Fuel Cost Calculator
Budget any drive before you leave: enter the distance, your vehicle’s miles per gallon and the local gas price to see gallons needed and total fuel cost — one way or round trip.
Your car’s MPG rating tells you how many miles one gallon buys. Dividing the trip distance by MPG gives the gallons you will burn; multiplying by the price per gallon gives the fuel cost. The average US passenger vehicle gets roughly 25–30 MPG combined.
For a round trip, the calculator simply doubles the one-way distance. Real-world economy drops with highway speeds over 60 mph, roof racks, cold weather and city stop-and-go — consider knocking 10–15% off the EPA rating for a conservative budget.
Worked examples
Weekend getaway
250 miles each way at 28 MPG with gas at $3.60, round trip.
→ ≈ $64.29 (17.9 gal)
Daily commute
30 miles round trip, 5 days a week, at 32 MPG and $3.50/gal.
→ ≈ $16.41 / week
Cross-country
New York to Los Angeles is about 2,790 miles — at 30 MPG and $3.80/gal.
→ ≈ $353.40 one way