Moving truck gas cost from Kansas City, MO to Denver, CO

The drive is about 604 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $282 at this week’s prices.

miles
Trip
$/ gallon

Average of Midwest and Denver 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$282Likely $256 to $313

Compare

  • 10 to 12 ft truck$230save $51
  • 20 to 22 ft truck$317+$35
  • Towing a car$331+$50
  • Round trip$563+$282

604 miles at 9 MPG: 67.1 gallons, $0.47 a mile. The likely range allows for fuel economy 10% better or worse.

Kansas CityDenver

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Distance
604 miles
Driving days
2 at 450 mi a day
Behind the wheel
About 10 hours
Gas price used
$4.195 a gallon

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 604 miles, a gas price of $4.195 and a diesel price of $6.387 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1638$158$186
10 to 12 ft truck1155$230$271
15 to 17 ft truck967$282$331
20 to 22 ft truck876$317$373
26 ft truck786$362$426
26 ft truck (diesel)876$482$567

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $204 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
Kansas City, MO$4.145$6.352Midwest average
Denver, CO$4.244$6.422Denver average

Prices at the two ends are within a few cents of each other, so where you fill up matters less than how fast you drive.

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 Kansas City, MO to Denver, CO 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 Denver, CO to Kansas City, MO.