How much gas does a U-Haul truck use?

U-Haul's own table lists about 19 MPG for a pickup, 18 for a cargo van, 12 for a 10' truck, 10 for the 15' and 20' trucks, and 8–10 for the 26' truck. These are for ideal conditions, so a loaded truck usually gets less.

How big is the gas tank on a moving truck?

U-Haul lists 31 gallons for a 10' truck, 40 for the 15' and 20', and 60 for the 26'. Penske lists up to 33 gallons for its 12' and 16' trucks and up to 70 for its 22' and 26' diesel trucks. Budget lists 35 gallons for its 12', 33 for its 16', and 50 for its 26' diesel truck.

How do I estimate gas cost for a moving truck?

Divide your trip miles by the truck's MPG to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon. For example, 500 miles at 10 MPG is 50 gallons, which is $216.55 at $4.331 a gallon.

How much gas do I need to put back before returning the truck?

Enough to bring the gauge back to the level on your contract. Roughly, multiply the gap in gauge fractions by the tank size. Going from 1/2 back to full on a 40-gallon tank is about 20 gallons. Your contract's fuel chart is the most accurate guide.

Do moving trucks take diesel?

Some do. Penske's 22' and 26' trucks and Budget's 26' truck take diesel. U-Haul lists unleaded fuel for its trucks. Diesel usually costs more per gallon, so this calculator switches to AAA's diesel average when you pick a diesel truck.

What gas price does this calculator use?

By default, EIA's weekly U.S. regular average ($4.331, week of Oct 12, 2026), or AAA's national diesel average ($6.3261, Oct 16, 2026) for diesel trucks. You can pick a region or state from the desk or type your own price.

Calculator

Moving truck gas cost

Pick your U-Haul, Penske, or Budget truck, enter the trip miles, and see the gallons, fill-ups, and fuel cost at the latest desk pump price. Works as a U-Haul gas calculator too, and includes a refill-before-return helper.

By Rateboard Editors · Last reviewed October 6, 2026

Trip miles, one way

Truck

Source: U-Haul fuel estimate

MPG figures are the companies' own estimates. U-Haul says they're for ideal conditions, and Penske's are 'up to' figures. A loaded truck, hills, wind, speed, or towing a car usually means fewer miles per gallon. Actual trucks vary by make, model, and year.

Miles per gallon

Fuel tank size, gallons

Reduce MPG for load or towingOptional. Use it if you're towing a car or fully loaded.

Price source

Pump price ($/gal)

Fuel at pickup

Refuel when the gauge hits

Fuel cost

$216.55

500 mi ÷ 10 MPG = 50.0 gallons at $4.331/gal

1 fill-up stop

400 miles per tank

Round trip $433.10 if you drive the truck back

Plan for worse (8 MPG): 62.5 gallons, $270.69

at $4.331/gal, EIA U.S. regular, week of Oct 12, 2026.

Refill before return

Gauge at pickup (dispatch level on your contract)

Gauge now

Rental company refuel price ($/gal)

About 20.0 gallons ≈ $86.62 at $4.331/gal.

Gauges aren't perfectly linear. Your contract's fuel chart shows the gallons between marks for your truck, so use it when you can.

U-Haul offers EZ-Fuel at a per-gallon price listed on your contract, or you can refuel yourself to the dispatch level. U-Haul says trucks returned with less than 1/4 tank are subject to an extra $30 service fee. U-Haul fuel estimate

Moving truck MPG and tank sizes

Company	Truck	MPG (as published)	Tank	Fuel	Miles per tank*	Cost for 100 miles
U-Haul	Pickup truck	19	28 gal	Unleaded	532	$22.79
U-Haul	Cargo van	18	25 gal	Unleaded	450	$24.06
U-Haul	10' truck	12	31 gal	Unleaded	372	$36.09
U-Haul	15' truck	10	40 gal	Unleaded	400	$43.31
U-Haul	20' truck	10	40 gal	Unleaded	400	$43.31
U-Haul	26' truck	8–10	60 gal	Unleaded	480	$54.14
Penske	Cargo van	up to 12	25 gal	Gasoline	300	$36.09
Penske	12' truck	up to 12	33 gal	Gasoline	396	$36.09
Penske	16' truck	up to 12	33 gal	Gasoline	396	$36.09
Penske	22' truck	up to 13	70 gal	Diesel	910	$48.66
Penske	26' truck	up to 13	70 gal	Diesel	910	$48.66
Budget	12' truck	8–14	35 gal	Gasoline	280	$54.14
Budget	16' truck	6–10	33 gal	Gasoline	198	$72.18
Budget	26' truck	8–10	50 gal	Diesel	400	$79.08

From U-Haul, Penske, and Budget websites, checked Oct 6, 2026. Specs vary by truck.

*Miles per tank uses the preset MPG.

How this calculator works

Miles divided by miles per gallon gives gallons. Gallons times the price per gallon gives the fuel cost. Fill-ups depend on the tank size and when you choose to refuel. This calculator treats every stop as a fill back to full. It counts a stop only after the trip uses more fuel than the gap between the pickup level and the gauge mark where you plan to refuel.

The price comes from the same EIA weekly and AAA daily snapshot used on gas prices and the trip fuel calculator, and each figure keeps its own as-of date. A gasoline truck starts at EIA's weekly U.S. regular average ($4.331, week of Oct 12, 2026). You can switch that to a region or a state from the same week, or to AAA's daily regular grade dated Oct 16, 2026. Diesel trucks use AAA's national diesel average ($6.3261, Oct 16, 2026) because the state and regional averages on the desk are regular gasoline.

Published miles per gallon are estimates for ideal conditions, not a promise for a loaded truck. Load, grades, weather, speed, and towing all lower them. Use the reduction field to take a percent off the preset when the truck is full or you are towing a car. The plan-for-worse line runs the same trip at 2 MPG less, and it never goes below 1 MPG, so you can see a higher gallon count and cost before you reserve.

Penske's 22' and 26' trucks and Budget's 26' truck take diesel. U-Haul's table lists unleaded tanks for all sizes: the pickup, the cargo van, and the 10', 15', 20', and 26' trucks.

Returning the truck means checking the dispatch fuel level on your contract at pickup and refueling to that level before you hand the keys back. Compare the rental company's refuel price with the pump. The helper under the results estimates the gallons from the gap between those two gauge marks times the tank size.

Worked example, which matches this calculator: 500 miles in a U-Haul 15' truck at 10 MPG is 50 gallons. At $4.331 a gallon that's $216.55, with one fill-up if you start full and refuel at 1/4 tank.

Common questions

How much gas does a U-Haul truck use?: U-Haul's own table lists about 19 MPG for a pickup, 18 for a cargo van, 12 for a 10' truck, 10 for the 15' and 20' trucks, and 8–10 for the 26' truck. These are for ideal conditions, so a loaded truck usually gets less.
How big is the gas tank on a moving truck?: U-Haul lists 31 gallons for a 10' truck, 40 for the 15' and 20', and 60 for the 26'. Penske lists up to 33 gallons for its 12' and 16' trucks and up to 70 for its 22' and 26' diesel trucks. Budget lists 35 gallons for its 12', 33 for its 16', and 50 for its 26' diesel truck.
How do I estimate gas cost for a moving truck?: Divide your trip miles by the truck's MPG to get gallons, then multiply by the price per gallon. For example, 500 miles at 10 MPG is 50 gallons, which is $216.55 at $4.331 a gallon.
How much gas do I need to put back before returning the truck?: Enough to bring the gauge back to the level on your contract. Roughly, multiply the gap in gauge fractions by the tank size. Going from 1/2 back to full on a 40-gallon tank is about 20 gallons. Your contract's fuel chart is the most accurate guide.
Do moving trucks take diesel?: Some do. Penske's 22' and 26' trucks and Budget's 26' truck take diesel. U-Haul lists unleaded fuel for its trucks. Diesel usually costs more per gallon, so this calculator switches to AAA's diesel average when you pick a diesel truck.
What gas price does this calculator use?: By default, EIA's weekly U.S. regular average ($4.331, week of Oct 12, 2026), or AAA's national diesel average ($6.3261, Oct 16, 2026) for diesel trucks. You can pick a region or state from the desk or type your own price.

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