About the Gas Cost Calculator
This gas cost calculator turns your driving habits into a fuel budget. Enter how far you drive — per day, per week, per month or per year — along with your car’s fuel economy and the local price of gas, and it shows what you spend on fuel every week, month and year, how many gallons you burn and what each mile costs.
It is handy for building a household budget, estimating the cost of a new commute before taking a job, deciding whether a more fuel-efficient car would pay off, or comparing driving with public transport. The chart shows how your yearly fuel bill would change at different MPG ratings for the same driving.
For a daily commute, enter the round-trip distance and how many days a week you drive. Use your real-world MPG rather than the window sticker — city driving, short trips, cold weather and heavy loads all lower fuel economy. For a single road trip, the fuel cost calculator is a better fit.
With the default inputs, the gas cost per month is $78.93. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the gas cost calculator
- 1Enter how many miles you drive and choose day, week, month or year.
- 2If you chose per day, set how many days a week you drive.
- 3Enter your car’s real-world fuel economy in MPG.
- 4Enter the current local price of gas.
- 5Read your monthly, weekly and yearly fuel spending and the MPG comparison chart.
Formula and method
Your driving is first converted to miles per year: daily miles × driving days per week × 52, weekly miles × 52, or monthly miles × 12. Dividing by fuel economy gives the gallons you burn in a year, and multiplying by the price per gallon gives the yearly fuel cost.
Monthly cost is the yearly figure divided by 12 and weekly cost divides it by 52. Cost per mile is simply the gas price divided by MPG, which is a handy number for comparing cars or pricing a trip.
- MPG
- Real-world miles per gallon
- Price
- Gas price per gallon
Worked examples
30-mile round-trip commute, 5 days a week
30 miles × 5 days × 52 weeks is 7,800 miles a year. At 28 mpg that is about 279 gallons, which at $3.40 costs $947 a year — about $79 a month or 12¢ per mile.
1,200 miles a month in an SUV
14,400 miles a year at 22 mpg uses about 655 gallons. At $3.85 a gallon that is $2,520 a year, or $210 a month.
15,000 miles a year in a hybrid
At 40 mpg, 15,000 miles needs 375 gallons. At $3.10 that is $1,162.50 a year — under 8¢ a mile.
Daily 45-mile drive, 7 days a week, 18 mpg truck
Driving 45 miles every day is 16,380 miles a year. At 18 mpg and $3.40 gas the truck costs about $3,094 a year to fuel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much I spend on gas a month?+
Divide the miles you drive in a month by your car’s MPG to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon. For example, 1,000 miles at 25 mpg is 40 gallons; at $3.50 a gallon that is $140 a month.
What is the average amount spent on gas per month?+
It varies widely with distance, vehicle and region. A driver covering about 1,000 miles a month in a car averaging 25–30 mpg will typically spend roughly $110–$140 at $3.50 gas. Use your own mileage for a meaningful estimate.
How can I find my real MPG?+
Fill the tank, reset the trip odometer, drive normally, then refill. Divide the miles on the trip meter by the gallons you put in. Averaging several fill-ups gives the most accurate figure — the MPG calculator does this for you.
How can I spend less on gas?+
Drive smoothly and avoid hard acceleration, keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure, remove roof racks and excess weight, combine errands into one trip, use apps to find cheaper stations, and consider carpooling or public transport for commutes.
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