 mpg; MoneyGeek Silverado 1500 full-coverage average, $158 a month; Compare.com Silverado 1500 full-coverage average, $186 a month; RepairPal Silverado 1500 average annual repair cost, $714, reliability 3.5 out of 5; EIA weekly gas prices (week ending November 2, 2026).
Primary sources: Emich Chevrolet, 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pricing; GM Authority, 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pricing; fueleconomy.gov, EPA fuel economy ratings; MoneyGeek, Chevrolet Silverado car insurance; Compare.com, Chevrolet Silverado car insurance; RepairPal, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliability; Driveonomics, what a Silverado really costs over 5 years; EIA, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. How the numbers are calculated is written down on the methodology page, and every source is listed on the sources page.
Definitions
Depreciation. The value a truck loses over time, the gap between what you paid and what it is worth later. On this page, the $39,995 price minus the $24,117 resale value after five years, which is $15,878.
Resale value. What the truck is worth after five years in this example, $24,117. A planning assumption, not a forecast, and hard work use moves real resale.
APR. Annual percentage rate, the yearly interest rate on the loan. This example uses 8%.
Down payment. The cash paid up front. Here it is 10%, or $4,000.
Destination charge. The fee to ship the car to the dealer. It is $2,795 on this truck, and the $39,995 example price is $37,200 starting MSRP plus the $2,795 destination charge.
Combined mpg. The EPA city and highway ratings blended into one figure. It is 19 for the TurboMax WT, 18 in the city and 21 on the highway.
Full coverage. Insurance that covers damage to your own truck as well as damage you cause to others. This example uses $180 a month, or $10,800 over five years, a personal full-coverage average, not a commercial rate.
Upfit. The gear that turns a stock truck into a trade truck, such as a service body. No upfit dollar is counted in this example, because the range is too wide to pick one.
Questions people actually ask
How much does a work truck cost per month?
About $1,106 a month over five years in this example: an $805 monthly loan payment plus insurance, gas, and upkeep, with the truck’s loss in value spread across the same five years. During the loan years the cash going out each month is about $1,441, because the payment, insurance, gas, and upkeep are all paid at the same time.
What does a work truck cost a small contractor over five years?
About $66,333 in this example: a 2026 Silverado 1500 WT at $39,995, run 20,000 miles a year for five years. Depreciation $15,878, insurance $10,800, fuel $21,858, maintenance $5,500, tax, fees, and interest $12,297. No upfit cost and no tax benefit are counted in that total.
How many miles a year does a work truck run?
This example uses 20,000 miles a year, a contractor’s year, against the 12,000 mile personal year used on this site’s other doors. The extra miles add $8,743 in fuel over five years at 19 mpg and $4.153 a gallon. One contractor fleet runs its 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups 30,000 to 35,000 miles a year, so heavier use runs higher still.
Does a work truck need upfitting, and what does it cost?
Upfitting fits the truck to the trade, and published guides put a service body at $9,000 to $25,000, with basic utility bodies around $10,000 and full builds far higher. No upfit dollar is counted in this example because the range is too wide to pick one; the reader adds their own upfit quote to the total.
What does the five-year work truck example assume?
A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 WT at $39,995 including destination, 10 percent down, 8 percent APR over 60 months, 7 percent sales tax, $900 in title and dealer fees, 20,000 miles a year, 19 miles per gallon, $4.153 a gallon, $180 a month for insurance, $1,100 a year for maintenance and repairs, and a $24,117 resale value after five years. Change any input and the total moves with it.
Related: See how much car maintenance costs per year.
Related: See why your car loses value so fast, work trucks hold value well.
Related: See what it costs per mile to drive, the rate that prices a work truck's year.
The calculator is where the work truck price, commercial insurance quote, real annual mileage, local fuel price, and upfit quote replace every input above. Then change only the inputs that differ to test a lower mileage year, a shorter loan, or a different trim.
Pricing a truck for personal use too? The Car Showdown runs any two vehicles through the same five buckets side by side. Comparing diesel against gas? See diesel versus gas truck costs. Pricing the truck itself? See what a Silverado really costs over 5 years. Weighing what a pickup costs in general? See how much it costs to own a pickup truck.