How to use the fuel cost calculator

Enter the one-way journey distance, then set the number of times you will make that journey. For a standard out-and-back trip, use two. Enter your car's miles per gallon and the pump price in pence per litre. The calculator converts the miles into litres, then multiplies the litres by the fuel price.

It is often more useful to use a real-world average mpg from your dashboard, fuel log or repeated fill-ups than the official figure. City driving, cold starts and short trips commonly use more fuel than a steady motorway journey. The result is a planning estimate, not a record of actual vehicle running costs.

Return journeys

Leave the one-way distance alone and set trips to two for there and back.

Cost per mile

This shows fuel only. It is not a full mileage cost or reimbursement rate.

Use current fuel price

Pump prices can vary quickly, so update the pence-per-litre field when needed.

What this fuel estimate does not include

Fuel is only one part of driving. Parking, tolls, congestion charges, insurance, servicing, tyres, depreciation and finance can all matter when comparing travel options. Use this tool for the immediate fuel cost of a journey, rather than a complete cost of owning a car.

For a commute, try the number of working days you expect in a week or month. For a holiday or longer trip, add any detours and avoid assuming motorway mpg when the route contains local driving or steep hills. A small buffer can make a budget more realistic.

Using mpg figures carefully

Electric, hybrid and petrol or diesel cars can all display efficiency differently, so use a figure that matches your vehicle. This calculator uses miles per gallon. If your dashboard shows litres per 100km, convert that figure first. An average from several journeys is usually more useful than the result from one unusually short or long trip.

For business mileage or a reimbursement claim, check the current policy and any required journey records. Fuel cost alone is not necessarily the amount an employer will pay, and the calculator does not set a mileage rate.