Fuel Cost Calculator — See Your Trip Cost Instantly
Enter your trip distance, MPG, and fuel price to calculate exact fuel costs. Plan any road trip in seconds. Free tool.
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Enter your values and click Calculate
How It Works
Three sequential formulas produce all outputs. Gallons needed = Distance ÷ MPG: this tells you how much fuel the trip consumes at your vehicle's efficiency. Total fuel cost = Gallons × Price per gallon: the dollar cost of that fuel at current pump prices. Per-person cost = Total cost ÷ Passengers: evenly splits the total among all occupants. Cost per mile = Total cost ÷ Distance: a normalised figure useful for comparing against other transport modes or a more fuel-efficient vehicle. All dollar values are rounded to the nearest cent; gallons are rounded to two decimal places.
Examples
Weekend road trip
250 miles at 30 MPG, $3.50/gallon, 2 passengers.
Result: Total $29.17 — $14.58 per person. 8.33 gallons used.
Daily commute
40 miles round trip at 28 MPG, $3.80/gallon, solo driver.
Result: Total $5.43 per day. $0.136 per mile.
Cross-country drive
2,800 miles at 25 MPG, $3.60/gallon, 4 passengers.
Result: Total $403.20 — $100.80 per person. 112 gallons needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my MPG?
Fill your tank, drive normally, then refill and note the gallons used and miles driven. MPG = miles driven ÷ gallons used. Your car manual, the fuel economy sticker, or the fueleconomy.gov database also lists EPA estimates for your specific model year.
Does this account for city vs. highway driving?
No — it uses a single MPG figure for the whole trip. For mixed driving, use your vehicle's combined EPA rating. For long highway trips, use the highway MPG, which is typically 20–30% higher than the city figure.
How can I reduce my fuel cost?
Use the cost-per-mile output to compare your current vehicle against a more efficient alternative. Even a 5 MPG improvement on a 15,000-mile/year driver saves over $100 per year at average fuel prices. Maintaining proper tyre pressure and avoiding rapid acceleration each improve fuel economy by a few percent.