Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Calculate total and per-person gas cost for a road trip.
This tool calculates the total gas cost for a road trip, and splits it evenly across however many people are sharing the cost -- handy for planning a group trip's fuel budget.
Enter your total trip distance, vehicle MPG, price per gallon, and number of people splitting the cost. Total and per-person gas cost appear instantly.
The tool first computes the total fuel cost as (total miles / MPG) x price per gallon, exactly like the Gas Cost Calculator. It then divides that total by the number of people you enter to give a per-person share. If you enter zero or a negative count, the tool treats it as one person so it never divides by zero. Note that the count should include everyone who is chipping in, including the driver if the driver is also paying.
Total = (miles / MPG) x price per gallon; Per person = total / number of people
Take a 1,200 mile round trip in a car that averages 28 MPG with gas at 3.50 dollars a gallon. Fuel needed is 1,200 / 28, about 42.86 gallons, so the total is roughly 150 dollars. Split among four people, each share is about 37.50 dollars. If only three people split it because the driver covers their own share separately, each pays 50 dollars. Agreeing on who is counted before the trip avoids awkward arguments later.
The calculator uses a single price for the whole trip. Gas can cost noticeably different amounts across regions, and highway stations often charge more than stations a mile or two off the exit. For a long trip through several areas, run the numbers separately for each leg with that leg's local price and add the totals. That will be more accurate than one average price, although a price you choose in the middle of the expected range is often close enough for a friendly cost-sharing conversation.
Treat the output as a planning estimate. Actual pump costs will vary.
No -- it uses one price-per-gallon figure for the whole trip. For a more precise estimate on a long trip crossing regions with very different gas prices, calculate separate legs with their own local price estimates.
Only if the driver is also paying a share. Count every person who is contributing to the fuel cost.
The tool treats it as one person, so the per-person share equals the total cost.
Not directly. Run the calculator for each segment with the people on board and add each person's shares across segments.
No, only fuel. Add tolls, parking, and other expenses separately when planning the group budget.
Reference: EPA Fuel Economy