PumpTally

Moving truck gas cost from San Francisco, CA to San Diego, CA

The drive is about 502 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $336 at this week’s prices.

San FranciscoSan Diego

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Driving distance
502 miles
Time behind the wheel
About 9 hours at car speeds
Driving days in a truck
2 days at 450 miles a day
Gas price used
$6.016 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 San Francisco and California prices from EIA for the week of October 19, 2026. Change it to what you pay.

Fuel cost$335.56
Gallons55.8
Per mile$0.67

502 miles at 9 MPG

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 502 miles, a gas price of $6.016 and a diesel price of $8.242 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1631$189$222
10 to 12 ft truck1146$275$323
15 to 17 ft truck956$336$395
20 to 22 ft truck863$378$444
26 ft truck772$431$508
26 ft truck (diesel)863$517$608

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $243 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 Francisco, CA$6.001$8.242San Francisco average
San Diego, CA$6.031$8.242California 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 San Francisco, CA to San Diego, CA a 2-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 San Diego, CA to San Francisco, CA.