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Moving truck gas cost from Washington, DC to Nashville, TN

The drive is about 665 miles. In a 15 to 17 ft rental truck getting around 9 MPG, fuel comes to roughly $312 at this week’s prices.

miles
Trip
$/ gallon

Average of Central Atlantic 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$312Likely $284 to $347

Compare

  • 10 to 12 ft truck$256save $57
  • 20 to 22 ft truck$352+$39
  • Towing a car$368+$55
  • Round trip$625+$312

665 miles at 9 MPG: 73.9 gallons, $0.47 a mile. The likely range allows for fuel economy 10% better or worse.

WashingtonNashville

Routes from OSRM using© OpenStreetMap contributors data

Distance
665 miles
Driving days
2 at 450 mi a day
Behind the wheel
About 12 hours
Gas price used
$4.229 a gallon

Fuel cost by truck size

Based on 665 miles, a gas price of $4.229 and a diesel price of $6.430 a gallon. Towing a car on a trailer or dolly lowers fuel economy by about 15%.

TruckMPGGallonsFuel costTowing a car
Cargo van1642$176$207
10 to 12 ft truck1160$256$301
15 to 17 ft truck974$312$368
20 to 22 ft truck883$352$414
26 ft truck795$402$473
26 ft truck (diesel)883$534$629

The gap between the smallest and largest trucks on this route is about $226 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
Washington, DC$4.312$6.508Central Atlantic average
Nashville, TN$4.145$6.352Midwest average

Gas runs about $0.17 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 Washington, DC to Nashville, TN 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 Nashville, TN to Washington, DC.

More moves from Washington

More moves to Nashville