Road Trip Fuel Costs: Sydney–Melbourne and Other Drives, Split Four Ways
Return fuel cost for five popular Australian drives in a sedan and an SUV, the share each of four people pays, and how to split it fairly.
By the MoneyBackKit AU team · Updated 28 October 2026 · 2 min read
Driving on a holiday road trip is often cheaper than flying for a group, but only if you work out the fuel and split it fairly. Here's the return fuel cost for some popular drives.
Return trip fuel, and the share for four people
| Trip (return) | One way | Sedan, 8 L/100 km | Each of 4 | SUV, 11 L/100 km | Each of 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney to Melbourne | about 880 km | $282 | $70 | $387 | $97 |
| Brisbane to Sydney | about 920 km | $294 | $74 | $405 | $101 |
| Melbourne to Adelaide | about 730 km | $234 | $58 | $321 | $80 |
| Perth to Margaret River | about 270 km | $86 | $22 | $119 | $30 |
| Sydney to Canberra | about 290 km | $93 | $23 | $128 | $32 |
Splitting it fairly
- Split fuel by the number of people in the car, and agree tolls and parking up front too.
- If one person's car is used, many groups add a little for wear and tear; the ATO's cents-per-kilometre rate for work travel gives an idea of the full running cost.
- Fuel use goes up with a loaded roof rack, a trailer or a caravan, sometimes by a lot.