PumpTally

Moving truck gas cost from San Diego, CA to Denver, CO

The drive is about 1,078 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $615 at this week’s prices.

San DiegoDenver

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Driving distance
1,078 miles
Time behind the wheel
About 19 hours at car speeds
Driving days in a truck
3 days at 450 miles a day
Gas price used
$5.137 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 California and Denver prices from EIA for the week of October 19, 2026. Change it to what you pay.

Fuel cost$615.30
Gallons119.8
Per mile$0.57

1,078 miles at 9 MPG

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 1,078 miles, a gas price of $5.137 and a diesel price of $7.332 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1667$346$407
10 to 12 ft truck1198$503$592
15 to 17 ft truck9120$615$724
20 to 22 ft truck8135$692$814
26 ft truck7154$791$931
26 ft truck (diesel)8135$988$1,162

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $445 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
San Diego, CA$6.031$8.242California average
Denver, CO$4.244$6.422Denver average

Gas runs about $1.79 a gallon cheaper around Denver, CO. Most one-way rentals are returned near Denver, 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 San Diego, CA to Denver, CO a 3-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 San Diego, CA.