Journey cost calculator
Enter the distance and your car’s MPG – the price is filled in with today’s UK average (23 October 2026).
Based on 4.54609 litres per UK gallon. Real consumption varies with speed, load and traffic.
Popular UK journeys
Approximate road miles and the fuel cost for a typical petrol car (40 MPG, 173.6p a litre) and diesel car (55 MPG, 198.8p a litre), one way.
| Route | Miles | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|---|
| London → Manchester | ~200 | £39.46 | £32.86 |
| London → Birmingham | ~120 | £23.68 | £19.72 |
| London → Bristol | ~120 | £23.68 | £19.72 |
| London → Leeds | ~195 | £38.47 | £32.04 |
| London → Cardiff | ~150 | £29.60 | £24.65 |
| London → Edinburgh | ~405 | £79.91 | £66.55 |
| London → Glasgow | ~405 | £79.91 | £66.55 |
| London → Brighton | ~53 | £10.46 | £8.71 |
| London → Newcastle | ~285 | £56.23 | £46.83 |
| Birmingham → Manchester | ~85 | £16.77 | £13.97 |
| Manchester → Edinburgh | ~215 | £42.42 | £35.33 |
| Manchester → Glasgow | ~215 | £42.42 | £35.33 |
| Leeds → Newcastle | ~95 | £18.74 | £15.61 |
| Bristol → Cardiff | ~45 | £8.88 | £7.39 |
| Edinburgh → Glasgow | ~47 | £9.27 | £7.72 |
| Birmingham → Glasgow | ~290 | £57.22 | £47.65 |
| Liverpool → London | ~215 | £42.42 | £35.33 |
| Sheffield → London | ~165 | £32.55 | £27.11 |
| Land’s End → John o’ Groats | ~874 | £172.44 | £143.62 |
Distances are approximate and vary by route. Prices are today’s UK averages.
Cost per mile by MPG
| MPG | Petrol (173.6p) | Diesel (198.8p) | 100 miles (petrol) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 31.6p | 36.2p | £31.57 |
| 30 | 26.3p | 30.1p | £26.31 |
| 35 | 22.5p | 25.8p | £22.55 |
| 40 | 19.7p | 22.6p | £19.73 |
| 45 | 17.5p | 20.1p | £17.54 |
| 50 | 15.8p | 18.1p | £15.78 |
| 55 | 14.3p | 16.4p | £14.35 |
| 60 | 13.2p | 15.1p | £13.15 |
| 70 | 11.3p | 12.9p | £11.27 |
Save money on the trip
Fill up before the motorway, not at the services – the gap is often 10p a litre or more. See the motorway services prices, the cheapest supermarket forecourts, or search by postcode. More tips in our 12 ways to use less fuel and the Land’s End to John o’ Groats fuel budget.
FAQ
How do I calculate fuel cost for a journey?
Divide the miles by your MPG to get gallons, multiply by 4.546 to get litres, then multiply by the price per litre. For example 200 miles at 45 MPG uses 20.2 litres; at 173.6p a litre that costs about £35.08.
What is the cost per mile in a petrol car?
At today’s average of 173.6p a litre, a petrol car doing 40 MPG costs about 19.7p a mile and one doing 55 MPG about 14.3p.
Which fuel price should I use?
The calculator is filled with the current UK average for the fuel you choose. For a more exact figure, use the price at the station you plan to fill up at – see the cheapest stations on our map.
Does MPG here mean UK or US gallons?
UK (imperial) gallons of 4.546 litres. A US MPG figure is about 20% lower than the UK one for the same car.