Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

San Marcos, CA to Chicago, IL reefer rate

$8,053reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $3.98
Distance: 2,023 mi
Typical range: $7,006–$9,100
Transit: 4 days

Request a firm quote

Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

San Marcos to Chicago price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +35.9%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,980
Fuel: $2,073
All-in estimate: $8,053

Return trip

Chicago → San Marcos$7,381

This direction runs 9% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

San Marcos to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from San Marcos, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,761	$3.34	$6,017 – $7,505
53' refrigerated	$8,053	$3.98	$7,006 – $9,100
48' flatbed	$8,107	$4.01	$6,972 – $9,242
Step deck	$8,821	$4.36	$7,410 – $10,232
Power only	$6,009	$2.97	$5,228 – $6,790
Hotshot	$4,537	$2.24	$3,766 – $5,308
26' box truck	$4,432	$2.19	$3,767 – $5,097
Sprinter van	$2,704	$1.34	$2,272 – $3,137

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for reefer →

More lanes from San Marcos

53' refrigerated lanes from San Marcos, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,855 mi	$14,977	$5.25	$13,030 – $16,924	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	111 mi	$1,322	$11.91	$1,150 – $1,494	1 d
Houston, TX	1,536 mi	$6,654	$4.33	$5,789 – $7,519	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	348 mi	$2,396	$6.88	$2,084 – $2,707	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,783 mi	$13,919	$5.00	$12,110 – $15,729	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,331 mi	$5,893	$4.43	$5,127 – $6,660	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$6,127	$4.40	$5,331 – $6,924	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,461 mi	$14,689	$5.97	$12,780 – $16,599	5 d

More lanes into Chicago

53' refrigerated lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,918	$3.44	$2,538 – $3,297	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,194	$3.97	$7,129 – $9,260	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,391	$3.07	$2,950 – $3,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,983	$2.34	$3,465 – $4,500	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,450	$3.11	$2,132 – $2,769	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,715	$3.01	$3,232 – $4,197	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,092	$3.98	$7,040 – $9,144	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,983	$3.17	$2,595 – $3,371	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from San Marcos, CA to Chicago, IL?

A 53' refrigerated from San Marcos, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $8,053 all-in in October 2026, or $3.98 a mile over about 2,023 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,006 and $9,100.

How far is San Marcos, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,023 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 $2,073 of the $8,053 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,980 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to San Marcos, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,381, which makes San Marcos, CA to Chicago, IL 9% more expensive. 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 →