Moving truck gas cost from St. Louis, MO to El Paso, TX

The drive is about 1,228 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $536 at this week’s prices.

miles
Trip
$/ gallon

Average of Midwest and Texas 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$536Likely $487 to $595

Compare

  • 10 to 12 ft truck$438save $97
  • 20 to 22 ft truck$602+$67
  • Towing a car$630+$95
  • Round trip$1,071+$536

1,228 miles at 9 MPG: 136.4 gallons, $0.44 a mile. The likely range allows for fuel economy 10% better or worse.

St. LouisEl Paso

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Distance
1,228 miles
Driving days
3 at 450 mi a day
Behind the wheel
About 21 hours
Gas price used
$3.925 a gallon

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 1,228 miles, a gas price of $3.925 and a diesel price of $6.127 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1677$301$354
10 to 12 ft truck11112$438$515
15 to 17 ft truck9136$536$630
20 to 22 ft truck8154$602$709
26 ft truck7175$689$810
26 ft truck (diesel)8154$940$1,106

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $387 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
St. Louis, MO$4.145$6.352Midwest average
El Paso, TX$3.704$5.903Texas average

Gas runs about $0.44 a gallon cheaper around El Paso, TX. Most one-way rentals are returned near El Paso, 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 St. Louis, MO to El Paso, TX 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 El Paso, TX to St. Louis, MO.