Average Cost of Movers in 2026
By the Moving Company Estimate data team · Last updated September 5, 2026 · Methodology
Short answer: in 2026, a local move costs $325–$3,500 depending on home size (a 2-bedroom averages about $1,075), and a long-distance move costs $1,300–$15,550 depending on weight and distance. Movers charge about $62/hour per mover to load and unload, plus a per-mile transport cost that scales with home size and shrinks per mile the farther you go, plus seasonal premiums of 8–15%.
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Local moving costs by home size
Local moves (under 50 miles) are billed hourly. Your cost is crew size × hours × hourly rate. Here's the 2026 national picture:
| Home size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $325 | $400 | $500 |
| 1 Bedroom | $450 | $550 | $675 |
| 2 Bedroom | $875 | $1,075 | $1,300 |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,200 | $1,475 | $1,800 |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,925 | $2,350 | $2,875 |
| 5+ Bedroom | $2,350 | $2,875 | $3,500 |
Long-distance moving costs
Long-distance pricing is weight-driven. At roughly 1,000 miles (Chicago→Dallas, NYC→Chicago class routes):
| Home size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,300 | $1,600 | $1,950 |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,725 | $2,100 | $2,550 |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,675 | $3,275 | $4,000 |
| 3 Bedroom | $3,900 | $4,750 | $5,800 |
| 4 Bedroom | $5,325 | $6,500 | $7,925 |
| 5+ Bedroom | $6,450 | $7,875 | $9,600 |
Cross-country (2,500+ miles, e.g. coast to coast):
| Home size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,275 | $2,775 | $3,375 |
| 1 Bedroom | $2,975 | $3,625 | $4,425 |
| 2 Bedroom | $4,400 | $5,375 | $6,550 |
| 3 Bedroom | $6,500 | $7,925 | $9,675 |
| 4 Bedroom | $8,625 | $10,525 | $12,850 |
| 5+ Bedroom | $10,450 | $12,750 | $15,550 |
What changes your price
- Date. May–September adds ~15%; the last five days of any month add ~8%. A flexible mid-month, off-season date is the single cheapest lever you control.
- Packing. Full packing service adds $270 (studio) to $1,750 (5BR+). Packing yourself saves real money but shifts breakage liability to you.
- Access. Stairs, elevators, long carries, and shuttle trucks all add billable time or flat fees.
- Weight discipline. Every 1,000 lbs you purge before a 1,000-mile move saves roughly $550 at the 2026 band rate.
The fees that don't show up in averages
The gap between a quoted average and a final invoice is almost always fees, not rates. The recurring offenders: billed travel time or "double drive time" on local moves ($90–$190), stair and long-carry charges when the truck can't park within ~75 feet, shuttle trucks where a full-size van can't reach the street (several hundred dollars), building-required certificates of insurance, and storage-in-transit at $220+for the first month when closings don't line up. On long-distance moves, the estimate type matters more than any fee: a binding estimate fixes the price to a written inventory, while a non-binding one is settled at a certified scale after loading, which is where lowball quotes recover their margin. Ask every mover for the fee schedule in writing and normalize quotes to an all-in number before comparing; our local and long-distance guides itemize realistic all-in budgets by home size.
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Get your exact moving quote
Six quick questions, your price range appears instantly, before any contact form.
- No email required to see your price
- Licensed & insured movers only
- Your estimate is yours to keep either way
Prefer to talk? Call (561) 220-0117, free, no obligation.
FAQ
In 2026, expect a blended national average of about $62 per mover per hour including the truck, roughly $124/hour for a two-mover crew, $186/hour for three movers, and $248/hour for four. High-cost metros run 5–10% above these figures, and lower-cost metros about 5% below.
A local 2-bedroom move costs $875–$1,300, typically $1,075 (three movers, about 5.5 hours). Long distance, the same home runs about $1,600–$2,375 at 300 miles and $4,400–$6,550 cross-country, driven by its ~5,500 lb shipment weight.
Usually, in cash terms: a one-way truck rental plus fuel for a 1,000-mile move runs $1,200–$2,000 (editorial market range) versus $2,675–$4,000 for full-service movers on a 2-bedroom. Containers (PODS-style) split the difference. The trade is your labor, time, and damage risk.
Common surcharges: full packing service ($270–$1,750 by home size), stairs or long-carry fees, shuttle trucks where a full-size van can't park, storage-in-transit, and specialty items like pianos or safes. Ask for every fee in writing before booking.
All moving cost guides
- Local Moving Costs
- Long-Distance Moving Cost
- Cross-Country Moving Cost
- Movers' Hourly Rates
- Full-Service Movers Cost
- PODS vs Movers Cost
- Cost to Move a Studio Apartment
- Cost to Move a 1-Bedroom Apartment
- Cost to Move a 2-Bedroom Apartment
- Cost to Move a 3-Bedroom House
- Cost to Move a 4-Bedroom House
- Cost to Move a 5-Bedroom House
- Moving Cost by Square Footage
- Moving Company Rates Compared
- Binding vs Non-Binding Estimates
- Best (and Cheapest) Time to Move
- Truck Rental vs Movers Cost
- All cost guides
- Moving costs by city
- Moving costs by state
A worked moving-cost example: hold the inventory constant
This illustrative model run uses a two-bedroom home and 1,000 miles, with no date adjustment. The home-size preset assumes 5,500 pounds; it is not a measured shipment. Only packing and storage change between these rows.
| Scenario | Planning range | Model midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and handling | $2,675–$4,000 | $3,275 |
| With model packing allowance | $3,175–$4,725 | $3,875 |
| With packing and first-month storage | $3,350–$5,000 | $4,100 |
Show the model inputs behind the final row
- Loading & unloading: 3-mover crew, ~5.5 hrs at $62/mover/hr (+$1,023)
- Transport: ~1,000 mi at tiered carrier mileage rates (+$2,240)
- Full packing service +$620
- Storage, first month +$220
The calculator rounds the midpoint and range endpoints separately. These allowances are model inputs, not a carrier tariff, a surveyed average, or a binding estimate.
Build the inventory your estimator cannot see
Go room by room and record furniture, packed boxes, fragile items, and what stays behind. List garage and storage-unit contents separately. Give each carrier the same version and keep a dated copy when items change.
- Record stairs, elevator reservations, parking distance, and loading restrictions at both addresses.
- Identify items needing special handling and who supplies packing materials.
- Ask for access charges, storage, redelivery, and exclusions to be itemized. The model above does not individually price those conditions.
FMCSA recommends comparing written mover estimates. Use this worked example to ask better scope questions, then read our calculation methodology and how estimate types differ.
Example updated September 5, 2026 · Moving Company Estimate data team