Gas calculator
How much gas for a trip, and what it costs: enter the distance, your MPG and the gas price for a road trip or your daily commute.
$28.57
One way · 250 mi · 8.9 gal of gas
- Per person
- $28.57
- Cost per mile
- $0.114
- Fuel needed
- 8.93 gal
How the gas calculator works
- Distance: one-way miles from a map app. Tick Round trip to double it.
- Fuel economy: your car’s MPG. Use the highway figure for road trips.
- Gas price: the price per gallon where you’ll fill up.
- The result is gallons = miles ÷ MPG, and cost = gallons × price, divided by the number of people sharing.
Road trip gas calculator
For a road trip, get the total miles from your map app, including the drive back if you’re returning, and use your car’s highway MPG. Gas prices vary a lot between states, so use a price from along the route, not just your hometown. Add 5–10% for detours, traffic and air conditioning.
Not sure what mileage your car really gets? The sticker number is often optimistic. Work out your real figure from one fill-up with the mileage calculator, then plug it in here.
Trip cost examples
| Trip | Car | Gas at $3.20 |
|---|---|---|
| Daily commute, 30 mi round trip, 22 workdays | 30 MPG sedan | $70.40 a month |
| Weekend trip, 250 mi each way | 28 MPG crossover | $57.14 round trip |
| Cross-country, 2,800 mi | 20 MPG SUV | $448.00 |
| Towing a camper, 400 mi | 11 MPG pickup | $116.36 |
How to spend less on gas
- Slow down: above about 55 mph, fuel economy drops quickly. 75 mph uses around 15–20% more fuel than 60 mph.
- Keep tires at the pressure on the door placard; under-inflated tires waste fuel.
- Remove roof boxes and racks when you don’t need them.
- Check your real MPG with the MPG calculator to plan with accurate numbers.
Questions
How do I calculate gas cost for a trip?
Divide the distance by your car's miles per gallon to get the gallons needed, then multiply by the price per gallon. A 250-mile trip at 28 MPG uses about 8.9 gallons; at $3.20 a gallon that's about $28.57.
What MPG should I use?
Use your car's highway rating for long trips and its combined rating for mixed driving, or your own figure from the MPG calculator. Heavy loads, roof boxes, speeds over 65 mph and air conditioning all lower real-world MPG.
How do I split gas money with friends?
Enter the number of people sharing the ride and the calculator divides the total. Many groups add 10–20% for wear and tolls, or use the IRS mileage rate for a fuller cost of driving.
Does it work in kilometers and liters?
Yes. Switch to km, L/100 km and price per liter; the numbers you've entered are converted, so the result stays almost the same (small differences come from rounding).
