Moving Trip Fuel Calculator
Moving Trip Fuel Calculator. Include specified vehicles and journeys. Enter your values and view the result.
Moving Trip Fuel Calculator
Include specified vehicles and journeys.
Use the calculation engine below to model your exact costs with custom fuel prices, distances, and vehicle efficiencies:
Moving Trip Fuel Calculator: inputs
Adjust sliders or enter exact figures
Monthly Fuel Budget
Real-Time Visual Breakdown
Comparing your expense against alternative vehicle classes
Price Fluctuation Stress Test
See how unexpected gas price surges would impact your monthly budget
How Moving Trip Fuel Calculator Works
This tool works by pricing each vehicle in a household move separately, such as a rental truck and a personal car, and adding the costs into one moving fuel budget.
- Step 1
List the moving vehicles
Add every vehicle on the move: rental truck, cargo van, family car, or a car on a tow dolly.
- Step 2
Enter loaded fuel economy
Use loaded MPG figures. A 26-foot (7.9 m) moving truck returns 6 to 10 MPG when full.
- Step 3
Enter the move distance and price
Type the distance between the old and new home and the fuel price for each vehicle type, including diesel.
- Step 4
Read the moving fuel total
The calculator shows the fuel cost of each vehicle and the combined total for the move.
Moving Trip Fuel Calculator Formula
The formula adds the fuel cost of every vehicle that makes the move.
Vehicle Cost = (Move Distance ÷ Vehicle MPG) × Vehicle Fuel Price
Moving Fuel Total = Σ Vehicle Cost
- Move Distance
- = driving distance from the old home to the new home
- Vehicle MPG
- = loaded fuel economy of each vehicle
- Vehicle Fuel Price
- = gasoline or diesel price per gallon for that vehicle
Worked Example
- A couple moves 600 miles (966 km) with a 15-foot rental truck at 10 MPG (23.5 L/100 km) and a sedan at 30 MPG.
- Truck: 600 ÷ 10 = 60 gal (227 L) × $3.50 = $210.00.
- Sedan: 600 ÷ 30 = 20 gal (76 L) × $3.50 = $70.00.
- Moving fuel total = $280.00 for 80 gallons (303 liters).
Moving Trip Fuel Calculator Conversion Table
The table lists common moving vehicle sizes with typical loaded fuel economy, metric consumption, and fuel cost at $3.50 per gallon.
| Vehicle | Loaded MPG | L/100 km | Cost per 100 mi | Cost for 500 mi (805 km) | Cost for 1,000 mi (1,609 km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | 16 | 14.7 | $21.88 | $109.38 | $218.75 |
| 10–12 ft truck | 12 | 19.6 | $29.17 | $145.83 | $291.67 |
| 15–17 ft truck | 10 | 23.5 | $35.00 | $175.00 | $350.00 |
| 20 ft truck | 9 | 26.1 | $38.89 | $194.44 | $388.89 |
| 26 ft truck | 8 | 29.4 | $43.75 | $218.75 | $437.50 |
Loaded MPG values are planning figures. Ask the rental company for the rated economy of the exact truck model.
What is a Moving Trip Fuel Calculator?
A Moving Trip Fuel Calculator is a relocation budgeting tool that estimates the fuel cost of every vehicle used in a household move.
Moving trucks burn 2 to 4 times more fuel per mile than a passenger car. Rental quotes include the truck fee and mileage fee but leave fuel to the renter. The Moving Trip Fuel Calculator fills that gap and adds the fuel of any personal car that follows the truck.
The result helps movers compare a do-it-yourself move with a full-service mover and plan cash for 2 to 5 refueling stops on a long move.
What are the uses of a Moving Trip Fuel Calculator?
There are 4 main uses of the Moving Trip Fuel Calculator, including DIY move budgets, truck size selection, and mover quote comparison.
Budget a DIY move
Add truck fuel to rental, mileage, and equipment fees for the full move cost.
Choose a truck size
Compare a 15-foot truck with a 20-foot truck and see the fuel difference.
Compare movers
Put the full DIY cost next to quotes from professional moving companies.
Plan refueling stops
Match truck tank size and loaded MPG to the route to set fuel stops.