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Fuel Cost Calculator

Work out what a journey costs in fuel, and the cost per person.

Calculators Free, no sign-up Runs in your browser
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Fuel needed (litres)
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Total fuel cost
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Cost per unit of distance
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Cost per person

About the Fuel Cost Calculator

Fuel Cost Calculator turns three numbers you already know into the one you want. Enter the distance of the journey, how efficiently the vehicle uses fuel, and the price per litre or gallon, and you get the fuel needed, the total cost, and the cost per unit of distance.

Efficiency can be entered the way your vehicle reports it. Miles per gallon is used in the US and the UK, though the gallons are different sizes and both are offered. Litres per 100 kilometres is the standard across Europe and works the opposite way round, where a lower number is better. Kilometres per litre is common elsewhere. Picking the right one matters, because mixing them produces an answer that is wrong by a factor of several.

A return-journey switch doubles the distance, and a passenger field divides the total, which between them cover most of what people actually want: what will this trip cost, and what should everyone chip in.

How to use the Fuel Cost Calculator

  1. Enter the distanceOne way, with the return switch doubling it if you are coming back.
  2. Enter your fuel efficiencyChoose the unit your vehicle reports, whether that is mpg, litres per 100 km or km per litre.
  3. Enter the fuel pricePer litre or per gallon, matching the unit you chose.
  4. Read the resultFuel needed, total cost, cost per unit of distance and cost per person.

Features

  • Miles per gallon in both US and imperial forms
  • Litres per 100 km and kilometres per litre
  • Return journey doubling
  • Split between passengers
  • Cost per mile or per kilometre
  • Full breakdown rather than a single figure
  • Copy the summary

Who uses this tool

The fuel cost calculator is used by writers, developers, students, marketers and anyone else who needs the job done once without installing software. Common cases include:

  • Budgeting a road trip before setting off
  • Working out a fair share for passengers
  • Comparing the running cost of two vehicles
  • Deciding between driving and taking the train
  • Claiming fuel costs for a work journey

Frequently asked questions

Which efficiency unit should I use?

The one your vehicle's display or handbook uses. Miles per gallon is common in the US and UK, litres per 100 km across most of Europe, and kilometres per litre elsewhere. Converting in your head is where errors creep in, so pick the unit you actually have.

Are US and imperial gallons different?

Yes, and by about twenty percent. The imperial gallon is larger, so the same vehicle shows a higher figure in imperial mpg than in US mpg. Both are offered so the numbers you read off your car are used as they are.

Why is a lower number better for litres per 100 km?

Because it measures consumption rather than efficiency: it says how much fuel is burned to cover a fixed distance. Miles per gallon measures the opposite, so the two move in opposite directions.

Does this include tolls, parking or wear?

No. It covers fuel only. Tolls, parking, tyres and servicing are real costs of a journey, and the full cost of driving is meaningfully higher than the fuel alone.

Will my real consumption match the official figure?

Rarely exactly. Official figures come from standardised tests. Real consumption depends on speed, load, traffic, weather and how you drive, and is usually somewhat worse. Using your own observed figure gives a better estimate.

Does it work for electric vehicles?

Not directly, since electricity is priced per kilowatt hour rather than per litre. The structure of the calculation is the same, but the units are different.

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