Los Angeles driving, parking costs among most expensive in nation

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A new study shows driving and parking costs in Southern California are among the most expensive in the nation.

Parking was the largest single expense for vehicle owners in 2017, according to study results released Monday from INRIX.

Drivers in the largest U.S. cities spent more than $3,000 for parking. Los Angeles was above average, spending almost $5,000 in parking-related expenses last year.

In total, the average U.S. driver faced $10,288 in driving costs, but the average in L.A. was $14,832.69, making it the second highest-paying city. About 46 percent of the nearly $15,000 represents parking costs.

"Parking tickets like $68 really can hurt somebody in this city, especially where cost of living is so high," L.A. resident Fred Trester said.

Parking meters, parking tickets and parking structures for work or events all add up. For Angelinos, they amount to 32 percent of the total spent on owning a car in one year.

Luckily, L.A. is not the most expensive when it comes to driving and parking costs. New York takes that title with it costing almost $19,000 just to own and keep a car in the city.