Fuel Cost Calculator | Gas Cost for Any Trip or Commute

Quick Start Guide

  1. Select units: Switch between metric and imperial unit systems.
  2. Enter distance: Input your trip distance.
  3. Enter efficiency: Input your vehicle's fuel efficiency (MPG or L/100km).
  4. Enter fuel price: Input the current price per unit of fuel.
  5. View results: See total fuel cost, cost per passenger, and open Trip Extras or Compare Vehicle for more detail.

Understanding Fuel Costs

Fuel needed depends on your unit system

In imperial units, fuel needed = distance ÷ MPG. In metric units, efficiency is expressed as L/100km, so fuel needed = (distance ÷ 100) × L/100km. Switching the units toggle changes how the same efficiency number is interpreted — it does not convert an existing distance, efficiency, or price value you already entered, so re-check those fields after switching.

Trip Extras and Compare Vehicle are optional

The base trip cost only needs distance, efficiency, fuel price, and passengers. Trip Extras adds round-trip distance, tolls/parking/other costs, and a monthly-frequency estimate. Compare Vehicle adds a second efficiency/price scenario so you can see the dollar difference of driving an alternate vehicle for the same trip. Both are independent — open either, both, or neither.

Reading the Savings figure

A positive "Savings vs Alternate" means the comparison vehicle/price is cheaper for this trip; a negative value means it costs more. Tolls, parking, and other extras are shared costs applied to both scenarios equally, so the comparison isolates the fuel-cost difference between the two vehicles.

What this calculator does not cover

This estimates fuel cost only — it does not include maintenance, insurance, depreciation, or financing costs. For the full cost of owning or financing a vehicle, see the Car Loan Calculator.

Features

Metric & Imperial: Switch unit systems instantly.

Cost Splits: Estimate per-person split for group trips.

Trip Extras: Add round-trip distance, tolls, parking, other costs, and a monthly-frequency estimate.

Compare Vehicle: See the dollar difference of driving an alternate vehicle for the same trip.

Live Updates: Results recalculate as inputs change.

Common Use Cases

Road Trip Planning: estimate total fuel cost and cost per person for a long-distance trip, including tolls and parking.

Vehicle Comparison: see the dollar difference between two vehicles' efficiency and fuel price for the same trip.

Commute Budgeting: project monthly fuel spend from a one-way commute distance and trips-per-month estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Enter the total distance, your vehicle's fuel efficiency (MPG or L/100km), and the current fuel price. The calculator estimates total fuel cost as: Cost = (Distance / MPG) × Price per Gallon.
Yes. Open the "Trip Extras" section to add a round-trip toggle, tolls, parking fees, other costs, and a trips-per-month estimate. Open "Compare Vehicle" separately to see the cost difference against an alternate efficiency/price scenario. Both sections are optional and independent of each other.
Fuel cost is inversely proportional to MPG. Going from 20 MPG to 30 MPG cuts fuel cost by 33% for the same trip. On a 300-mile trip at $3.50/gallon: 20 MPG costs $52.50 vs. 30 MPG costs $35. Open the "Compare Vehicle" section to see the savings from a more efficient vehicle side by side.
Enter your one-way commute distance, MPG, and fuel price, then open "Trip Extras" and set "Trips per Month" to the number of one-way (or round-trip, if you enable that toggle) drives you make in a month. The calculator multiplies your per-trip cost by that count to estimate monthly fuel spend.
The two are inversely related: L/100km = 235.21 ÷ MPG. So 30 MPG is about 7.84 L/100km, and 40 MPG is about 5.88 L/100km. The units toggle only changes which unit your existing efficiency/distance/price numbers are interpreted as — it does not convert the values for you, so re-enter them in the new unit after switching.
Estimates are based on the values you enter. Actual costs may vary due to driving conditions, traffic, vehicle load, and fuel price fluctuations. Use this as a planning tool, not an exact prediction.
Yes. Enter the number of passengers, and the calculator shows the cost per person. This is useful for splitting fuel costs on group trips or carpooling.

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