This calculator doesn't look up prices for you — it adds up the numbers you already have. Enter the base rate, mileage fee, gas price, insurance, and extras from a quote or estimate you've received (or numbers you're comparing across a few companies), and it totals them into one estimated cost. No specific company's pricing is built in — every rental company prices differently, so the math only works from your own numbers.
The calculator only performs plain arithmetic on the numbers you enter — nothing is looked up or estimated behind the scenes:
The number of rental days you enter is shown back to you alongside the results for reference, but it is not multiplied into the total — the base price is assumed to already be your quoted total for the whole rental period, not a daily rate.
Say you were quoted a $150 base price for a 3-day rental, expect to drive 400 miles at a $0.79 per-mile fee, your truck gets about 10 MPG, gas is $3.50 per gallon, your total insurance comes to $45, and you add $30 in extras for a dolly and moving blankets. These are illustrative numbers only — not any company's real pricing.
The 3 rental days aren't part of the math — the $150 base price is already treated as the total for the whole rental period.
Rental pricing structures vary widely between companies. Some bundle a mileage allowance into the base rate, while others charge for every mile from the first one. Insurance options — and their costs — differ just as much, from a single flat damage waiver to several stacked coverage add-ons. This calculator doesn't know any specific company's rates, packages, or fine print; it only adds up the numbers you enter, so you'll still need your own quote to fill in the fields accurately. Taxes, one-time fuel refill or refueling service fees, and one-way or drop-off surcharges also aren't included automatically — if your quote has them, fold them into the equipment/additional fees field so they're reflected in your total.
No. This calculator never uses any rental company's actual pricing. You enter the numbers from your own quote or estimate, and it simply does the math — adding mileage, fuel, insurance, and extras to your base price. Every rental company prices differently, so plugging in your own numbers is the only way to get an estimate that reflects your actual rental.
Add any one-time or flat fees from your quote that aren't already covered by another field — equipment like dollies or moving blankets, extra-day charges, cleaning fees, taxes, fuel service charges, or one-way/drop-off surcharges. Add them together and enter the total as a single lump sum.
The base price field is meant to be the total price your rental company already quoted for your entire rental period, not a daily rate. Multiplying it by the number of days again would double-count it. The rental days field is kept for your own reference alongside the results, not as a multiplier.
Fuel cost is estimated by dividing your expected miles by your truck's estimated MPG to get the gallons you'll need, then multiplying that by your local gas price. It's only as accurate as the MPG and gas price you enter, so use your best estimate or check the rental company's listed MPG for that truck size.
Only need the fuel math for a specific trip — not a full rental? The Moving Truck Gas Cost Calculator isolates just the fuel portion, handy for a trip that isn't part of a rental.
Haven't settled on a truck size yet? The Moving Truck Size Calculator helps you figure out what size truck fits your move before you start collecting quotes.
Want to see this rental cost alongside labor, packing, and every other moving expense in one place? The Moving Cost Calculator rolls your DIY truck numbers into a full cost breakdown.