Fuel Cost Calculator

What is fuel cost calculator?

Planning a trip or a commute is easier when you know the fuel cost. This calculator handles the three common units used around the world.

It shows the fuel needed and the cost per mile or kilometer, which helps compare driving with other transport.

How to use the fuel cost calculator

1. Choose the unit your car uses.
2. Enter the distance, your fuel economy and the fuel price.
3. Read the fuel needed, the trip cost and the cost per distance unit.

How the fuel cost calculator works

For miles per gallon and kilometers per liter, fuel equals distance divided by economy. For liters per 100 km, fuel equals distance times economy divided by 100. Cost equals fuel times price.

Worked example

Common uses of the fuel cost calculator

• Budgeting a road trip.
• Comparing the cost of driving and flying.
• Working out the daily cost of a commute.
• Splitting fuel costs on a shared ride.
• Checking the savings from a more efficient car.

Tips and common mistakes

Real economy changes with speed, load and weather. Use your own recent average.

Remember to add tolls, parking and wear. Fuel is only part of the cost of driving.

Background: what to know before you rely on it

Fuel economy is expressed differently around the world. The United States uses miles per gallon, where a higher number means better economy. Much of Europe, Canada and Australia use liters per 100 kilometers, where a lower number is better. The second form is easier for cost math, because fuel use grows in direct proportion to distance. Real world economy is often lower than lab figures, especially in cold weather, with heavy loads, at high speeds or with the air conditioning on. Smooth driving and correct tire pressure are free ways to save fuel.

Private, free and fast

This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you type or choose is not uploaded to a server and is not saved after you close the page, which keeps it fast and private. It is free to use as often as you like. See more in all calculators, or browse the full list of tools.

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Results are for information and education. For legal, financial, medical or security decisions, check with a qualified professional. Financial results are estimates and exclude fees and taxes unless the tool says otherwise.