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- True cost per mile = fuel + maintenance + depreciation + insurance and fixed costs, per mile.
- Fuel is often only a quarter to a third of the real cost of driving.
- Add your weekly earnings and miles to see profit per mile, per hour and per week.
- Count every mile you drive for the job, including trips to the pickup.
How to use the cost per mile calculator
Enter fuel costs
Add the price per gallon and your car miles per gallon.
Add other costs
Enter maintenance and tires per mile, depreciation per mile, yearly insurance and other yearly fixed costs.
Enter yearly miles
Use all the miles you drive in a year, including personal driving, so fixed costs are spread fairly.
Add your week
Open the advanced options and enter weekly earnings, gig miles and hours to see your profit.
How cost per mile is calculated
Driving costs more than fuel. Tires, repairs, insurance and the slow loss of your car value all belong in the number. The calculator turns each cost into a cost per mile and adds them up.
Cost per mile formula
Fuel per mile = fuel price ÷ miles per gallon
Fixed per mile = (insurance + other yearly costs) ÷ miles per year
Cost per mile = fuel + maintenance + depreciation + fixed per mile
Profit = weekly earnings − cost per mile × weekly miles
Depreciation per mile is an estimate. Divide the value your car loses in a year by the miles you drive.
Cost per mile examples
Example 1: the default car
Fuel $3.50 a gallon at 28 MPG, $0.09 maintenance, $0.12 depreciation, $2,100 a year of insurance and fixed costs, 12,000 miles a year.
- Fuel per mile $0.125
- Maintenance and tires $0.09
- Depreciation $0.12
- Insurance and fixed $0.175
- Cost per mile $0.51
With $800 earned over 600 miles in 35 hours, profit is $494 a week, $0.82 per mile and $14.11 an hour. You keep 62% of earnings.
Example 2: a thirstier car
Fuel $4.00 a gallon at 20 MPG, everything else the same.
- Fuel per mile $0.20
- Cost per mile $0.585
- Profit per week $449
- Profit per hour $12.83
Fuel is now 34% of the cost, and you keep 56% of earnings.
Example 3: fewer miles a year
The default car driven 8,000 miles a year.
- Insurance and fixed $0.2625
- Cost per mile $0.5975
- Profit per week $441.50
Fixed costs are spread over fewer miles, so each mile costs more.
Where a cost per mile calculator helps
Accept or decline trips
Compare the pay per mile of an offer with your true cost.
Know your real hourly pay
See what you keep after the car takes its share.
Compare cars
Test how fuel economy changes your cost per mile.
Prepare for tax time
Compare your actual costs with the standard mileage rate.
In the US you can usually deduct either the IRS standard mileage rate or your actual costs. The IRS publishes the current rate each year at irs.gov, and the rules depend on how you work, so talk to a tax professional. Related tools: Gig Driver Earnings Calculator, Spark Driver Earnings Calculator and Uber Eats Earnings Calculator.
Cost per mile calculator FAQ
What is cost per mile?
It is the total cost of running your car divided by the miles you drive. It includes fuel, repairs, tires, insurance and the loss in your car value.
How do I calculate the cost per mile of my car?
Add fuel cost per mile, maintenance, depreciation and fixed costs per mile. Fuel per mile is the fuel price divided by miles per gallon.
Which miles should I count for gig work?
All the miles you drive for the job, including the drive to pick up an order or passenger and the drive back. Unpaid miles still cost money.
Why is my cost per mile higher than my fuel cost?
Fuel is only one cost. In the examples above, fuel was between 21% and 34% of the total.
How do I estimate depreciation per mile?
Estimate how much value your car loses in a year and divide it by the miles you drive. A used car usually loses less per mile than a new one.
Is this the same as the IRS mileage rate?
No. The IRS rate is a set amount for tax deductions. This tool shows your own actual cost, which you can compare with that rate.