Gas budget calculator
A 15-mile commute each way, 5 days a week, plus 50 miles of errands is 200 miles a week. In a car that gets 28 MPG, at the U.S. average of $3.995 a gallon (EIA, week of November 9, 2026), that is about $124 a month for gas, or $1,484 a year. Enter your own commute, car, and gas price below to see your gas budget by week, month, and year.
On this page (11 sections)
How to use the calculator
- Your driving. Enter your commute (miles one way and days a week) plus other miles a week for errands, school runs, and weekend trips. Or switch to total miles a week.
- Your car’s MPG. Type your real MPG, or pick your car to use its EPA rating. Your own number from the MPG calculator is usually closer to real life.
- Gas price. The form starts at the latest EIA average. Pick your region or type the price at your usual station.
The result shows miles, gallons, and dollars per week, per month, and per year, plus your gas cost per mile.
The formula
- Miles a week = one-way commute × 2 × days a week + other miles
- Gallons a week = miles a week ÷ MPG
- Gas a week = gallons × price per gallon
- Gas a month = gas a week × 52 ÷ 12 (a month is 4.33 weeks, not 4)
- Gas a year = gas a week × 52
Example: 15 × 2 × 5 + 50 = 200 miles a week. 200 ÷ 28 = 7.14 gallons. 7.14 × $3.995 = $28.54 a week, $123.65 a month, and $1,483.86 a year.
Monthly gas cost by MPG
| MPG | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $173.12 | $2,077.40 |
| 25 | $138.49 | $1,661.92 |
| 28 | $123.65 | $1,483.86 |
| 30 | $115.41 | $1,384.93 |
| 35 | $98.92 | $1,187.09 |
| 40 | $86.56 | $1,038.70 |
200 miles a week is 10,400 miles a year. Price: U.S. average retail price of regular gasoline, week of November 9, 2026 (EIA).
Monthly gas cost by region
Where you live changes the budget as much as your car does. The same 200 miles a week at 28 MPG:
| Region (EIA) | Regular, per gallon | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Coast | $3.481 | $107.75 |
| East Coast | $3.847 | $119.07 |
| Midwest | $3.868 | $119.72 |
| Rocky Mountain | $3.946 | $122.14 |
| U.S. average | $3.995 | $123.65 |
| West Coast | $5.110 | $158.17 |
EIA weekly retail prices for regular gasoline, week of November 9, 2026. Prices change every week; the calculator uses the latest week.
What does the average driver spend on gas?
The average U.S. car, pickup, van, or SUV was driven 10,787 miles in 2024 (FHWA). At 25 MPG and $3.995 a gallon, that is about 431 gallons and $1,724 a year, or about $144 a month. At 30 MPG it is about $1,436 a year, or $120 a month.
Your own miles are the real input. To find them from two odometer readings, use the annual mileage calculator.
What if gas goes up 50 cents?
Each 50¢ rise in the price per gallon adds 50¢ × your gallons. At 200 miles a week and 28 MPG (371 gallons a year), that is about $186 a year, or $15.48 a month. A quick rule: every 10¢ a gallon adds about $37 a year at that pace. Run the calculator again with a higher price to set a safer budget.
Budget for a road trip
For a single drive, the gas trip calculator works out gallons and cost for the distance, one way or round trip, with tolls. Add the result to your monthly gas budget for the month you travel.
How to spend less on gas
- Drive smoothly. Fueleconomy.gov says aggressive driving (speeding, fast starts, hard braking) can lower gas mileage by roughly 15%–30% at highway speeds.
- Keep tires at the right pressure. Under-inflated tires cost about 0.2% in MPG for every 1 psi drop in average pressure, according to fueleconomy.gov.
- Use the oil grade in your manual. Fueleconomy.gov says the recommended grade can improve gas mileage by 1%–2%.
- Combine errands into one trip, and shop around: prices at stations a mile apart can differ.
To see where the money goes, compare your real cost with the fuel cost per mile calculator.
Common mistakes
- Counting 4 weeks in a month. A month is about 4.33 weeks, so a 4-week budget runs short by about 8%.
- Forgetting the weekends. Errands and weekend trips often add as much as the commute.
- Using the EPA highway number for city driving. Winter, short trips, and traffic lower real MPG.
- Using last month’s gas price. Update it when prices move.
FAQ
How much is gas per month for the average driver?
About $120 to $144 a month at $3.995 a gallon, for the 2024 average of 10,787 miles a year (FHWA) in a car that gets 25 to 30 MPG. Your own miles and MPG change the answer the most.
How do I make a gas budget?
Add up your miles a week (commute × 2 × days, plus other driving), divide by your MPG, and multiply by the gas price. Multiply the weekly cost by 52 for a year, and divide the year by 12 for a month.
How much does gas cost per year?
For 10,400 miles a year (200 a week) at 28 MPG and $3.995 a gallon, about $1,484. A 20 MPG car at the same miles spends about $2,077.
Should I budget gas by the week or by the month?
Either works if you count a month as 52 ÷ 12 weeks (about 4.33). Many people budget by the month and check it against fill-up receipts.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, regular gasoline by region, week of November 9, 2026 (checked November 12, 2026): eia.gov
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-1 (average miles per vehicle; updated February 2026): fhwa.dot.gov
- fueleconomy.gov, Driving more efficiently (aggressive driving): fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov, Keeping your vehicle in shape (tire pressure, motor oil): fueleconomy.gov