Fuel cost per km and the cost of your monthly commute
The fuel cost per km of a car using 8 litres per 100 km is R2.42 on petrol 95 in Gauteng. Enter your own consumption.
Example: 8.0 litres per 100 km on petrol 95· change a figure to see yours
Fuel cost per kilometre
R2.42
R242 per 100 km at R30.24 a litre
| Per 1,000 km | R2,419 |
| Per km from 2 December 2026 (estimate) | R2.23 |
Fuel only: no tyres, service, insurance or depreciation.
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the estimate is made
The fuel cost of a kilometre is your consumption in litres per 100 km times the price of a litre, divided by 100. At the November 2026 price of petrol 95 in Gauteng, R30.24, a car using 8 litres per 100 km spends R2.42 a kilometre, R242 per 100 km. For a commute of 40 km a day on 22 working days, that is 880 km and R2,129 of petrol a month. If the December estimate holds, the same month would cost R1,966 from 2 December 2026, R163 less. At the January 2026 price of R20.75, it cost R1,461. These figures cover fuel only: tyres, services, insurance, licence and the wear of the car come on top. The calculators use the regulated price, so they apply to any station in your zone.
Fuel cost per km by type of car
The table applies the November price of petrol 95 and the estimated December price to three typical consumptions, for the commute used across this site: 40 km a day, 22 days a month.
| Car | Litres per 100 km | Per km now | Month now | Month from 2 Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small hatchback | 6 | R1.81 | R1,597 | R1,474 |
| Family sedan or crossover | 8 | R2.42 | R2,129 | R1,966 |
| Petrol bakkie or large SUV | 11 | R3.33 | R2,927 | R2,703 |
Consumption matters more than the monthly price change. Going from a car that uses 11 litres to one that uses 8 saves more each month than the whole December cut. Tyre pressure, a roof rack, air conditioning and speed all shift your own figure: on the highway at 120 km/h most cars use noticeably more than at 100.
Your month of commuting, before and after 2 December
The mini calculator below takes your distance, your working days and your consumption, and gives the month at today’s price and at the estimated December price. It counts fuel only. For a diesel car, pick diesel: the figure uses the regulated wholesale price, so add a little for the station’s margin.
Your monthly fuel bill
Example: 40 km a day, 22 days a month· change a figure to see yours
Fuel a month at today’s price
R2,129
R1,966 a month from 2 December 2026 (estimate, -R163)
| Litres a month | 70 l |
| A year at today’s price | R25,547 |
| Kilometres a month | 880 km |
For a household with two cars, run it twice. If the December estimate turns out right, a family running a sedan and a small hatchback on these distances would save about R286 a month on petrol, while a household on diesel would pay more, as the diesel page explains.
Beyond fuel
A full cost per kilometre includes the car’s finance, insurance, licence, services, tyres and the loss of value as it ages. Fuel is the part that moves every month with the regulated price. The finance part moves with the prime rate: the prime rate page adds a car instalment to the fuel bill, and the diesel against petrol page compares the two fuels over the same distance.