How does everyone afford their car?

I’m currently a student with no insurance, license, or car. I plan on getting these in the coming weeks and months. <br><br>I’ve done a lot of research and figured out a lot of how to budget my car costs, but I’m still having a hard time understanding how most people afford their cars. <br><br>If you consider buying a car for $20,000, that’s $20,000 you have to pay back over several years in order to own your car. Plus you have to pay insurance, gas, oil changes, maintenance, repairs, etc. It seems like a lot of people get a lot of cars and it seems like most people don’t have trouble affording their car. <br><br>I know this car will be my primary mode of transportation for years to come, and it feels like a big leap to make. I’m 22 years old and have been dependent on others for transportation for my entire life. <br><br>What is it that I am misunderstanding about the cost of a car?