Fuel Cost Calculator

Work out the fuel cost of a trip from distance, consumption and fuel price, in metric or imperial units.

Enter the distance, how much your car drinks and what fuel costs. Add passengers and it splits the bill.

Fuel cost

—

  • —Fuel used
  • —Cost per person
  • —Cost per 100 km
  • —Total distance

How Does It Work?

  1. Enter the distanceKilometres or miles, one way or there and back. The return option simply doubles the distance so you do not have to.
  2. Enter your consumptionWhichever way your car reports it — litres per 100 km, kilometres per litre, or miles per gallon in US or UK gallons, which differ by about 20%.
  3. Read the costTotal fuel used and what it costs, plus the cost per person when the journey is shared.

What Is It Used For?

Fuel is usually the largest variable cost of a journey, and it is easy to misjudge because the three common ways of expressing consumption run in opposite directions. Litres per 100 km gets better as the number falls; miles per gallon gets better as it rises; and a US gallon is about 20% smaller than a UK one, so the same car is quoted at noticeably different MPG figures on either side of the Atlantic. This calculator normalises all of them to litres before working out the cost.

  • Budgeting a road trip or a holiday drive.
  • Working out a fair share when several people travel together.
  • Comparing the cost of driving against a train or flight ticket.
  • Estimating a mileage claim for work travel.
  • Seeing what a change in fuel price does to your regular commute.

Examples

DistanceConsumptionPriceFuel cost
500 km7 L/100 km1.60 / litre56.00
500 km return (1,000 km)7 L/100 km1.60 / litre112.00
300 miles40 MPG (UK)1.60 / litre54.55
300 miles40 MPG (US)4.20 / US gallon31.50

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate fuel cost for a trip?

Multiply the distance by your consumption to get the fuel used, then multiply by the price. At 7 L/100 km, a 500 km trip uses 35 litres, which at 1.60 per litre costs 56.00.

What is the difference between US and UK MPG?

The gallon. A US gallon is 3.785 litres and a UK gallon is 4.546, about 20% larger, so the same car rated at 40 MPG in the UK is only about 33 MPG in US terms. Choosing the wrong one here would understate or overstate your costs by a fifth.

How do I convert MPG to litres per 100 km?

Divide 235.21 by the US MPG figure, or 282.48 by the UK figure. So 40 US MPG is about 5.9 L/100 km and 40 UK MPG is about 7.1 L/100 km. The calculator handles the conversion for you.

Does this include tolls, wear or depreciation?

No — it is fuel only. Running a car costs considerably more than the fuel once you add tyres, servicing, insurance and depreciation, which is why official mileage rates are well above the pure fuel cost.

Why does my real consumption differ from the official figure?

Manufacturer figures come from standardised tests. Real driving involves cold starts, hills, traffic, air conditioning, roof boxes and speed, all of which increase consumption. Use the trip computer average from your own car for a realistic estimate.

Free. No registration. This tool runs entirely in your browser, so the data you enter stays on your device.

Unit Price Calculator

Compare package sizes and see which one is actually cheaper.

Kilometers to Miles

Convert km to miles and back, with metres, feet and pace.

Percentage Calculator

Work out a percentage of a number, a percentage share, or a percentage change.

Tip Calculator

Work out the tip and split the bill between any number of people.