Buying · guide

How much do tires cost?

By TireMileageLast updated 2026-10-254 sources citedHow we work

Short answer: It depends mainly on your size, the tire’s speed and load ratings, its type and maker, and your installer’s fees, so there is no single honest number. We don’t have a licensed price feed yet, so rather than guess we show how to get comparable quotes and convert them into cost per mile.

Why we don’t print a price range

Prices change by retailer, region and week, and we haven’t licensed a price source. The only market-size figure we can cite is NHTSA’s: owners buy approximately 340 million replacement tires a year (NHTSA). Anything more specific would be a guess, so this guide covers what moves the price.

What drives price

Size and rim diameter: your size is fixed by the placard, so compare within it. Our rim hubs show how common each diameter is: 16-inch, 17-inch, 18-inch, 19-inch, 20-inch. See reading the sidewall.
Load index and speed rating: must meet or exceed the vehicle’s requirement; XL tires are built to carry more (Michelin).
Type and tread life: season type and mileage warranty differ between lines (seasons, warranties).
Maker and line: browse by brand or treadwear band.

What an installed quote includes

Ask for an out-the-door price. Fees that can apply to a replacement include taxes, shipping, mounting, balancing and disposal or service fees (the items Continental lists on a pro-rata replacement, Continental Tire). Check that all four tires are quoted, since TIA’s best practice is to replace all four together (TIA).

Compare quotes fairly

Same size, load index and speed rating for each quote.
Same fees included.
Write down each tire’s warranty miles and its conditions.
Turn each quote into cost per 1,000 miles (the method). The cheapest sticker is not always the cheapest per mile.

Treat treadwear grades as a shortlist tool only (what they mean).

FAQ

How much does a set of four tires cost?

We can’t give a sourced figure: it depends on size, ratings, type, maker, retailer and fees. Get out-the-door quotes for your exact size and compare cost per 1,000 miles.

What is included in an installed tire price?

It can include taxes, mounting, balancing and disposal or service fees; ask for the out-the-door total. Continental lists taxes, shipping, mounting, balancing, and disposal or service fees on a pro-rata replacement.

Do more expensive tires last longer?

Not necessarily, and we have no price data to test it. Compare cost per mile using real quotes and maker warranty terms.

How many replacement tires are sold in the U.S. each year?

NHTSA says vehicle owners purchase approximately 340 million replacement tires each year.

Look up real ratings

225/65R17 tires ranked by treadwear35 graded lines
235/55R19 tires ranked by treadwear32 graded lines

Sources

TireWise: Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness, NHTSA. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
Mileage Warranty (support article, updated June 12, 2026), Continental Tire. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
Tire Replacement, Tire Industry Association. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
Tire Load Rating & Speed Rating Explained, Michelin USA. Retrieved 2026-10-25.

NHTSA ratings are from the dataset we publish. Maker statements are the makers’ own claims. We make no price claims. Found an error? See About & corrections.

Keep reading

How to calculate tire cost per mileBuying math
Treadwear rating vs. mileage warrantyTreadwear vs. mileage
How to read a tire sidewallTire sizes