How do I calculate fuel cost per mile?

Divide the fuel price per gallon by the vehicle's miles per gallon. A price of 3.60 per US gallon and 30 US MPG gives a fuel cost of 0.12 per mile.

Can I use a petrol price per litre with MPG?

Yes. The calculator first converts the litre price to a gallon price using the gallon type selected for MPG, then divides by MPG. One US gallon is 3.785411784 litres and one Imperial gallon is 4.54609 litres.

What is the difference between US MPG and Imperial MPG?

US MPG uses the smaller US gallon, while Imperial MPG uses the larger Imperial gallon. The same vehicle therefore has a higher numerical Imperial MPG figure. Always match MPG and the gallon used for fuel price.

How do I find fuel cost per 100 miles?

Multiply the cost per mile by 100. Alternatively, divide 100 miles by MPG to find gallons used, then multiply those gallons by the fuel price per matching gallon.

Can this calculate the petrol cost of a complete trip?

Yes. Enter the trip distance in miles. The tool shows fuel used in gallons and litres and multiplies that quantity by the entered fuel price.

Is fuel cost per mile the same as vehicle running cost per mile?

No. Fuel is only one part of running cost. Maintenance, tyres, insurance, tax, financing, depreciation, tolls, and parking are not included.

Should I use advertised or real-world MPG?

Use MPG measured over several fill-ups in conditions similar to your normal driving. Advertised test values may not represent traffic, speed, weather, terrain, payload, towing, or vehicle condition.

Why does my actual cost per mile change?

Fuel prices and real consumption vary. Idling, short trips, traffic, high speed, gradients, wind, tyre pressure, load, towing, air conditioning, and maintenance can all change the result.

MPG fuel-cost tool

Fuel Cost per Mile

Enter real-world MPG and a petrol or gasoline price to calculate fuel cost per mile, cost per 100 miles, fuel used, and total expense for a journey.

Bike, scooter, car, or truck
140+ currencies preset
Privacy-first

Calculate Your Cost per Mile

Fuel efficiency

Petrol price

A gallon matches the selected US or Imperial MPG type.Trip distance (optional)Enter miles. Use 0 when you only need the per-mile rate.

Fuel cost per mile

Fuel cost per 100 miles

100 mile trip cost

Fuel used for trip

3.333 gal · 12.62 L

Results use the currency of your entered price. This is a fuel-only estimate; it excludes maintenance, tyres, insurance, tax, financing, and depreciation.

Formula and example

How the Fuel Cost per Mile Calculator Works

Cost per mile equals price per gallon divided by MPG. When price is entered per litre, the tool calculates price per gallon first: price/litre × litres per selected gallon. It retains full numeric precision until displaying rounded results.

Petrol cost formula

Cost/mile = (Price ÷ MPG)

For example, 30 US MPG, USD 3.60 per US gallon, and a 250-mile trip.

Cost per mile

3.60 ÷ 30

USD 0.12

Trip fuel

250 ÷ 30

8.333 gal

Trip cost

8.333 × 3.60

USD 30.00

Illustrative reference

Cost per Mile Mileage Calculator Example

Typical economy ranges next to the fuel each vehicle uses and what it costs per day and per month. Switch the mileage unit to US or Imperial MPG to see the same data in miles.

Currency

Detecting your currency — pick one manually if you prefer.

Petrol price per litre

per litre

Use the current pump price in your currency. It is not fetched automatically.

Vehicle

km/L

Vehicle	Fuel economy	Fuel / day	Cost / day	Cost / month
Light commuter bike	55–65	0.50 L	—	—
Standard commuter bike	45–50	0.63 L	—	—
Mid-size commuter bike	45–50	0.63 L	—	—
Sport commuter bike	40–45	0.71 L	—	—
Larger commuter bike	38–42	0.75 L	—	—
Light city scooter	50–55	0.57 L	—	—
Comfort scooter	42–48	0.67 L	—	—
Urban scooter	48–52	0.60 L	—	—
Compact hatchback	18–22	1.50 L	—	—
Small family car	14–17	1.94 L	—	—
Mid-size sedan	12–15	2.22 L	—	—
Compact sedan	13–16	2.07 L	—	—
Large sedan	11–13	2.50 L	—	—
Large SUV	8–10	3.33 L	—	—
Pickup truck	9–12	2.86 L	—	—
Compact SUV	12–14	2.31 L	—	—

Based on a 30 km trip using the midpoint of each economy range. Add a petrol price to see daily and monthly cost.

How to use it

Calculate Cost per Mile

Enter your vehicle's measured miles per gallon. Select US MPG or Imperial MPG; do not treat them as interchangeable. Enter the fuel price and select price per gallon or price per litre. Optionally enter a trip distance in miles. Review cost per mile, cost per 100 miles, trip fuel, and total trip cost.

The calculator treats your currency as a label and performs no exchange-rate conversion. Use MPG measured in driving conditions similar to the planned journey.

01Use case

Trip estimate

Enter any journey in miles to turn cost per mile into a total fuel expense.

02Use case

Price update

Re-enter the pump price whenever it changes instead of reusing a stale figure.

03Use case

MPG check

Compare US and Imperial MPG carefully so the gallon type always matches.

Per-mile fuel guide

Fuel Cost per Mile Guide

Understand the MPG systems, the factors that move cost per mile, and what this fuel-only result excludes.

US MPG, Imperial MPG, litres, and gallons

US miles per gallon

US MPG measures miles travelled on one US gallon, equal to exactly 3.785411784 litres. Convert a per-litre price to a US-gallon price by multiplying it by 3.785411784.

Imperial miles per gallon

Imperial MPG uses an Imperial gallon of exactly 4.54609 litres. Because this gallon is larger, the same fuel efficiency has a higher numerical Imperial MPG value. To compare figures, 1 US MPG is approximately 1.20095 Imperial MPG.

Miles and kilometres

One mile equals exactly 1.609344 kilometres. This page focuses on mile-based costs and MPG. For metric planning, use the fuel cost per kilometre calculator.

What changes petrol cost per mile?

Fuel price

A petrol-price change immediately changes cost per mile even when MPG stays constant.

Route and traffic

Cold starts, short journeys, stop-start traffic, idling, gradients, rough roads, and wind can reduce real MPG.

Vehicle and load

Tyre pressure, engine condition, passengers, cargo, roof racks, trailers, and towing affect consumption.

Driving behaviour

High speed, harsh acceleration, heavy braking, and unnecessary idling can use more fuel for each mile.

For budgeting, calculate a measured average from several fill-ups rather than relying only on a dashboard's instant MPG reading. Recalculate when the fuel price or typical route changes.

Methodology, Accuracy and Assumptions

The estimate assumes the entered MPG and price apply across the full distance. It does not fetch live prices or adjust automatically for traffic, temperature, terrain, wind, vehicle faults, load, towing, fuel quality, measurement error, or price changes between filling stations. Results are planning estimates, not invoices.

This page specifically answers mile-based fuel-cost questions using US or Imperial MPG. The separate cost-per-kilometre page serves metric intent, while the general petrol calculator supports broader distance and consumption units. Keeping these scopes distinct reduces duplicated content and keyword cannibalization.

The tool converts a litre price to the selected gallon when needed, divides by MPG to find fuel cost per mile, and multiplies by distance for a trip estimate. Exact conversion constants are 1 US gallon = 3.785411784 litres, 1 Imperial gallon = 4.54609 litres, and 1 mile = 1.609344 kilometres.

Read the petrol expense formula guide and shared calculation methodology. Last reviewed: 17 September 2026.

FAQ

Fuel cost per mile questions

Answers about MPG types, gallon conversions, per-mile petrol cost, and trip estimates.

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