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Moving truck gas cost from Portland, OR to Nashville, TN

The drive is about 2,355 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $1,197 at this week’s prices.

miles
Trip
$/ gallon

Average of West Coast (excluding California) and Midwest 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$1,197Likely $1,089 to $1,330

Compare

  • 10 to 12 ft truck$980save $218
  • 20 to 22 ft truck$1,347+$150
  • Towing a car$1,409+$211
  • Round trip$2,395+$1,197

2,355 miles at 9 MPG: 261.7 gallons, $0.51 a mile. The likely range allows for fuel economy 10% better or worse.

PortlandNashville

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Distance
2,355 miles
Driving days
6 at 450 mi a day
Behind the wheel
About 41 hours
Gas price used
$4.576 a gallon

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 2,355 miles, a gas price of $4.576 and a diesel price of $6.506 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van16147$674$792
10 to 12 ft truck11214$980$1,153
15 to 17 ft truck9262$1,197$1,409
20 to 22 ft truck8294$1,347$1,585
26 ft truck7336$1,539$1,811
26 ft truck (diesel)8294$1,915$2,253

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $866 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
Portland, OR$5.007$6.659West Coast (excluding California) average
Nashville, TN$4.145$6.352Midwest average

Gas runs about $0.86 a gallon cheaper around Nashville, TN. Most one-way rentals are returned near Nashville, 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 Portland, OR to Nashville, TN a 6-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 Nashville, TN to Portland, OR.

More moves from Portland

More moves to Nashville