Moving to Tennessee: 2026 costs & movers
Tennessee has surged as a no-income-tax destination, with Nashville leading a wave of inbound relocation from higher-cost states.
Typical local move, 2-bedroom home
$850–$1,250
Local cost index
-3% vs national
Largest city
Nashville
Cities covered
4
National baseline scaled to Tennessee · how we calculate
Cost of movers in Tennessee: hourly crew rates
Tennessee's index sits close to the national line, but the reason differs by city. Nashville's tall-and-skinny infill houses are three floors of narrow staircase on lots with no driveway, which is genuinely expensive to work. Memphis and the east-Tennessee metros are among the cheapest markets in the country. Demand, not wages, is what tightens Nashville.
A local move is billed by the hour, so the crew rate is the number that decides the bill. These are 2026 Tennessee rates with the truck, fuel, dollies, and pads included:
| Crew size | Rate / hour | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers | $120 | Studio – 1BR |
| 3 movers | $180 | 2BR – 3BR |
| 4 movers | $241 | 4BR+ |
Almost every company also bills a 2–4 hour minimum plus travel time, so a very small job rarely lands below the studio row in the next table. The hourly rates guide covers minimums, travel-time billing, and labor-only crews in full.
Tennessee local move cost by home size
| Home size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $325 | $400 | $475 |
| 1 Bedroom | $425 | $525 | $650 |
| 2 Bedroom | $850 | $1,050 | $1,250 |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,175 | $1,425 | $1,750 |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,875 | $2,275 | $2,800 |
| 5+ Bedroom | $2,275 | $2,800 | $3,400 |
Rates track close to the national average, but fast inbound demand keeps the best Nashville crews booked out, the market is tighter than its size suggests.
How much does it cost to move to Tennessee from out of state?
An interstate move is priced on a different basis than a local one. Instead of crew hours at a local rate, you are paying for the weight of your household moved a given distance, and that per-mile carrier cost is national, not Tennessee-specific. The crew hours are also split between an origin market and a Tennessee destination market, so we do not scale these figures by Tennessee's local cost index, doing so would overstate how much the destination changes the price.
Here are the 3 interstate lanes into Tennessee we publish rates for, priced at each corridor's actual road distance for a 3-bedroom household:
| Corridor | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL to Nashville (471 mi) | $2,825 | $3,450 | $4,200 |
| New York, NY to Nashville (892 mi) | $3,700 | $4,500 | $5,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA to Nashville (2,010 mi) | $5,575 | $6,800 | $8,300 |
Smaller households scale down from here: a 1-bedroom runs roughly half a 3-bedroom at the same distance, and a studio about a third. Moving in peak season (May–September) or in the last five days of a month adds 15–24% on top. The long-distance guide has the full matrix by home size and distance.
Moving cost by city in Tennessee
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Popular Tennessee moving routes
Moving to Tennessee
Moving to Tennessee FAQ
In 2026, Tennessee movers charge about $120/hour for a 2-mover crew, $180/hour for 3 movers, and $241/hour for 4, with the truck included. A typical 2-bedroom local move works out to $850–$1,250 all in.
Tennessee's index sits close to the national line, but the reason differs by city. Nashville's tall-and-skinny infill houses are three floors of narrow staircase on lots with no driveway, which is genuinely expensive to work. Memphis and the east-Tennessee metros are among the cheapest markets in the country. Demand, not wages, is what tightens Nashville.
Interstate pricing is set by weight and distance, not by Tennessee's local labor market. For a 3-bedroom household, expect about $2,100–$3,150 from a neighbouring state, $3,900–$5,800 from roughly 1,000 miles away, and $6,500–$9,675 coast to coast. Smaller homes cost proportionally less.
A local move within Tennessee runs about $325–$475 for a studio up to $2,275–$3,400 for a large house, at Tennessee crew rates for a roughly 15-mile move. Anything past about 50 miles starts picking up per-mile transport on top of the crew hours.
Among the Tennessee metros we cover, rates vary by local labor market and building access. Compare Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga on their city pages below, each shows hourly crew rates and a full cost table.
Rates track close to the national average, but fast inbound demand keeps the best Nashville crews booked out, the market is tighter than its size suggests.