Average Cost of Movers in 2026
By the Moving Company Estimate data team · Last updated October 1, 2026 · Methodology
Short answer: our 2026 planning model gives a local range of $325–$3,500 depending on home size (a 2-bedroom model midpoint is $1,075), and a long-distance model range is $1,300–$15,550 depending on the home-size preset and distance. The model allows $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 adjustments of 8% and 15%, compounded when both apply. These are not measured market averages.
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- Optional requests receive manual review
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Local moving costs by home size
Many local quotes use crew hours, but billing terms vary. Our model adds a handling allowance (crew × hours × rate) and transport. Here are the 2026 assumptions at 15 miles:
| 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. The model adds 15% for May–September and 8% for the last five days of a month, compounding when both apply. Actual carrier date adjustments vary.
- Packing. Model allowances range from $270 (studio) to $1,750 (5BR+). Confirm materials, labor and liability terms with the mover; these allowances are not its price list.
- Access. Stairs, elevators, long carries, and shuttle trucks all add billable time or flat fees.
- Inventory. Reducing the shipment may reduce a carrier quote, subject to minimums and terms. This model uses home-size presets, not a marginal price for every pound.
The fees that don't show up in averages
An illustrative range and a carrier invoice may differ because of inventory, rates, scheduling and additional services. 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.
Get your own number
Averages only get you so far, your route, size, and date produce a specific range. It takes under a minute, and no email is required:
Get a planning range for your move
Six quick questions, your price range appears instantly, before any contact form.
- No email required to see your planning range
- Optional requests receive manual review
- Your estimate is yours to keep either way
Prefer to talk? Call (561) 220-0117, free, no obligation.
FAQ
Our planning model uses a $62-per-mover hourly allowance: $124 for two movers, $186 for three and $248 for four. These are model inputs, not a surveyed national average or a carrier quote. Ask each mover what its hourly rate includes.
Our model places a local 2-bedroom move at $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, using a home-size preset with a reference weight of ~5,500 lb, not a measured shipment.
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