Trip Fuel Cost Calculator
Work out how much fuel a road trip will use, what it will cost and how to split it among passengers.
How to use the Trip Fuel Cost Calculator
- Enter the trip distance (one way) and pick its unit.
- Enter the fuel economy and pick its unit.
- Enter the fuel price.
- Choose the price is per.
- Tick Round trip if it applies.
- Enter the people sharing the cost.
- Press Calculate. The result updates automatically as you type, and you can switch the result unit at any time.
About the Trip Fuel Cost Calculator
Fuel is often the biggest variable cost of a road trip, and it is easy to estimate once you know three numbers: how far you are going, how efficient your vehicle is and what gas costs along the way. Use the combined EPA rating from fueleconomy.gov or your car's trip computer; highway driving is usually better than the combined figure, while city traffic, roof boxes and towing make it worse.
Tick round trip to double the distance, and enter the number of people splitting gas money to get a fair share for each rider. The calculator accepts miles or kilometers, mpg or L/100 km and prices per gallon or liter, so it works for trips in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe alike.
Tolls, parking and wear on the car are not included.
Formula
Fuel needed = Distance ÷ Fuel economy
Fuel cost = Fuel needed × Price per unit
Per person = Fuel cost ÷ People
Example: 280 miles each way (560 miles) at 28 mpg uses 20 gallons; at $3.45 per gallon that is $69.00, or $34.50 each for two people. Liters per 100 km and km/L are converted automatically.
Example calculation
Using the default values:
- Trip distance (one way) = 280 mi
- Fuel economy = 28 mpg
- Fuel price = $3.45
- Price is per = US gallon
- People sharing the cost = 2
the calculator returns:
- Fuel cost: $69.00
- Cost per person: $34.50
- Fuel needed: 20 gal
- Cost per mile / km: $0.123 per mile · $0.077 per km
- Total distance: 560 mi
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate gas cost for a trip?
Divide the distance by your miles per gallon to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon.
How do I convert L/100 km to mpg?
Divide 235.21 by the L/100 km figure. For example, 8 L/100 km ≈ 29.4 mpg (US).
How much should passengers pay for gas?
A common approach is to split the fuel cost evenly among everyone in the car, including the driver.
Last updated: · Category: Everyday Life calculators