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⛽ Trip & Fuel Details
Enter your trip distance, fuel efficiency and gas price
15,000
1100
$0.50$10.00
1100
⛽ Your Fuel Cost Results
Trip Fuel Cost
$11.67
for 100 miles at 30 MPG
🚗 Compare Fuel Cost by Vehicle Type
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How to Calculate Fuel Cost for a Trip
Calculating fuel cost is simple once you know three things — how far you are driving, how fuel efficient your vehicle is and what fuel costs at the pump. Our free fuel cost calculator handles all of this instantly and also shows you monthly fuel spending so you can budget accurately.
The Fuel Cost Formula
Fuel Cost = (Distance / Fuel Efficiency) × Fuel Price
For example: 100 miles / 30 MPG = 3.33 gallons × $3.50 per gallon = $11.67 total fuel cost for the trip.
Tips to Reduce Your Fuel Costs
- Maintain steady highway speeds — fuel efficiency drops significantly above 60 mph
- Keep tires properly inflated — under-inflated tires increase fuel consumption by up to 3%
- Remove unnecessary weight from your vehicle — every 100 lbs reduces efficiency by 1%
- Use cruise control on highways to maintain consistent speed
- Avoid aggressive acceleration and braking — smooth driving saves 10-40% fuel
- Plan routes to avoid traffic — idling burns fuel with zero distance covered
- Compare fuel prices using apps like GasBuddy before filling up
Average Fuel Efficiency by Vehicle Type
- Electric vehicles — equivalent 100+ MPGe
- Hybrid vehicles — 40-60 MPG
- Small cars — 30-40 MPG
- Midsize sedans — 25-35 MPG
- SUVs and crossovers — 20-30 MPG
- Pickup trucks — 15-25 MPG
- Large SUVs and vans — 12-20 MPG
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate fuel cost for a road trip? +
Divide your total trip distance by your vehicle's fuel efficiency to get gallons needed. Then multiply by the current fuel price. Example: 500 mile trip in a car getting 30 MPG needs 500/30 = 16.7 gallons. At $3.50 per gallon that is $58.33 total fuel cost. Use our calculator above for instant results including round trip and monthly costs.
How do I find my car's fuel efficiency? +
Fill your tank completely and reset your trip odometer. Drive normally until you need to refuel. At the pump note how many gallons you put in and how many miles you drove. Divide miles driven by gallons used to get your MPG. For example 300 miles / 10 gallons = 30 MPG. You can also find your vehicle's EPA rated efficiency at fueleconomy.gov.
How much does it cost to drive per mile? +
Fuel cost per mile = Fuel Price / MPG. At $3.50 per gallon with 30 MPG your fuel cost is $3.50/30 = $0.117 per mile or about 12 cents per mile. The IRS standard mileage rate of approximately $0.67 per mile covers all vehicle costs including fuel, maintenance, insurance and depreciation — not just fuel.
How much should I budget for gas per month? +
The average American spends $150-250 per month on fuel depending on vehicle efficiency, local gas prices and how much they drive. Use our calculator above — enter your typical daily or weekly mileage and trips per month to see your personalized monthly fuel budget. Knowing your exact number helps you plan finances accurately.
How much does fuel cost per kilometer? +
Switch to Metric mode in our calculator above. Fuel cost per km = (Fuel consumption in L/100km / 100) × Fuel price per liter. For example a car using 8L/100km at $1.50 per liter costs 8/100 × $1.50 = $0.12 per kilometer. Use the metric toggle above to calculate in liters and kilometers for international trips.