Don’t Drive It, Ship It: The Real Cost of a Long Drive

“I’ll just drive it” sounds free, because the costs don’t arrive as one bill. They show up as gas receipts, hotel charges, meals, days off work and miles on the odometer. Here’s how to add them up honestly, so you can compare driving with a real shipping quote.

A Worked Example: 2,000 Miles

Say you’re moving about 2,000 miles, roughly Chicago to Los Angeles, alone, in a car that gets 25 miles per gallon. At around 500 miles a day, that’s four days of driving and three nights in hotels.

• Fuel: about $280 (80 gallons at $3.50)
• Hotels: about $390 (three nights at $130)
• Meals: about $200 (four days at $50)
• Out of pocket: about $870

That’s only what you pay at the counter. The car pays too. The IRS business mileage rate is meant to cover the full cost of running a car, including fuel, maintenance, tires, insurance and lost value, and it was 70 cents a mile in 2025. At that rate, 2,000 miles costs about $1,400 of your car’s life, fuel included. Add the hotels and meals, and the real cost of the drive is close to $2,000, before you count a single day off work.

Your numbers will be different. Swap in your car’s mileage, today’s gas price and your own hotel budget.

The Costs That Don’t Come With a Receipt

• Time off work. Four days on the road can be four vacation days, or four unpaid ones.
• Fatigue. Long days behind the wheel, often in unfamiliar weather, are when people make mistakes.
• Lease miles. On a lease, 2,000 extra miles can mean an overage charge when you turn the car in.
• Resale value. Miles lower what a car is worth, especially on a newer one.
• The flight back. If you’re driving a car somewhere for someone else, add a one-way ticket home.

When Driving Makes Sense

We’ll say it plainly: sometimes driving is the better call. If the move is a few hundred miles, if you need the car on the way, if it’s an older car where miles don’t matter, or if you simply want the road trip, drive it. Shipping earns its keep on long moves, second cars, and cars you’d rather not put the miles on.

Put the Two Numbers Side by Side

Shipping isn’t free either. Get a real number for your route and set it beside your driving total. If shipping costs a little more, you’re buying back four days and 2,000 miles. Get a free quote, or read five ways to move a car for the other options.