Oregon is the cheapest state in which to own and operate a motor vehicle at $2204 a year, while Georgia is the most expensive at $4,233 annually, according to a new survey.
Bankrate.com, a personal finance web site, tallied the cost of insurance, gasoline, taxes, fees, and car repairs in all 50 states.
"The Beaver State gives drivers a break with no state sales tax … [and] Oregon motorists also drive less than in most other states. That drives down what they spend on gasoline each year," Bankrate said.
"The average yearly cost of gasoline in Oregon was $942 per driver in 2012, while it was $1,020 nationally. Insurance premiums are also relatively low at $724 per year."
Georgia, on the other hand, is so expensive because residents spend a lot of time in their cars.
"[It’s also] thanks in part to Atlanta’s sprawling communities and a lack of public transportation. Those long commutes lead to above-average gasoline costs and insurance rates," the web site said.
Georgia also has the highest state auto taxes and fees in the nation.
Rounding out the top ten most expensive states are California ($3,966), Wyoming ($3,938), Rhode Island ($3,913), Nevada ($3,886), Arizona ($3,886), Kentucky ($3,626), Massachusetts ($3,625), Virginia ($3,622) and Nebraska ($3,571).
The other nine states with the lowest average annual vehicle costs are Alaska ($2,227), South Dakota ($2,343), Montana ($2,660), Indiana ($2,698), Hawaii ($2,705), Pennsylvania ($2,764), Wisconsin ($2779), Idaho ($2,792), and Ohio ($2,810).
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