How do I calculate fuel cost for a road trip?

Formula: fuel cost = (distance ÷ MPG) × price per gallon. Example: 300-mile trip, 30 MPG car, gas at $3.50/gallon: (300 ÷ 30) × $3.50 = 10 gallons × $3.50 = $35 total fuel cost.

How much does it cost to drive 500 miles?

It depends on your car's MPG and the gas price. At 25 MPG and $3.50/gallon: (500 ÷ 25) × $3.50 = 20 gallons × $3.50 = $70. At 35 MPG: (500 ÷ 35) × $3.50 ≈ $50. Better fuel economy means significant savings on long trips.

What is a good MPG for a car?

For gas-powered vehicles, 30+ MPG combined is considered good. Compact cars typically get 30–40 MPG. SUVs average 20–28 MPG. Hybrids can achieve 45–55 MPG. EPA ratings are available at fueleconomy.gov for any vehicle.

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Fuel Cost Calculator
Estimate Gas Cost for Any Trip

Our free fuel cost calculator estimates how much gas will cost for any drive. Enter your trip distance, your vehicle's fuel efficiency (MPG), and the current gas price per gallon — and instantly see total fuel cost, gallons used, and cost per mile.

Last updated: May 10, 2026

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Fuel Cost Calculator

Trip Cost Estimation Tool

Total Fuel Cost $0.00

Gallons Needed 0.0

Cost Per Mile $0.00

Live Estimate

Trip Cost Summary

Based on current gas prices and your vehicle's efficiency. Actual consumption varies with driving conditions.

One-Way Cost

$0.00

Round Trip

$0.00

Fuel Budget Visualization

Fuel Cost (75%)

Buffer (25%)

Fuel Cost Formula

This calculator uses three simple formulas to estimate your trip's fuel cost:

∑ Formula Fuel Cost Calculation

Gallons =

Distance (miles)

MPG

Total Cost = Gallons × Price/gal

Cost/mile =

Total Cost

Distance (miles)

Gallons Total gallons of fuel needed for the trip

MPG Your vehicle's fuel efficiency (miles per gallon)

Price/gal Current gas price per gallon (USD)

Example 350 miles ÷ 28 MPG = 12.5 gal × $3.59 = $44.88 | $44.88 ÷ 350 = $0.128/mile

Average MPG by Vehicle Type

Compact car (Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla): 30–38 MPG
Midsize sedan (Toyota Camry, Honda Accord): 28–35 MPG
SUV / Crossover (Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V): 24–30 MPG
Full-size SUV/truck (Ford F-150, Chevy Tahoe): 15–22 MPG
Hybrid (Toyota Prius, Honda Insight): 45–55 MPG
Minivan (Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna): 19–26 MPG

Find your exact MPG on the EPA's fueleconomy.gov or check your vehicle's dashboard average.

Monthly Commuting Cost

To estimate your monthly gas spending for a regular commute, use this extension of the fuel cost formula:

Formula: Monthly cost = (one-way distance × 2 × working days/month) ÷ MPG × gas price
Example: 20-mile one-way commute, 22 working days, 30 MPG, $3.50/gal: (20 × 2 × 22) ÷ 30 × $3.50 = $102.67/month

Note: The calculator's 25% buffer in the visual breakdown accounts for real-world variations such as traffic, A/C usage, cold weather, and city vs highway driving. Real-world MPG is typically 10–15% lower than EPA estimates under normal conditions.

Gas Car vs Electric Vehicle: Monthly Fuel Cost

For a typical 1,200-mile/month driver, comparing a 30 MPG gas car at $3.50/gal vs an EV at 4 miles/kWh at $0.15/kWh:

Vehicle Type	Monthly Fuel Cost	Annual Fuel Cost
Gas (30 MPG @ $3.50/gal)	$140	$1,680
Gas (20 MPG @ $3.50/gal)	$210	$2,520
Electric (4 mi/kWh @ $0.15/kWh)	$45	$540

EV savings on fuel can be $1,000–$2,000/year depending on local electricity rates and driving habits. These figures exclude insurance, maintenance, and vehicle cost differences.

Related Tools

Unit Converter — Convert km to miles or liters to gallons if planning international travel.
Percentage Calculator — Calculate how much fuel cost increases with gas price changes.
Loan Payment Calculator — Estimate monthly car payments alongside your fuel budget.
Salary Converter — Calculate how many hours of work your commute actually costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate gas cost for a road trip?

Divide your total trip distance by your vehicle's MPG to get gallons needed. Multiply gallons by the current gas price per gallon. Example: 500 miles ÷ 30 MPG = 16.67 gallons × $3.50 = $58.33 total fuel cost.

How much does it cost to drive 1,000 miles?

It depends on your MPG and gas price. At 30 MPG and $3.50/gallon: 1,000 ÷ 30 = 33.3 gallons × $3.50 = $116.67. At 20 MPG and $3.50/gallon: 1,000 ÷ 20 = 50 gallons × $3.50 = $175.00.

Where do I find my car's MPG?

Check your vehicle's dashboard (many modern cars display current or average MPG), your owner's manual, or the EPA's official fuel economy database at fueleconomy.gov. For most accurate results, use your vehicle's real-world average MPG rather than the EPA estimate, which is tested under ideal conditions.

Does the calculator work for metric (km and liters)?

This calculator uses miles and gallons (US standard). For metric, use our Unit Converter to convert kilometers to miles first. For L/100km vehicles, convert using: MPG = 235.214 ÷ L/100km. Then enter the converted MPG value above.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Estimates only. Actual fuel use varies with driving conditions, speed, load, and vehicle condition. See our full Disclaimer.

Fuel Cost Calculator Estimate Gas Cost for Any Trip