What is Fuel Cost Calculator?

Fuel Cost Calculator estimates how much you'll spend on fuel for any trip. Enter the distance, your vehicle's fuel efficiency, and the current fuel price to get an instant cost estimate for your journey.

Switch between imperial (miles + MPG + price per gallon) and metric (km + L/100km + price per litre), or flip to electric mode and enter consumption in kWh per 100 and a price per kWh. The tool returns the fuel or energy needed, the cost per distance, and a CO2 estimate for petrol trips. Add tolls and parking for an all-in trip total, give a tank size to see how many fill-ups a long drive needs, and split the cost between passengers or compare two vehicles side by side.

How to use

1. Enter the trip distance in miles or kilometers.
2. Enter your vehicle's fuel efficiency (MPG or L/100km) and the current fuel price per gallon or liter.
3. View the total fuel needed and estimated cost for your trip.

When to use

• Budgeting fuel for a multi-leg road trip before you set off.
• Splitting the petrol cost fairly between car-share passengers.
• Comparing the running cost of two cars with different MPG figures.

Result

A 350-mile road trip in a car getting 28 MPG with gas at $3.45/gallon: 12.5 gallons needed, total cost $43.13.

FAQ

How do I know my car's fuel efficiency?

Check the manufacturer spec sheet, the owner's manual, or the trip computer in newer cars. For a real-world number, fill the tank, reset the trip meter, drive a few hundred miles, then divide miles by gallons used on the next fill-up.

Should I use the city or highway MPG figure?

For a long motorway trip, use the highway figure. For city errands, use the city figure. For a mixed trip, take the combined figure or average the two. Hilly routes and heavy loads will both drop real efficiency a few percent. Or flip on Split city / highway and the tool blends both figures for you.

Why does the metric mode ask for L/100km instead of km per litre?

L/100km is the standard fuel-economy unit on European, Australian, and Latin American spec sheets. Lower is better. To convert from km/L, divide 100 by the km/L number; 20 km/L equals 5 L/100km.

Does it account for traffic, air conditioning, or roof racks?

No. The calculation assumes the efficiency figure you enter is accurate for the conditions. If you're driving in stop-start traffic with AC on, derate your MPG by 10-20% to get a more realistic cost estimate.

Can I switch between dollars, euros, and other currencies?

The price field is currency-agnostic. Whatever unit you type for the per-gallon or per-litre price is the unit the total comes back in. The currency symbol on screen reflects the locale dictionary, not a live conversion.

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