Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to San Diego, CA reefer rate

$5,747reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.42
Distance: 1,679 mi
Typical range: $5,000–$6,494
Transit: 4 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Des Moines to San Diego price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +35.7%
5 years: +3.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,026
Fuel: $1,721
All-in estimate: $5,747

Return trip

San Diego → Des Moines$6,987

This direction runs 18% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Des Moines to San Diego by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to San Diego, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,824	$2.87	$4,293 – $5,354
53' refrigerated	$5,747	$3.42	$5,000 – $6,494
48' flatbed	$5,800	$3.45	$4,988 – $6,612
Step deck	$6,315	$3.76	$5,304 – $7,325
Power only	$4,278	$2.55	$3,722 – $4,834
Hotshot	$3,229	$1.92	$2,680 – $3,778
26' box truck	$3,158	$1.88	$2,684 – $3,632
Sprinter van	$1,930	$1.15	$1,621 – $2,238

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The index is an estimate. For a price you can act on, ask connected freight providers for a live 53' dry van rate, or send the load details and get quoted for any truck type.

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More lanes from Des Moines

53' refrigerated lanes from Des Moines, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$5,835	$4.83	$5,076 – $6,593	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$5,824	$3.42	$5,067 – $6,581	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$1,807	$5.01	$1,572 – $2,042	1 d
Houston, TX	968 mi	$3,762	$3.89	$3,273 – $4,251	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$5,286	$3.90	$4,598 – $5,973	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$5,312	$4.64	$4,622 – $6,003	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$3,980	$3.83	$3,462 – $4,497	2 d
Dallas, TX	744 mi	$3,074	$4.13	$2,675 – $3,474	2 d

More lanes into San Diego

53' refrigerated lanes into San Diego, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$8,374	$2.92	$7,286 – $9,463	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	131 mi	$1,393	$10.64	$1,212 – $1,575	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,034 mi	$7,417	$3.65	$6,453 – $8,381	4 d
Houston, TX	1,532 mi	$4,520	$2.95	$3,933 – $5,108	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	350 mi	$1,252	$3.58	$1,089 – $1,415	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,791 mi	$7,263	$2.60	$6,319 – $8,207	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,325 mi	$3,998	$3.02	$3,478 – $4,517	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$4,172	$2.99	$3,629 – $4,714	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Des Moines, IA to San Diego, CA?

A 53' refrigerated from Des Moines, IA to San Diego, CA is estimated at $5,747 all-in in October 2026, or $3.42 a mile over about 1,679 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,000 and $6,494.

How far is Des Moines, IA from San Diego, CA by truck?

About 1,679 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,721 of the $5,747 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,026 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Diego, CA to Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $6,987, which makes Des Moines, IA to San Diego, CA 18% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →