RealCost Guide
Cost of Driving 100 Miles UK
A 100-mile drive is a proper journey. It could be a day trip, airport run, work journey, family visit, motorway trip or the first half of a longer return journey.
Use this page to estimate the fuel cost of driving 100 miles, compare one-way versus return journeys, and remember the extra costs that can sit on top of fuel.
Calculate the cost of driving 100 miles
Enter 100 miles into the calculator below, then add your fuel price and MPG. For a return journey, enter 200 miles instead.
This calculator estimates fuel cost only. It does not automatically include parking, tolls, waiting time, rest stops, vehicle wear, insurance, road tax, maintenance or depreciation.
Quick answer: At £1.50 per litre and 40 MPG, driving 100 miles costs about £17.05 in fuel. A 100-mile journey there and back is 200 miles, which costs about £34.09 in fuel.
100 miles one-way vs 100 miles return
With a 100-mile journey, make sure you are not accidentally pricing only half the trip.
100 miles one-way
Use 100 miles if you only want the cost of getting there.
100 miles each way
Use 200 miles if the trip is 100 miles there and 100 miles back.
Example fuel cost to drive 100 miles
These examples use petrol at £1.50 per litre.
50 MPG car
100 miles costs about £13.64 in fuel.
40 MPG car
100 miles costs about £17.05 in fuel.
30 MPG car
100 miles costs about £22.73 in fuel.
When 100 miles costs more than fuel
Fuel is the headline cost, but it is not always the full cost of a 100-mile journey.
What affects a 100-mile driving cost?
At 100 miles, efficiency, route type and journey planning matter more than they do on short local trips.
Higher petrol or diesel prices make a bigger difference on longer trips.
A 50 MPG car saves a noticeable amount compared with a 30 MPG car over 100 miles.
Motorway, A-road, rural and stop-start routes can produce different real MPG.
Parking, tolls, drop-off fees and rest stops can change the real total.
Should you compare driving with train?
For 100-mile journeys, driving is not automatically the best or cheapest option.
Driving may win if…
There are several passengers, the destination is awkward by train, you need flexibility or you are carrying luggage.
Train may win if…
Parking is expensive, the route is direct, you are travelling alone or motorway traffic makes driving slow.
Repeated 100-mile journeys become expensive quickly
A 100-mile drive is manageable as a one-off. Repeating it regularly is a serious running-cost decision.
100 miles once
At 40 MPG and £1.50/litre, this is about £17.05 in fuel.
100 miles each way
A 200-mile return trip is about £34.09 in fuel at 40 MPG and £1.50/litre.
Regular 100-mile travel
If this is work travel or a long commute, include maintenance, tyres, depreciation, time and parking.
Useful calculators and guides
Use these next if you want to compare the wider cost of the trip.
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