From the honky-tonks of Broadway to the blues on Beale Street, the drive from Nashville to Memphis connects two of America’s music capitals. The good news for your wallet: it is one of the cheaper trips you can make, because Tennessee gas prices sit well below the national average.
The straight shot west on I-40 is about 210 miles. Here is the fuel math across different vehicles, how to keep it low, and whether the short flight is ever worth skipping the drive.
What it costs to drive Nashville to Memphis
Here is the same trip at three common fuel-economy levels, based on about 210 miles and roughly $3.15 a gallon. Find where your car lands, and remember round-trip simply doubles it.
| Your car’s MPG | One-way | Round-trip |
|---|---|---|
| 20 MPG | $33.07 | $66.15 |
| 30 MPG | $22.05 | $44.10 |
| 40 MPG | $16.54 | $33.07 |
Those figures assume a fairly efficient car. Drive something thirstier, or hit mountains, heat, or heavy traffic, and your real number climbs. And remember, the gas figure is per car, not per person: split it among a few passengers and this drive becomes one of the cheapest ways to travel.
How your vehicle changes the cost to drive Nashville to Memphis
The number that matters most is not the pump price. It is your car. On a 210-mile drive at about $3.15 a gallon, the gap between a thrifty hybrid and a thirsty pickup is dramatic. Here is the same trip across five common vehicle types so you can see where yours lands.
| Vehicle type | One-way gas | Round-trip gas |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid (~48 MPG) | $13.78 | $27.56 |
| Compact car (~38 MPG) | $17.41 | $34.82 |
| Midsize sedan (~30 MPG) | $22.05 | $44.10 |
| SUV / crossover (~24 MPG) | $27.56 | $55.13 |
| Pickup / large SUV (~17 MPG) | $38.91 | $77.82 |
See the spread? Swapping a 17-MPG truck for a 30-MPG sedan can cut the fuel bill for this route roughly in half. If you own more than one vehicle, this table alone can tell you which one to take, a small decision that quietly saves real money over a trip this long. Real-world mileage tends to run 10 to 15% below the window sticker, thanks to how you drive, tire pressure, cargo weight, and even the weather, so measure yours with the MPG calculator before you trust any estimate. Then run your own figure through the gas cost calculator and check the gallons you will actually burn with the fuel consumption calculator.
The real cost is more than gas
Fuel is the headline, but it is rarely the whole bill. I-40 between the two cities is toll-free, so gas is essentially your only road cost. Then there is the stuff most people forget: coffee and snacks at every stop, meals on a longer haul, lodging if you break the drive across days, and the slow, invisible cost of wear on your tires, brakes, and engine.
That wear is real money. When you price a trip by cost per mile instead of gas alone, you capture maintenance and depreciation too, which is how rideshare and delivery drivers think about every mile. Pad your fuel estimate by 10 to 15% for detours, price jumps, or a heavier load, so you are never caught short. To line up fuel, tolls, food, and hotels for this trip in one place, drop them into the gas budget worksheet and you will get a number you can plan around.
What moves the price on the Nashville to Memphis drive
Cheap Tennessee gas. The entire route stays in Tennessee, which consistently ranks among the cheaper states for gas thanks to modest fuel taxes. That keeps this trip affordable start to finish.
Flat, fast interstate. I-40 across the state is easy, steady driving that favors fuel economy. Set the cruise and most cars beat their EPA number.
Event timing. Big weekends in either city, from CMA Fest to Beale Street festivals, can bump nearby gas and hotel prices. Fill up outside the downtown cores when you arrive, and if you are timing a music-festival trip, book fuel stops and lodging on the outskirts where prices stay closer to the state’s low average.
Where to fill up cheapest on Nashville to Memphis
Prices are low statewide, so focus on avoiding the pricier downtown and airport stations at each end. Fill up on the way out of the city, and in an efficient car a single tank easily covers the round trip. A price app still trims a few cents, but on such a short, cheap route your vehicle choice matters more than hunting for the perfect pump.
Before you go, glance at the live gas price tracker so you know what a good price looks like, and compare state-by-state averages on the gas prices by state page. On the road, a gas price app points you to the cheapest pump near your exit instead of the first flashy sign off the ramp, which is often the priciest.
Should you drive, fly, or take the train?
There is a short flight between Nashville and Memphis, but by the time you handle two airports, the roughly three-hour drive is usually faster door to door and far cheaper, especially with passengers. Driving also gives you a car to explore both cities.
The rule of thumb: driving usually wins when you are splitting fuel between passengers, want the car at the destination, or the drive itself is the point. Flying can win for a solo traveler on a longer route. Weigh it with the logic in our fly vs drive cost calculator guide before you book.
Doing this trip in an electric car?
If you are in an EV, the math shifts. Covering 210 miles takes roughly 63 kWh for a typical electric car. Charge at home at normal residential rates and that is about $8.82 to $11.34 worth of electricity, well under the $22.05 a 30-MPG gas car would burn. Lean on public DC fast chargers and it climbs toward $28.35, since fast charging costs more per kWh. Fast-charging along I-40 in Tennessee has grown, so an EV handles this route comfortably with a little planning.
Charging prices swing by state and network, so check EV charging prices by state and put the full picture side by side with EV vs gas by state before assuming the plug always wins.
The best time to drive Nashville to Memphis
Summer festival season brings crowds and slightly higher prices to both cities. A spring or fall weekday drive is cheaper and quieter, with pleasant weather for the flat cruise across the state.
Prices also drift over the week, often cheapest early and creeping up before the weekend, which we break down in the best day to buy gas. Time your fill-ups accordingly and you shave a little off every gallon.
How to spend less driving Nashville to Memphis
- Fill up outside downtown, and check the live Tennessee-area prices.
- Drive it often? See the monthly total in the cost per mile calculator.
- See where Tennessee ranks on the cheapest states for gas page.
- Weigh the short flight with our fly vs drive comparison.
- Pick up more habits from 27 ways to save money on gas.
How we calculate the cost to drive this route
No black box. The formula is simple: trip cost = (distance ÷ your MPG) × price per gallon. For Nashville to Memphis we use a driving distance of about 210 miles and a blended pump price of roughly $3.15 a gallon across the states you cross. Swap in your own numbers for an exact figure. Our gas cost calculator does the arithmetic instantly, and the road trip cost calculator handles multi-stop trips.
Where the numbers come from: pump prices trace to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly retail survey, refreshed on our state price pages every business day, and distances reflect the main highway route. Read exactly how each figure is sourced on our methodology and sources pages, and track longer trends on the gas price history page.
Calculations reviewed by Alex Morgan · Last reviewed: July 12, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does gas cost from Nashville to Memphis?
About $22 one-way for a 30-MPG car at $3.15 a gallon, or roughly $44 round-trip. Tennessee’s low prices keep it cheap.
How far is Nashville to Memphis?
Roughly 210 miles on I-40, about three hours without heavy traffic.
Are there tolls on this route?
No, I-40 between the two cities is toll-free, so your cost is essentially just fuel.
Is it cheaper to fly or drive?
Driving is cheaper and usually faster door to door on this short hop, and it gives you a car in both cities.
What would an EV cost on this drive?
Charging at home, roughly $9 to $12 one-way, versus about $22 in gas for a 30-MPG car.
The bottom line
Driving Nashville to Memphis costs most people between $16.54 and $33.07 in gas one-way, depending on the vehicle and the price on the day, with round-trip simply double. The two levers you control are which car you take and where you fill up. Nail both, and you keep real money in your pocket.
Before you go, run your exact numbers in the gas cost calculator and check today’s live prices. Planning stops along the way? The road trip cost calculator maps every fill-up before you turn the key.