Fuel Cost Calculator

Enter your MPG, fuel price, and mileage to see exactly what you're spending on fuel.

Calculate Your Fuel Cost

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Trip Cost Calculator

Enter a trip distance to calculate its fuel cost using the details above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate fuel cost per mile? ▼
Fuel cost per mile = (fuel price in p/litre × 4.54609) ÷ MPG. At 140p/litre and 40 MPG: (140 × 4.54609) ÷ 40 = 15.9p per mile. The 4.54609 converts imperial gallons to litres.
What is a good MPG for a UK car? ▼
Real-world fuel economy: small petrol cars typically achieve 35–45 MPG; family diesels 45–60 MPG; hybrids 50–70 MPG. Manufacturer MPG figures are lab-tested and typically 10–20% better than real-world results — use our presets or enter your actual tank fill-up data for accuracy.
How much does the average UK driver spend on fuel? ▼
At the UK average of 7,400 miles/year, 40 MPG and 140p/litre fuel: approximately £1,175/year. Higher mileage drivers (15,000–20,000 miles/year) spend £2,400–£3,200 annually.
How do I improve my MPG? ▼
Keep tyres inflated to the correct pressure (under-inflation increases rolling resistance), remove roof racks when not needed, accelerate and brake smoothly, use the highest gear appropriate, and avoid idling. Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by 5–15%.

Understanding UK fuel costs and how to minimise them

UK fuel prices for 2026 sit at roughly 142p/litre for petrol and 149p/litre for diesel as a national average (RAC Foundation data), with regional variation of about 5-8p/litre. Roughly 50% of the pump price is fuel duty and VAT (fuel duty is currently frozen at 52.95p/litre after the temporary 5p cut from March 2022 was made permanent, plus 20% VAT applied to the duty-inclusive subtotal). Wholesale crude oil prices, refining margins, and retailer markups make up the rest.

The UK average car covers about 7,400 miles/year (DfT National Travel Survey 2023). At average petrol prices and typical fuel economy of 45 MPG (combined), that's about £107/month on fuel for an average driver. Higher-mileage drivers (15,000+ miles/year) face fuel costs of £220-300/month at the same MPG.

Fuel efficiency varies enormously by car type: a small petrol hatchback might achieve 50-55 MPG combined; a typical mid-size diesel 55-65 MPG; a large SUV 28-38 MPG; a plug-in hybrid 60-100+ MPG depending on charging discipline. For higher-mileage drivers, fuel-efficient diesel was the historical sweet spot, though anti-diesel policy and ULEZ restrictions are eroding that advantage. For low-mileage urban drivers, the absolute fuel savings from upgrading to a more efficient car are typically smaller than the depreciation cost of swapping cars.

Strategies to reduce fuel costs: keep tyre pressures correct (under-inflation can reduce MPG by 5-10%); remove roof boxes and unnecessary weight; use cruise control on motorways for steady-state efficiency; avoid harsh acceleration and braking; service the car regularly. Switch to a cheaper supermarket forecourt where possible — supermarkets typically undercut branded brands by 4-7p/litre. Fuel cards and loyalty points (Tesco Clubcard, Nectar) can deliver another 1-2p/litre effective discount for regular users. Most importantly: comparison-shop using PetrolPrices.com or RAC Fuel Watch before bulk-filling on long journeys.

How UK fuel duty and VAT actually affect pump prices

The UK petrol price breakdown in 2026 typically looks like this for a 142p/litre pump price: fuel duty 52.95p/litre (37% of the price), VAT 23.6p/litre (16.6% of the price calculated as 20% of the post-duty subtotal), wholesale petrol cost approximately 55p/litre (fluctuates with crude oil prices), refining and distribution margins approximately 6p/litre, retailer margin approximately 5p/litre (highest at motorway services, lowest at supermarket forecourts).

This duty + VAT structure means 54% of every pound spent on fuel goes directly to HM Treasury. The 5p fuel duty cut introduced in March 2022 (originally for one year) has been made permanent across multiple subsequent budgets — without it, pump prices would be roughly 5p higher. Total UK fuel duty revenue is approximately £25 billion per year, making fuel duty the third-largest source of HMRC tax revenue after income tax and NI. Any future Chancellor reversal of the 5p cut would add £200-£300/year to typical-mileage motorist costs.