Fuel Cost Calculator

About the Fuel Cost Calculator

Calculates the fuel cost of a journey from the distance, your vehicle's fuel consumption and the fuel price.

How to use

Enter trip distance, fuel consumption and fuel price, then click Calculate.

Worked example

600 km at 7 L/100km and $1.90/L → $79.80.

How to use this calculator

1. Enter the trip distance.
2. Enter your vehicle's fuel efficiency.
3. Enter the current fuel price.
4. Calculate the result to find the estimated fuel cost.

The formula explained

• \(\text{fuel cost}\) = the total money spent on fuel for the trip
• \(\text{distance}\) = the length of the trip
• \(\text{fuel efficiency}\) = how far the vehicle travels per unit of fuel
• \(\text{fuel price}\) = the cost of one unit of fuel

Step by step method

1. Start with the total distance you plan to travel.
2. Divide that distance by your vehicle's fuel efficiency to estimate how much fuel you will use.
3. Multiply the fuel used by the fuel price to get the trip cost.
4. Check that your units match, such as miles per gallon with dollars per gallon.

Worked example

Here is a simple example for a 300 mile trip in a car that gets 30 miles per gallon, with fuel at 4 dollars per gallon.

1. Use the formula \(\text{fuel used} = 300 \div 30 = 10\) gallons.
2. Multiply by the fuel price: \(10 \times 4 = 40\) dollars.

Tips and common mistakes

• Make sure your distance and fuel efficiency use matching units.
• Use the same fuel price unit as your efficiency unit, such as dollars per gallon.
• Remember that real-world driving can change fuel use because of traffic, hills, and speed.
• If you want a round trip, include both directions in the distance.

Frequently asked questions