Road Trip Cost Calculator
Plan your road trip budget: fuel or charging, lodging, food, tolls and parking in one total, split fairly between everyone in the car.
1Driving
2Travellers, stay & food
3Extras (whole trip)
Where the money goes
| Cost | Total | Per person | Share |
|---|
Estimates only. Real fuel use rises with speed, mountains, air conditioning, roof boxes and heavy loads, so many drivers add 10–15% as a buffer.
How to use the Road Trip Cost Calculator
- Pick gas/diesel or electric and choose your currency.
- Enter the one-way distance, your car's fuel economy or energy use and the fuel or electricity price. Leave Round trip ticked if you drive back.
- Add the travellers, trip days, food budget, nights of lodging, price per night and rooms.
- Add tolls, parking and other costs for the whole trip.
- Press Calculate trip cost to see the total, the per-person share and the breakdown. Copy the summary to share it with your group.
How road trip costs are calculated
The calculator adds up six parts of a trip and divides the total by the number of people sharing it:
- Fuel = total distance ÷ fuel economy × fuel price. With L/100 km it is distance (km) × L/100 km ÷ 100 × price per litre.
- Charging (EV) = total distance × kWh per 100 km (or mi) ÷ 100 × price per kWh.
- Lodging = nights × price per night × rooms.
- Food = people × days × food budget per person per day.
- Tolls, parking and other are added once for the whole trip.
Ticking round trip doubles the distance, so enter the one-way distance from your map app.
Worked example
Four friends drive 400 miles each way in a car that gets 30 mpg, with gas at $3.50 per gallon. They stay 3 nights in one $140 room, budget $35 each per day for food over 4 days and expect $25 of tolls and $40 of parking.
- Distance: 400 × 2 = 800 miles. Fuel: 800 ÷ 30 = 26.7 gallons × $3.50 = $93.33.
- Lodging: 3 × $140 = $420. Food: 4 × 4 × $35 = $560. Extras: $25 + $40 = $65.
- Total: $1,138.33, or $284.58 per person.
Notice that fuel is often the smallest part of a multi-day trip: lodging and food usually dominate, which is why sharing a car and a room saves so much.
Fuel economy conversion table
| mpg (US) | L/100 km | mpg (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 11.8 | 24.0 |
| 25 | 9.4 | 30.0 |
| 30 | 7.8 | 36.0 |
| 35 | 6.7 | 42.0 |
| 40 | 5.9 | 48.0 |
| 50 | 4.7 | 60.0 |
L/100 km = 235.21 ÷ mpg (US) = 282.48 ÷ mpg (UK). A UK gallon (4.546 L) is about 20% larger than a US gallon (3.785 L), so the same car shows a higher mpg figure in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate gas cost for a road trip?
Divide the total distance by your car's fuel economy to get the gallons or litres needed, then multiply by the fuel price. For example, 800 miles at 30 mpg needs 26.7 gallons, which costs $93.33 at $3.50 a gallon.
How do I split road trip costs fairly?
The simplest way is to add every shared cost (fuel, lodging, tolls, parking and food) and divide by the number of people. The calculator shows this per-person amount. If someone uses the car only one way or has their own room, adjust their share by hand.
Should I include the drive home?
Yes, unless you are leaving the car at your destination. Tick Round trip and enter the one-way distance; the calculator doubles it for fuel.
How much should I budget for food on a road trip?
Many travellers budget around 30 to 60 dollars, pounds or euros per person per day, depending on whether they eat in restaurants or bring snacks and picnics. Use your own typical daily spend for the most accurate estimate.
Is an electric car cheaper for a road trip?
Usually, if you charge at home or at slower public chargers. A typical EV uses 15 to 20 kWh per 100 km. Fast chargers can cost two to three times home electricity prices, so enter the price you expect to pay on the road.
Why is my real fuel bill higher than the estimate?
Official fuel economy figures are measured in gentle conditions. Highway speeds above 110 km/h (70 mph), hills, air conditioning, roof boxes and a full load can raise fuel use by 10 to 25 percent, so it is wise to add a buffer.