Trip Fuel Cost Calculator

Estimate fuel cost from trip distance, fuel economy, and price per unit. Toggle miles/km, MPG / km per L / L per 100 km, and $/gal vs $/L.

Inputs

In the unit chosen above

Result

Loading calculator…
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General calculation reads

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Jordan Ellenberg - math thinking
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Scientific calculator (Casio fx-991EX)
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How to use this calculator

  • Enter trip distance.
  • Enter your typical MPG (use gas-mileage to compute it).
  • Enter expected fuel price.

About this calculator

Quick estimator for fuel cost on a planned trip. Useful for budgeting road trips and comparing fuel cost vs flying or train. Cost per mile is a useful baseline for total-cost-of-ownership comparisons.

Frequently asked

Should I use highway or city MPG?+
For long trips, mostly highway. For mixed local trips, EPA combined or your own measured average.
How much does AC affect MPG?+
Typically 5-25% reduction depending on speed and load. Lower-speed driving in heavy AC use takes the biggest hit.
Does altitude affect fuel cost?+
Slightly — engines run leaner at altitude (less air = less fuel). Most modern cars adjust automatically and the difference is minimal.
How accurate is this for hybrids?+
Reasonable for mostly-highway driving. City driving with frequent regen is not well-modeled by simple MPG averages.
Should I buy premium if my car requires regular?+
No — premium gives no benefit unless your engine is tuned for high octane. The fuel-cost difference adds up fast.

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Miles Per Tank Calculator
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MPG Improvement Annual Savings
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Road Trip Time Calculator
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Distance Calculator (from speed and time)
distance = speed × time. Useful for "if I drive X mph for Y hours, how far?" questions.
Average Speed Calculator
speed = distance / time. Pick units and read average speed in mph or km/h.

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