Estimate moving cost for local or long-distance moves
Estimate your moving costs based on distance, home size, crew, and service level
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Moving Cost Estimator
Estimate your moving costs based on distance, home size, crew, and service level
Estimate your moving costs based on distance, home size, crew, and service level
Estimate your moving costs based on distance, home size, crew, and service level
A teacher in Denver got three quotes to move her 2-bedroom apartment 400 miles to Albuquerque. The estimates ranged from $2,100 to $4,800. Same distance, same stuff, wildly different prices. She picked the cheapest one and ended up paying $3,600 after they tacked on stair fees, long-carry charges, and a fuel surcharge that was not in the original estimate. If she had used a moving cost estimator to understand each line item, she would have spotted the lowball quote immediately.
Most people underestimate moving cost by 30-50 percent because they forget about access challenges, packing materials, tips, and seasonal surcharges. This calculator breaks down labor, mileage, fuel, and fees so you can compare full-service movers against DIY truck rental and see what actually drives the total before you sign anything.
Best for: Comparing mover quotes, deciding between full-service and DIY, budgeting for a job relocation, or negotiating a higher moving stipend from an employer.
Labor is the largest chunk for local moves. Two movers at $50/hour each for six hours costs $600 before you add anything else. Long-distance moves shift the balance toward transportation. A 1,000-mile haul in a 26-foot truck burns 125 gallons at $4/gallon, which is $500 just in fuel, plus mileage fees of $0.75-1.50 per mile.
Access fees sneak up on apartment dwellers. Every flight of stairs without an elevator adds 15-30 minutes per load. A third-floor walkup can double labor hours. Long carries from the truck to your door (anything over 75 feet) add another 10-20 percent. If the moving truck cannot fit on your street, you pay for a shuttle, a smaller truck that ferries boxes to the big rig, which can add $200-400.
Timing surcharges hit hardest in summer. May through September is peak moving season, and weekend rates run 10-20 percent higher than Tuesday through Thursday. The last week of any month is the worst because most leases end then. Moving on a Wednesday in February can save you $500-1,000 compared to a Saturday in July.
Start with home size. A studio is roughly 400 cubic feet of stuff, a 2-bedroom is 800-1,000, and a 4-bedroom house can hit 1,400 or more. The calculator uses these to estimate crew size and truck capacity. If you have unusual items like a piano, hot tub, or gun safe, add them separately because they require special handling.
Enter the distance between your old and new addresses. For local moves under 50 miles, movers charge by the hour. For long-distance moves, they charge by weight or cubic footage plus mileage. The calculator handles both.
Check the boxes for access factors: floors at origin and destination, whether there is an elevator, long carry distance, and whether street parking is restricted. These details change the estimate dramatically. A ground-level house with driveway access is half the labor of a fourth-floor walkup with street parking two blocks away.
Pick your service level. Full-service means movers pack, load, drive, unload, and unpack. Partial service means you pack boxes and they handle furniture. Load/unload only means you rent the truck and they just muscle items in and out. DIY means you do everything yourself with a rental truck and maybe some hired help.
Packing services double or triple labor hours. If movers pack a 2-bedroom apartment, expect 4-6 extra hours at $100-150/hour. Packing yourself saves $400-900 and only takes a weekend if you start early.
Specialty items come with flat fees. A piano costs $150-600 to move depending on type (upright versus grand) and stairs. Gun safes run $200-400. Hot tubs can hit $500 or more. If you have these, get separate quotes.
Insurance upgrades are worth considering for long-distance moves. Basic coverage pays $0.60 per pound per item. Your 50-pound TV gets you $30 if it breaks. Full-value protection costs 1-3 percent of your declared value but pays replacement cost. For a $10,000 declared value, that is $100-300 for peace of mind.
Storage adds $100-400 per month if your move-out and move-in dates do not align. Movers charge extra to store your stuff in their warehouse, often more than a self-storage unit. If you need storage, rent your own unit and hire movers twice.
Lisa is relocating from Austin to Phoenix for a new job. She has a 2-bedroom apartment on the second floor with elevator access at origin, and a ground-floor apartment with driveway parking at destination. She is moving in October on a Wednesday.
Full-service estimate:
DIY rental truck estimate:
Result: DIY saves Lisa $1,380 but requires her to drive a truck across three states, load heavy furniture, and coordinate helpers at both ends. Her employer offers a $3,000 relocation stipend, which covers full-service movers with room to spare. She goes with professionals and keeps the $68 difference.
Declutter ruthlessly. Every 100 pounds you do not move saves $50-100 on a long-distance haul. Sell furniture on Facebook Marketplace three weeks before moving. Donate clothes to Goodwill. Toss broken items instead of paying to transport them.
Move off-peak. A mid-January, Tuesday move costs 25-35 percent less than a July Saturday. If your lease allows flexibility, negotiate a mid-month move-out to avoid the last-weekend rush.
Pack yourself. Buy boxes from Home Depot or get free ones from liquor stores. Pack a few boxes each night for two weeks before the move. Movers will still wrap and move furniture.
Get three binding quotes. A binding estimate locks the price. Non-binding estimates can change on moving day. Compare line-by-line: hourly rates, minimum hours, mileage, fuel surcharges, and access fees. The cheapest headline number often hides the highest add-ons.
Ask about backhaul routes. If a mover has trucks returning empty from your destination city, they may offer 20-40 percent discounts to fill the truck on the way back.
For a local move under 25 miles, expect $400-800 with two movers for 3-5 hours. Add $200-400 if you need packing. A third-floor walkup adds another $150-300 in labor.
A 2-bedroom apartment moving 2,000 miles costs $3,500-6,000 with full-service movers. DIY with a rental truck runs $1,500-2,500 plus your time. Add $500-1,000 for tips, food, and lodging on the road.
DIY saves 40-60 percent in cash but costs time and physical effort. For short local moves, movers often make sense because the hourly cost is low. For long-distance moves, DIY savings are larger but so is the hassle.
Four to six weeks for off-peak, eight to twelve weeks for summer weekends. Last-minute bookings cost more and have fewer time-slot options.
Standard is $20-40 per mover for a half-day local move, $40-60 per mover for a full day. For long-distance moves with an overnight crew, $50-100 per mover is appropriate. Cash is preferred.
If your employer gave you a relocation stipend, the Relocation Allowance Spend Planner helps you allocate it across movers, flights, deposits, and setup costs so you know if the stipend covers everything.
Not sure what truck size to rent? The Truck Size Recommendation Tool matches your home size and inventory to a 10-foot, 15-foot, 20-foot, or 26-foot truck so you do not pay for extra space or make two trips.
Wondering how many boxes you need? The Moving Box and Packing Material Estimator gives you a shopping list based on room count and clutter level.
Moving to a new city and worried about rent? The Rent Affordability by City Calculator checks whether your target apartment fits the 30 percent rule based on your income.
Driving the rental truck yourself? The Road Trip Fuel Cost Planner estimates gas expenses and rest stops for the journey.
Moving costs vary by region, season, and service level. Always get multiple written quotes before booking.
Common questions about moving costs, labor hours, transportation, access factors, and cost-saving strategies.