Gas Cost for a Cross-Country Road Trip (2,800 Miles)
A coast-to-coast road trip covers roughly 2,800 miles — calculate the full fuel cost for your vehicle.
How to use this tool
- Enter the trip distance (decide one-way or round-trip).
- Enter your vehicle's average MPG.
- Enter the price of gas per gallon.
- Enter how many people are splitting the cost.
- Read total cost, gallons, cost per person, and cost per mile.
A cross-country drive is a major fuel expense — get an accurate estimate before you hit the road for the full coast-to-coast trip.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate gas cost for a trip?
- Divide the trip distance by your car's MPG to get gallons needed, then multiply by the price per gallon. For a 600-mile trip at 30 mpg and $3.50/gal, that's 20 gallons × $3.50 = $70.
- Should I use city or highway MPG?
- Use highway MPG for road trips, since most miles are at steady highway speeds. City MPG would overstate fuel use. Your real-world average may differ from the EPA rating.
- Does this include the return trip?
- Only if you enter the round-trip distance. If you enter a one-way distance and plan to return, double it before calculating.