Machinery Cost per Hour Calculator
See what a tractor or machine really costs to run per hour and per hectare or acre, including the fixed costs.
Part of the 🌾 Farmers toolkit, with more tools made for the job.
Loss in value, interest, insurance and shed space.
Gives the cost and time for that job.
Type the fuel, hours and area covered, and the cost per hour and per area appears here.
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Fuel is the cost you notice, but a machine also costs money when it sits in the shed. Type the fuel, operator and repair costs per hour, the fixed costs per year and the hours it works, and this shows the cost per hour, per hectare or acre, and for a job.
Fixed costs are spread over the hours you use the machine, so the more it works, the less each hour costs. A machine used 200 hours a year can cost far more per hour than the same machine used 600.
How it’s worked out
- Fuel cost per hour is the fuel used per hour times the fuel price.
- Fixed cost per hour is the fixed costs per year divided by the hours used per year.
- Cost per hour is fuel plus operator plus repairs plus fixed cost per hour. Cost per hectare or acre is that divided by the area covered per hour. A job costs the cost per area times its size.
Fuel of 15 litres at $1.20 is $18 an hour, an operator is $12, repairs $6 and fixed costs of $12,000 over 600 hours are $20 an hour. That is $56 an hour. At 2 hectares an hour it is $28 per hectare, and a 40 hectare job costs $1,120 and takes 20 hours.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out the fixed costs. Loss in value, interest and insurance are real even if you never write a cheque for them.
- Using hours the machine works on paper. Count the hours actually on the clock, including travel and turning.
- Using the maximum area covered per hour. Wet ground, headlands and breakdowns lower the real figure.
- Forgetting the operator's time when you do the work yourself.
Questions
How do I estimate repairs per hour?
Use your own records if you have them. Many extension services also publish repair estimates for common machines, usually as a share of the purchase price for every 100 hours of use. Put the result here as dollars per hour.
What goes in fixed costs per year?
The yearly loss in value of the machine, interest on the money tied up in it or on a loan, insurance, and a share of shed space. A rough figure is fine.
Is it cheaper to hire a contractor?
Compare the contractor's price per hectare or acre with the cost per area shown here. If you only use the machine a little each year, hiring is often cheaper.
Can I use it for a combine, a sprayer or a baler?
Yes. Any machine with a fuel use, hourly costs and an area covered per hour works.
Where the method comes from
Estimates only
These are estimates and general information, not agronomic, financial or professional advice. Rates, timings and costs depend on your crop, land, weather and local rules.
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