Vehicle Operating Expense Metric

Fuel Cost Per Mile Calculator

Find out exactly how much every mile driven costs in gasoline. Enter your vehicle’s MPG rating and local price per gallon to calculate cost per mile, cost per 100 miles, and total annual fuel expense.

Cost Per Mile Formula Tool

Formula: Cost Per Mile = Gas Price Per Gallon ÷ Vehicle MPG

$/ gal
MPG
miles/yr

Average US driver travels 14,000 to 15,000 miles per year.

Your Fuel Cost Per Mile
$0.140/ mile

Exactly $14.00 for every 100 miles driven.

Per 1,000 Miles
$140.00
Annual Total (15,000 mi)
$2,100.00
Cost Per Mile Formula
Cost Per Mile = Fuel Price Per Gallon ÷ Vehicle MPG

Worked Example:

If regular unleaded gasoline costs $3.50 per gallon and your crossover gets 25.0 MPG:

$3.50 ÷ 25 = $0.140 per mile ($14.00 per 100 miles)

Over 15,000 annual miles, 15,000 × $0.14 = $2,100.00 spent on gasoline.

Cost Per Mile Matrix at $3.50/Gallon

Vehicle MPGCost Per MileCost Per 100 MilesAnnual Cost (15k mi)
18 MPG (Truck/V8 SUV)$0.194 / mi$19.44$2,916.67
25 MPG (Standard Crossover)$0.140 / mi$14.00$2,100.00
32 MPG (Compact Sedan)$0.109 / mi$10.94$1,640.63
50 MPG (Hybrid Sedan)$0.070 / mi$7.00$1,050.00
Cost Per Mile Common Pitfalls
  • Confusing fuel cost per mile with total operating cost: Fuel is only one component of driving cost. Depreciation, maintenance, tires, and insurance often add another $0.25 to $0.45 per mile.
  • Using premium gasoline when not required: Premium (91/93 octane) costs $0.60 to $0.90 more per gallon. Unless your owner’s manual states "Premium Required," using premium will increase your cost per mile with zero efficiency gain.

Frequently Asked Questions

At $3.50/gallon, under $0.12 per mile (30+ MPG) is considered good. Efficient hybrids operate below $0.07 to $0.08 per mile, while large trucks often exceed $0.18 to $0.22 per mile.
Explore Reference Charts

View full price vs. MPG matrix charts and vehicle benchmarks.

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