How Much Does Moving Cost?

Local Move Costs by Home Size (2026)

Local moves are generally defined as anything under 50 miles. Movers charge by the hour and the final cost depends on how much stuff you have, how many flights of stairs are involved, and how far the truck needs to travel.

These ranges assume a crew of 2–3 movers with a truck and standard access (ground floor or one flight of stairs). Add 10–25% for weekend or peak season moves (May through September).

Long-Distance Move Costs (2026)

Long-distance moves (over 50 miles or across state lines) are priced by weight and distance rather than by the hour. The table below shows typical ranges for each combination of home size and distance bracket.

Always get a binding or binding-not-to-exceed estimate. A non-binding estimate lets the mover charge you more on delivery day based on actual weight, which is how most moving scams work.

Hourly Moving Rates by Crew Size

For local moves, most companies charge an hourly rate that includes the crew and truck. Here is what each crew size typically costs per hour in 2026.

Packing Costs

Professional packing adds significant cost but saves time and reduces damage risk. Movers can pack everything or just fragile and specialty items.

Full packing service includes all materials (boxes, tape, bubble wrap, paper). If you pack yourself, buy boxes from a moving supply store or Home Depot rather than using random grocery store boxes, which collapse under weight and are not uniform sizes for stacking in the truck.

Special Item Moving Costs

Oversized, fragile, or extremely heavy items require special handling, equipment, or additional movers. These costs are usually quoted separately and added on top of the base move price.

Grand pianos and pool tables require disassembly, special crating, and reassembly at the destination. Not all moving companies handle these items, so ask before booking. Specialty movers who focus on pianos or pool tables often deliver better results than general movers.

Common Moving Fees and Surcharges

The base quote rarely covers everything. These are the fees that show up most often on moving day or in the final bill. A good mover discloses all of them in the estimate.

Peak season runs May through September, and the last/first days of any month are consistently more expensive due to lease turnover. Moving mid-month on a Tuesday or Wednesday in the off-season can save 20–30% compared to a Saturday in June.

Storage Unit Costs (Monthly)

If your new home is not ready yet or you need to downsize, here is what self-storage costs in 2026. Prices are for standard (non-climate-controlled) units. Climate-controlled units typically cost about 25% more.

Climate control is worth the premium for wood furniture, electronics, artwork, leather, and anything that degrades in extreme heat or humidity. Most facilities offer month-to-month leases, but you can often negotiate a lower rate by committing to 3–6 months upfront.

How to Spot a Moving Scam

Moving fraud is one of the most common consumer complaints in the United States. The FTC and FMCSA receive thousands of reports annually about movers holding belongings hostage, inflating prices on delivery day, or disappearing entirely. Watch for these red flags.

• No in-home or video survey before giving a binding estimate. Any mover who quotes a flat price over the phone without seeing your belongings is guessing, and will likely raise the price on moving day.
• Demands a large cash deposit upfront. Legitimate movers take 10–20% as a deposit or bill on delivery. A demand for 50%+ in cash before the move is a red flag.
• No USDOT number on the estimate or website. Interstate movers are legally required to be registered with the FMCSA and display their USDOT number. No number means no accountability.
• Unmarked trucks or generic rental trucks on moving day. Professional movers use branded trucks. If a Budget or U-Haul shows up, your "moving company" may be a broker who subcontracted to day laborers.
• Phone-only estimate without seeing your belongings. A legitimate mover will do an in-home walkthrough or at minimum a detailed video call to assess volume and access.
• Binding estimate that "adjusts" on moving day. A binding estimate is a fixed price. If the mover says the price changed because of "actual weight," they are violating federal law for interstate moves.
• Will not provide a written estimate or contract. Everything should be documented. A verbal-only agreement gives you zero legal protection.
• Asks you to sign blank or incomplete documents. Never sign anything with blank spaces that could be filled in later. Every line item and price should be present before you sign.
• Price seems too good to be true. If one quote is significantly below all others, it almost certainly is. Lowball estimates are the most common entry point for moving scams.

Before hiring any mover, verify their USDOT number at FMCSA SAFER, check their complaint history, and read reviews on Google and the BBB. Get at least three written estimates.

What a Good Moving Quote Should Include

A complete, transparent moving estimate covers all of the following. If any of these items are missing, ask the mover to add them before you sign.

• Itemized inventory list provided. The mover should document every major item being moved, which determines the weight estimate and truck space needed.
• Pickup date and time window. The estimate should specify the pickup date and a reasonable arrival window (e.g., 8:00–10:00 AM), not just "sometime that week."
• Delivery date and time window. For long-distance moves, expect a delivery window of 1–14 days depending on distance. This should be stated in writing.
• Insurance / valuation coverage included. Federal law requires movers to offer basic liability (60 cents per pound per item). Full-value protection costs more but covers actual replacement cost.
• Weight estimate or binding price. The quote should clearly state whether it is binding (fixed price), binding-not-to-exceed, or non-binding (estimated, subject to change).
• USDOT and MC numbers listed. These identify the mover's federal registration and let you verify their operating authority and complaint history.
• Cancellation policy stated. Know what happens if you need to reschedule or cancel. Most movers allow free cancellation up to 48–72 hours before the move.
• Stair / elevator / long carry fees disclosed. These access fees should be listed upfront, not added on moving day as a surprise.
• Packing costs itemized separately. If the mover is providing packing service, those costs should be broken out from the base transportation charge.
• Fuel surcharge disclosed. Fuel surcharges of 5–12% are standard. They should be listed on the estimate, not added to the final bill.

Moving Costs by City

Long-distance moves are priced by weight and distance, but the per-pound rate quietly bakes in the local labor cost of loading at the origin metro and the carrier's warehouse and truck overhead. That makes the origin city the single biggest variable on an interstate quote — an identical 8,000-pound shipment can cost 50% more from New York than from Memphis even with the same destination. The ranges below cover a full-service, professionally packed interstate 3-bedroom move of roughly 1,000 miles — the most common consumer-relocation distance and the lens that actually maps to the quotes most households are comparing. High-labor coastal metros and military PCS hubs both push the upper end. Click any city for hourly crew rates, local-move pricing by home size, and packing breakdowns.

Cross-country moves over 2,500 miles typically run 25–40% above these ranges. Local moves under 50 miles are billed by the hour instead — see the hourly crew-rate table above. See moving cost data for all U.S. cities → or browse the full city directory across every cost vertical.

Frequently Asked Questions