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Road Trip Cost Calculator
Calculate the total gas cost for any road trip, estimated travel time, cost per person, and complete travel budget. Plan your road trip finances accurately with fuel costs, tolls, food stops, and accommodation in one easy calculator.
Planning a road trip budget starts with knowing your gas cost — the biggest variable expense. A 1,000-mile trip at 28 MPG with $3.50 gas costs $125 in fuel. Split four ways, that is just $31.25 per person — far cheaper than flying. This calculator helps you budget every aspect of your road trip.
Formula
Trip Fuel Cost = Distance / MPG × Gas Price | Travel Time = Distance / Average Speed | Cost Per Person = Total Cost / Passengers
Road Trip Cost Breakdown
A complete road trip budget includes more than just gas. Experienced road trippers budget for fuel (largest variable cost), meals ($10-20 per person per day), accommodations ($80-150 per night for budget hotels), tolls (varies dramatically by route), parking, and unexpected expenses. Build in a 15-20% buffer for surprises.
Gas Cost by Distance and MPG
Distance
MPG
Gas Price
Fuel Cost
100 miles
25 MPG
$3.50/gal
$14.00 total / $3.50 pp (4 people)
500 miles
28 MPG
$3.50/gal
$62.50 total / $15.63 pp
1,000 miles
30 MPG
$3.50/gal
$116.67 total / $29.17 pp
2,000 miles
25 MPG
$3.80/gal
$304 total / $76 pp
LA to NYC (~2,800 mi)
28 MPG
$3.60/gal
$360 total / $90 pp
Tips for Cheaper Road Trips
Reduce road trip costs: use GasBuddy to find cheapest gas along your route, fill up in rural areas and lower-tax states (avoid California, Illinois), maintain 60-65 mph for best highway fuel economy, pack food for the first day to avoid restaurant costs, use hotel loyalty programs and booking apps (Hotels.com, Priceline) for last-minute deals, carpool to split all costs, and drive off-peak (avoid Friday afternoon departures).
Road Trip vs Flying Cost Comparison
When does driving beat flying? Consider: flight tickets + baggage fees + airport transportation + rental car vs gas cost + tolls + hotel en route. For a 4-person family on a 500-mile trip: driving costs $62 gas + $100 snacks = ~$162. Flying: 4 tickets ($150 each) + bags ($100) + rental car ($200) = $900. Driving saves $738 — a 3-hour vs 5-hour total time tradeoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gas cost = Distance / MPG × Gas price per gallon. For a 500-mile trip at 28 MPG with $3.50/gal: 500/28 × $3.50 = 17.86 gallons × $3.50 = $62.50 total. Divide by number of passengers for per-person cost. Add 10-15% buffer for detours and traffic.
At 28 MPG and $3.50/gal: fuel = 1000/28 × $3.50 = $125. Add food: 2 days × 2 people × $30/day = $120. Hotel (1 night): $100. Total: ~$345 for 2 people, or $172/person. Gas alone: $62.50/person for 4 passengers. Costs vary widely by vehicle, group size, and accommodation choices.
Pack your own food (save $30-50/day vs restaurants), camp instead of hotel ($20-40 vs $100+), drive a fuel-efficient vehicle or rent a hybrid, find free or cheap campgrounds (BLM land in western US), use Harvest Hosts for overnight stays at wineries and farms, and avoid toll roads when time allows.
At 65 mph average: 1000/65 = 15.4 hours driving. With stops: add 1-2 hours. Realistic: 16-18 hours total — typically spread over 2 days. US recommended maximum driving is 8-10 hours per day for safety and comfort. Plan rest stops every 2 hours to reduce fatigue-related accident risk.
The fuel-efficient sweet spot is 45-55 mph for most vehicles. Above 55 mph, aerodynamic drag increases rapidly. Driving 65 mph vs 75 mph saves approximately 10-15% fuel — on a 1,000-mile trip at 28 MPG, that is 5-7 gallons ($17-25) saved. Aggressive acceleration is the single biggest fuel waster in city driving.
Common methods: split total gas cost equally (simplest), have each person pay for one fill-up (works for similar tank sizes), use apps like Splitwise or TripSplit that track all expenses including gas, food, and lodging, or calculate exact cost per mile and charge each person for miles they join/leave the trip.