Productive ToolboxFuel Cost Calculator
Calculate fuel needed and total trip cost from distance, MPG or km/L, and fuel price. Supports miles and kilometers with cost-per-mile or cost-per-km output.
⛽ Fuel Calculation
US MPG. For UK MPG (imperial gallons), multiply by 0.833.
Enter your trip details to calculate estimated fuel costs.
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What This Fuel Cost Calculator Does
Enter a distance, your car's fuel economy and the fuel price, and the calculator returns the fuel needed, the total trip cost and the cost per mile or kilometer. It works in miles, MPG and gallons or in kilometers and liters, with economy as L/100 km (the European convention) or km/L.
For real trips it can double the distance for a round trip, split the cost between passengers, and compare the same trip in another car or in an electric car at your own electricity rate. Prices, currency and economy are always yours to enter; the currency is only guessed from your location to start with.
How Fuel Cost Is Calculated
Fuel needed = distance ÷ MPG (or km/L)
Fuel needed = distance × L/100 km ÷ 100
Trip cost = fuel needed × price per gallon or liter
Electric = distance ÷ 100 × kWh per 100 × price per kWh
Real consumption moves with speed, traffic, hills, load and temperature. Use your car's real-world average from its trip computer or fill-ups rather than the official rating, and enter a slightly worse figure for fast highway driving or winter trips.
How to Use the Fuel Cost Calculator
- 1Choose your units: Pick miles, MPG and gallons, or kilometers and liters. In kilometer mode you can enter economy as L/100 km, the European convention, or as km/L.
- 2Enter the trip: Type the one-way distance and tick Round trip to double it. For a trip with several legs, add them together.
- 3Enter fuel economy and price: Use your car's real-world average and today's price per gallon or liter. The currency is guessed from your location and can be changed.
- 4Split or compare (optional): Enter how many people share the cost, and compare the trip with another car or with an electric car using its kWh per 100 miles or km and your electricity price.
- 5Calculate: Press Calculate Cost to see the fuel needed, total cost, cost per mile or km, the share per person and the comparison.
- 6Copy or export: Copy the summary, or open the history to download your recent calculations as a CSV file for expense claims.
Worked Examples
Weekend road trip, split four ways
Chicago to Nashville is about 470 miles each way. With Round trip ticked that is 940 miles; at 30 MPG the car needs 31.3 gallons, and at $3.50 a gallon the fuel costs $109.67. Split between four friends, each pays $27.42.
European car in L/100 km
A family car rated at 6.5 L/100 km drives the roughly 465 km from Paris to Lyon. It needs 465 × 6.5 ÷ 100 = 30.2 liters; at €1.75 a liter the trip costs €52.89, or about 11.4 cents per km.
Gas car or electric for the commute
A 40-mile daily round trip over 22 working days is 880 miles a month. At 28 MPG and $3.50 that is $110.00 of gasoline. An EV using 30 kWh per 100 miles needs 264 kWh; at $0.17 per kWh charging at home costs $44.88, saving $65.12 a month.
Fuel Cost per 100 Miles and per 100 km
Per 100 miles at $3.50/gal
| MPG | Gallons | Cost | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 6.67 | $23.33 | Large pickup or SUV |
| 20 | 5.00 | $17.50 | Midsize SUV |
| 25 | 4.00 | $14.00 | Average sedan |
| 30 | 3.33 | $11.67 | Efficient sedan |
| 35 | 2.86 | $10.00 | Small car |
| 40 | 2.50 | $8.75 | Economy car |
| 50 | 2.00 | $7.00 | Hybrid |
Per 100 km at €1.75/L
| L/100 km | km/L | Cost | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 25.0 | €7.00 | Hybrid |
| 5 | 20.0 | €8.75 | Small diesel |
| 6 | 16.7 | €10.50 | Small petrol car |
| 7 | 14.3 | €12.25 | Family car |
| 8 | 12.5 | €14.00 | Compact SUV |
| 10 | 10.0 | €17.50 | Large SUV |
| 12 | 8.3 | €21.00 | Van or large 4×4 |
Example prices only. Enter today's local price in the calculator for your own figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is trip fuel cost calculated?
Fuel needed = distance ÷ fuel economy, and trip cost = fuel needed × price per gallon or liter. For example, 300 miles at 30 MPG needs 10 gallons; at $3.80 a gallon the trip costs $38.00, or about 12.7 cents a mile.
How do I use L/100 km?
Switch to kilometers and choose L/100 km, the unit used on European spec sheets. The calculator turns it into liters for the trip: 400 km at 6.5 L/100 km uses 26 liters; at €1.75 a liter that is €45.50.
How do I convert UK MPG to US MPG?
UK MPG uses the imperial gallon (4.546 liters), which is about 20% larger than the US gallon (3.785 liters). Multiply UK MPG by 0.833 to get US MPG, or by 0.354 to get km/L.
How do I calculate a round trip?
Enter the one-way distance and tick Round trip; the calculator doubles the distance before working out fuel and cost.
How do I split fuel costs between passengers?
Enter the number of people sharing the ride in Split the cost between. The result shows each person's share of the fuel cost. Tolls and parking are not included.
Is an electric car cheaper for this trip?
Choose Compare with an electric car and enter its consumption and your electricity price per kWh. Typical consumption is 25–35 kWh per 100 miles, or 16–22 kWh per 100 km. Home charging is usually much cheaper than public fast charging, so use the rate you will actually pay.
How do I estimate my monthly commuting cost?
Multiply your one-way commute by two and by your working days, then enter that distance. For example, 17.5 miles each way × 2 × 22 days = 770 miles; at 28 MPG and $3.60 a gallon that is 27.5 gallons, or $99.00 a month.
What fuel economy should I enter?
Your car's real-world average, from its trip computer or fill-up records. Real-world figures are often 10–20% worse than the official rating, especially in city driving or cold weather.
Does driving speed affect fuel consumption?
Yes. According to the US Department of Energy, fuel economy usually drops quickly at speeds above about 50 mph (80 km/h), because air resistance rises with speed. For a fast highway trip, enter a lower economy figure than your mixed average.
Can I use this for diesel?
Yes. The formula is the same for gasoline and diesel. Enter the diesel price and your car's diesel economy.
Is my data private?
Yes. We do not collect or store what you enter. Any history the tool keeps is visible only to you.
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