Fuel Cost Calculator
How much will that drive cost? Enter the distance, what your car actually gets, and the pump price.
Fuel cost$35.00
Fuel needed10.0 gal
Cost per mile$0.12
cost = distance ÷ mpg × price · per mile = price ÷ mpg
Use real MPG, not the dash: dashboard readouts commonly run optimistic — owners routinely measure 3–8% higher on the screen than at the pump. Hand-calculate over a few fill-ups with the MPG calculator before budgeting a big trip.
Road-tripping with friends? The gas trip calculator splits this between passengers and tracks fill-up amounts.
Assumptions & sources
Cost formuladistance ÷ mpg × priceDirect unit algebra
Price sanity band$0.50–15.00/galEngine guard range
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate fuel cost for a trip?
Divide the trip distance by your miles per gallon to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon. 300 miles at 30 mpg and $3.50/gal = 10 gallons = $35.00. This calculator does exactly that and also gives you the cost per mile.
Should I use highway or city MPG?
Use the MPG that matches the drive. Mostly-interstate trip → highway number. Mixed driving → your hand-calculated combined average is better than either EPA label. Mountain or towing sections drag the real number down 10–25%.
Why does my calculation differ from my dashboard?
Dashboard economy displays are estimates that usually skew optimistic; speedometer error from tire size also feeds them. The pump-and-odometer method in our MPG calculator is the reference.