Split fuel costs: fair & stress-free
Whether it’s a carpool or a road trip: a clear model avoids discussions. Here are 3 practical models — from “fuel only” to “€/km all-in”.
3 models for splitting costs
Model A: Fuel only (simplest)
Total fuel cost ÷ people
Model B: Fuel + tolls/parking (road trip standard)
(Fuel + tolls + parking) ÷ people
Model C: Agree on €/km (for regular rides)
Kilometres × agreed €/km (e.g. from your cost-per-km calculation)
To get a €/km baseline: Calculate cost per km.
Examples
Example 1: Fuel only
€58.28 fuel ÷ 3 people = €19.43 per person
Example 2: Road trip (fuel + tolls + parking)
(€120 fuel + €25 tolls + €15 parking) ÷ 4 = €40 per person
Example 3: €/km
600 km × €0.23/km = €138 (then split by agreement or pay the driver)
Tips: how to keep it truly fair
- Decide upfront: model A, B or C
- For road trips: add tolls/parking to the “pool” right away
- Driver changes? Split by leg or settle everything at the end
- Transparency: share fuel receipts or the calculator result
FAQ
Which model is the fairest?
For one-off trips: fuel (A) or fuel+extras (B). For regular rides: €/km (C).
Do we have to include fixed costs?
Not necessarily. If you ride together often, €/km incl. fixed costs is fairer.