PumpTally

Moving truck gas cost from San Diego, CA to Las Vegas, NV

The drive is about 331 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $203 at this week’s prices.

San DiegoLas Vegas

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Driving distance
331 miles
Time behind the wheel
About 6 hours at car speeds
Driving days in a truck
1 day at 450 miles a day
Gas price used
$5.519 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 West Coast (excluding California) prices from EIA for the week of October 19, 2026. Change it to what you pay.

Fuel cost$202.98
Gallons36.8
Per mile$0.61

331 miles at 9 MPG

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 331 miles, a gas price of $5.519 and a diesel price of $7.451 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1621$114$134
10 to 12 ft truck1130$166$195
15 to 17 ft truck937$203$239
20 to 22 ft truck841$228$269
26 ft truck747$261$307
26 ft truck (diesel)841$308$363

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $147 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
Las Vegas, NV$5.007$6.659West Coast (excluding California) average

Gas runs about $1.02 a gallon cheaper around Las Vegas, NV. Most one-way rentals are returned near Las Vegas, 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 Las Vegas, NV a one-day drive. The rental itself and any per-mile fees are charged separately from fuel.

Other moves

Going the other way? See Las Vegas, NV to San Diego, CA.