Last updated: 12 September 2026.
This page explains exactly how each calculator on DriveCarCost.com works, so you can judge the result for yourself.
Fuel cost
Litres required = (distance ÷ 100) × fuel economy (L/100km), then fuel cost = litres × price per litre for the fuel type and month you select.
Salik
Salik cost = crossings × rate for the time window you select (AED 6 peak, AED 4 off-peak/Sunday, AED 0 in the 1–6am toll-free window), multiplied by 2 for a round trip.
Darb
Darb cost = chargeable crossings × AED 4. You decide how many of your crossings are chargeable based on gate and time, explained on the Darb Calculator page.
Trip cost
Combines fuel cost, Salik cost and Darb cost as above, plus any parking you enter, with an optional round-trip multiplier.
Car running cost
Sums fuel (calculated as above from your monthly distance), average monthly tolls and parking you enter, plus annual insurance, registration and maintenance divided by 12, plus any loan or lease payment. Depreciation is intentionally excluded — see the calculator’s FAQ for why.
EV charging
Energy required (kWh) = (distance ÷ 100) × efficiency (kWh/100km), split between home and public charging by the percentage you choose, each priced at its own rate.
Rounding & frequency projections
Where a calculator asks how often a distance or trip happens (once, daily, weekly, monthly), we calculate the cost for one occurrence first, then scale it to a daily figure before projecting to monthly (×30) and annual (×365) — this avoids the common bug of treating an occasional distance as if it happens every day.
What’s not modelled
We don’t model: Salik’s one-hour paired-gate discount, DEWA’s full tiered electricity billing with VAT, or vehicle-specific depreciation. Each calculator’s disclaimer notes what it leaves out.
Sources
See our Data Sources page for exactly where each rate comes from.