This is the question posed on CityNerd video titled “Walkable Cities But They Keep Getting More Affordable”
If you ditched your car, could you afford to leave the suburbs for a great urban neighborhood?
Ray Delahanty answers the question in the 26 biggest US cities.
The analysis assumes the all-in cost of owning and operating a car is $1,000 per month, including purchase, insurance, fuel, and maintenance.
In the city, transportation costs might total about $250 per month for transit passes, biking, ride-hailing, and other small expenses.
This results in an effective $750 per month increase in the housing budget for city center residents who do not own a car.
The results of the video are quite interesting, as you can get more m² in walkable areas in most cities
I hate to be nitpicky, but that’s not what the average is. In averages a small population of people who spend way more can bring averages above the median (which is the split between halves of the population).
For cars in particular I prefer using medians as they are much more likely to be aligned to what most people experience.
I did a search. The source article has little bit more of a breakdown, but they still didn’t do the median calculation, only the average. https://mediaroom.kbb.com/2025-10-13-Kelley-Blue-Book-Report-New-Vehicle-Average-Transaction-Price-Hits-Record-High-in-September,-Surges-Past-50,000-for-the-First-Time-Ever