Moving Cost Calculator
Get a rough estimate of your moving cost based on home size, hours, and distance — with a typical low–high range.
Estimated cost: $500.00 — typical range $400.00 – $600.00.
Real quotes vary by season (peak summer is 20–40% pricier), service tier (full-pack vs DIY-load), and company. Get 3+ quotes before booking. The ±20% range above reflects this typical spread.
Results update as you type. Estimate excludes packing materials, insurance, storage, and tips. Treat this as a rule-of-thumb starting point, not a quote.
Formula
Two pieces:
labour = hours × hourly_rate and
distance_cost = distance × per_distance_rate.
Add them. The ±20% range either side of the total reflects the typical spread between
cheapest and dearest quote for the same move — useful as a sanity check when you're
collecting bids.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a US move cost?▾
Local moves: $400–$1,200 for a 1–2 bedroom apartment, $800–$2,000 for a 3–4 bedroom house. Long-distance (> 100 mi or interstate): typically $2,000–$8,000 depending on volume and distance, often quoted by the cubic-foot or pound rather than hourly. Hourly rates run $80–$150/hr for a 2-person crew, $120–$220/hr for a 3-person.
Hourly vs flat-rate quote?▾
Local moves are usually billed hourly with a 2-hour or 3-hour minimum. Long-distance and interstate moves are typically a flat rate based on weight (linehaul charge per cwt — hundredweight) plus pickup/delivery time. Get the binding-not-to-exceed (BNTE) quote in writing for long-distance — non-binding estimates can balloon.
Should I get a binding quote?▾
For long-distance, yes — strongly. A binding estimate (or 'binding-not-to-exceed') caps your final bill at the quoted figure barring written addendums. Non-binding estimates are common but can drift 20–50% upward on the day if the mover claims more weight or extra hours than estimated. The FMCSA requires interstate movers to provide a written estimate; binding ones cost a little more but eliminate the surprise.
When is moving cheapest?▾
Mid-week (Tue/Wed) outside summer. Avoid: peak summer (May–Sep), end-of-month, and holidays. Discounts of 20–40% are common for off-peak Tue/Wed moves in winter. The first or last weekend of the month is the worst for availability and pricing.
Are tips expected?▾
Yes, for full-service moves. Standard guidance: $4–$5 per hour per mover for a competent crew, more for difficult moves (multiple flights of stairs, oversized items, hot weather). Round up if the crew was particularly good. Provide water/cold drinks throughout the day; lunch on long moves is a nice touch but optional.
What's NOT in this estimate?▾
Packing materials ($50–$200 DIY), valuation coverage ('insurance' is technically not allowed; the FMCSA-required Released Value Protection of $0.60/lb is included by default — Full Value Protection is extra), storage between dates ($150–$500/month for typical 1-bed volume), parking permits (NYC, SF require these), and tips ($60–$200 typical for a 2-person crew on a half-day move).