Gas Cost Calculator
Estimate the fuel cost of a road trip or your entire year of driving — and compare two vehicles to see how much better MPG saves you.
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Gas Cost by the Numbers
Fuel is one of the largest ongoing costs of vehicle ownership. Even a modest improvement in MPG can translate to hundreds of dollars in annual savings.
How Much Does MPG Really Matter?
The relationship between MPG and fuel cost is non-linear. Improving from 10 to 20 MPG saves far more fuel than improving from 40 to 50 MPG — even though both are 10 MPG gains.
| MPG | Annual Cost (12,000 mi @ $3.50/gal) |
|---|---|
| 15 MPG | $2,800 |
| 20 MPG | $2,100 |
| 25 MPG | $1,680 |
| 30 MPG | $1,400 |
| 35 MPG | $1,200 |
| 40 MPG | $1,050 |
| 50 MPG | $840 |
Tips to Improve Fuel Economy
- Keep tires properly inflated — Under-inflated tires can reduce MPG by 0.2–0.3% per PSI below optimal
- Avoid jackrabbit starts — Smooth acceleration and braking is the single most effective habit change
- Reduce highway speed — Fuel economy drops significantly above 55–60 mph due to aerodynamic drag
- Remove excess weight — Every 100 lbs reduces MPG by about 1%
- Use cruise control on highways to maintain steady speed
Average MPG by Vehicle Type (2025)
| Vehicle Type | Typical Combined MPG |
|---|---|
| Large truck / SUV | 16–22 |
| Midsize sedan | 28–35 |
| Compact / subcompact | 32–40 |
| Hybrid sedan | 45–55 |
| Plug-in hybrid | 50–80 MPGe |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the official MPG for my vehicle? Check fueleconomy.gov (the official U.S. government source), which lists EPA fuel economy ratings for all vehicles sold in the US since 1984. Real-world MPG is typically 10–20% lower than EPA estimates. If you want to measure your actual MPG from real fill-up data rather than relying on the EPA figure, the Fuel Economy Calculator walks you through the brim-to-brim method.
What is a good gas cost per mile? At $3.50/gallon, a vehicle getting 30 MPG costs about $0.117 per mile in fuel. The IRS standard mileage rate (which includes fuel, maintenance, and depreciation) is about $0.67/mile in 2025.
