^^ He speaketh the trutheth.
Nah, not really. There are no "hidden" costs. Its all there on the contract (in big print) and the dealer will explain it to you. There are idiots that don;t read or ask, but no hidden fees.
I just returned a VW after a 3 year lease. An independent inspecting company came out and looked at the car. Wear and tear "hidden " charge came up to 100$ (with two kids and a dog riding it, and a wife parallel parking it lol) . As for the millage, I knew exactly what it would cost.
Leasing is cheaper. Just make sure that what ever millage option you choose, you can stay under of. Looking at a car as investment is silly so both lease or buy is money thrown away. Leasing also gives you the option to get a new car after a few years without having to worry about the value of the existing car. You buy it and it is a lot harder to do unless you wasted a lot of cash when you bought it.
Been leasing for 15 years now. Just read the contract and make sure the millage you choose will be enough for you to stay under.