Trip Fuel Cost Calculator South Africa
Work out exactly what your road trip will cost in fuel before you leave. Pick a popular route or enter your own distance, choose your vehicle and fuel type, and get an instant cost breakdown you can split with your travel companions.
Calculate My Fuel Costs ↓Trip Fuel Cost Calculator
Select a route, your vehicle and fuel type, then press Calculate to see your total fuel cost.
Total Fuel Cost
R0.00
Route summary
Trip cost breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Fuel Used | Cost |
|---|
This total multiplies your trip distance and fuel consumption to work out litres used, then multiplies that by your price per litre.
Fuel cost in South Africa is simply distance × consumption × price per litre. A sedan doing 6.8 L/100km driving the 570 km one-way from Johannesburg to Durban would use roughly 38.8 litres, costing about R1,011 at the July 2026 Gauteng petrol 95 price of R26.10 a litre. Use the calculator above with your own vehicle, route and current local fuel price for an exact figure.
How to Use the Trip Fuel Cost Calculator
Four quick steps to an accurate fuel estimate for your trip.
- 1 Choose your route. Pick one of the popular preset routes, or select “Custom Route” to enter your own one-way distance in kilometres.
- 2 Select your vehicle. Choose the closest match to your car, or select “Custom” to enter your own known fuel consumption in L/100km.
- 3 Choose your fuel type and confirm the price. Picking petrol or diesel fills in a current default price per litre, which you can overwrite with your local pump price.
- 4 Set trip type and press Calculate. Switch to “Return trip” to double the distance, tick the split option to divide the cost between passengers, then view your total, litres used, and cost per kilometre.
The Fuel Cost Calculation Formula
Fuel cost scales directly with distance, so the calculation is a simple multiplication.
Total Fuel Cost = Fuel Used (Litres) × Price per Litre
If Return Trip: Total Distance = One-way Distance × 2
If Splitting Costs: Cost per Person = Total Fuel Cost ÷ Number of People
Unlike toll fees, which are fixed per plaza, fuel cost is directly proportional to distance travelled, so doubling your trip length roughly doubles your fuel bill for the same vehicle and fuel price. Real-world consumption can vary with load, driving style, air conditioning use, tyre pressure and traffic, so treat the result as a close estimate rather than an exact figure.
Worked Examples
Real calculations using current fuel prices, so you can see exactly how the total is built.
Example 1: Johannesburg to Durban, sedan, petrol 95, return trip
| One-way distance | 570 km |
| Return distance | 1,140 km |
| Fuel used (1,140 km ÷ 100 × 6.8 L/100km) | 77.52 L |
| Total (77.52 L × R26.10) | R2,023.27 |
Example 2: Cape Town to Johannesburg, bakkie, diesel, one-way
| Distance | 1,400 km |
| Fuel used (1,400 km ÷ 100 × 9.5 L/100km) | 133.00 L |
| Total (133.00 L × R25.16) | R3,346.28 |
Example 3: Polokwane to Johannesburg, SUV, petrol 93, return, split 4 ways
| Return distance | 600 km |
| Fuel used (600 km ÷ 100 × 8.5 L/100km) | 51.00 L |
| Total (51.00 L × R25.94) | R1,322.94 |
| Cost per person (÷ 4) | R330.74 |
Fuel Cost in South Africa: The Complete Guide
Fuel is one of the biggest variable costs of any South African road trip, and unlike toll fees it scales directly with distance rather than with fixed plaza charges. Knowing your vehicle’s real fuel consumption and the current pump price lets you budget a long-distance trip accurately before you leave.
How is fuel cost calculated?
Fuel cost is a straightforward multiplication of three numbers: the distance you plan to drive, your vehicle’s fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres, and the price you pay per litre. Multiply the distance by the consumption rate to get litres used, then multiply that by the price per litre to get the total cost. A return trip simply doubles the one-way distance before this calculation.
Understanding fuel consumption (L/100km)
South African fuel consumption is usually expressed in litres per 100 kilometres rather than miles-per-gallon. A smaller number means better fuel economy. Compact hatchbacks and sedans typically use around 6 to 7 litres per 100km on the open road, mid-size SUVs and crossovers around 8 to 9 litres, double-cab bakkies around 9 to 10 litres, and minibuses or vans upwards of 11 litres. These are general open-road averages; your actual consumption depends on your specific model, load, tyre condition, driving style and how much city driving is involved, so check your owner’s manual or trip computer for the most accurate figure for your vehicle.
Current fuel prices in South Africa (from 1 July 2026)
| Fuel Type | Gauteng (Inland) Price |
|---|---|
| Petrol 95 Unleaded | R26.10 per litre |
| Petrol 93 Unleaded | R25.94 per litre |
| Diesel 0.005% Sulphur (50ppm) | R25.16 per litre (wholesale reference) |
These figures reflect the Gauteng inland fuel prices that took effect on 1 July 2026, based on the monthly adjustment process run through the Central Energy Fund. Coastal regions such as Cape Town and Durban are typically 80c to 90c per litre cheaper for petrol due to lower inland transport costs. Petrol prices are regulated and identical between service stations within the same zone, but diesel is not price-controlled, so retailers set their own margin on top of the published wholesale reference price and actual pump prices can differ from one filling station to the next. Fuel prices are reviewed and adjusted roughly once a month, usually from the first Wednesday, so always check the current price before a trip where accuracy matters, and adjust the price field in the calculator above accordingly.
Petrol vs diesel: which is cheaper to drive?
Diesel is currently priced slightly lower per litre than petrol, and diesel engines generally use fewer litres per 100km than an equivalent petrol engine, so diesel vehicles usually work out cheaper to run per kilometre over long distances. Diesel vehicles also tend to cost more to buy and service, so the total cost of ownership depends on how much distance you cover, not just the fuel price.
Tips for reducing your fuel costs
- Keep tyres properly inflated. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and can noticeably raise consumption.
- Drive at a steady, moderate speed. Fuel consumption rises sharply above around 120km/h, and harsh acceleration and braking also use more fuel.
- Reduce unnecessary load and drag. Roof boxes, bike racks and excess luggage all increase consumption, especially at highway speed.
- Service your vehicle regularly. A well-tuned engine, clean air filter and correct oil all help maintain efficient fuel use.
- Compare current prices before you travel. Coastal and inland prices differ, and diesel prices vary by retailer, so check ahead if your route crosses zones.
- Split costs on group trips. Sharing fuel costs between passengers, as this calculator lets you do, is often cheaper per person than flying or separate cars.
Methodology
Default fuel prices in this calculator reflect the Gauteng (inland) pump and wholesale reference prices that took effect on 1 July 2026, current as of the last update date shown at the top of this page. Vehicle consumption figures are general open-road averages for each category and are not specific to any single make or model. This calculator does not account for city versus highway driving mix, load, terrain, or driving style, so treat the result as a planning estimate and adjust the price and consumption fields with your own known figures for the most accurate result.
Assumptions used in this calculator
- Preset route distances are approximate one-way driving distances via the main direct highway route and may exclude detours or stops.
- Vehicle consumption figures are open-road averages per category; actual consumption varies by specific model and driving conditions.
- Return trip totals assume the same distance and consumption apply in both directions.
- The price per litre field defaults to the Gauteng inland price for the selected fuel type but is fully editable to match your local price.
- The passenger split divides the total fuel cost evenly and does not account for other trip costs such as tolls, food or accommodation.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your vehicle’s consumption. A sedan averaging 6.8 L/100km would use about 34 litres over 500km, while an SUV averaging 8.5 L/100km would use about 42.5 litres. At R26.10 a litre for petrol 95, that works out to roughly R887 for the sedan and R1,109 for the SUV. Use the calculator above with your own vehicle’s consumption for an exact figure.
From 1 July 2026, petrol 95 costs R26.10 per litre and petrol 93 costs R25.94 per litre in Gauteng. Coastal areas are typically 80c to 90c per litre cheaper. Fuel prices are reviewed monthly, so always confirm the latest price before relying on it for an important trip.
Diesel is priced slightly lower than petrol per litre and diesel engines typically use fewer litres per 100km, so diesel vehicles are usually cheaper to run per kilometre over long distances. However, diesel vehicles often cost more to buy and service, so overall running costs depend on how much distance you cover.
Check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s claimed L/100km figure, or your trip computer if your car has one, since these usually reflect real-world use better than brochure figures. If neither is available, choose the closest matching vehicle category in the calculator above as a reasonable estimate.
Yes. Petrol prices are set in pricing zones, with coastal areas near the coast where fuel is refined typically 80c to 90c per litre cheaper than inland areas like Gauteng. Diesel is not price-controlled at all, so retail prices can vary further between individual filling stations and regions.
The simplest approach is to divide the total fuel cost evenly by the number of people in the car, which is what the “split cost between passengers” option in the calculator above does. Some groups choose to exclude the driver from the split, or add a small amount for wear and tear, but an even split of the fuel cost is the most common approach.
No, this calculator only estimates fuel cost. Toll roads on the N1, N2, N3, N4 and N17 charge a separate fixed fee per plaza. Use the Toll Gate Fees Calculator linked below to work out toll costs for the same route, then add the two totals together for a full trip cost.
Real-world consumption varies with traffic, terrain, load, air conditioning, tyre pressure and driving style, and pump prices vary by region and, for diesel, by retailer. Entering your own known consumption and local price in the calculator above will always give a more accurate result than the default estimates.