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Moving truck gas cost from Chicago, IL to Richmond, VA

The drive is about 769 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $366 at this week’s prices.

miles
Trip
$/ gallon

Average of Chicago and Lower Atlantic prices from EIA for the week of October 19, 2026.

More options: MPG, towing
MPG

Loaded rental trucks usually get 6 to 12 MPG. If the rental paperwork lists a figure for your truck, use that.

Fuel cost$366Likely $333 to $407

Compare

  • 10 to 12 ft truck$299save $67
  • 20 to 22 ft truck$412+$46
  • Towing a car$431+$65
  • Round trip$732+$366

769 miles at 9 MPG: 85.4 gallons, $0.48 a mile. The likely range allows for fuel economy 10% better or worse.

ChicagoRichmond

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Distance
769 miles
Driving days
2 at 450 mi a day
Behind the wheel
About 15 hours
Gas price used
$4.283 a gallon

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 769 miles, a gas price of $4.283 and a diesel price of $6.046 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1648$206$242
10 to 12 ft truck1170$299$352
15 to 17 ft truck985$366$431
20 to 22 ft truck896$412$484
26 ft truck7110$471$554
26 ft truck (diesel)896$581$684

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $265 in fuel alone, so it pays to rent only as much truck as you need.

Fuel prices at each end of the move

WhereGasDieselPrice basis
Chicago, IL$4.705$6.352Chicago average
Richmond, VA$3.860$5.740Lower Atlantic average

Gas runs about $0.85 a gallon cheaper around Richmond, VA. Most one-way rentals are returned near Richmond, so that’s the cheaper place to top the tank back up to the level you picked it up at.

Weekly retail averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration for the week of October 19, 2026. Prices along the way will vary. EIA source

Planning the drive

A loaded box truck is slower than a car on hills and safest at moderate speeds, and most drivers find 450 miles a comfortable day. That makes Chicago, IL to Richmond, VA a 2-day drive, so budget for hotel nights and meals on top of fuel. The rental itself and any per-mile fees are charged separately from fuel.

Other moves

Going the other way? See Richmond, VA to Chicago, IL.

More moves from Chicago

More moves to Richmond