Guide
How to Convert U.S. Gas Prices to Canadian Dollars per Litre
A U.S. gas price cannot be compared directly with a Canadian gas price because the currency and volume units are different.
Why the numbers are hard to compare
A direct visual comparison does not work because both the currency and the volume unit are different.
| Country | Typical display |
|---|---|
| Canada | CAD per litre |
| United States | USD per U.S. gallon |
The basic conversion
Use 1 U.S. gallon = 3.785 litres.
Formula: (U.S. price per gallon × USD/CAD exchange rate) ÷ 3.785
Simple example
Illustrative example: U.S. price: US$4.00 per gallon. Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.35 CAD.
4.00 × 1.35 = C$5.40 per gallon equivalent. 5.40 ÷ 3.785 ≈ C$1.43 per litre.
This example does not include credit-card foreign exchange fees or other transaction costs.
Why exchange rate matters
The Canadian equivalent can change even if the U.S. pump price remains the same. A weaker or stronger Canadian dollar changes the converted price.
Do not stop at the converted pump price
The converted pump price does not tell you whether a trip saves money. Distance, fuel economy, purchase volume and whether the trip was already planned still matter.
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