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Fuel Cost Calculator

Estimate what a drive will cost in gas. Enter the distance, your vehicle's MPG, and the price per gallon — toggle round trip to double it.

mi
mpg
$/gal
Fuel cost
Fuel needed
Total distance

Efficiency vs 27 mpg avg

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Plan a drive's cost

Fuel cost is distance divided by miles per gallon, times the price of gas. Highway driving usually beats your car's city MPG, while heavy loads, mountains, and aggressive driving cut it. For a road trip, toggle round trip and split the total among passengers to see the real per-person cost.

How it’s calculated

Gallons = distance ÷ MPG. Cost = gallons × price per gallon (× 2 for a round trip).

Results update as you type and are estimates, not professional advice — verify important decisions with a qualified professional.

Worked example

A 300-mile drive at 28 mpg and $3.50/gallon uses ~10.7 gallons, about $37.50.

Common mistakes

  • Using city MPG for a highway trip (or vice versa).
  • Forgetting to double it for a round trip.

Where it is used

  • Budgeting fuel for a road trip.
  • Splitting gas cost among passengers.

Frequently asked questions

What MPG should I use?

Use your car's real-world average if you track it; otherwise the EPA combined rating is a fair estimate.

Does this work for electric vehicles?

Not directly — it's built for gallons. For EVs, you'd calculate kWh used times your electricity rate instead.

How do I split a road trip cost?

Take the total fuel cost and divide by the number of people sharing the ride.