How do I calculate fuel cost for a trip?

Fuel Cost Calculator — Trip & Gas Tool

Trip Distance	Fuel (gal)	Cost
50 miles	1.7	5.83
100 miles	3.3	11.67
250 miles	8.3	29.17
500 miles	16.7	58.33
1,000 miles	33.3	116.67
2,000 miles	66.7	233.33

Trip Distance

Fuel (gal)

Cost

50 miles

1.7

5.83

100 miles

3.3

11.67

250 miles

8.3

29.17

500 miles

16.7

58.33

1,000 miles

33.3

116.67

2,000 miles

66.7

233.33

How to Use This Fuel / Gas Cost Calculator

Select your measurement system (US, UK, or Metric).

Enter the trip distance, your vehicle's fuel efficiency, and the current fuel price.

Optionally enable round trip to double the distance.

The calculator shows total fuel cost, fuel needed, and cost per mile/km.

Use vehicle presets and fuel price presets for quick estimates.

What is Fuel / Gas Cost Calculator?

A fuel cost calculator estimates how much you will spend on gas or petrol for a given trip distance based on your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current fuel prices. Essential for planning road trips, commuting budgets, and comparing vehicle operating costs. Our calculator supports all three major measurement systems: US MPG, UK MPG (Imperial), and Metric (L/100km). It includes vehicle type presets, country fuel price references, a round-trip toggle, and a comparison table for different distances.

Formula

US/UK: Fuel Needed = Distance / MPG, Cost = Fuel × Price per gallon
Metric: Fuel Needed = (L/100km / 100) × Distance km, Cost = Fuel × Price per litre
Cost per mile = Total Cost / Distance

Formula Explained

For MPG systems, divide distance by efficiency to get fuel volume. For the metric system, multiply the consumption rate (L/100km) by the distance in hundreds of km. Then multiply fuel volume by price per unit. Round trip simply doubles the distance before calculation.

Example

US: 500 miles, 30 MPG, $3.50/gallon Fuel: 500 / 30 = 16.67 gallons Cost: 16.67 × $3.50 = $58.33 Cost per mile: $0.12 Metric: 800 km, 8 L/100km, €1.60/litre Fuel: (8/100) × 800 = 64 litres Cost: 64 × €1.60 = €102.40

Tips & Best Practices

✓Keep tyres properly inflated to improve fuel efficiency by up to 3%.
✓Highway driving at steady speed is 15-20% more efficient than city driving.
✓Use cruise control on highways to maintain optimal fuel efficiency.
✓AC use increases fuel consumption by 5-10% — consider windows at low speeds.
✓Track your actual fuel consumption over time for more accurate trip estimates.

Common Use Cases

•Planning road trip budgets before traveling
•Comparing fuel costs between vehicles when car shopping
•Calculating daily commute costs for budgeting
•Estimating delivery or business travel fuel expenses
•Comparing driving costs vs flying or train for trips

Frequently Asked Questions

Divide your trip distance by your fuel efficiency (MPG) to get gallons needed, then multiply by the fuel price per gallon. For metric: multiply L/100km by distance/100 to get litres needed, then multiply by price per litre. Example: 500 miles at 30 MPG at $3.50/gal = 16.67 gallons × $3.50 = $58.33.

Free Fuel Cost Calculator