Fuel Cost Calculator

What a trip actually costs in gas.

How to use this calculator

Enter trip distance, your vehicle's MPG and the gas price, then press Calculate. Gallons needed and trip cost are shown.

Worked example

A 300-mile trip in a car that gets 30 MPG at $3.50 a gallon burns 300 / 30 = 10 gallons, so it costs about $35. Drop to a 25 MPG vehicle and the same trip costs $42 - the tool shows why fuel economy differences add up fast on long drives.

What the result means

The result is the fuel cost for one trip. To find the monthly or yearly cost, multiply by how often you make that drive - a $35 commute made 40 times a year is $1,400 of gas.

Using it to compare vehicles

Enter your commute distance once and compare two cars: the difference between 25 and 35 MPG on a 15,000-mile year at $3.50 a gallon is roughly $600 a year. Over a five-year loan that is a $3,000 gap in total fuel cost.

Frequently asked questions

Does the calculator include highway vs city?

No - it uses one MPG figure. If your driving is mixed, use a blended estimate between the city and highway ratings.

Gas prices swing by region and season, so rerun the tool when prices change. If your commute budget is tight, even a 10% mpg improvement - smoother acceleration, proper tire pressure, less idling - moves the yearly number noticeably.

For a full budget picture, add tolls, parking and maintenance to the fuel figure - they are small per trip but real per year. And when comparing two cars, run this tool with your exact miles and gas price for both, because a few MPG difference at high mileage is hundreds of dollars a year.