Transport

Fuel Cost Calculator

Enter distance, your vehicle’s fuel economy, and today’s fuel price to estimate fuel needed, total trip cost, cost per kilometre, and each traveler’s share. Works with km/L, L/100km, and US MPG. An estimate for planning — not a fuel-company quote.

Last updated: September 30, 2026

Your result · Trip cost

$80.00

Fuel required: 53.33L
Cost per km: $0.10
Cost per person: $40.00

Free · No signup · Math stays in your browser

What your result means

Trip cost is the headline: litres burned times today’s price. Fuel required shows the same answer in litres so you know whether one tank covers it.

Cost per km lets you compare routes and vehicles at a glance; cost per person splits the fuel fairly among travelers.

How the calculation works

Convert the distance to kilometres and double it for round trips.
Convert your economy figure to km per litre, whichever unit you entered.
Divide distance by economy for litres, multiply by price for cost, then split per km and per person.

Formula

fuel = distance ÷ economy; cost = fuel × price; per km = cost ÷ distance; per person = cost ÷ travelers

Distanceone-way × 2 for round trips; miles × 1.60934 for km
Economy → km/Lkm/L as-is · 100 ÷ (L/100km) · MPG × 0.42514
Fuel requiredtotal km ÷ km per litre
Trip costfuel litres × price per litre

Worked examples

Example: 400 km round trip at 15 km/L, 1.50/L, 2 travelers
distance: 400distanceUnit: kmeconomy: 15economyUnit: kmlprice: 1.5tripType: round-triptravelers: 2
Result: Fuel required 53.33 · Trip cost $80.00 · Cost per km $0.10 · Cost per person $40.00
Example: 300 miles at 30 MPG, $1.00/L, solo
distance: 300distanceUnit: mieconomy: 30economyUnit: mpgprice: 1tripType: one-waytravelers: 1
Result: Fuel required 37.85 · Trip cost $37.85 · Cost per km $0.08 · Cost per person $37.85

Assumptions

What this calculation takes for granted — check these before relying on the result.

Assumptions:

Default values are an example starting point — replace them with your trip figures.
Economy is treated as constant for the whole trip; hills, load, and speed are averaged in.
MPG means US MPG; fuel price is per litre regardless of economy unit.
Round trips assume the same route and economy both ways.

Limitations

Why your real figure may differ:

Fuel prices move daily — a quote from last week’s price is already stale.
Traffic, idling, air-conditioning, and driving style shift real mileage well off steady-state figures.
Manufacturer ratings come from lab cycles; expect 10–25% worse in mixed real driving.
Tolls, parking, wear, and depreciation are excluded — this is fuel only.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert MPG to km/L?

Multiply US MPG by 0.42514. So 30 MPG ≈ 12.75 km/L. For L/100km, divide 100 by the km/L figure instead.

Should I use the manufacturer mileage figure?

Treat it as an upper bound. Lab-test cycles rarely match traffic, hills, air-conditioning, and short trips — most drivers see 10–25% worse. Use your own tracked average when you have one.

Does the calculator include tolls and parking?

No — this is fuel only. For the full picture including parking, tolls, and daily extras, use the Trip Cost Calculator.

Why does cost per km matter?

It turns any trip into a comparable rate: a 500 km detour at $0.10/km costs $50 in fuel, which makes train, bus, or flight comparisons honest.

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