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Fuel cost calculator

Every trip to site burns fuel you rarely put a number on. Work out what a run costs from distance, your vehicle’s economy and the pump price — per trip, week and year.

The trip
Distance, your vehicle’s economy and the fuel price.
Fuel cost per trip
$14.04
80 km return at 9 L/100km uses 7.2 L — about $70 a week and $3,370 a year.
Distance per trip80 km
Fuel used per trip7.2 L
Cost per trip$14.04
Cost per km$0.18
Cost per week$70
Cost per year$3,370

Add travel and fuel to your job costs in traqR so the drive to site is priced in — not quietly eating your margin on every job.

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How it works

1

Work out the fuel used

Distance divided by 100, times your litres-per-100km, gives the litres a trip burns. A return trip is double the one-way distance.

2

Multiply by the pump price

Litres times the price per litre is the fuel cost of the trip. It’s the number that quietly rises every time prices jump.

3

Scale to the week and year

Multiplied across the trips you do each week and the weeks you work, small per-trip costs add up to a serious line on your budget.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate fuel cost for a trip?

Multiply the distance by your vehicle’s fuel consumption (litres per 100 km) divided by 100 to get the litres used, then multiply by the price per litre. For example, a 80 km return trip in a ute using 10 L/100km burns 8 litres — about $15.60 at $1.95 a litre.

What fuel economy should I use for a work ute?

Use your vehicle’s real-world figure, not the brochure number. A loaded work ute or van typically uses 9–13 L/100km, and towing or lots of stop-start city driving pushes it higher. Checking your own fill-ups against kilometres travelled gives the most accurate figure.

Should I charge customers for fuel and travel?

If travel is a real cost of doing the job — and it is — it should be recovered somewhere, either as a call-out fee, a travel line on the quote, or built into your charge-out rate. Absorbing it silently on every job is one of the most common ways trades leak margin.

Does this include wear and running costs?

No — this is fuel only. The full cost of running a vehicle also includes rego, insurance, servicing, tyres, finance and depreciation, which together often cost more than the fuel. Use our vehicle running cost calculator for the complete picture.

This calculator is a general estimate. Actual fuel use varies with load, driving style, terrain, traffic and vehicle condition, and pump prices change constantly. Use your own real-world economy and current prices for the most accurate result.

Price the drive into the job

Add travel and fuel to job costs in traqR so the trip to site is covered, not quietly eating your margin. Try it free for 14 days.

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