Phone Cost per Year Calculator (upgrade every 2 years vs keep it longer)

How it works

Cost per year = (price + accessories + extra repairs − resale value) ÷ years of use. Keeping a phone longer spreads the price over more years but lowers the resale value; the difference per year shows what an earlier upgrade costs you. Instalment fees and plan fees are not included — add the instalment fee to the price if you pay in instalments.

⚠ Estimates for information only — not financial advice.

FAQ

Is upgrading every two years always more expensive?

Usually per year, because the biggest loss of value happens early. A high trade-in offer can narrow the gap — enter it as the resale value.

What about software updates?

Check how many years of updates the maker promises; keeping a phone beyond that can be a security risk.

Checked 11 Nov 2026. Straight-line cost-of-ownership arithmetic. Resale values are your own estimates from current used-phone prices.