Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Cost to Own
By CarWhere Research · Updated
A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 costs about $55,185 over 5 years and 75,000 miles in depreciation, fuel and insurance. Depreciation is the biggest share at $30,453 (49.9% of the median new price); fuel $18,322 and national-average insurance $6,410 make up the rest. Scheduled maintenance, repairs and registration fees come on top.
5-year total
$55,185
depreciation + fuel + insurance
Depreciation
$30,453
49.9% of new price
Fuel
$18,322
$3,664/yr
Insurance
$6,410
national average
5-year cost-to-own breakdown
Assumptions: 5 years, 15,000 miles a year (75,000 total), bought new. Every line shows its formula and source.
| Line | 5 years | Per year | How it’s calculated | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $30,453 | $6,091 | $61,029 median new price (2026) × 49.9% below new for 5-year-old (2021) listings | CarWhere depreciation study |
| Fuel | $18,322 | $3,664 | 75,000 mi ÷ 17 MPG × $4.153/gal regular, $6.292/gal diesel, $5.158/gal premium (median of 23 EPA versions) | EPA × EIA November 2, 2026 |
| Insurance | $6,410 | $1,282 | U.S. average expenditure per insured car (2023) × 5 years. Not specific to the Silverado 1500. | NAIC, by state |
| Scheduled maintenance | See note | — | Chevrolet Complete Care — covered first maintenance visit (One visit within the first 12 months of ownership) is included; beyond its terms, the Chevrolet schedule below applies. No manufacturer-published service prices. | Chevrolet schedule |
| Registration and fees | Varies by state | — | State registration, title and taxes. | State title guides |
| Total | $55,185 | $11,037 | Depreciation + fuel + national-average insurance. Maintenance, repairs and fees not included. | |
Depreciation
New Silverado 1500s list for a median $61,029 (95,443 listings). In CarWhere’s used-market study, 2021 models (5 years old) list 49.9% below that, so a Silverado 1500 loses about $30,453 in its first five years.
| Model year | Age | Median listing | Below new | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 | $30,593 | 49.9% | 6,937 |
Fuel
The EPA rates the 2026 Silverado 1500 at 17 MPG combined; 15–25 MPG across 23 EPA-listed versions. At $4.153/gal regular, $6.292/gal diesel, $5.158/gal premium (EIA, week of November 2, 2026), 75,000 miles cost about $18,322, or $3,664 a year.
EPA versions included: Silverado (with Sport Mode) 2WD, Silverado (with Sport Mode) 4WD, Silverado (with Sport Mode) 4WD M6, Silverado 2WD, Silverado 4WD, Silverado 4WD (Flex Fuel), Silverado 4WD 4M, Silverado 4WD ZR2, Silverado 4WD ZR2 (Sport/Off Road), Silverado Mud Terrain Tires (Sport Mode) 4WD, Silverado Mud Terrain Tires (with Sport Mode) 4WD, Silverado Mud Terrain Tires 4WD, Silverado Mud Terrain Tires 4WD (Sport/off road), Silverado Mud Terrain Tires 4WD 4M, Silverado Mud Terrain Tires 4WD FFV.
Insurance
Insurance varies by driver, location and coverage. Across all insured cars, U.S. drivers spent an average of $1,282 a year in 2023 (NAIC); see car insurance cost by state for your state’s average.
Is the Silverado 1500 expensive to maintain?
Chevrolet's published oil-change interval: condition-based: GM Engine Oil Life System. Chevrolet Complete Care — covered first maintenance visit: one visit within the first 12 months of ownership. For the Silverado 1500: spark plugs: 60,000 mi on 2.7L Turbo; 97,500 mi on 5.3L/6.2L V8; transfer case fluid (4WD): every 100,000 mi normal; every 50,000 mi severe. We list the schedule rather than a dollar figure because Chevrolet doesn't publish service prices.
For repair patterns owners report, see Silverado 1500 known issues.
Chevrolet Complete Care — covered first maintenance visit
Term: One visit within the first 12 months of ownership (2024 or newer vehicles); Corvette: one visit within the first 24 months
Covers: Oil and oil filter change, Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection, 4-tire rotation per the maintenance schedule; diesel adds up to 4 gal ACDelco DEF top-off; EVs get tire rotation + inspection
Source: Chevrolet Complete Care — Covered Maintenance & Warranty
Oil changes
Normal: Condition-based: GM Engine Oil Life System. Check oil level and oil-life % every 7,500 mi; change oil and filter when the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message appears (within the next 600 mi). Oil and filter must be changed at least once a year even if the monitor has not called for it. If the system is reset by accident, service within 3,000 mi of the last service.
Severe or special conditions: Same oil-life system; under severe use (short trips of 4 mi or less, heavy city traffic in heat, hilly terrain, frequent towing, commercial/taxi/police/delivery use) the indicator may call for a change before 7,500 mi.
Oil: Oil meeting GM dexos1 specification (ACDelco dexos1 full synthetic recommended). SAE 0W-20 for Tahoe, Equinox, Traverse and Silverado 5.3L V8; SAE 5W-30 for Silverado 2.7L Turbo; Silverado 6.2L V8 — viscosity per oil fill cap.
Source: 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF)
| Interval | Items | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Every 7,500 miles |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Every 22,500 miles or 24 months |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Every 5 years |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Every 7 years |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Spark plugs |
| 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner's Manual (rev. Jun 2025) — Maintenance Schedule (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Every 100,000 miles or 10 years |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Every 150,000 miles or 6 years |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
| Severe service — every 45,000 miles |
| 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) |
Silverado 1500-specific notes
- Source is the 2024 model-year manual (revised June 2025); a full 2025 manual PDF was not located on GM's CDN
- Spark plugs: 60,000 mi on 2.7L Turbo; 97,500 mi on 5.3L/6.2L V8
- Transfer case fluid (4WD): every 100,000 mi normal; every 50,000 mi severe
- Severe service: automatic transmission fluid and filter every 45,000 mi
- Oil: 0W-20 (5.3L), 5W-30 (2.7L), 6.2L per fill cap
Source: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner's Manual (rev. Jun 2025) — Maintenance Schedule (GM-hosted PDF)
More Silverado 1500 research
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to own a Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 costs about $55,185 over 5 years and 75,000 miles in depreciation, fuel and insurance. Depreciation is the biggest share at $30,453 (49.9% of the median new price); fuel $18,322 and national-average insurance $6,410 make up the rest. Scheduled maintenance, repairs and registration fees come on top.
Is the Silverado 1500 expensive to maintain?
Chevrolet's published oil-change interval: condition-based: GM Engine Oil Life System. Chevrolet Complete Care — covered first maintenance visit: one visit within the first 12 months of ownership. For the Silverado 1500: spark plugs: 60,000 mi on 2.7L Turbo; 97,500 mi on 5.3L/6.2L V8; transfer case fluid (4WD): every 100,000 mi normal; every 50,000 mi severe. We list the schedule rather than a dollar figure because Chevrolet doesn't publish service prices.
Is the Silverado 1500 expensive to insure?
Insurance varies by driver, location and coverage, and CarWhere doesn't publish model-specific premiums. Across all insured cars, U.S. drivers spent an average of $1,282 a year (NAIC, 2023), or $6,410 over 5 years; our state-by-state study shows the average where you live.
How much does a Silverado 1500 depreciate in 5 years?
In CarWhere's used-market study, 5-year-old Silverado 1500s (model year 2021) list for 49.9% below the median new price of $61,029, about $30,453 of lost value.
How much does a Silverado 1500 cost to fuel per year?
About $3,664 a year at 15,000 miles, based on the EPA rating of 17 MPG combined; 15–25 MPG across 23 EPA-listed versions and $4.153/gal regular, $6.292/gal diesel, $5.158/gal premium (EIA, week of November 2, 2026).
Sources and method
Formula: 5-year total = depreciation (median new price × % below new at age 5) + fuel (75,000 mi ÷ EPA combined MPG × EIA national price, or kWh/100 mi × EIA residential rate for EVs) + insurance (NAIC national average expenditure × 5). Lines without a citable source are left blank.
- CarWhere car depreciation by model study — CarWhere Research (data as of 2026-10-25)
- Fuel economy data (vehicles.csv) — U.S. EPA / DOE, fueleconomy.gov
- Weekly U.S. retail gasoline and diesel prices — U.S. Energy Information Administration (week of November 2, 2026)
- Auto Insurance Database Report (average expenditure) — NAIC, via CarWhere state study (2023 data)
- 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner's Manual — Service and Maintenance (GM-hosted PDF) — Chevrolet (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Chevrolet Equinox Owner's Manual — Maintenance Schedule (GM-hosted PDF) — Chevrolet (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Chevrolet Traverse Owner's Manual — Maintenance Schedule (GM-hosted PDF) — Chevrolet (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner's Manual (rev. Jun 2025) — Maintenance Schedule (GM-hosted PDF) — Chevrolet (opened 2026-11-06)
- Chevrolet Complete Care — Covered Maintenance & Warranty — Chevrolet (opened 2026-11-06)