PumpTally

Moving truck gas cost from New York, NY to Austin, TX

The drive is about 1,743 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $770 at this week’s prices.

New YorkAustin

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Driving distance
1,743 miles
Time behind the wheel
About 32 hours at car speeds
Driving days in a truck
4 days at 450 miles a day
Gas price used
$3.976 a gallon

Adjust the numbers for your move

miles
Trip
MPG

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

$/ gallon

Starts halfway between New York and Texas prices from EIA for the week of October 19, 2026. Change it to what you pay.

Fuel cost$770.02
Gallons193.7
Per mile$0.44

1,743 miles at 9 MPG

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 1,743 miles, a gas price of $3.976 and a diesel price of $6.206 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van16109$433$510
10 to 12 ft truck11158$630$741
15 to 17 ft truck9194$770$906
20 to 22 ft truck8218$866$1,019
26 ft truck7249$990$1,165
26 ft truck (diesel)8218$1,352$1,591

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $557 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
New York, NY$4.249$6.508New York average
Austin, TX$3.704$5.903Texas average

Gas runs about $0.54 a gallon cheaper around Austin, TX. Most one-way rentals are returned near Austin, 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 New York, NY to Austin, TX a 4-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 Austin, TX to New York, NY.