Enter your car's consumption, the fuel price and your trip distance to see what each trip, month and year of driving costs in fuel.
Fuel is only the visible cost — insurance, depreciation, maintenance and tires often double the true per-kilometre cost of driving. Use the monthly figure to compare honestly against transit passes or an e-bike.
Consumption rises sharply with speed and cold starts; the manufacturer figure is usually optimistic. Your dashboard's long-term average is the honest input.
Electric and combustion cars are not comparable on this figure alone. Charging at home on an overnight tariff and charging at a motorway rapid unit can differ fourfold for the same kilometres, so an electric car’s cost per kilometre depends more on where it charges than on what it is.
Trip cost scales with the year, not the tank. A 40 km commute five days a week is 10,000 km before any other driving — at 6.5 l/100 km and €1.85 a litre, about €1,200 in fuel alone. That annual figure, not the cost of filling up, is the one that compares against a season ticket.
The comparison against public transport is also rarely fuel against fare. A car already owned has its insurance, tax and depreciation running whether it moves or not, so the marginal cost of one more trip is close to fuel alone — while the decision to keep the car at all is the one where the full running cost belongs.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate fuel cost per kilometre?
Consumption (l/100 km) × fuel price ÷ 100. A car burning 6.5 l/100 km at €1.85/l costs about 12 cents per kilometre in fuel.
Is the manufacturer's consumption figure realistic?
It is measured in standardized conditions and usually optimistic. Your dashboard's long-term average — typically 10–20% higher — is the honest input.
Is driving cheaper than public transport?
Fuel alone often looks competitive, but insurance, depreciation, maintenance and parking roughly double the true per-kilometre cost. Compare the full monthly figures before deciding.