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Clever Dude
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Brandon Marcus

The Average Car Payment Is Nearly $700 — What Salary Actually Makes That Affordable?

Experian CFPB
The Average Car Payment Is Nearly $700 — What Salary Actually Makes That Affordable?
A nearly $700 average auto payment can represent very different portions of a household’s income, especially after insurance, fuel, maintenance and other debts enter the monthly budget – Shutterstock

The average U.S. auto loan payment reached $697 in March 2026, according to Experian. That figure sounds manageable until the rest of the car’s monthly bill shows up.

A salary that makes a $697 payment easy for one household could make it uncomfortable for another. Housing costs, credit cards, student loans, insurance, fuel, savings goals and the size of the down payment all change the calculation.

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