2026 State Moving Cost Index

CostMyProject Research Team Prices checked October 2026

Where you live changes what you pay to move — by a lot. We ranked 10 states by the cost of a 2-bedroom move, local and interstate, using one consistent methodology. Ohio is the cheapest place to hire movers; California and New York are the priciest.

The headline numbers

Local moves ranked: 2-bedroom, cheapest → priciest

Typical range for a full-service local 2-bedroom move (3 movers, 6–8 hours). The baseline is the mean midpoint across all 10 states: $1,960.

Planning estimates (±25%). Ranges assume full-service movers, 2026 rates. See methodology.

Interstate moves ranked: ~1,000-mile 2-bedroom corridor

Midpoint of the 2-bedroom range on each state's corridor closest to 1,000 miles. Baseline (mean): $5,055.

Planning estimates (±25%). Corridors are the most popular outbound routes per state page; distances approximate.

What drives the gaps

Three forces explain nearly all of the spread between states:

1. Labor markets. Mover wages track local cost of living. Crew rates in California and New York run 15–20% above the national average; Ohio and Pennsylvania crews run about 10% below. Since labor is 60–70% of a local move's cost, this dominates the local ranking.
2. Demand density. States with heavy inbound migration (Florida, Texas, North Carolina) have more carriers competing on popular corridors, which compresses interstate pricing. New York's outbound-heavy demand and building-access friction (walk-ups, elevator reservations, parking permits) push its interstate costs to the top.
3. Regulatory and access friction. States with dense urban cores add line items rural states never see: elevator fees, long-carry charges, parking permits. Illinois (Chicago) and New York (NYC) both carry this premium; it's why Illinois ranks above its labor costs alone would suggest.

How the index was built (methodology)

Every figure in this index comes from our 10 state moving-cost pages, which share one model:

• Base rates: 2026 national full-service rates (crew hours × hourly rate by crew size, weight-and-distance formula for interstate with a $1,200 carrier minimum).
• State adjustment: a cost-of-living planning multiplier per state (California 1.20, New York 1.20, Illinois 1.10, Florida 1.10, Texas 1.05, Arizona 1.05, Georgia 1.00, North Carolina 1.00, Pennsylvania 0.95, Ohio 0.95) — labeled as methodological conventions, not surveyed prices.
• Ranking metric: the midpoint of each state's published 2-bedroom range. The baseline is the mean of midpoints. Percentages are (state midpoint ÷ baseline − 1).
• Interstate corridors: each state's most representative ~1,000-mile outbound corridor; distances are approximate and labeled with "~".

These are budgeting estimates, not quotes — planning ranges of ±25% apply. Actual bids vary by season, exact route, access conditions, and carrier. The index will be updated as we add states and re-verify rates; last checked October 2026.

How to use this index when you're planning a move

The index is most useful as a sanity check on quotes, not as a price list. Here's how to apply it:

1. Find your state's range in the table above. That's the middle 50% of what full-service movers charge for a 2-bedroom local move in 2026.
2. Apply the ±25% planning band. A quote 10% above the top of the range in peak season (May–September) is normal; a quote 30% below the bottom of the range is a red flag — check the mover's license and reviews before celebrating.
3. Adjust for your situation. Fourth-floor walk-up in Brooklyn? Add 15–20% to the New York range for stairs and long carry. Ground-floor suburban home in Columbus? You should land near the bottom of Ohio's range.
4. Get three quotes. The index tells you what "reasonable" looks like; three written estimates tell you what your move costs. Throw out any bid more than 40% below the others — it's the classic lowball-then-hostage-load scam pattern.

For a full walkthrough of quote red flags, see our roof replacement guide's red-flag section — the same bid games appear in moving. And our moving cost calculator lets you plug in your exact home size, distance, and move type for a personalized estimate.

When you move matters almost as much as where

State rankings shift with the calendar. Nationally, peak season (May through September) adds 20–30% to the ranges above; the cheapest weeks are mid-January through March. But the seasonal swing isn't equal everywhere:

• Florida has the sharpest seasonal curve in the index — snowbird season (October–April) keeps demand high nearly year-round, so the off-season discount is smaller than the national average. Summer is paradoxically the cheaper window in Florida if you can stand the heat.
• Arizona mirrors Florida: summer heat empties the mover market, and rates dip 10–15% below the published range in July and August.
• Illinois and Pennsylvania have the most "normal" seasonality — big winter discounts (up to 25% off peak) because nobody wants to move in a Chicago or Pittsburgh January.
• Texas and Georgia stay busy year-round thanks to steady inbound migration; expect only a 10–15% seasonal swing.

Seasonal adjustments are industry-typical patterns, labeled as estimates — your specific dates and carrier will vary.

DIY vs. full-service: where the math flips by state

In cheap-labor states, the DIY savings are smaller than people expect. In Ohio, a 2-bedroom DIY truck rental runs roughly $150–$300 for a local move versus $1,150–$2,400 full-service — you save about $1,000–$2,000 but spend a full day doing heavy labor with friends. In California, the same DIY setup costs roughly the same $150–$300 (truck rentals don't vary much by state), but full-service runs $1,450–$3,000 — so DIY saves proportionally more in expensive states, up to $2,700 on a single local move.

For interstate moves the logic inverts: one-way truck pricing scales with distance, not origin state, so the DIY discount is similar everywhere (typically 50–65% off full-service). The catch is your time — a 1,000-mile DIY drive is two days, fuel, hotels, and all the loading labor. Our local vs. long-distance guide breaks down exactly where each option wins.

Limitations of this index

An honest index states its boundaries:

• 10 states, not 50. These are the 10 highest-move-volume states; rural and low-population states aren't covered yet. Within-state variation (Manhattan vs. Buffalo, Austin vs. rural West Texas) can exceed the between-state gaps shown here.
• Modeled, not surveyed. Figures come from 2026 national base rates adjusted by state cost-of-living multipliers — a transparent model, not a poll of movers. It's designed for budgeting accuracy (±25%), not quote precision.
• Full-service focus. The rankings reflect full-service mover pricing. Container and DIY economics follow different curves (flatter across states).
• Point-in-time. Fuel prices, labor markets, and seasonal demand move these numbers. Last verified October 2026; the index is refreshed as rates are re-checked.

Use this data (embed it)

Bloggers, journalists, and real-estate sites: you may republish the ranked tables below with attribution. Copy the snippet — it includes a link back to this index.

State pages in this index

See all 10 state pages →

Press