Fuel Cost Calculator
Calculate the fuel cost of a trip or a year of driving, and compare two vehicles side by side.
Your details
Compare a second vehicle
This calculator runs entirely on your device. Nothing you enter is uploaded, stored, or sold. How this works
Total fuel cost
$2,105.77
576.9 gallons at $3.65 per gallon
Includes your inputs, the full breakdown, and every row of the table.
Cost per mile
$0.140
Gallons used
576.9
Fuel economy (metric)
9.0 L/100km
11.1 km/L
Monthly cost
$175.48
If this is an annual distance
- Vehicle 1 fuel cost
- $2,105.77
- Vehicle 2 at 38.0 mpg
- $1,440.79
- Vehicle 2 saves
- $664.98
What this means
- Over five years the more efficient vehicle would save roughly $3,325 at these prices and distance.
- Real-world economy typically runs 10-15% below EPA estimates for highway-heavy driving and worse in cold weather or heavy city traffic.
How the fuel cost calculation works
Fuel cost is distance divided by fuel economy times price per gallon. The subtlety is that miles per gallon is a nonlinear measure: improving from 15 to 20 mpg saves far more fuel than improving from 40 to 50 mpg over the same distance, even though the second looks like a bigger jump.
That is why cost per mile is the more useful comparison metric. It converts everything to a single number you can multiply by your actual annual mileage, and it works identically for gasoline, diesel, and electric vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert MPG to L/100km?
Divide 235.215 by the MPG figure. 30 mpg is about 7.8 L/100km.
Is premium fuel worth it?
Only if your engine requires it. In vehicles designed for regular, premium provides no measurable power or economy benefit — it simply costs more per gallon.
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Disclaimer. This calculator is provided for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, legal, medical, or engineering advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and the assumptions described above. Confirm any figure with a qualified professional before acting on it.