Fuel Cost Calculator for a Route
Estimate the fuel a route will burn and what it will cost — from the distance, your vehicle's economy in mpg or L/100km, and the price at the pump.
Fuel & cost
Cost is shown in whatever currency your fuel price is in. Real consumption rises with load, terrain, and stop-start traffic.
Costing a drive before you set off
Fuel is usually the biggest running cost of a road route, and it is easy to estimate once you know three things: how far you are going, how economical the vehicle is, and what fuel costs today. The calculator ties them together and also shows the cost per mile or kilometre, which is handy for comparing two routes or splitting a shared drive.
Because it works in whatever units and currency you enter, it suits a gallon-and-mpg world or a litre-and-L/100km one equally. For the whole picture, pair it with the ETA calculator to see the time as well as the cost of a route.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the fuel cost worked out?
The tool converts the route distance into a fuel volume using your vehicle's economy, then multiplies by the price. In mpg mode, gallons = miles ÷ mpg. In L/100km mode, litres = kilometres ÷ 100 × the L/100km figure. Cost is simply that volume times the price you enter.
What's the difference between mpg and L/100km?
They measure fuel economy in opposite directions. Miles per gallon is distance per unit of fuel, so higher is better. Litres per 100 km is fuel per fixed distance, so lower is better. The calculator supports both; pick the one your car and your fuel price are quoted in.
Where do I find my car's economy figure?
Manufacturer figures are on the spec sheet, but the honest number is your own: fill the tank, note the odometer, drive, and at the next fill divide the distance by the fuel added. Real-world economy is usually a little worse than the official rating, so your measured figure gives a truer cost.
What currency does the cost use?
Whatever currency your fuel price is in. The tool doesn't assume dollars, pounds, or euros — enter the price per gallon or per litre in your local money and the total comes back in the same units.
Why is my real fuel use higher than the estimate?
This is a steady-state estimate. Actual consumption climbs with a heavy load, roof boxes, hills, cold starts, air conditioning, and stop-start city traffic. Treat the figure as a planning baseline and pad it for demanding conditions.
Educational estimate only. Real fuel use depends on load, terrain, driving style, and conditions; prices change often, so verify locally.