How Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator Works?
This tool works by finding the gallons a vehicle burns over 100 miles (161 km) and multiplying by the fuel price. The 100-mile base lets you compare any 2 vehicles on equal terms.
Enter fuel efficiency
Type the miles per gallon (MPG) rating. The default 26 MPG matches the average US light vehicle.
Enter the fuel price
Type the local pump price, for example $3.60 per gallon.
Read the cost per 100 miles
The tool divides 100 by MPG to get gallons per 100 miles, then multiplies by price.
Compare vehicles
Repeat with a second MPG value. The difference shows the extra cost of every 100 miles driven.
Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator Formula
The formula is Cost per 100 Miles = (100 ÷ MPG) × Fuel Price.
Cost per 100 mi = (100 ÷ MPG) × Fuel PriceFormula variables
- 100 ÷ MPG
- Gallons burned per 100 miles, the measure printed on newer EPA window stickers.
- Fuel Price
- Dollars per US gallon (3.785 L).
Worked example
- Fuel Efficiency: 26 MPG
- Fuel Price: $3.60/gal
- Divide 100 by 26 MPG: 100 ÷ 26 = 3.85 gallons (14.6 L) per 100 miles.
- Multiply by $3.60: 3.85 × $3.60 = $13.85 per 100 miles.
Result: $13.85 ($/100 mi)
Gallons per 100 miles scales with fuel use in a straight line, unlike MPG. Moving from 10 to 20 MPG saves 5 gallons per 100 miles, while moving from 40 to 50 MPG saves only 0.5 gallons.
Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator Conversion Table
The table shows cost per 100 miles for 5 MPG ratings at 4 fuel prices.
Rows: Fuel Efficiency (MPG). Columns: Fuel Price ($/gal). Cells: $/100 mi.
| MPG | $3.00/gal | $3.60/gal | $4.20/gal | $5.00/gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 MPG | $20.00 | $24.00 | $28.00 | $33.33 |
| 20 MPG | $15.00 | $18.00 | $21.00 | $25.00 |
| 26 MPG | $11.54 | $13.85 | $16.15 | $19.23 |
| 35 MPG | $8.57 | $10.29 | $12.00 | $14.29 |
| 50 MPG | $6.00 | $7.20 | $8.40 | $10.00 |
At $5.00 per gallon, 100 miles costs $33.33 in a 15 MPG truck and $10.00 in a 50 MPG hybrid.
What is Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator?
The Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator is a tool that gives the fuel cost of driving a fixed 100 miles. The standard distance makes vehicle comparisons simple and fair.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prints gallons per 100 miles on new-vehicle labels, since the figure tracks fuel use better than MPG. The tool turns those gallons into dollars at your local fuel price.
A cost per 100 miles is easy to scale. A driver covering 1,200 miles per month multiplies the result by 12 to get the monthly fuel bill.
What are the uses of Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator?
There are 4 main uses of the Fuel Cost per 100 Miles Calculator: comparing new vehicles, matching EPA labels, comparing gas with EV costs, and scaling monthly budgets.
Comparing new vehicles
Shoppers line up 3 models at $13.85, $10.29, and $7.20 per 100 miles to see the spread.
Matching EPA labels
Buyers convert the gallons per 100 miles on a window sticker into a dollar cost.
Comparing gas with EV costs
Drivers place a gasoline cost per 100 miles beside an electric cost per 100 miles.
Scaling monthly budgets
Commuters multiply the 100-mile cost by monthly hundreds of miles.
Need every metric in one place? Open the main MPG Cost Calculator or browse all 101 fuel calculators.