Estimate the petrol or diesel cost of any trip — one way, round trip, or split between friends.
Fuel cost formula
Fuel needed = Distance ÷ Mileage Cost = Fuel needed × Price per litreExample
Hyderabad to Vijayawada (≈ 275 km) in a car giving 18 km/l with petrol at ₹103: 275 ÷ 18 = 15.3 litres → ₹1,574 one way, ₹3,148 round trip. Split among 4 people, ₹787 each.
Typical mileage
| Vehicle | km/l |
|---|
| Scooter (110 cc) | 45–55 |
| Motorcycle (150 cc) | 40–50 |
| Hatchback petrol | 16–22 |
| Sedan / SUV petrol | 12–16 |
| Diesel SUV | 14–18 |
| CNG car (km/kg) | 25–32 |
Highway mileage is usually 15–25% better than city. Add tolls separately — they can match the fuel cost on expressways.
How to use the fuel cost calculator
- Enter the trip distance in km (Google Maps gives this; for a return trip double it).
- Enter your vehicle's real mileage in km per litre — not the brochure figure. Cars: 12–18 km/l in the city, 16–22 on highways; bikes: 35–60; diesel SUVs: 12–16.
- Enter today's fuel price per litre in your city.
- Read the total fuel cost, litres needed and cost per km; split by passengers to share the cost.
Step-by-step: Hyderabad to Vijayawada (350 km), 18 km/l, petrol ₹105
- Litres needed: 350 ÷ 18 = 19.44 litres.
- Cost: 19.44 × 105 = ₹2,042.
- Cost per km: 105 ÷ 18 = ₹5.83.
- Shared between 4 people: ₹510 each — cheaper than a bus ticket.
Add tolls separately (a 350 km highway trip typically has ₹300–500 in tolls) and, for a fair comparison with a cab, add wear and tear of roughly ₹2–3 per km.
Worked examples
| Situation | Working | Answer |
|---|
| Diesel SUV, 1,200 km Delhi–Mumbai leg, 14 km/l, ₹92 | 1,200 ÷ 14 × 92 | ₹7,886 |
| Daily office commute 28 km round trip, scooter 45 km/l, ₹105, 22 days | 28 × 22 ÷ 45 × 105 | ₹1,437 a month |
| EV comparison: 350 km at 7 km per unit, ₹8 a unit | 350 ÷ 7 × 8 | ₹400 — about one-fifth of petrol |
Tips and common mistakes
- Measure real mileage with the tank-full method: fill up, reset the trip meter, drive 300+ km, fill up again and divide km by litres.
- City mileage is 20–30% lower than highway mileage; use the lower figure for daily commute budgets.
- Tyre pressure 2–3 psi low costs about 3% mileage; roof boxes and AC on full add 5–10%.
- For yearly fuel budgets multiply monthly cost by 12 and add a 5% buffer for price changes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate petrol cost for a trip?
Divide the distance by your mileage to get litres, then multiply by the petrol price. 300 km at 15 km/l with ₹100 petrol costs ₹2,000.
What is the fuel cost per km?
Fuel price ÷ mileage. At ₹103 a litre and 18 km/l, about ₹5.70 per km.
How do I find my car's real mileage?
Fill the tank, note the odometer, drive until the next fill, and divide the kilometres driven by the litres filled.
How to calculate the average (mileage) of a car or bike?
Fill the tank, note the odometer, drive, refill and note the litres. Mileage = km driven ÷ litres refilled. 420 km on 30 litres = 14 km/l. Use the mileage tab above.