written by
Matthew Rensberry
on 2025-04-03
We should think in gal/mi not mi/gal
- My commute is around 4.5 mi so driving to and from work is 9 mi daily.
- Our car gets around 22 mpg per our historical averages.
- Today's average Florida gas prices from AAA is: $3.222/gal
The Math
My Commute:
- 22 mi/gal = 1 gal/22 mi = 0.04545 gal/mi
- For each mile, driving our car costs us 0.04545 * 3.222 = $0.15
- Each day, my 9 mile commute costs: 9 * 0.15 = $1.35
For a longer trip:
This can be converted to the cost of a trip, such as Orlando to Miami of around 250 mi:
- 250 * 0.15 = $37.5 for one way
- $75 round trip
This costs plus all depreciation, mechanical issues, and wear and tear costs.
Maybe it's worth taking the train?
Reference: