Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Iowa City, IA to San Diego, CA reefer rate

$6,115reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.39
Distance: 1,803 mi
Typical range: $5,320–$6,910
Transit: 4 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Iowa City to San Diego price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +36.2%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,267
Fuel: $1,848
All-in estimate: $6,115

Return trip

San Diego → Iowa City$7,434

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

Iowa City to San Diego by truck type

Estimated cost from Iowa City, IA to San Diego, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,133	$2.85	$4,568 – $5,698
53' refrigerated	$6,115	$3.39	$5,320 – $6,910
48' flatbed	$6,165	$3.42	$5,302 – $7,028
Step deck	$6,710	$3.72	$5,637 – $7,784
Power only	$4,556	$2.53	$3,964 – $5,148
Hotshot	$3,439	$1.91	$2,855 – $4,024
26' box truck	$3,362	$1.86	$2,858 – $3,867
Sprinter van	$2,053	$1.14	$1,725 – $2,382

Live market check

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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 Iowa City

53' refrigerated lanes from Iowa City, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,081 mi	$5,329	$4.93	$4,636 – $6,022	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,830 mi	$6,195	$3.39	$5,389 – $7,000	4 d
Chicago, IL	234 mi	$1,436	$6.14	$1,249 – $1,623	1 d
Houston, TX	1,001 mi	$3,863	$3.86	$3,361 – $4,365	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,477 mi	$5,678	$3.84	$4,940 – $6,417	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,019 mi	$4,835	$4.74	$4,207 – $5,464	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,096 mi	$4,155	$3.79	$3,615 – $4,695	3 d
Dallas, TX	798 mi	$3,240	$4.06	$2,819 – $3,661	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 Iowa City, IA to San Diego, CA?

A 53' refrigerated from Iowa City, IA to San Diego, CA is estimated at $6,115 all-in in October 2026, or $3.39 a mile over about 1,803 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,320 and $6,910.

How far is Iowa City, IA from San Diego, CA by truck?

About 1,803 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 $1,848 of the $6,115 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,267 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Diego, CA to Iowa City, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,434, which makes Iowa City, 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 →