Moving Cost Calculator
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What will your move actually cost? Enter home size and distance — get DIY truck rental, moving container, and full-service mover totals side by side, with packing add-ons and every step of the math shown. No email required.
The price data behind this calculator
Checked October 3, 2026
| Item | 2026 price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Local move, 2 movers | $80–$100/hr | ConsumerAffairs |
| National avg: local / long-distance | $1,250 / $4,300 | Lugg (via American Moving & Storage Assn.) |
| Local full-service: 2 BR / 3 BR | $1,200–$2,500 / $1,500–$4,000 | Lugg |
| Long-distance (1,000+ mi): 2 BR / 3 BR | $3,500–$6,500 / $5,500–$9,000 | Lugg |
| U-Haul truck rental | $19.95–$39.95/day + $0.79–$1.29/mi | Easy Storage Search |
| U-Haul one-way, 2,500 mi | ~$2,600 (10 ft) / ~$3,900 (26 ft), fuel incl. | Easy Storage Search |
| PODS container | $400–$800 local; $3,200–$5,500+ cross-country | FreightWaves |
| U-Pack, 3 BR × 1,000 mi | ~$4,100 | FreightWaves |
| Pro packing | $60–$80/hr per packer; 3 BR full pack $1,030–$2,200 | Extra Space Storage |
| Full-value protection | ~1% of declared value (basic $0.60/lb released-value coverage is included by law) | FreightWaves |
Every default above is editable in the calculator — your numbers override ours. Our full sourcing and update policy: methodology.
How the model works
- Local (≤100 mi): movers bill by the hour. We multiply estimated crew hours for your home size by the crew rate — both editable. Typical 2026 crew rates run $80–$100/hr for two movers and scale with crew size.
- Long-distance (>100 mi): movers bill by weight and distance. Our formula — weight × ($0.50 + $0.0003 × miles) — is fitted to 2026 published ranges, with a $1,200 minimum (carriers enforce minimums). It's a modeled estimate, shown in full in the math panel.
- DIY truck, local: daily base × days + per-mile charge + fuel (10 mpg) + protection. One-way: a fitted base + per-mile rate that bundles fuel and protection, matched to 2026 one-way quotes.
- Container: flat local price; long-distance adds $2.50/mile to the base (includes ~1 month rental).
- Packing: full-service price from 2026 packing ranges; fragile-only at 40%. When you hire full packing, box/material costs are treated as included.
Full-service cost by distance: same 3-bedroom home, our formula
Our calculator's long-distance formula is weight × ($0.50 + $0.0003 × miles), with a $1,200 minimum. For a 3-bedroom home (8,000 lb in our model), that gives the line-haul below — before packing, supplies, and add-ons. The DIY column is our one-way 20-ft truck model ($600 base + $1.10/mile, fuel and protection bundled).
| Distance | Full-service (our formula) | DIY one-way truck (our model) | Cash gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 miles | $4,600 | $875 | $3,725 |
| 500 miles | $5,200 | $1,150 | $4,050 |
| 1,000 miles | $6,400 | $1,700 | $4,700 |
| 1,500 miles | $7,600 | $2,250 | $5,350 |
| 2,000 miles | $8,800 | $2,800 | $6,000 |
| 3,000 miles | $11,200 | $3,900 | $7,300 |
On cash alone, the DIY truck wins in every band — and the gap grows with distance. The honest crossover is not a dollar figure but a time figure: a 3,000-mile drive is 4–5 days of driving plus hotels, meals, and lost work days. If those cost you more than the $7,300 gap, the pro wins; if they do not, the truck wins. Count your days before you count your dollars.
When you move matters: seasonal pricing
Typical industry-reported adjustments (not our measurements — mover pricing is seasonal everywhere, and the ranges below are what the major moving guides report):
| Timing | Typical adjustment |
|---|---|
| End of month | +10–15% |
| Weekend | +5–8% |
| Summer (Memorial Day–Labor Day) | Peak season — most moves, highest prices |
| Mid-month, mid-week, off-season (Oct–Apr) | 20–30% cheaper than peak (our own guide's figure) |
A mid-month, mid-week move in the off-season is the single biggest lever on a moving quote — bigger than haggling over the hourly rate.
Three ways people overpay for a move
- Wrong move type for the distance. Full-service for a studio across town is paying for convenience you barely need; DIY-driving a 26-ft truck 2,500 miles without pricing a container first leaves money on the table — containers routinely beat full-service by $1,000+ on long hauls.
- Comparing quotes on different bases. One quote is hourly, another is flat; one includes full-value protection, another the legal-minimum $0.60/lb. Normalize every quote to the same basis before comparing — see our hidden fees guide.
- Ignoring the calendar. Summer weekends are peak pricing. A mid-month, mid-week move in the off-season (Oct–Apr) can cut 20–30% off the same job — movers' demand curve is that steep.
Sources & further reading
- IRS — Topic 455, Moving Expenses — IRS Topic 455 states the current rules: the moving-expense deduction is suspended for most filers through 2025, with an exception for active-duty military moving on orders.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — HUD's housing resources explain tenant rights — notice periods, deposit rules — that matter when a move involves ending a lease early.
- This Old House — This Old House's moving guides cover packing strategy, mover vetting, and timing with contractor-grade practical detail.
Moving paperwork and fee terms, decoded
Moving has its own fine print — here's the translation. A binding estimate locks in your price (the mover eats overruns); a non-binding estimate can rise up to 10% at delivery under federal rules. The bill of lading is your contract and receipt combined — never let the truck leave without a signed copy. Know whether you're hiring a carrier (owns trucks, does the move) or a broker (sells your job to someone else); verify any interstate mover's USDOT number on the FMCSA website before booking. Accessorial charges are the extras: stairs, long carries from truck to door, elevator waits, and shuttle service when a big truck can't reach your street ($300–$800). Storage-in-transit (SIT) covers the mover holding your goods between homes — usually billed monthly plus handling each way (October 2026 planning estimates).
Before you sign a moving quote
- Binding vs non-binding — a binding quote cannot rise unless you add items; a non-binding quote can.
- Valuation basis — released value ($0.60/lb included) vs full-value protection; a 40-lb TV settles at $24 under released value.
- Weight tickets — for long-distance, ask how weight is verified.
- All fees in writing — stairs, elevator, long carry, shuttle, storage-in-transit, fuel surcharge.
- FMCSA interstate authority — verify the carrier's USDOT number before booking an interstate move.
- Delivery window, not just a date — long-distance delivery is a range; get it in writing.
Moving cost FAQs
How much does a local move cost?
Full-service local moves in 2026 run roughly $400–$1,500 (studio), $1,200–$2,500 (2 BR), $1,500–$4,000 (3 BR). A DIY truck for a local move is typically $75–$160 all-in plus boxes. Run your home size through the calculator above for all three move types side by side.
How much does a cross-country move cost?
Full-service: roughly $3,500–$6,500 (2 BR) or $5,500–$9,000 (3 BR) at 1,000+ miles. DIY one-way truck: ~$2,600–$3,900 for 2,500 miles including fuel. Containers land between the two — about $4,600 for a 3 BR at 1,200 miles in our model.
Is it cheaper to rent a truck or hire movers?
Almost always the truck — locally, often by 5–10×. On long-distance moves the gap narrows once fuel, lodging, and two days of your life enter the math, and containers become the value pick. The comparison table in the calculator prices your exact scenario three ways.
What is the cheapest way to move long distance?
A one-way DIY truck rental is usually cheapest if you'll drive it. Next: moving containers, then freight trailers (pay-per-foot) on some routes, then full-service. If there's a gap between leases, a container's built-in storage month can make it the cheapest total option.
How accurate is this estimator?
It's a planning estimate fitted to October 2026 published ranges — good for budgeting and for choosing between move types. Real quotes vary ±30% by city, season, and carrier, and long-distance carriers enforce minimum charges. Get three written quotes and sanity-check each here before signing. How we compute costs.
How much should I tip movers?
For a local move, $20–$40 per mover for a half-day job and $40–$80 per mover for a full day is standard in 2026 — roughly $5 per hour per mover as a rule of thumb. For long-distance crews, tip the loading and unloading crews separately. Tip in cash, and tip more for stairs, heavy items, or exceptional care.
What is the cheapest month to move?
Winter — November through February — is cheapest, with January typically the lowest-demand month. Peak season (June–August) can cost 20–30% more for the same move, and month-end dates book up first year-round. A mid-week, mid-month winter move gets the best rates. (October 2026 seasonal data.)
Are moving expenses tax-deductible in 2026?
For most people, no. The federal deduction for moving expenses was suspended for tax years 2018–2025 and remains unavailable to civilian filers; only active-duty military members moving on orders can still deduct. Keep receipts anyway — some states offer their own moving deductions. See IRS Topic 455 for the current rules. (October 2026.)