Trip costs
How to calculate the fuel cost of a trip.
The fuel cost of a trip is the distance divided by 100, times your car’s consumption in litres per 100 km, times the price per litre: km ÷ 100 × L/100 km × AED per litre. Add Salik for any toll gates you pass.
Five steps
How do you work out what a drive costs?
01
Find the distance
Note the trip distance in kilometres, from your maps app or odometer.
02
Find your car's consumption
Use your car's fuel consumption in litres per 100 km. Your trip computer shows it; in stop-and-go traffic it is often higher than the official figure.
03
Work out the litres
Divide the distance by 100 and multiply by the consumption: litres = km ÷ 100 × L/100 km.
04
Multiply by the fuel price
Multiply the litres by the price per litre. In October 2026 Special 95 is AED 4.28 per litre.
05
Add Salik
Add AED 6.30 for each peak Salik crossing and AED 4.20 for each off-peak one.
The price changes every month. This month’s prices for every grade are on UAE fuel prices, and Salik fares and gates are in the Salik toll guide.
Worked example
What does a Dubai commute cost? A worked example
This is an example, not a typical figure. Say you drive 25 km each way to work in a car that uses 9 L/100 km, fill up with Special 95, and pass one Salik gate each way at peak time.
Special 95 at AED 4.28 per litre (October 2026, UAE Fuel Price Committee). Salik peak fare AED 6.30 including VAT.
Sources: Khaleej Times; The National: Dubai road toll fees rise from June 1 as Salik adds VAT (22 May 2026). As of 14 October 2026.
Example commute
Dubai- Distance25 km × 2, a day
- 50 km
- Fuel used50 ÷ 100 × 9
- 4.5 L
- Fuel cost4.5 L × AED 4.28 (October 2026 Special 95)
- AED 19.26
- Salik2 peak crossings × AED 6.30
- AED 12.60
Total a day
AED 31.86
AED 159.30 for a five-day week
Calculator
Trip cost calculator
Change the numbers to match your drive. Prices are the October 2026 UAE fuel prices and current Salik fares.
- Fuel
- AED 19.80
- 4.5 L
- Salik
- AED 12.60
- Total
- AED 32.40
The result is an estimate. Real consumption depends on traffic, speed, air conditioning and how you drive.
In the app
Can an app work out the cost of every trip?
Yes. Guardian AI estimates the fuel each trip used and prices it at the official UAE fuel price for that month, then adds the Salik gates the trip passed. You see the estimated cost when you park, and a monthly total of fuel and Salik together, with no maths and no receipts.
It is an estimate, not your exact spend: your car’s real consumption will differ from trip to trip.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is the formula for fuel cost per trip?
Fuel cost = distance (km) ÷ 100 × consumption (L/100 km) × price per litre (AED). Add Salik on top for any toll gates you pass.
How much does a 50 km round trip cost in fuel in October 2026?
About AED 19.26 for a car using 9 L/100 km on Special 95 at AED 4.28 per litre. A car using 7 L/100 km would spend about AED 14.98.
Why is my real fuel cost different from the calculation?
Consumption changes with traffic, speed, air conditioning, load and how you accelerate and brake. Stop-and-go traffic and hard acceleration use more fuel than the figure in the brochure, so any per-trip cost is an estimate.
Does Guardian AI calculate this for me?
Yes. Guardian AI estimates the fuel each trip used and prices it at the official UAE fuel price for that month, adds the Salik gates the trip passed, and shows the estimated total when you park. It is an estimate, not your exact spend.
Free on iPhone and Android
Your trip cost, after every drive.
Estimated fuel and Salik cost after every trip, with the litres behind it.
