Fuel Cost Calculator
Work out the petrol or diesel cost of any South African trip in seconds. Enter your distance and car — or pick a popular route — and we use the latest official DMPR fuel price to show your total cost, litres used and cost per kilometre.
Consumption figures are manufacturer-claimed combined-cycle (L/100km). Real-world use is typically 10–15% higher — add a ~15% buffer for a realistic budget. Prices auto-fill from the latest official DMPR figures and are editable.
How to work out fuel cost
The fuel cost of any journey comes down to three numbers — how far you drive, how much your car uses, and the price per litre:
- Litres used = distance (km) ÷ 100 × consumption (L/100km).
- Total fuel cost = litres used × price per litre.
- Cost per kilometre = consumption (L/100km) ÷ 100 × price per litre.
The calculator above pre-fills the latest official petrol or diesel price for your region (auto-synced daily from the DMPR), so your estimate always uses the current pump price. Planning a daily work trip instead of a once-off journey? Use the commute cost calculator for a monthly figure.
Fuel cost of popular South African routes
One-way estimate for an average car using 7.0 L/100km at the current inland 95 unleaded price of R28.06/L. Tap any route to load it into the calculator above.
| Route (one-way) | Distance | Litres | Fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg → Pretoria | 58 km | 4.1 L | R114 |
| Johannesburg → Durban | 567 km | 39.7 L | R1,114 |
| Johannesburg → Cape Town | 1398 km | 97.9 L | R2,746 |
| Johannesburg → Bloemfontein | 398 km | 27.9 L | R782 |
| Johannesburg → Nelspruit (Mbombela) | 330 km | 23.1 L | R648 |
| Johannesburg → Polokwane | 320 km | 22.4 L | R629 |
| Pretoria → Polokwane | 264 km | 18.5 L | R519 |
| Durban → Cape Town | 1660 km | 116.2 L | R3,261 |
| Durban → Bloemfontein | 634 km | 44.4 L | R1,245 |
| Durban → East London | 674 km | 47.2 L | R1,324 |
| Durban → Pietermaritzburg | 79 km | 5.5 L | R155 |
| Cape Town → Gqeberha (PE) | 745 km | 52.2 L | R1,463 |
| Cape Town → Bloemfontein | 1004 km | 70.3 L | R1,972 |
| Gqeberha → East London | 295 km | 20.7 L | R579 |
Distances are approximate driving kilometres and your actual route, traffic and driving style will vary the figure. Return trips cost double — switch "Trip type" to return in the calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I work out the fuel cost of a trip?
Divide the distance by 100, multiply by your car's consumption (L/100km) to get litres, then multiply by the price per litre. The calculator above does it instantly — pick a route or enter your distance, choose your car, and it uses the latest official DMPR price for your region.
How do I calculate petrol cost per kilometre?
Cost per km = consumption (L/100km) ÷ 100 × price per litre. At the current inland 95 price of R28.06/L, a car using 7.0 L/100km costs about R1.96 per kilometre. The "Cost per km" tile updates for your exact car and price.
What fuel price does the calculator use?
It auto-fills the latest official DMPR price for your selected grade and region — the same figure on our petrol price and diesel price pages, synced daily. You can override it with your own price per litre.
Why is my real fuel cost higher than the estimate?
The L/100km figures are manufacturer-claimed combined-cycle values. Real-world driving — traffic, aircon, hills, a full load, and higher open-road speeds — typically uses 10–15% more. For a safe budget, add roughly 15% to the figure shown.
How much does it cost to drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town?
It's about 1,398 km one-way. In an average car using 7.0 L/100km that's roughly 98 litres, costing around R2,746 in petrol at the current inland price — double it for the return trip. Enter your own car above for an exact figure.