Rex says
Everyday utility math — the kind you'd otherwise pull up four browser tabs for. I keep it to one clean answer.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Total trip cost
$974
Cost per person
$487
Fuel cost
$154.29
Lodging
$420
Food
$360
Gallons needed
42.9
Psst — share this and help Rex grow
One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter round-trip distance (mi).
- 2Enter fuel economy (mpg).
- 3Enter fuel price ($/gal).
- 4Enter nights of lodging.
- 5Enter cost per night ($).
- 6Enter food per person per day ($).
- 7Enter travelers.
- 8Enter tolls + parking ($).
- 9Read your total trip cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 10Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Gas is only part of it. Add nights, meals, and tolls and split it across everyone in the car to see the real per-person number.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Round-trip distance: 1200 mi
- Fuel economy: 28 mpg
- Fuel price: 3.6 $/gal
- Nights of lodging: 3
- Cost per night: 140 $
- Food per person per day: 45 $
- Travelers: 2
- Tolls + parking: 40 $
Results
- Total trip cost: $974
- Cost per person: $487
- Fuel cost: $154.29
- Lodging: $420
- Food: $360
- Gallons needed: 42.9
What each field means
Inputs
- Round-trip distance (mi)
- The round-trip distance used in the calculation, measured in mi. Starts at 1200 mi so you have a working example on load.
- Fuel economy (mpg)
- The fuel economy used in the calculation, measured in mpg. Starts at 28 mpg so you have a working example on load.
- Fuel price ($/gal)
- The fuel price used in the calculation, measured in $/gal. Starts at 3.6 $/gal so you have a working example on load.
- Nights of lodging
- The nights of lodging used in the calculation. Starts at 3 so you have a working example on load.
- Cost per night ($)
- The cost per night used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 140 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Food per person per day ($)
- The food per person per day used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 45 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Travelers
- The travelers used in the calculation. Starts at 2 so you have a working example on load.
- Tolls + parking ($)
- The tolls + parking used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 40 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Total trip cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cost per person
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Fuel cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Lodging
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Food
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Gallons needed
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How does the road trip cost calculator work?
Gas is only part of it. Add nights, meals, and tolls and split it across everyone in the car to see the real per-person number. The underlying maths is: Fuel = miles ÷ mpg × price; total adds lodging, food, tolls.
What do I need to enter?
8 values: round-trip distance, fuel economy, fuel price, nights of lodging, cost per night, food per person per day, travelers, and tolls + parking. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move.
What does the total trip cost result mean?
It is returned as a money amount in US dollars and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds.
Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?
Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser.
How accurate is the result?
It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
Who is this tool for?
It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app.
Accuracy and limitations
- Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
- Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.
- Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Road Trip Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/road-trip-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/road-trip-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Road Trip Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Road Trip Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/road-trip-cost) (2026).