Travel
Fuel cost per kilometre and per 100 kilometres
The litres times the pump price gives the money, and dividing by distance turns it into a rate that multiplies cleanly by any journey length.
The Formula
cost per km = litres x price / distance
The litres times the pump price gives the money, and dividing by distance turns it into a rate that multiplies cleanly by any journey length.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| V | Fuel burned | litres | The same litres used for the consumption figure. |
| p | Fuel price | currency per litre | Per litre, matching the volume unit of the litres. |
| c | Fuel cost per kilometre | currency per kilometre | Multiply by 100 for the cost per 100 kilometres. |
What Each Symbol Means
Vlitres
Fuel burned
The same litres used for the consumption figure.
pcurrency per litre
Fuel price
Per litre, matching the volume unit of the litres.
ccurrency per kilometre
Fuel cost per kilometre
Multiply by 100 for the cost per 100 kilometres.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate gas mileage page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate Gas Mileage, filed under Everyday Life. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.