Calculate rental car cost per day from the daily rate plus taxes, add-ons, fees and fuel, or divide a total rental price by the days billed.

Days the company charges for; usually each 24 hours from pick-up counts as a day.

Fees and driving costs
Blank costs and distance count as zero.

Required when distance is greater than zero.

Rental Car Cost Per Day Formula

The detailed trip estimate adds the entered rental base, add-ons, taxable fees, tax, fuel and mileage charges, then divides by billed rental days.

D = (((R + A)d + F)(1 + t / 100) + m GC / MPG + m q) / (d)

Methodology reference:  Federal Trade Commission – Renting a Car
The FTC explains rental fees, tax, insurance, fuel and mileage charges. The calculator uses only your entered amounts and assumes the percentage surcharge applies to base, add-ons and taxable fees.

  • Where D is the estimated all-in rental trip cost per billed day.
  • m is the total trip distance in miles.
  • GC is the fuel price per U.S. gallon.
  • MPG is the vehicle fuel efficiency (miles per U.S. gallon)
  • R and A are daily base and add-on rates; d is billed rental days; F is total taxable one-time fees; t is the tax percentage; and q is the rental mileage charge per mile. For zero trip distance, the fuel term is zero and cost per mile is undefined.

Typical rental car cost per day

Rental car prices vary widely by location, season, vehicle class, and the rental company’s pricing model. When comparing options, focus on the total (base rate + taxes/fees + add-ons + fuel + mileage rules) rather than the advertised daily rate alone. Depending on the trip, renting can sometimes be a cost-effective alternative to other travel options.

The table below shows illustrative daily base-rate examples by vehicle type (not a survey and not inclusive of taxes, fees, fuel, or optional add-ons).

Vehicle TypeExample Daily Base Rate
Economy/Compact Car$40
Intermediate SUV$55
Standard/Full-Size SUV$75
Pickup Truck$78
Minivan$82
Convertible$140