Fuel Cost Calculator
Turn your annual mileage, MPG and local gas price into a real monthly and yearly fuel bill — plus cost per mile.
How much will I spend on gas?
It comes down to how far you drive, your real MPG and the pump price. On this tool's defaults — 12,000 miles a year at 26 MPG and $3.50 a gallon — you'd burn about 462 gallons for roughly $1,615 a year, around $135 a month, or about $0.13 per mile of fuel.
Your numbers
Annual fuel cost
$1,615
462 gal/yr
Monthly fuel cost
$135
Cost per mile
$0.13
Insight — Fuel is one of the few car costs you can cut overnight. Raising real-world MPG by even 3–4 mpg — smoother driving, correct tire pressure, less idling — measurably lowers the annual number above.
Data behind the defaults
- $3.4/gal·Editorial estimate· as of 2026-06-01· medium confidence
These defaults are starting points from the sources above — every field is editable, and results are estimates, not quotes. All data sources →
What if Gas price changes?
| Gas price | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| $2.50/gal | $1,154 |
| $3.00/gal | $1,385 |
| $3.50/gal · now | $1,615 |
| $4.00/gal | $1,846 |
| $4.50/gal | $2,077 |
| $5.00/gal | $2,308 |
Run the real EV numbers
Charging, payback and running cost depend on your mileage and local prices — benchmark them before you commit.
Explore EV toolsFree · No sign-up · Independent, source-based math
For context: at 26 MPG and $3.50/gal, a 12,000-mile-a-year driver works out to roughly $1,615 of fuel a year — about $135 a month. Swap in your own mileage, MPG and local price above.
How this calculator works
The calculator converts your annual mileage into gallons using your fuel economy, then prices those gallons at your local rate. Annual miles divided by MPG gives gallons per year; multiplying by the price per gallon gives the yearly fuel bill. Dividing by 12 gives a monthly figure, and dividing the annual cost by miles gives fuel cost per mile. Using your real-world MPG — typically below the sticker — makes the estimate honest.
Formula
Gallons per year = annual miles ÷ MPG. Annual fuel cost = gallons × price per gallon. Monthly = annual ÷ 12. Cost per mile = annual ÷ annual miles.
Worked example
At 12,000 miles, 26 MPG and $3.50/gal: gallons = 12,000 ÷ 26 ≈ 462; annual cost = 462 × $3.50 ≈ $1,615; monthly = $1,615 ÷ 12 ≈ $135; cost per mile = $1,615 ÷ 12,000 ≈ $0.13.
What affects your result
- →Annual miles driven
- →Real-world MPG (often 10–20% below the rated sticker)
- →Local price per gallon
- →Driving style, weather and short trips that lower MPG
- →Cargo, roof racks and towing that raise consumption
What this estimate includes
- ✓Gallons used per year from your mileage and MPG
- ✓Annual, monthly and weekly fuel cost
- ✓Fuel cost per mile
What it does not include
- ×Maintenance, insurance, depreciation and financing
- ×EV charging costs (compare separately)
- ×Tolls, parking and other trip costs
- ×Price changes over the year — this uses a single price you set
Good to know
Clear, practical answers about the fuel cost calculator.
How is annual fuel cost calculated?＋
Annual miles are divided by your MPG to get gallons used per year, then multiplied by the price per gallon. Monthly cost is that figure divided by 12, and cost per mile is the annual cost divided by miles driven.
Why is my real-world MPG lower than the sticker?＋
Manufacturer and lab-rated figures come from controlled tests. Cold weather, short trips, highway speeds, roof racks, towing and aggressive acceleration all push real MPG below the rated number — often by 10–20%.
Does a more fuel-efficient car always save money?＋
It lowers fuel cost, but you have to weigh that against the purchase price difference. Use the annual savings here against the price premium to see the real payback period before switching cars.
🔗 Embed this calculator on your site (free)＋
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How MotorCrunch estimates are made
Every calculator on MotorCrunch runs on transparent, documented formulas — the same standard financial math a lender, insurer or actuary would use. The loan payment is the amortization formula P × r × (1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n − 1). Depreciation follows compounding curves calibrated to published used-car value data by vehicle class and age. Running costs — fuel, charging, insurance, maintenance, registration — are modeled from per-mile and per-period cost studies published by government agencies (AAA, DOE, ONS, ABS, etc.) and industry sources, refreshed as those reports update.
Where a precise public figure is not available for a specific market or vehicle, the calculator uses a clearly labeled conservative estimate derived from the nearest comparable published data. Every assumption is visible and editable on screen — you can replace any default with your own quoted number to get a result that reflects your exact situation. No figure is hidden, rounded into a "score" or collected from readers.
The calculators are built to decide, not to rank. Each formula is unit-tested in the MotorCrunch codebase, and every data source traces to a typed registry of official publications listed in the Sources & Assumptions sidebar on each page. Results are educational estimates — not financial advice, not a binding loan offer, and not an insurance quote. For decisions specific to your personal finances, speak to a qualified, regulated professional.
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