Calculate the fuel cost for any trip. Enter your distance, vehicle's MPG, and current gas price to see total cost, gallons needed, and cost per mile.
Total Fuel Cost
$62.50
Gallons Needed
17.9
Cost per Mile
$0.125
Savings per trip at your distance and fuel price
Distance
500 mi
Efficiency
28 MPG
Price
$3.50/gal
Total
$62.50
Trip Fuel Needs
17.9 gal needed
112% of standard tank
⚠️ Requires 2 fill-ups
Fuel
$0.125
37%
Maintenance
$0.090
27%
Insurance
$0.120
36%
Total
$0.335
per mile
Maintenance and insurance are US national averages. Actual costs vary.
Short Trip
100 miles
Weekend Getaway
250 miles
Road Trip
500 miles
Cross-Country
1000 miles
Annual Cost
$1688
13,500 mi/year
Monthly Cost
$141
1125 mi/month
Annual Gallons
482
at 28 MPG
Monthly Breakdown
Average $140.63/month based on 13,500 miles/year
Projection based on US average annual mileage of 13,500 miles at current fuel price and efficiency.
Fuel is often the largest expense on a road trip. Knowing the cost in advance helps you budget accurately and compare driving against other transportation options. Keep in mind that real-world fuel economy can vary significantly based on driving speed, terrain, weather, vehicle load, and driving habits.
Check the sticker on the driver-side door jamb, your owner's manual, or fueleconomy.gov. For real-world MPG, fill your tank, reset the trip odometer, drive normally, then divide miles driven by gallons at the next fill-up. Most cars get 5-15% less than the EPA estimate in real driving.
Drive at or below the speed limit (fuel efficiency drops significantly above 50 mph), use cruise control on highways, keep tires properly inflated, remove excess weight and roof racks, and avoid idling. Planning your route to avoid traffic and hills also helps.
For solo travelers, driving is usually cheaper for trips under 300 miles. For longer trips or when traveling with others, compare total driving costs (fuel, tolls, parking, wear) against airfare plus rental car. With 2+ passengers sharing fuel, driving often wins even for longer distances.
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