Fuel Cost Calculator
Calculate the total fuel cost of a trip from distance, vehicle fuel efficiency, and fuel price per unit.
Unit System
Trip Distance (miles)
miles
Vehicle Fuel Efficiency (mpg)
mpg
Fuel Price per Unit
$
Total Trip Fuel Cost
$ 63
Fuel Needed
17.86 gal
Cost per mile
$ 0
How trip fuel cost is calculated
To estimate what a trip will cost in fuel, you need three numbers: the distance you'll travel, your vehicle's fuel efficiency, and the current fuel price. The calculator first works out how much fuel the trip will need, then multiplies that by the price per unit.
Formula
Total Fuel Cost = Fuel Needed × Price per Unit
Switch between US units (miles & mpg) and metric units (kilometers & km/l) with the unit selector — the calculator keeps the math consistent for whichever system you choose.
Example
A 500-mile road trip in a car that gets 28 mpg needs about 17.9 gallons of fuel. At $3.50/gallon, the trip costs roughly $62.50 in fuel, or about $0.125 per mile.
Common Use Cases
- Budgeting fuel cost for a road trip or daily commute before you leave.
- Comparing trip cost across vehicles with different fuel efficiency.
- Splitting fuel cost fairly between passengers on a shared trip.
FAQs
Where do I find my vehicle's fuel efficiency?
Check your vehicle's manual or window sticker for the manufacturer's rated mpg or km/l, or use the Mileage Calculator to work out your actual real-world efficiency from a recent fill-up.
Does this account for traffic, terrain, or driving style?
No — it assumes your vehicle achieves the fuel efficiency figure you enter for the entire trip. Heavy traffic, hills, high speeds, and aggressive driving all reduce real-world efficiency below the rated figure, so treat the estimate as a reasonable ballpark rather than an exact number.
Can I use this for a round trip?
Yes — just enter the full round-trip distance (there and back) rather than the one-way distance, and the calculator will estimate the total fuel cost for the entire journey.