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How much does it cost to fill a 500 gallon propane tank?

Filling a 500 gallon propane tank costs about $1,070 in 2026. What changes your price is below.

That is 400 usable gallons at the last EIA national average of $2.67 per gallon. The same fill runs about $657 in Nebraska and $1,660 in Hawaii. A 500 gallon tank costs $1,000 to $2,500 installed above ground and $2,500 to $5,000 buried. A 20 pound grill tank refill is $12 to $20.

Filling a 500 gallon propane tank costs about $1,070 in 2026

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$655to$1,650

Middle of the range: $1,150

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What you are paying for

500 gallon tank400 usable. US range for this job.$655 to $1,650
Your rangeLow to high for your picks.$655 to $1,650
US averageLocal prices not added yet.US price
Middle of rangeHalfway between low and high.$1,150
How we calculate this

    Prices are for the United States in 2026 from published cost guides, checked September 2026. This is an estimate, not a quote.

    Middle $1,150$655 to $1,650

    Propane tank refill cost by size

    20 pound grill tank$12 to $20 to refill. Costco charges about $13 to $15. An exchange costs $15 to $25 and gives you only 15 pounds.
    30 pound tank$22 to $30.
    250 gallon tankAbout $535 for 200 usable gallons.
    500 gallon tankAbout $1,070 for 400 usable gallons. Angi gives a range of $600 to $1,600 by location.
    1,000 gallon tankAbout $2,139 for 800 usable gallons.
    Delivery surcharge$5 to $25 per drop at many dealers.
    Small fill penalty$0.30 to $0.60 more per gallon below the dealer's minimum, which is often 100 to 150 gallons.
    Emergency fill$75 to $200 on top.

    Propane prices per gallon

    National residential average$2.67 per gallon in the last EIA survey of the heating season, the week ending March 30, 2026. EIA pauses the weekly survey from April to September and resumes in October.
    Cheapest and dearest states$1.64 in Nebraska and $4.15 in Hawaii in the same survey. This Old House lists $1.61 in Oklahoma and over $5 in remote parts of Maine.
    A typical 2026 delivered priceAbout $2.80 per gallon according to one dealer guide, and $1,400 or more for a 500 gallon fill in the Northeast in winter.
    Grill tank refills at retail$3.00 to $4.50 per gallon at most stations. Exchange cages work out to over $5 per gallon.
    This winterNEADA projects propane heating bills up 8.7 percent.

    Propane tank cost to buy and install

    100 gallon tank, above groundFrom $300 to $400 installed.
    500 gallon tank, unit only$800 to $1,600. AmeriGas tanks run up to $1,200 for 500 gallons before installation.
    500 gallon tank, installed above ground$1,000 to $2,500.
    500 gallon tank, installed underground$2,500 to $5,000.
    1,000 gallon tankUp to about $3,500 installed above ground according to Angi. More when buried.
    Any underground tank$1,500 to $5,500 depending on size. Digging and corrosion protection are the extra cost.
    Renting a tank from the dealer$50 to $200 per year. You must buy your propane from that dealer.

    What pushes the price up

    Your stateThe same 400 gallons cost $1,003 more in Hawaii than in Nebraska.
    The seasonPrices rise with the first cold snap. Summer fills and pre buy contracts lock in a lower rate.
    How you buyAutomatic delivery and pre buy contracts cut 5 to 10 percent. One off will call orders cost more.
    Who owns the tankA leased tank ties you to one dealer. An owned tank lets you shop every fill.
    How much you useHomes that only cook and heat water with propane pay a higher price per gallon than homes that heat with it.

    The 80 percent rule, and why your 500 gallon tank holds 400

    Propane expands when it warms. Every modern tank has an overfill protection device that stops the fill at 80 percent. A 500 gallon tank takes 400 gallons. A 250 takes 200. A 1,000 takes 800. When a dealer quotes you for a fill, they mean the usable gallons, and all the fill prices on this page are worked out that way.

    The same rule explains the grill tank. A 20 pound tank holds about 4.7 gallons when it is full. Exchange cages at gas stations and big box stores hand you a tank with only 15 pounds in it. That is why a $20 exchange works out to more than $5 a gallon, while a refill at a propane station is $3.00 to $4.50 a gallon and a warehouse club is under $3.

    How often will I fill it

    This Old House says a home that heats with propane in a cold climate needs a 500 gallon refill about every 3 to 4 months in the heating season. One propane site puts a typical whole home at 800 to 1,200 gallons a year. At $2.67 that is about $2,100 to $3,200 a year, and NEADA expects propane heating bills to rise 8.7 percent this winter.

    Rent or own

    Renting costs $50 to $200 a year and the dealer maintains the tank. The catch is that only that dealer can fill it, so you cannot shop around. Owning a 500 gallon tank costs $1,000 to $2,500 installed, and every fill after that can go to the lowest bidder. In a state where dealers differ by 30 cents a gallon, an owned tank saves about $120 on each 400 gallon fill.

    Why this costs more in 2026

    Propane comes from oil refining and natural gas processing, and it reaches you in a diesel truck. NEADA projects propane heating bills up 8.7 percent this winter.

    Diesel passed $6 a gallon on the AAA national average for the first time on September 11, 2026 (CBS 8 reporting AAA). Builders also paid 4.8 percent more for materials in a year (Roofing Contractor). Ask how long your quote is good for.

    How to judge the price you were quoted

    Ways to pay less