There’s One Easy Way You Can Save on Your Moving Costs—Here’s What to Know
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Whether you’re listing your home for sale and relocating to another state or packing up because you found a cute new rental in a nearby city, you’re probably curious: How much does it cost to move?
Many factors can determine the final moving cost bill—everything from the distance of the move and how much stuff you have to whether you’ll need to get a storage unit for a period in between your move.
Once you’ve determined what types of services you’ll want to be included in your move—will you be packing up boxes yourself or would you rather hire someone?—then you can start calling around for quotes. Using a moving calculator can also help you tally up some of the expenses of moving and give you a ballpark figure of costs.
But to get some solid estimates plus budget-saving moving tips, we reached out to Matt Graber, who has 15 years of experience in the industry and is the co-owner of Cool Hand Movers, a top-rated moving company in New York City. Ahead, Graber shares estimates for how much it costs to move between regions, states, and across the country as well as the add-on services that can make your move much easier (but may also tack on some additional costs). Here's what to know.
How Much Does It Cost to Move?
The distance of your move is one of the biggest factors that determines the cost of your move. Moving prices also vary based on the region (New York City moving rates, for instance, are generally higher than in upstate New York), the size of the move, and whether or not packing materials and services are included. Moving specialty items like a piano or a vehicle will also increase the cost. (Grand pianos can cost up to $500 to move even locally, which may explain why you see so many of them for free on sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace!) A local move could cost between $500 to $3,000.
Interstate moving prices vary by the total distance between locations—it’s a much longer stretch between say, Oregon and Southern California than it is between some Northeastern states. For interstate moves between 500 and 1,000 miles, expect to pay anywhere from $1,300 to $8,000 depending on the size of your move and the region you live in.
For moves across regions, such as New York City to Chicago, prices will range from $5,000 to $10,000 in most cases. If you’re embarking on a cross-country move, expect to pay roughly $10,000 to $15,000.
The cost to move internationally depends on where you’re moving and how much you’ll be taking with you. A relocation specialist familiar with your move can help you budget more precisely, but these moves can cost anywhere from $5,000 if you’re planning a light move and starting over in a new country to $20,000 and up if you’re moving a bunch of your household items and furniture. International moving costs vary widely depending on how your items are shipped and whether you work with local teams at either end of the move.
No matter the distance of your move, some costs that might push your move to the higher end of these estimates include additional services like box-packing, crating, disassembling and reassembling furniture, unpacking services, and disposing of items you don’t plan to keep.
When you call to get a quote, be sure to ask for it to include all the services you want and none that you plan to handle on your own so that you can more accurately compare the quotes.
What Costs Should You Budget for When You Move?
When hiring professional movers, expect hourly rates beginning at $65 per mover per hour. Most hourly rates come with a two-hour minimum and a travel fee. Flat rates for moving services can go from $400 to about $10,000, depending on the size of the move and the locations involved.
For a self-move, you should budget $500 to $800 for truck rental, packing supplies, and gas, but this, of course, can depend on the distance and size of the move. Rates can increase significantly if you require a larger truck and you're moving to a destination in another state.
You may also need to factor in time off of work and renting equipment like a dolly. (You can also purchase a dolly; a two-pack costs about $35 while hand trucks range from about $45 to $200).
If you're planning to move in 2025, know that impending tariffs may also affect the costs of moving equipment, vehicles, and vehicle parts required for maintenance. Moving companies will need to raise costs to cover these fees.
What Types of Services Can You Add to Make a Move Easier?
Whether you’re buying a new home (and selling an existing one) or signing a new lease, moving can be stressful. Here are some services that you can add on to help a move go smoother and save yourself some time.
Packing services: $10 to $20 per box
Disassembly and reassembly: The costs will depend on the furniture; a bed and frame could cost between $75 to $300 depending on the type of frame and how many pieces it has.
Unpacking services: $5-10 per box that the movers unpack.
Junk removal: $50 to $150 per furniture item.
Floor protection: $10 per square foot
Storage unit: starting at $100 a month
Should You Get Moving Insurance?
Moving insurance can help you recoup some of your costs should your items become damaged in a move. But is splurging on a more comprehensive plan worth it?
First things first, the Department of Transportation requires all movers to provide something called “released value coverage.”
This standard moving insurance, also called basic carrier liability, is a mere 30 to 60 cents per pound per article based on federal and state laws. That means if an expensive item like a Frame TV is broken while in transit, a moving company is only responsible for covering 30 to 60 cents per pound the TV weighs. Or, to put it another way, the most you’d compensated on a damaged 100-pound piece of furniture is $60.
Moving some expensive items and not comfortable with the standard coverage? You can purchase additional insurance.
Full Value Protection: This type of insurance puts the moving company on the hook for items lost or damaged during a move. Your mover will offer to repair the item, replace it with a similar item, or make a cash settlement to cover the repair or the current market value of the item. Movers can limit what items fall under this policy, limiting it to applying only to “extraordinary value” items that cost at least $100 per pound—so this type of insurance wouldn’t fully cover replacing something like bar stools, but could apply to fine art. Expect to pay between 1 to 2 percent of the property’s value for this category of insurance.
Third-Party Insurance: Opting for a third-party insurance plan for your move will likely provide the most comprehensive coverage, and it may be a good option for those who are moving some expensive items or valuable antiques. These plans vary and have different levels of coverage limits. Expect to pay about 2 to 5 percent of the value of the items you’re covering.
Tip: Always read the fine print when reviewing moving insurance policies.
How to Save on Your Next Move
The best tip to save on your move? Take less stuff with you! Purging unnecessary, underutilized items ahead of the move can help you scale down on moving costs.
If you have some flexibility in your move date, services are usually cheaper in the winter and toward the middle of every month. There is higher demand and, thus, higher rates at the very end and very beginning of the month (when leases start and end) as well as in the spring and summer, which is a busy homebuying season.
If you’re moving for a job, your employer may provide a relocation package or even fully cover your moving expenses. If your company is reimbursing you for your move costs, ask for the tip to be included on the bill versus handled in cash. You can also request an itemized receipt if your employer requires one.
How Can You Get the Most Accurate Quote?
If you're considering hiring a moving company, you should get a comprehensive quote in writing; don’t just provide an inventory and book a move over the phone. Take the time to read the moving company’s terms and conditions. Find out what the potential additional fees are.
Ask how the price will change if the move is larger than anticipated. When a company provides a flat rate with very little detail about the move, that rate is likely to change.
Also, don’t try to save by going with the lowest quote. Companies may cut corners with their equipment, labor, or insurance to offer impossibly low pricing. Any of those can come back to haunt a client.
What Moving Scams Should You Look Out For?
To avoid scams and identify red flags, always read reviews and sort by most recent. Most companies that don't take care of clients are repeat offenders, and themes will pop up in reviews. Increasing the job price before unloading the truck, making clients pay for parking tickets, or ghosting when a client reports damages are huge red flags.
If you're working with a van line, ask which specific company will be handling your move and check their reviews, not just the reviews of the parent van line. Typically, companies with fewer than four stars on major review sites are likely not delivering consistent quality to their customers, and they probably don’t provide adequate resolutions when things go wrong. Finally, having very few reviews despite being in business for a long time may indicate that the company has created new pages to shed a bad reputation.
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