Fuel Cost Calculator

Estimate what fuel costs for a trip or a daily commute. Enter the distance, your fuel economy and the price per gallon, then press Calculate.

Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026

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How the fuel cost calculator works

Fuel cost comes down to three numbers: how far you drive, how many miles your vehicle gets per gallon, and what a gallon costs. The calculator divides distance by your miles per gallon to find the fuel used, then multiplies that by the pump price. Choosing a round trip simply doubles the distance.

To turn a single trip into a budget, the tool also projects an annual figure from how many trips you make each week. That makes it easy to see the true cost of a commute or a regular drive across a full year.

A quick example

A 30 mile each way commute is a 60 mile round trip. At 28 MPG that burns about 2.14 gallons, and at $3.45 a gallon the daily fuel cost is around $7.40. Drive it five days a week and the yearly fuel bill lands near $1,920.

Things to keep in mind

This estimate covers fuel only. The full cost of driving also includes insurance, maintenance, tyres and depreciation, which often dwarf the fuel bill. For official fuel economy ratings by make and model, the U.S. Department of Energy fuel economy site is a reliable reference. Explore the wider picture with our other free calculators.

Frequently asked questions

How is the cost of fuel for a trip calculated?

Divide the trip distance by your vehicle's miles per gallon to get the gallons used, then multiply by the price per gallon. For example, a 60 mile round trip at 28 MPG uses about 2.14 gallons, which at $3.45 a gallon costs roughly $7.40.

What is a good MPG figure to use?

Use your vehicle's real world economy rather than the sticker number, since traffic, terrain and driving style all reduce it. Many drivers see 10% to 20% lower than the rated figure, so checking a few tank fills gives you a more honest estimate.

How do I work out my yearly commuting cost?

Enter how many trips you make each week and the calculator multiplies the cost per trip by your trips per week and 52 weeks. This gives a realistic annual fuel bill you can use for budgeting or for comparing commuting options.

Does this work for kilometres and litres?

The tool is built around miles, miles per gallon and price per gallon. If you use metric units, convert your distance to miles and your fuel economy to miles per gallon first, then the cost figures will be correct.

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