Road Trip Cost Calculator

How it is calculated

The tool estimates fuel only, working in kilometres, litres per 100 km and price per litre. It first finds the litres burned, then prices them: fuel cost = distance ÷ 100 × consumption × price, and cost per km = fuel cost ÷ distance. Both results are rounded to two decimals in the tool's default currency, so the per-km figure is only accurate to the cent. All three boxes are required: leaving the price empty gives no result, as do a distance or consumption of zero or less and a negative price. For a round trip, enter the full distance out and back. Tolls, parking, food and lodging are not included, and neither are changes in consumption caused by hills, speed or load.

Common mistakes

• Entering the one-way distance for a return journey. The fuel cost is for the distance you type, so a round trip needs the out-and-back total.
• Typing miles into the kilometre box. A 300-mile drive is about 483 km, and entering 300 understates the cost by roughly 38 %.
• Using the manufacturer's consumption rating for a loaded car on a motorway. Luggage, roof boxes, air conditioning and speeds above 120 km/h usually push real consumption higher.
• Using the price from your home town for the whole route. Fuel prices differ between regions and countries, so take an average of where you will fill up.
• Forgetting that the result is fuel alone, so tolls, ferries, parking and wear on the car must be added separately.