How we work it out
Fuel efficiency times the diesel price gives the fuel cost per 100 km, the same unit-cost logic our fuel cost per km calculator uses. A work ute's real cost doesn't stop at the bowser though, so this calculator adds a servicing-and-tyres figure per 100 km on top, since both wear out faster under load than they would in an average family car. Add the two together and multiply by how far you actually drive in a week for a real weekly and yearly figure.
Worked example: a diesel dual-cab ute averaging 9.5 L/100 km, driven 300 km a week for work and personal use combined: 9.5 L × $2.15/L = $20.43 per 100 km in fuel, plus $4.60 per 100 km in servicing and tyres (the HiLux/Ranger average, the default vehicle pick), for a total of roughly $25.03 per 100 km, about $75 a week or $3,914 a year.
Where the servicing and tyre figures come from
Toyota's HiLux capped-price servicing program runs $245 to $290 a visit for the first six services, every 6 months or 10,000 km, which comes to about $2.68 per 100 km in servicing alone. Ford's Ranger, Australia's best-selling vehicle, caps its first four services at a flat $379 a visit, every 12 months or 15,000 km, working out cheaper per kilometre at about $2.53 per 100 km, since the longer interval and slightly lower per-visit cost more than offset each other. A set of 4 replacement tyres adds the same amount either way: common HiLux and Ranger fitments (265/65R17 or 265/60R18) start from about $195 to $205 each at JAX Tyres, and a work ute carrying tools or towing typically gets 30,000 to 50,000 km out of a set, which comes to around $2.00 per 100 km. Pick your model in the Vehicle field above and the servicing-and-tyres figure fills in automatically, HiLux at $4.68 per 100 km all up, Ranger at $4.53, or the two averaged at $4.60 by default. Choose "Other" and the field stays exactly as editable as before if your own vehicle, dealer or tyre choice runs differently.
How does this compare to the ATO's cents-per-km rate?
The ATO's cents-per-kilometre method for work-related car travel pays 91 cents a kilometre for the 2026–27 income year, up to 5,000 work kilometres, and that flat rate is deliberately built to cover everything: fuel, servicing, tyres, insurance, registration and the vehicle's own decline in value, all rolled into one number so no receipts are needed. This calculator only prices what you actually pay at the bowser and the mechanic, so don't expect the two figures to match. The gap is mostly insurance, rego and depreciation, which the ATO rate bundles in but this calculator doesn't try to estimate. It's still a useful sense check: working out your own actual per-kilometre running cost, then adding a rough allowance for those other three, is what tells you whether a logbook and the actual-expenses method would claim more than the flat rate for your situation. This is general information, not tax advice.
Common questions
How much does it cost to run a work ute per kilometre?
Fuel alone typically runs $17 to $24 per 100 km for a diesel dual-cab ute at current bowser prices, and servicing plus tyres add roughly another $4.50 to $4.70 per 100 km for a HiLux or Ranger, for a combined $22 to $29 per 100 km depending on your exact fuel efficiency and driving.
Does this match the ATO's cents-per-kilometre rate?
No, and it isn't meant to. The ATO's 91¢/km rate for 2026–27 bundles in insurance, registration and depreciation on top of fuel, servicing and tyres. This calculator only prices the running costs you actually pay out of pocket, so it will normally come in well under the ATO figure.
Should I add vehicle running costs to my job quotes?
Many tradies price a job on materials and labour alone and treat vehicle costs as overhead, but a ute's running cost is real money spent driving to and from a job site. Knowing your own per-kilometre figure from this calculator lets you build a travel line into a quote instead of quietly absorbing it.
Sources
Electricity rates: AER Default Market Offer (NSW, SA, south-east QLD), Victorian Default Offer, and each remaining state's regulated tariff, current for 2026–27. Appliance figures: the energyrating.gov.au registration database (July 2026 snapshot). Methods and assumptions are described on each page.