Lease or Buy a Ford F-150? 3-Year Cost Compared (November 2026)
Over 3 years, leasing a 2026 F-150 STX costs $16,294 vs about $28,929 to buy and sell (per CarWhere data) — lease wins by $12,635; buying doesn't catch up within the 8 years our resale data covers.
By the CarWhere Research Team · Manufacturer lease programs, verified CarWhere deals and our depreciation report · Updated daily
Lease for 3 years
| Advertised payment | $309/mo × 36 mo |
|---|---|
| Due at signing | $5,479 |
| Total over 36 months | $16,294 |
| Lease cost, 3 years | $16,294 |
Ford's New York-region offer on the 2026 F-150 STX, ends November 16, 2026. No acquisition or disposition fee is listed with the offer, so none is added.
Buy, then sell after 3 years
| Price CarWhere buyers pay | $72,687 |
|---|---|
| Resale at 3 years (−39.8%) | −$43,758 |
| Cash buy, 3 years | $28,929 |
| Financed at 1.9% APR, 3 years | $31,938 |
Price = the median price CarWhere buyers paid for an F-150 (65 verified deals, all trims). Finance line: Ford's 1.9% / 62-month APR offer, $0 down, interest paid in the first 36 months.
Leasing wins by $12,635 over 3 years (cash); financed, the gap is $15,644 in favor of leasing.
If you keep it longer
Leasing continuously at the same effective rate vs buying once and selling at year N (resale from our depreciation report; cash purchase).
| Years kept | Lease (continuous) | Buy and sell | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $16,294 | $28,929 | Lease |
| 4 | $21,725 | $33,436 | Lease |
| 5 | $27,157 | $37,652 | Lease |
| 6 | $32,588 | $42,958 | Lease |
| 7 | $38,019 | $44,993 | Lease |
| 8 | $43,451 | $47,247 | Lease |
Assumptions
- Lease: $5,479 due at signing + $309 × 35 remaining payments = $16,294 over 36 months. You return the car with no excess-mileage or wear charges.
- Buy: the median price CarWhere buyers paid for an F-150 (65 verified deals, all trims); sold after 3 years at 60.2% of the purchase price.
- Resale: CarWhere depreciation report (2026-10-25) for the Ford F-150 — median used-listing price by model year vs the median new price.
- Excluded on both sides: sales tax, registration, insurance, maintenance.
FAQ
Is it better to lease or buy an F-150?
Over 3 years, leasing a 2026 F-150 STX costs $16,294 vs about $28,929 to buy and sell (per CarWhere data) — lease wins by $12,635; buying doesn't catch up within the 8 years our resale data covers. The lease side is the current advertised Ford offer ($309/mo for 36 months, $5,479 due at signing); the buy side is the median price CarWhere buyers paid for an F-150 (65 verified deals, all trims), less the 39.8% a 3-year-old F-150 loses in value. Taxes, registration, insurance and maintenance are left out of both.
How much does a F-150 lose in value in 3 years?
About 39.8% below the new price at 3 years old, from median used-listing prices vs the median new price in CarWhere's depreciation report (2026-10-25). On this $72,687 price that is a resale value of about $43,758.
How long do you have to keep a F-150 for buying to win?
Not within the 8 years our resale data covers — at this offer, leasing continuously stays cheaper than buying and selling.
Does financing change the F-150 lease-or-buy math?
With Ford's 1.9% APR for 62 months offer (ends January 4, 2027), financing the full price adds about $3,009 of interest in the first 3 years, so buying and selling costs about $31,938 vs $16,294 to lease. That assumes $0 down and top-tier credit.