PumpTally

Moving truck gas cost from Philadelphia, PA to Denver, CO

The drive is about 1,750 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $832 at this week’s prices.

PhiladelphiaDenver

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Driving distance
1,750 miles
Time behind the wheel
About 31 hours at car speeds
Driving days in a truck
4 days at 450 miles a day
Gas price used
$4.278 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 Central Atlantic and Denver prices from EIA for the week of October 19, 2026. Change it to what you pay.

Fuel cost$831.83
Gallons194.4
Per mile$0.48

1,750 miles at 9 MPG

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 1,750 miles, a gas price of $4.278 and a diesel price of $6.465 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van16109$468$550
10 to 12 ft truck11159$681$801
15 to 17 ft truck9194$832$979
20 to 22 ft truck8219$936$1,101
26 ft truck7250$1,070$1,258
26 ft truck (diesel)8219$1,414$1,664

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $602 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
Philadelphia, PA$4.312$6.508Central Atlantic 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 Philadelphia, PA to Denver, CO 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 Denver, CO to Philadelphia, PA.