Budget® Truck Rental Gas Mileage

Do Budget® moving trucks have good fuel economy? 

Wondering how much will you pay at the pump if you move with a Budget truck? Let’s look at the average gas mileage and what that can mean for the cost of your long-distance move. 

A gas pump representing Budget rental truck gas mileage.


Budget truck gas mileage 

Truck size  Average miles per gallon  Tank size 
12-foot  8-14 MPG  35 gallon 
16-foot  6-10 MPG  33 gallon 
26-foot  8-10 MPG*  50 gallon 

*Budget’s 26-foot trucks use diesel. 

Calculating fuel costs for Budget rentals

Calculating rental truck fuel costs is important when you’re moving and trying to stick to a budget. To figure the estimated price of fuel for a move, you’ll divide the miles to travel by the MPG and then multiply that number by the average gas or diesel price, like this: 

(Miles ÷ MPG) x Fuel Price = Estimated Fuel Cost 

Example gas costs for a 16-foot Budget truck 

Let’s look at example fuel costs for a 664-mile move from Dallas, TX, to Nashville, TN, in a 16-foot Budget truck. Since the estimated MPG is 6-10 miles for this truck size, we used 8 MPG for our calculation. Gas was $3.56 per gallon based on AAA’s average gas prices at the time of posting. 

664 miles ÷ 8 = 83 
83 x $3.56 = $295.48 estimated fuel costs 

Example diesel costs for a 26-foot Budget truck 

What about paying for diesel? For a 664-mile move from Dallas to Nashville in a 26-foot Budget truck, we figured costs based on 9 MPG since the truck is estimated to get between 8 and 10 MPG. According to AAA, average diesel prices were $4.48 per gallon at the time of posting. 

664 miles ÷ 9 = 73.78 
73.78 x $4.48 = $330.53 estimated fuel costs 

Would you rather not pay for fuel in a Budget truck?

If driving a gas-guzzling rental truck isn’t for you, U-Pack can help! We’re a self-moving service with over 25 years of experience in long-distance moves across all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. With U-Pack, you get the savings of a DIY move, but we take care of the driving — and fuel’s included in the price! Get a free online quote now or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant. 

If you have questions about determining fuel costs for a Budget truck or how U-Pack compares to truck rental, let us know in the comments. We’re happy to help! 

Budget® is a registered trademark of Budget Truck Rental, LLC.  Use of third-party trademarks or registered trademarks does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by such third-party.