New Mexico → Arizona · Interstate 25 / Interstate 40
What does it actually cost to drive from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Tucson, Arizona? The hard numbers: 723 km (449 miles) of pavement primarily along Interstate 25 / Interstate 40, 8h 3m behind the wheel, and roughly $60.44 in fuel alone — that is 65.7 liters (17.4 gallons) of regular unleaded at a 0.92 USD/liter benchmark. Anyone leaving Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico and crossroads of the American Southwest, typically carries samples, signed proposals, or service equipment to deliver in Tucson, the second-largest city in Arizona and gateway to the Sonoran Desert, and aims to be home the same evening. It is worth confirming whether the haul fits inside your daily hours-of-service window or whether an overnight at a midpoint hotel makes more sense. Applying the IRS standard mileage rate (2025) mileage rate of $0.43/km ($0.69/mile), the gross outbound reimbursement settles at $310.89. Attach the visit purpose, client name, and plate number to the Clara receipt so the journal entry lands directly in the business-travel expense account.