How Much Does a Road Trip Cost? 7- and 14-Day Budgets
Lodging and food decide the total; gas is smaller than most people expect. Here are worked budgets at three levels, with fuel costs by region.
A U.S. road trip for two people costs roughly $150 to $600 per day as of November 2026, depending mostly on where you sleep and eat. Camping and groceries keep a trip near $150 a day, motels and casual restaurants land around $350, and comfortable hotels with tours push past $550. Gas is usually a smaller line than people expect: at the national average of $4.15 a gallon, 1,500 miles in a 30-mpg car costs about $210.
The figures below are planning estimates built from typical price levels, not quotes. The fuel numbers use the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly average for November 2, 2026. Adjust each line for your route, season and car, or use the calculator on this page to run your own numbers.
Road trip gas cost calculator
Enter the distance, your car’s fuel economy and the gas price to see how many gallons the drive takes and what the gas costs in total, per person and per mile. The default price is the U.S. average for regular gasoline from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): $4.15 a gallon for the week of November 2, 2026. Prices vary by state and by week, so type in what you see at the pump.
For miles, add up the legs in your route planner and include scenic drives and side trips inside parks. For mpg, use your car’s highway rating from fueleconomy.gov (EPA and Department of Energy), and expect less with a full load, a roof box or a trailer. Weekly prices by region are on the EIA gasoline and diesel page.
How much will gas cost on a road trip?
Divide your total miles by your car’s miles per gallon, then multiply by the local price per gallon. The U.S. average for regular gasoline was $4.153 per gallon in the EIA survey for the week of November 2, 2026, about $1.13 higher than a year earlier. Prices vary a lot by region.
| Region (EIA) | Regular gasoline, week of Nov. 2, 2026 |
|---|---|
| U.S. average | $4.15 |
| Gulf Coast | $3.64 |
| East Coast | $3.94 |
| Midwest | $4.10 |
| Rocky Mountain | $4.21 |
| West Coast | $5.30 |
| California | $5.75 |
Source: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, updated weekly. At the national average, fuel for common trip lengths works out like this:
| Trip distance | Car at 25 mpg | Car at 35 mpg |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 miles | about $166 | about $119 |
| 2,000 miles | about $332 | about $237 |
| 3,000 miles | about $498 | about $356 |
On the West Coast, add roughly 25–30% to those numbers. Fill up before long empty stretches and before entering large parks, where stations are few and prices are often higher.
How much does lodging cost per night?
Lodging is the biggest cost on most road trips, and it swings the most by season and location. Typical planning ranges for a room or site for two:
| Level | Type | Typical range per night |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Campsite in a national park, forest or state park | $20–$50 |
| Budget | Basic motel in a small town | $80–$140 |
| Mid-range | Chain hotel or independent motel near a park | $140–$250 |
| Comfort | Upscale hotel, resort or in-park historic lodge | $250–$500+ |
Gateway towns next to famous parks charge their highest rates in July and August, and big-city hotels often add $20–$60 a night for parking. Staying 30–60 minutes outside a park town, or traveling in May, September or October, can cut lodging costs noticeably.
What do food, park fees and extras add?
Food runs about $30–$50 per person per day if you shop at grocery stores and picnic, and $60–$110 per person per day if you eat most meals in restaurants. A cooler and a few grocery runs are the easiest savings on any road trip.
Park fees are small by comparison. Popular national parks charge $35 per vehicle for seven days as of November 2026, and the $80 America the Beautiful pass covers all of them for a year; our pass break-even guide shows when it pays off. Budget a little extra for tolls in the Northeast, Florida and around large cities, timed-entry reservation fees, and paid activities such as boat tours or cave tours.
Should you rent a car for the trip?
Driving your own car is almost always cheaper if it is reliable and you start near your route. A rental adds a daily rate, taxes and airport fees, and sometimes a one-way drop fee that can run into the hundreds of dollars if you return the car in a different city. As a planning figure, budget about $50–$120 per day for a standard rental in peak season, more for SUVs and minivans. Our guide to renting a car for a road trip covers mileage limits, insurance and tolls.
What does a 7-day road trip cost?
This example assumes two people, 1,200 miles, six nights, your own car at 30 mpg, and gas at $4.15 a gallon (about $166 for the trip).
| Cost line | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging, 6 nights | $210 (campsites at about $35) | $960 (hotels at about $160) | $1,680 (hotels at about $280) |
| Food for two | $490 (groceries, picnics) | $980 (mix of cafés and restaurants) | $1,540 (restaurants) |
| Gas | $166 | $166 | $200 (larger car) |
| Park fees | $80 (annual pass) | $80 | $80 |
| Activities and extras | $100 | $250 | $500 |
| Total | about $1,050 | about $2,440 | about $4,000 |
| Per day for two | about $150 | about $350 | about $570 |
With a rental car, add roughly $350–$850 for the week, plus any one-way fee.
What does a 14-day road trip cost?
This example assumes two people, 3,000 miles, 13 nights and the same 30-mpg car. Gas comes to about $415 at the national average, or about $530 if the whole trip is on the West Coast.
| Cost line | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging, 13 nights | $455 (campsites) | $2,080 (hotels at about $160) | $3,640 (hotels at about $280) |
| Food for two | $980 | $1,960 | $3,080 |
| Gas | $415 | $415 | $500 (larger car) |
| Park fees | $80 | $80 | $80 |
| Activities and extras | $200 | $400 | $900 |
| Total | about $2,130 | about $4,935 | about $8,200 |
| Per day for two | about $150 | about $350 | about $585 |
A two-week rental adds roughly $700–$1,700 before any drop fee. A one-way route such as our 14-day West Coast road trip is where drop fees matter most, so price the car before you lock in the route.
How can you cut the cost of a road trip?
- Mix camping and motels. Even two or three campground nights a week lower the average sharply.
- Buy the $80 pass if you will enter three or more fee-charging national parks.
- Shop for groceries and eat one restaurant meal a day instead of three.
- Travel in shoulder season. May, September and early October bring lower rates and fewer crowds at many parks.
- Plan a loop rather than a one-way route if you are renting, to avoid drop fees.
- Drive fewer miles. Two or three nights in one base cut gas and packing time.
Thinking about an RV instead? Our comparison of RV rental versus car and hotels runs the same numbers for a motorhome.
Bottom line
Plan on about $150 a day for two on a camping-and-groceries trip, about $350 for motels and casual dining, and $550 or more for comfortable hotels and tours, as of November 2026. Lodging and food decide the total; gas at today’s $4.15 national average adds roughly $14 per 100 miles in a 30-mpg car.
FAQ
How much should I budget for gas on a cross-country road trip?
A coast-to-coast drive of about 2,800 miles uses roughly 93 gallons in a 30-mpg car. At the November 2, 2026, national average of $4.15, that is about $390, before detours.
How many miles a day is realistic on a road trip?
Many travelers find 250–400 miles a day comfortable, which is about four to six hours of driving with stops. Plan shorter days when you want time to hike or sightsee.
Is a road trip cheaper than flying?
For two or more people covering a few hundred miles, driving is often cheaper because you pay for gas once, not per seat. For long distances with only one or two destinations, flying and renting a car locally can cost less and save days.
Do national park fees add much to a road trip budget?
Not usually. Most parks charge $20–$35 per vehicle for a week, and the $80 America the Beautiful pass covers every national park for a year, as of November 2026.
