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Automotive
Trip Cost
Fuel consumption and route price
Runs locally in your browser
Parameters
Results
- Trip cost
- $29.46
- Fuel used
- 7.9 gal
- Per 100 mi
- $13.39
How it works
Estimates how much a road trip will cost in fuel based on distance, your vehicle's MPG, and the current price per gallon.
Who it's for: Commuters, vacation planners, rideshare drivers, and anyone comparing the cost of driving versus flying or taking a train.
Calculates gallons needed as miles ÷ MPG, then multiplies by the fuel price to get total trip cost.
Shows fuel used in gallons and a normalized cost per 100 miles for easy comparison across routes.
Uses US customary units: miles, miles per gallon (MPG), and dollars per gallon.
How to use
- Enter Distance in miles — one-way or round-trip, whichever you want to budget for.
- Set Fuel economy to your vehicle's average MPG (check the trip computer or use fueleconomy.gov for EPA ratings).
- Enter Fuel price as the current local price per gallon (e.g., $3.75 at your usual gas station).
- Read Trip cost for the total fuel expense in dollars.
- Check Fuel used to see how many gallons you will burn.
- Use Per 100 mi to compare routes of different lengths on an equal footing.
Good to know
- Add tolls, parking, and wear-and-tear separately — this calculator covers fuel only.
- City driving and winter conditions lower MPG; use a realistic average from recent fill-ups for mixed routes.
- For electric vehicles, use the EV Range calculator and compare kWh costs instead.
FAQ
- Should I use highway or city MPG?
- Use whichever best matches your trip. For a long interstate drive, highway MPG is usually higher; for urban errands, use city or combined EPA figures.