Price honey properly
Include travel when pricing honey, wax, queens, nucs and pollination work. Otherwise the bees may look profitable while the vehicle absorbs the margin.
Free tool
Mileage / Apiary Visit Cost Calculator
Work out the true cost of visiting apiaries, out-yards and inspection rounds by combining mileage, vehicle rate, travel time, tolls, parking and hive count.
Your visit
Use the full there-and-back distance from home or your starting yard.
Use fuel price and MPG when you want the real petrol/diesel cost, or a flat mileage rate when you want to include fuel, tyres, servicing and wear.
/ litre
MPG
MPG uses UK imperial gallons: 1 gallon = 4.546 litres. For km trips, the calculator converts km to miles first.
minutes
Include driving, loading tools, unloading, gates and parking time.
/ hour
apiaries
hives
visits / month
Estimated visit cost
£55.80 per visit
Fuel cost£10.80
Time cost£15.00
Extras£0.00
Cost per hive£3.23
Useful planning cost
This visit is worth recording against the apiary so honey, nuc, queen and pollination prices include the real cost of travelling to the bees.
Monthly cost£103.20
Season cost£619.20
Cost per apiary£25.80
Why apiary visit cost matters
Out-apiaries are rarely free once mileage, time and small costs are counted. A site that looks productive can become expensive if it is far away, needs frequent visits, has difficult access or only holds a few colonies.
Compare apiary sites
A nearby modest site can beat a distant high-yield site once repeated visits are counted across a season.
Plan efficient rounds
Group inspections, feeding, queen checks and mite treatments into sensible routes to reduce unnecessary return trips.
What to include in the cost
- Fuel or mileage rate: use pump price per litre plus your vehicle MPG for direct fuel cost, or switch to a flat mileage rate when you want to include wear, tyres, servicing and depreciation.
- Time: include travel, loading, unloading and gate access time, especially for commercial or semi-commercial work.
- Small extras: tolls, parking, site access fees, extra fuel, ferry crossings or landowner arrangements can change the true cost.
- Frequency: swarm season, feeding season and varroa treatments can multiply the cost quickly.
- Hive count: a long trip is easier to justify when it serves enough colonies.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use fuel cost or a mileage rate?
Use fuel price and MPG when you want the direct petrol or diesel cost for a visit. Use a mileage rate when you want a broader business planning figure that includes fuel, tyres, servicing, insurance, depreciation and wear.
Can this be used for tax?
This calculator is for planning and pricing. Tax rules and mileage rates vary by country, year and business status, so use your accountant or local tax authority for claims.
How do I decide if an out-apiary is worth it?
Compare the seasonal travel cost against expected honey, nuc, queen or pollination income. Also consider access, forage, security, livestock, neighbours and swarm risk.
Why include my time?
Even hobby beekeepers have limited time. For paid work, pollination contracts, nuc sales or a growing sideline, time cost shows whether the visit is truly profitable.
What is a good cost per hive?
There is no universal number. A low cost per hive is better, but it depends on your prices, harvest, site quality and how many visits are needed. Use the tool to compare your own yards.