Taxi Fare Calculator
Estimate a taxi fare from the local tariff you enter: flag fare, per-mile or per-km rate, waiting minutes, surcharges, tolls and tip, with a per-rider split.
Interactive calculator · Method TAXI-FARE-1.0 · Last reviewed: 2026-11-04
Calculate your scenario
Metered fare = flag fare + distance × rate per mile or km + waiting minutes × per-minute rate, raised to the minimum fare if one applies.
Your inputs
Default worked example. Edit the inputs to calculate your scenario.
Default worked example
Meter $3.50 + 8 mi × $2.50 + 6 min × $0.50 = $26.50; + surcharges $0.00 + tolls $0.00 + 15% tip $3.98 = $30.48.
How to use the calculator
Choose miles or kilometers to match the tariff, enter the flag fare, distance rate and per-minute rate, your trip distance and expected slow or waiting minutes, then any surcharges, tolls, tip and the number of riders.
What the result means
With a $3.50 flag fare, $2.50 a mile for 8 miles and 6 minutes of waiting at $0.50, the meter reads $26.50; a 15% tip brings the ride to $30.48, about $3.81 per mile.
Formula and units
Metered fare = flag fare + distance × rate per mile or km + waiting minutes × per-minute rate, raised to the minimum fare if one applies. Fare before tip = metered fare + flat surcharges + tolls. Tip = tip % × (metered fare + surcharges). Total = fare before tip + tip; per rider = total ÷ riders.
Worked examples
8-mile ride with 6 minutes waiting: Flag or base fare (example): 3.5 $; Rate per mile or km (example): 2.5 $ per unit; Trip distance: 8 mi or km; Waiting or slow-traffic rate per minute (example): 0.5 $ per minute; Waiting or slow-traffic minutes: 6 minutes; Minimum fare (0 = none): 0 $; Flat surcharges (airport, night, booking): 0 $; Tolls: 0 $; Tip (on fare, not tolls): 15 %; Riders splitting the fare: 1 people; Distance unit of the tariff: mi.
Example result: Total fare: $30.48; Fare before tip: $26.50; Tip: $3.98; Cost per distance unit: $3.81 per mi; Cost per rider: $30.48 each (1).
25 km airport ride split three ways: Flag or base fare (example): 4 $; Rate per mile or km (example): 1.8 $ per unit; Trip distance: 25 mi or km; Waiting or slow-traffic rate per minute (example): 0.4 $ per minute; Waiting or slow-traffic minutes: 15 minutes; Minimum fare (0 = none): 0 $; Flat surcharges (airport, night, booking): 5 $; Tolls: 7.25 $; Tip (on fare, not tolls): 10 %; Riders splitting the fare: 3 people; Distance unit of the tariff: km.
Example result: Total fare: $73.25; Fare before tip: $67.25; Tip: $6.00; Cost per distance unit: $2.93 per km; Cost per rider: $24.42 each (3).
Limitations and common mistakes
No local fares are built in: enter the posted tariff for your city or operator. Real meters charge distance and time in increments and some switch between them by speed, so this is an estimate. Flat-rate zones, dynamic app pricing and booking fees outside the tariff are not modeled unless you enter them.
Entering kilometers against a per-mile rate (or the reverse) changes the distance charge by a factor of about 1.6.
Sources and assumptions
Method TAXI-FARE-1.0; last formula review 2026-11-04. Sources and their supported claims. Calculation methodology.