What is a Fuel Cost Calculator?
A fuel cost calculator estimates how much you'll spend on gas for a trip based on the distance, your vehicle's fuel efficiency, and current gas prices. It's essential for budgeting road trips and comparing the cost of driving vs. other transportation.
Whether you're planning a vacation, calculating your daily commute costs, or comparing different routes, this calculator helps you understand the true cost of getting from A to B.
Trip Planning
Know your fuel budget before hitting the road
Multiple Units
Works with MPG, km/L, or L/100km efficiency ratings
Cost Comparison
Compare driving costs vs. flying, train, or bus
Commute Costs
Calculate your monthly or yearly commuting expenses
Typical fuel efficiency by vehicle type (MPG):
- Compact cars — 30-40 MPG (Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla)
- Midsize sedans — 25-35 MPG (Honda Accord, Toyota Camry)
- SUVs — 20-28 MPG (RAV4, CR-V); large SUVs 15-20 MPG
- Trucks — 15-22 MPG (F-150, Silverado)
- Hybrids — 45-55 MPG (Prius, Ioniq)
Fuel Cost Formula and Worked Examples
The math is short. Pick the formula that matches how your car reports efficiency, then multiply the fuel used by the price you pay at the pump:
- MPG: gallons = miles ÷ MPG, then cost = gallons × price per gallon
- km/L: liters = km ÷ (km/L), then cost = liters × price per liter
- L/100km: liters = km × (L/100km) ÷ 100
Example 1: A 1,200-mile round trip, SUV vs hybrid
A Los Angeles to Denver round trip runs roughly 1,200 miles. In a 26 MPG SUV that is 1,200 ÷ 26 = 46.2 gallons. At $3.60 a gallon the fuel bill is 46.2 × $3.60 = about $166. Swap in a 52 MPG Prius and you burn 1,200 ÷ 52 = 23.1 gallons, or about $83 for the same drive. Doubling your MPG halves the cost, which is why the car you take matters more than the route.
Example 2: A metric trip in liters
A 400 km drive in a car rated at 7.5 L/100km uses 400 × 7.5 ÷ 100 = 30 liters. At €1.80 per liter that is 30 × €1.80 = €54. If your dashboard shows km/L instead, a 15 km/L car over the same 400 km uses 400 ÷ 15 = 26.7 liters, or about €48.
Cost per mile by drivetrain
Cost per mile lets you compare a gas car against a hybrid or EV directly. The figures below use example rates of $3.50 per gallon and $0.17 per kWh; plug in your own local prices to update them.
| Vehicle type | Efficiency | Cost / mile | Cost / 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas car | 30 MPG | $0.117 | $11.67 |
| Hybrid | 50 MPG | $0.070 | $7.00 |
| Plug-in hybrid (EV mode) | 3.0 mi/kWh | $0.057 | $5.67 |
| Battery EV | 3.5 mi/kWh | $0.049 | $4.86 |
One-way vs round trip, tolls, and splitting the bill
This tool figures fuel for the distance you enter, so double a one-way distance if you plan to drive home again. Tolls and parking are separate line items you add on top. Fuel is the easiest cost to share: a $140 fuel bill split four ways is $140 ÷ 4 = $35 per person, which usually beats a single train or plane ticket over short distances.
US gallons vs imperial gallons
The US and UK both quote MPG, but the gallons are not the same size. A US gallon is 3.785 liters while an imperial (UK) gallon is 4.546 liters. That makes an imperial MPG figure look about 20% higher for the same real efficiency, so a “50 MPG” UK car is closer to 42 MPG on the US scale. When comparing a US road trip with a European one, price fuel per liter to sidestep the mismatch entirely.