Fuel Cost Calculator

How to use the Fuel Cost Calculator

1. Enter the distance of the trip in kilometres. For a round trip, enter the total of both ways.
2. Enter your vehicle’s real-world mileage in km per litre.
3. Enter the current fuel price per litre in your city.
4. Read the fuel needed, the trip cost and the cost per kilometre. Compare with the table for other distances.

Formula used

Fuel needed = distance ÷ mileage. Cost = fuel needed × price per litre. Cost per km = cost ÷ distance.

Worked example

Here is the Fuel Cost Calculator worked through with the example values shown above, so you can check each step by hand.

Cost for different distances

For the default mileage and fuel price.

How the cost is calculated

Fuel needed is the distance divided by the mileage, and the cost is the fuel multiplied by the price per litre. For 500 km at 18 km/l, you need 27.78 litres, and at ₹100 a litre the trip costs ₹2,778. That works out to 5.56 rupees for every kilometre.

A 1,000 km trip costs twice as much, ₹5,556, and a 100 km trip costs ₹556. A car that gives only 12 km/l would need 41.67 litres for 500 km and cost ₹4,167.

Use your real mileage, not the brochure

Advertised mileage is measured under test conditions. Real mileage is usually lower, and it varies with city or highway driving, speed, load, air conditioning, tyre pressure and how smoothly you drive. To measure yours, fill the tank, reset the trip meter, drive normally, then refill and divide the distance by the litres added.

Do this a couple of times and use an average. Using a realistic number gives a more honest cost.

Comparing vehicles and fuel types

Cost per kilometre makes comparison easy. At a fuel price of ₹100, a car doing 18 km/l costs 5.56 rupees per km, while a bike doing 45 km/l costs 2.22 rupees per km. Enter a different price and mileage for each option, such as diesel or CNG, and compare.

Remember that fuel is only part of the cost. Tolls, parking, servicing, insurance and depreciation also add up, and an electric vehicle changes the calculation entirely because its energy cost is per unit of electricity.

Sharing the cost of a trip

For a road trip with friends, divide the trip cost by the number of people, and consider adding tolls. You can use the bill split calculator on this site to share the total.

The default fuel price in this tool is only an example. Fuel prices differ between cities and change over time, so always enter the current local price.

Ways to lower your fuel cost

Speed, load and tyre pressure all change fuel use. Driving much faster on a motorway increases air resistance, so consumption rises noticeably above about 90 to 100 km/h. Keeping tyres properly inflated, removing unneeded weight such as roof racks and avoiding hard acceleration and braking can each save a few percent.

To compare two routes, calculate the fuel cost of each from the distance and your mileage, and include tolls. A longer route at a steady speed can cost less than a shorter one in heavy stop-and-go traffic. Keep a record of your actual mileage, since official figures are measured under test conditions.

Frequently asked questions

This calculator gives estimates for information only. Actual figures from a bank, employer, tax authority or doctor may differ. It is not financial, tax, legal or medical advice.