Road Trip Cost Calculator
Before you hit the highway, it helps to know what the gas will cost – and what each passenger owes. This road trip cost calculator takes your distance, your fuel economy and the price of gas, then shows the fuel needed, the total cost and the cost per person once you split it. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is saved.
Your road trip fuel cost
How the road trip cost calculator works
The road trip cost calculator uses one simple chain of maths. It divides your trip distance by your fuel economy to find how many gallons the drive needs, multiplies that by the price of gas to get the total fuel cost, then divides by the number of travelers to get the cost per person. Change any input and the results update instantly.
With the defaults – a 500 mile trip in a car that does 30 miles per gallon, gas at 3.50 a gallon, split between two people – the drive needs about 16.7 gallons, costs roughly 58.33 dollars in fuel, and works out to about 29.17 dollars each. For a round trip, simply enter the full there-and-back distance.
Getting an accurate estimate
Real fuel economy is usually a little below the sticker figure, especially with a loaded car, roof boxes, mountains or lots of highway speed. If you want a safe estimate, knock a few miles per gallon off your rated figure. Gas prices also climb along popular travel corridors, so budget a bit above your local price for a long trip.
A few habits stretch every gallon. Steady speeds, correct tire pressure and a lighter load all help; the Department of Energy details the savings in its gas mileage and maintenance tips. If the trip is part of shopping for or running a vehicle, the Federal Trade Commission has broader guidance on buying and owning a car.
Splitting the cost fairly
Sharing a car is one of the cheapest ways to travel, and splitting the fuel makes it fairer. The calculator divides the total evenly, but you can adapt it: if one person drives their own car the whole way, the passengers might cover a larger share, or you can split by the leg each person rode.
For a full travel budget, add tolls, parking, food and any overnight stays to the fuel figure. The fuel cost is often smaller than people expect, which is exactly why a road trip with friends can beat flying once you divide it up.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the gas cost of a road trip?
Divide the trip distance by your miles per gallon to get gallons needed, then multiply by the price per gallon. This calculator does it for you and also splits the total between travelers.
Should I use my rated MPG?
Real-world fuel economy is often a little lower than the rated figure, especially with a full car or lots of highway driving. For a cautious estimate, subtract a few miles per gallon from the sticker number.
How do I estimate a round trip?
Enter the full round-trip distance – there and back – as the trip distance. The calculator will then base the fuel and cost on the complete journey.
Does this include tolls and food?
No, it estimates fuel cost only. Add tolls, parking, meals and lodging separately to build a complete road trip budget.
How can I lower my trip fuel cost?
Keep a steady speed, maintain correct tire pressure, avoid unnecessary weight and roof racks, and fill up away from expensive highway stations. Sharing the drive also cuts the cost per person.
These figures are estimates for general information only. Explore more automotive calculators, or check your running costs with the cost of car ownership calculator.