Cost to drive from Denver to Salt Lake City
Driving from Denver to Salt Lake City covers 521 miles (839 km) and takes about 9h 0min without stops. At Colorado's current fuel prices (week of 2026-08-31), the fuel for the trip costs about $74.85 in a typical petrol car — here's the full breakdown for petrol, diesel and electric.
Petrol, diesel or electric — priced for your car
Pick the kind of car you drive and whether you are coming back. Everything updates against Colorado's live prices.
Driving Denver → Salt Lake City in a family car, electric costs $58.85 less than diesel — 70% of the bill.
Denver vs Salt Lake City: which end is cheaper?
The two ends of this route are priced by different markets, so where you fill up changes what the drive costs.
What if fuel prices move?
Booking this drive for later in the year? Pump prices swing with crude, season and tax changes — here is the same 521 miles in a typical petrol car at four price levels.
Enter your fuel economy and see stops along the way.
How this cost is calculated
We take the real driving distance between Denver and Salt Lake City (521 miles) from OpenStreetMap routing, then multiply by a typical car's fuel use and Colorado's current average pump price. The petrol figure assumes 30 MPG · 7.8 L/100km; diesel and EV use 35 MPG · 6.7 L/100km and 3.5 mi/kWh. Your real cost depends on your car, traffic, driving style and the stations you pick — use the planner for your exact numbers, and check live prices on the Colorado fuel prices page.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to drive from Denver to Salt Lake City?
The drive is 521 miles (839 km) and takes about 9h 0min without stops. Fuel costs roughly $74.85 in an average petrol car, $84.17 in a diesel, and $25.32 in an electric car, using Colorado's current fuel prices.
How far is it from Denver to Salt Lake City in miles and km?
About 521 miles or 839 kilometres by road — roughly 9h 0min of driving.
Is it cheaper to fill up in Denver or Salt Lake City?
Petrol is cheaper in Colorado ($4.31/gal) than in Utah ($4.64/gal), so fill up before you leave.
How many times will I need to fill up between Denver and Salt Lake City?
About 1 stop. The drive uses roughly 17.4 gal of petrol, and a typical 15 gal tank goes about 450 miles — so plan to refuel roughly every 450 miles, leaving a reserve.
Is it cheaper to drive or fly from Denver to Salt Lake City?
On fuel alone the drive costs about $75 one way, and that cost splits across everyone in the car — with $19 each for four people, which is where driving usually wins. Against that, the drive takes 9h 0min without stops, and a fair comparison also counts tolls, parking, wear and any overnight stay.
What will this trip cost if fuel prices change?
At today's Colorado average the fuel is about $75. A 10% rise takes it to $82, a 25% rise to $94, and a 10% fall to $67. Prices here update every week from official data, so this page always reflects the current figure.
How do I get the exact cost for my car?
Set the vehicle type on this page for an instant estimate, or open the FuelWide route planner, enter your car's own fuel economy, and it prices the trip on live data — including fuel and charging stops along the way.
Driving distance via OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Fuel prices are Colorado's current official averages; efficiency and electricity rate are typical estimates. Your figure will vary — use the planner for an exact result.