Road Trip Cost Calculator (Gas + Tolls + Hotels)
Estimate total out-of-pocket cost for a road trip — fuel, tolls, lodging, and food — in one shot. Great for pre-trip budgeting and comparing driving vs flying + rental.
Last updated: September 2026
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About this calculator
The all-in cost of a road trip is the sum of four line items:
total = fuel + tolls + lodging + food
Fuel is (miles / mpg) × gasPrice. A 1,000-mile round trip at 25 mpg and $3.50/gal is 40 gallons × $3.50 = $140. Real fuel use often runs 5–10% higher than EPA sticker mpg because of highway speed (drag), roof loads, and headwinds; add a 10% buffer for a conservative estimate.
Tolls vary wildly by route. The I-95 corridor from Miami to Boston costs $80–100 one-way; western US interstates are almost entirely free. Use a toll-lookup tool (TollGuru or the state DOT sites) for a specific route.
Lodging is the largest single variable. Motel-tier: $80–100/night. Mid-tier hotel: $120–180. Nicer or in a city: $200–350+. Book non-refundable rates via a hotel chain’s app for the best price, or use points if you have them — see travel-points-value at /en/calculators/travel/travel-points-value/.
Food budget of $50/person/day covers one diner breakfast, a fast-casual lunch, and a moderate sit-down dinner. Camping and self-catering can drop this to $20; road-food-only can push it to $80.
This calculator does not include vehicle wear (about $0.15–$0.20/mile for typical passenger cars, per IRS mileage rate less fuel), parking, or attractions. Add those if you want a fully loaded number.
How to use
Example — 4-day, 1,000-mile trip. Vehicle 25 mpg, gas $3.50/gal, tolls $40, 3 hotel nights at $120, $50/day food for 4 days. Fuel = (1000/25) × 3.50 = $140. Tolls = $40. Lodging = 3 × 120 = $360. Food = 4 × 50 = $200. Total = $740. Split three ways with the bill-splitter-calculator at /en/calculators/everyday/bill-splitter-calculator/ if the group splits costs. Example — 12-day, 3,500-mile western loop. Vehicle 32 mpg (small SUV), gas $4.00, tolls $10, 10 hotel nights at $140, $60/day food for 12 days. Fuel = (3500/32) × 4 = $437.50. Tolls = $10. Lodging = 10 × 140 = $1,400. Food = 12 × 60 = $720. Total = $2,567.50. Cross-check fuel-only with the road-trip-fuel-cost calculator at /en/calculators/road-trip/road-trip-fuel-cost/.
Frequently asked questions
What about vehicle wear?
This calculator captures direct out-of-pocket costs. Vehicle wear — tires, oil, brake pads, depreciation — typically adds $0.15–$0.20 per mile for passenger cars on top of fuel. That works out to $150–200 per 1,000 miles. For a proper long-term cost comparison (driving vs flying + rental), include wear. The IRS 2025 standard mileage rate of 67 cents already bakes fuel and wear together.
Should I include parking and attractions?
It depends on how you want to use the number. This calculator gives 'travel cost' — the minimum you need to spend to complete the trip. On-trip entertainment, parking, gifts, and attraction tickets can easily add 20–100% to that base. Keep them in a separate line so you can see how much of the total is fixed transit vs discretionary.
How do EV charging costs compare?
For a Tesla Model 3, home charging costs about $0.05–$0.08 per mile (electricity at $0.15/kWh); DC fast-charging at Superchargers is $0.15–$0.30 per mile depending on state. A 1,000-mile trip in a Model 3 costs $50–$100 in electricity vs $140 in a 25-mpg gas car at $3.50 fuel. Add 15–25% more driving time for charging stops on long trips. See the ev-vs-gas-tco calculator at /en/calculators/automotive/ev-vs-gas-tco/ for a fuller comparison.
What's the cheapest way to cut trip cost?
Lodging is usually the biggest lever. Two nights of camping instead of hotel can save $200–300. After that, food (buying groceries and packing lunches saves $20–$30/day per person). Fuel is nearly fixed for a given route — you can only save 10–15% by driving slower and packing lighter. Tolls are route-dependent; a free route may add an hour but save $50.