Moving Cost Calculator
Estimate what a move will cost and compare DIY truck rental, truck plus hired loaders, a portable container and professional movers — local or long-distance — with packing, supplies, insurance, tips, travel and storage.
How it works
DIY ≈ truck rental (local: base + $0.99/mile round trip; long: one-way base + per-mile) + truck fuel + supplies Truck + loaders ≈ DIY + loader hours × rate + tips · Container ≈ containers × ($450 + $1.45/mile) Movers, local ≈ (crew hours + drive time + 1 h travel) × crew rate · Movers, long-distance ≈ weight × $/lb × distance factor (0.6 + 0.4 × miles ÷ 1,200) All methods + packing, insurance, stairs/specialty fees, tips, your travel and storage · range = 80%–125% of the estimate
The estimate starts from the home size, which sets the shipment weight (about 5,000 lb for a two-bedroom), the boxes you need, the truck size and the crew hours a mover bills. Local moves of 100 miles or less are priced by time: hourly movers multiply crew hours, driving time and a one-hour travel fee by the crew rate, and rental trucks charge a small base plus mileage for the round trip. Long-distance moves are priced by weight and distance for movers, as one-way rentals for trucks, and per container for portable containers. The calculator prices all four methods side by side so you can see what doing the work yourself saves, then adds what people forget — packing, supplies, insurance, stairs and specialty items, tips, your own fuel, hotels and meals, and storage. Real quotes vary with season, access and timing, so the likely range runs from 80% to 125% of the estimate.
Worked example
A two-bedroom moving 50 miles: hourly movers need about 6 crew hours plus 1.7 hours of driving and a 1-hour travel fee, so 8.7 hours × $120 ≈ $1,040, plus $90 of tips (3 movers at $30), $190 of boxes and supplies and $6 of fuel for your car — about $1,326 in total. A DIY 15 ft truck costs $30 + $0.99 × 110 miles ≈ $139 plus $35 of fuel, $30 for a dolly and pads and $190 of supplies — about $394. Moving the same home 1,200 miles with movers is priced by weight: 5,000 lb × $0.65 ≈ $3,250, and with tips, supplies, fuel, two hotel nights and meals the budget is about $4,290.
Sources: HireAHelper — Moving cost calculator (labor, truck, container and full-service costs by home size) · This Old House — Moving cost calculator (hourly and per-pound rates, shipment weights) · moveBuddha — Moving cost calculator
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this estimate?
It is a planning ballpark built from typical rates. Real quotes swing with stairs versus elevators, long carries from the truck, packing services, specialty items like pianos, and peak-season or weekend dates. Use it to set a budget and to sanity-check the written quotes you get.
Which moving method is cheapest?
A DIY truck is almost always cheapest in cash, especially for small homes and short moves. Hiring loaders for a few hours removes most of the heavy lifting for a few hundred dollars more. Containers sit in the middle and are handy when you need storage between homes. Full-service movers cost the most but save days of work, and over long distances the gap narrows once you add truck fuel, hotels and time off work.
How do long-distance movers price a move?
By the weight of your shipment and the distance, not by the hour — commonly $0.50 to $0.80 per pound for about 1,000–1,500 miles, plus packing, valuation coverage and access fees. Interstate movers must give you a written estimate and be registered with the FMCSA; a binding or not-to-exceed estimate protects you from surprises.
What costs do people forget?
Boxes and packing supplies, moving insurance or full-value protection, tips for movers (commonly $20–$40 per mover per day), meals on moving day, and on long moves your own fuel, hotels and meals. Storage between homes and fees for stairs or bulky items add up too. Turn them on under More options to see the full budget.
Is moving insurance worth it?
Movers’ free basic liability pays only $0.60 per pound per item, so a damaged 10 lb TV gets $6. Full-value protection, roughly 1% of the declared value, repairs or replaces damaged items. For truck rentals, the rental company’s damage and cargo cover is often worth the $20–$40 a day unless your own policy covers it.
Related calculators
This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.