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Cheapest Cross-Country Move With a Pickup Truck or SUV You Already Own
For pickup and SUV owners with a studio or 1BR load, your existing vehicle plus a small cargo trailer is often the cheapest cross-country recipe. Bed-capacity guide, fuel math at EIA prices, towing tradeoffs.
The own-vehicle advantage
If you already own a pickup or SUV, you save the rental fee that drives most cross-country moving costs. A 26 ft U-Haul rental cross-country costs $1,500 to $2,500 in base rental alone. Driving your own pickup costs zero in rental, and the marginal vehicle wear-and-tear from a 2,500 mile cross-country drive is about 8 cents per mile on a typical 1/2-ton pickup ($200 in long-run wear). The only added costs are fuel, possibly a trailer rental, hotels, and meals.
Cargo capacity by vehicle
| Vehicle | Cargo / bed (cu ft) | Tow rating (lb) | Best load profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 (6.5 ft bed) | 65 cu ft | 8,200 - 13,200 | Studio + 5x8 trailer = 1BR move |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 (6.5 ft) | 62 cu ft | 8,000 - 13,300 | Similar to F-150 |
| Ram 1500 (6.4 ft) | 61 cu ft | 7,610 - 12,750 | Similar to F-150 |
| Toyota Tundra (6.5 ft) | 62 cu ft | 8,900 - 12,000 | Slightly less than Big 3, similar tow |
| Toyota Tacoma (6 ft bed) | 54 cu ft | 6,400 - 6,800 | Studio only or studio + 5x8 trailer |
| Honda Ridgeline (5.3 ft) | 33 cu ft (bed) | 5,000 | Studio only or 5x8 trailer for 1BR |
| Ford Ranger (5 ft bed) | 44 cu ft | 7,500 | Studio + small trailer |
| Chevy Tahoe / Suburban | 94 / 121 cu ft | 8,200 - 8,400 | 1BR fits inside; large SUV + tow |
| Toyota 4Runner | 47 cu ft (back rows down) | 5,000 | Studio inside + 5x8 trailer for 1BR |
| Honda Pilot | 84 cu ft (back rows down) | 5,000 | Studio inside + 5x8 trailer for 1BR |
| Toyota RAV4 | 69 cu ft (back row down) | 1,500 - 3,500 | Studio inside; cannot tow most trailers |
| Subaru Outback | 75 cu ft (back row down) | 2,700 - 3,500 | Studio inside; light trailer only |
Capacities from manufacturer specifications via fueleconomy.gov and manufacturer brochures. Cargo capacity in pickup beds excludes the bed-rail height above the side walls; with a shell or topper the working volume is the listed figure.
Bed protection: shell vs tarp vs tonneau
Aluminum or fiberglass shell (topper)
$200-$600 used, $1,200-$2,800 new
Best protection. Locks the bed. Weatherproof. Used shells from Facebook Marketplace are abundant in any metro. For a one-time move, sell after arrival to recover $150-$400.
Heavy-duty tarp + ratchet straps + bungees
$35-$80
Cheapest. Works for dry-weather days. Leaks at seams in heavy rain. Plan for it as the default budget option but check weather forecast carefully.
Soft roll-up tonneau cover
$200-$450
Mid-range. Leaks at the rear and at side seams in rain. Lockable. Worth it for ongoing pickup use, not for a one-time cross-country move.
Hard tri-fold tonneau cover
$400-$900
Best mid-range. Weatherproof. Lockable. Overkill for a one-time move unless you plan to keep the cover for ongoing use.
U-Haul trailer rental rates (one-way cross-country)
| Trailer | Cargo capacity | Empty weight | One-way cross-country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x8 cargo trailer | ~150 cu ft, 1,600 lb cap | 850 lb | $200 - $350 |
| 5x8 cargo trailer | ~205 cu ft, 1,800 lb cap | 900 lb | $250 - $400 |
| 5x10 utility trailer (open) | ~250 cu ft, 1,890 lb cap | 910 lb | $150 - $260 |
| 6x12 cargo trailer | ~395 cu ft, 2,500 lb cap | 1,900 lb | $450 - $750 |
| U-Box on flatbed (DIY tow) | ~280 cu ft, 2,000 lb cap | varies | Not direct rental, see U-Haul U-Box product |
U-Haul trailer rental rates sampled May 2026 cross-country one-way. Rates vary by exact origin and destination ZIPs and by day of week.
Sample budget: F-150 + 5x8 trailer, Denver to Charlotte
Studio-plus furniture load, ~1,500 miles, 4-day drive
Vehicle wear at 8 cents per mile over 1,500 miles is ~$120 in long-run depreciation, not booked above. Compare to a 15 ft U-Haul truck for the same move: $1,089 rental plus fuel and the rest. The pickup-plus-trailer recipe saves $300 to $600 by skipping the truck rental, but the load capacity is smaller; works for studio-to-1BR loads only.
Fuel math for major pickup and SUV options
| Vehicle | MPG loaded | Fuel for 2,500 mi | With 5x8 trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-150 EcoBoost 2.7L | 13-15 | $575-$663 | $700-$830 |
| Silverado 1500 5.3L V8 | 13-15 | $575-$663 | $700-$830 |
| Tacoma V6 | 17-19 | $454-$508 | $565-$650 |
| Tundra V8 | 13-15 | $575-$663 | $720-$870 |
| Honda Pilot V6 | 20-22 | $393-$432 | $510-$600 |
| Chevy Tahoe 5.3L | 14-16 | $540-$617 | $680-$810 |
| RAV4 Hybrid | 32-36 | $240-$270 | Cannot tow most trailers |
| Outback 2.5L | 24-27 | $320-$360 | Light trailer only, $400-$470 |
MPG estimates from fueleconomy.gov highway ratings reduced by 15-20 percent for loaded condition. Fuel cost at EIA national retail gasoline average $3.45/gallon May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really do a cross-country move in my own pickup truck?+
Yes, for a studio or light 1BR load. A full-size pickup (F-150, Silverado, Ram 1500) with a 6.5 ft bed holds roughly 65 to 75 cu ft of cargo, equivalent to about 12 to 18 medium moving boxes plus 2 or 3 small furniture pieces. With a roof-mounted cargo bag or rooftop cargo box adding 15 to 18 cu ft, that becomes a viable cross-country move for a single person with modest furniture. A mid-size pickup (Tacoma, Frontier, Ridgeline) holds 50 to 60 cu ft and works for studio-only moves.
Should I add a shell or tarp to protect cargo cross-country?+
A shell (truck-bed topper) is the cheapest weather-and-theft protection. A used aluminum shell from Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace runs $200 to $600; a new shell from a dealer or A.R.E. runs $1,200 to $2,800. For a one-time move, a heavy-duty tarp ($35 to $80) with bungees and ratchet straps works for 3 to 5 days of dry weather. Avoid soft tonneau covers in rain; they leak at seams and stitching. Plan for any chance of rain in a multi-day cross-country drive.
Can I tow a U-Haul trailer with my pickup or SUV?+
Yes, if your vehicle has a tow hitch (most pickups and many SUVs) and the trailer weight is within your vehicle's tow rating. A 5 by 8 ft U-Haul cargo trailer weighs ~900 lb empty and can carry ~1,800 lb of cargo; a 6 by 12 ft cargo trailer weighs ~1,900 lb empty and can carry ~2,500 lb. A 1/2-ton pickup (F-150, Silverado 1500) tows either easily. A typical SUV (RAV4, CR-V, Pilot) can tow the 5 by 8 ft trailer; the 6 by 12 ft requires a larger SUV (Tahoe, Suburban, Pilot Elite). Check your vehicle's tow rating in the owner manual before assuming.
What does fuel cost for a pickup or SUV cross-country move?+
Depends on the vehicle and load. An F-150 EcoBoost 2.7L averages 17 to 20 MPG empty highway, dropping to 13 to 15 MPG fully loaded. At EIA's May 2026 retail gasoline average of $3.45 per gallon and a 2,500 mile cross-country drive, that is $625 to $805 in fuel for a fully loaded F-150. A Toyota Tacoma at 19 MPG loaded costs about $455 in fuel for the same drive. An SUV like a RAV4 at 27 MPG loaded costs about $320. Towing a 5 by 8 ft trailer adds 15 to 25 percent fuel waste; towing a 6 by 12 ft trailer adds 25 to 40 percent.
When does one trip beat two trips in a pickup?+
Almost always for cross-country. A second round-trip 2,500 miles each way means 5,000 additional miles plus another 4 to 5 day driving span. At fuel + hotels + meals + driver time, a second trip costs $1,800 to $2,800 and 8 to 10 days. The break-even versus one trip with a small trailer ($350 to $500 trailer rental, $80 to $150 in extra fuel) is overwhelmingly in favor of the one-trip-with-trailer approach. Two trips only makes sense for very short moves (200 miles or less) or when you have free intermediate storage.
How do I secure a load in a pickup bed for cross-country highway speed?+
Three layers. First, organize cargo so heavy items are forward over the rear axle, light items rear. Second, tie down with ratchet straps from at least 4 anchor points (most pickups have 4 to 8 bed-mounted tie-down hooks). Third, cover with a tarp pulled taut, secured by bungees through the tarp grommets to the tie-down hooks. Test by driving 5 miles on local roads and checking for shifting before getting on the highway. Re-tighten ratchet straps every 200 to 300 miles; ratchet straps loosen with vibration.