Good News Illinois Drivers! It’s Not the Most Expensive Place to Drive

The fees for owning and driving a vehicle in Illinois are very high. What a surprise to see that Illinois is not the most expensive place for drivers.

It Could Always Be Worse

Get our free mobile app

It's nice to see prices going down a little at the gas pump, but it never lasts. As I was standing at the Costco gas pump (trying to save a little money any way I can, ya know) I noticed that it was time to also renew my vehicle registration.

There's another expense I hate paying, vehicle registration fees. I hate making that $151 payment every year, especially after the 2-year break in paying it in 2020 and 2021. I know I wasn't the only one who just 'accidentally forgot' to pay it during the Covid pandemic.

MORE: Didn’t Renew Illinois License Plate Sticker On Time? There’s A Late Fee

Illinois' vehicle registration fee is one of the highest in the country, not surprisingly

("But it could always be worse").

Our taxes are some of the highest in the country

("But it could always be worse").

The tollway is expensive, and insurance rates are ridiculous

("But it could always be worse").

MORE: 21 To 68 Years Old? Cost To Renew Your Illinois License Is Ridiculous

It's true, it could be much worse and that's why I'm now thankful to not be a driver in Singapore.

The Most Expensive City in the World for Drivers

Owning a car and driving in Singapore is basically a privilege, one for which you'll pay over $100,000.

To own a car in Singapore, you have to bid for a certificate that now costs $106,000, according to a recent story from nbcnews.com. Too many residents, driving too many cars, and on such a small island had become too much.

Singapore has a 10-year “certificate of entitlement” (COE) system, introduced in 1990, to control the number of vehicles in the small country, which is home to 5.9 million people and can be driven across in less than an hour.

I couldn't believe it when I saw the numbers compared to ours in the US.

For a standard Toyota Camry Hybrid in Singapore, registration fees and taxes, plus the cost of the COE, your total is:

$183,000

Your total in the US:

$28,855

I still don't want to spend one hundred fifty-one dollars on a sticker but it definitely could be worse.