Fuel Cost Calculator

Trip fuel expense

Divide the total distance in kilometres by 100 and multiply by average consumption. Multiply the resulting litres by price per litre to find fuel expense. A 250 km trip at 8 litres per 100 km and a price of 2 per litre uses 20 litres and costs 40.

Using the result

Include both legs in the distance for a return trip. The default price is an example, not a market quote. Actual consumption varies with load, speed, weather and traffic. Maintenance, tolls, parking, insurance and depreciation are excluded. Cost per kilometre describes the entered consumption and remains defined even for a zero distance.

Check distance and consumption units together

For an example trip, use total distance 360 km, consumption 7.5 L/100 km and fuel price 4 currency units per litre. Fuel use is 360 × 7.5 / 100 = 27 L. Total cost is 27 × 4 = 108 and cost per kilometre is 7.5 × 4 / 100 = 0.30. The price is an example, not a current fuel quotation. At unchanged consumption and price, doubling distance doubles total cost.

Consumption means litres per hundred kilometres, not litres per kilometre. If the source uses kilometres per litre, convert to the required definition first. For route segments with different consumption, calculate each separately and add their fuel and cost totals.

Fuel purchased is not necessarily fuel consumed on that trip. Account for differences between starting and ending tank levels. At zero distance, total fuel and cost are zero, while modelled cost per kilometre may remain positive. That is the unit equivalent of the chosen consumption and price, not an expense already incurred. The result excludes other vehicle operating costs.

Frequently asked questions

How much will my trip cost in fuel?

For 250 km in total, consumption of 8 litres per hundred kilometres and an example price of 2 per litre give 20 L of fuel and a cost of 40.00 currency units. This is a preliminary estimate using a sample price, with constant consumption. Include the full return distance and add tolls, parking and maintenance separately.

Calculate with these values