Fuel Cost Calculator — estimate trip fuel costs instantly
Planning a road trip, daily commute or a shared ride? Our Fuel Cost Calculator gives you a fast, clear estimate of how much your journey will cost in fuel — using familiar units such as L/100 km, MPG or kWh/100 km. Enter distance, your vehicle’s consumption and local fuel price to get total trip cost, fuel used and per-person split instantly. The tool supports both metric and imperial units and all world currencies for accurate localized results.
Why use a fuel cost calculator?
Fuel is one of the most predictable variable costs when owning or renting a vehicle. A reliable estimate helps you:
- Budget your trip and avoid unexpected expenses.
- Compare cost differences between routes or vehicles.
- Decide whether a shared ride or public transport is cheaper.
- Estimate savings from improved driving habits or efficiency upgrades.
How this tool works (simple explanation)
The calculation uses three core inputs:
- Distance: the length of your trip in kilometers or miles.
- Consumption: how much fuel your vehicle uses (L/100 km, MPG, etc.).
- Fuel price: the current cost per litre, gallon or kWh.
Internally, the tool converts units when necessary (e.g., MPG → L/100 km), computes the fuel needed for the trip and multiplies that by the fuel price. If you add the number of passengers, the total cost is divided so you can see the cost per person.
Supported units and edge cases
This calculator supports the common fuel and energy units used worldwide:
- L/100 km, km/L and miles/L — common in Europe and Asia.
- MPG (US) and MPG (Imperial/UK) — typical in the US and UK respectively.
- kWh/100 km — useful for estimating electricity costs for electric vehicles (enter price per kWh).
- Fuel volume units: litres, US gallons, Imperial gallons and kWh.
Note: results are estimates. Real-world fuel consumption can vary due to driving speed, load, road type, weather, tyre pressure and vehicle maintenance.
Step-by-step: getting the most accurate estimate
To improve precision:
- Use real consumption figures from your trip computer or manufacturer specs (e.g., average L/100 km).
- Enter the correct fuel price for the pump you plan to use (or an average price in your area).
- For electric vehicles, use the price per kWh from your charging provider.
- Increase buffer for city driving, heavy traffic or if you expect slower speeds — these increase consumption.
Common use cases
Road trips: estimate total fuel spend and compare fuel stops.
Commuters: calculate weekly or monthly fuel budgets by multiplying trip cost by days driven.
Rideshare & carpool: split costs between passengers to keep payments fair.
Understanding different consumption formats
L/100 km: shows litres used per 100 kilometres. Lower = more efficient.
MPG (miles per gallon): higher = more efficient. Note US and Imperial gallons differ — the tool handles both.
kWh/100 km: used for electric vehicles; lower values are more efficient.
Examples
Example 1: 250 km, 7 L/100 km, fuel price 1.50 (per L) → Fuel used = 17.5 L → Cost ≈ 26.25 (currency).
Example 2: 300 mi, 30 MPG (US), price 3.50 (per US gal) → Fuel used = 10 gal → Cost ≈ 35.00.
Tips to lower your fuel costs
- Drive smoothly — avoid hard acceleration and heavy braking.
- Maintain correct tyre pressure and regular servicing.
- Remove unnecessary weight and roof racks when not needed.
- Combine trips and avoid congested times where possible.
Accuracy & disclaimers
Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide. This tool does not replace professional fleet management systems or manufacturer fuel data. It does not account for tolls, parking, or non-fuel running costs.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- How accurate is the estimate?
- The calculation is accurate mathematically — its real-world accuracy depends on the correctness of your inputs (consumption & price) and real-world conditions.
- Can I use this for electric cars?
- Yes — use the kWh/100 km option and enter your local electricity price per kWh.
- Does the tool include tax or local fees?
- No. Enter the actual pump price (including taxes) for the most realistic estimate.
- Can I save or share the result?
- Yes — use the share, copy or print actions after you calculate. Some browsers also support native sharing via the Web Share API.
If you have suggestions or need a custom calculator (fleet version, route comparisons or CSV export), send feedback through the site contact page. We constantly improve the toolset and add features like route-based cost comparison and EV charge-stop planning.