Fuel Cost Calculator (Gas vs. Hybrid)
Fuel is the ownership cost you pay most often. This calculator turns your annual mileage, your car’s MPG and the local gas price into what you spend on fuel in a year and a month — and lets you set a second, more efficient car (like a hybrid) beside it to see the saving.
Because the saving scales with how much you drive, the gap between a thirsty car and an efficient one can be small for a light driver and large for a heavy one. Running your own mileage is the only way to know which side of that line you are on.
Calculator
Car A fuel cost
$2,001
$167/mo · 482 gal/yr
Car B / year
$1,245
Car B / month
$104
Savings / year
$756
Calculation Formulas
Key Figures
| Figure | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Default gas price | ~$3.15/gal | National average regular (AAA); re-verify, it moves. |
| Default mileage | 13,500 mi/yr | Approx. U.S. average per driver. |
Note: Results are estimates for planning purposes. Rates, fees, taxes, and insurance vary by lender and location — confirm exact figures with a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
Standards & Sources
Last verified: November 2026
- EPA fuel economy ratings
Combined MPG estimates; real-world mileage varies with driving style, load and climate.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your annual mileage and the gas price you pay.
- Enter your car’s combined MPG.
- Optionally enter a second car’s MPG (for example a hybrid) to compare.
- Read the annual and monthly fuel cost for each car and the yearly saving between them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate my annual fuel cost?
Divide your yearly mileage by your car’s MPG to get gallons used, then multiply by the price per gallon. The calculator does this and shows the monthly equivalent.
Is a hybrid worth it for fuel savings?
It depends on how much you drive and the price gap between the hybrid and a comparable gas car. Heavy drivers save the most; light drivers may not recover the higher price. Compare both cars’ fuel cost here.
How much can better MPG actually save me?
The saving scales with your mileage. Going from 25 to 40 MPG saves a light driver a few hundred dollars a year and a heavy driver well over a thousand — enter your mileage to see your figure.
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