How Much Do Movers Cost in San Francisco?

Moving locally in San Francisco: When moving within the Golden Gate City, hiring professional relocation services can cost you from $700 (for a small apartment) up to $4,000 (for a larger residence). The price will be calculated on an hourly basis, so the time needed to complete the job will determine your final moving bill.

Moving long distance to or from San Francisco, CA: Interstate moving costs are based on the distance between the origin and destination locations and the weight of the shipment, so when moving a smaller home (about 3,000 lbs.) at a distance of 1,000 miles, you can expect to pay from $2,700 to $5,400 for professional moving services. When moving a larger house (10,000+ lbs.), your long distance moving costs to or from San Francisco can easily go over $8,000 (for a distance of 1,000 miles).

Whether you’re considering moving within San Francisco – or out-of-state to or from the city – one of the first questions you will want an answer to will be “How much do San Francisco movers cost?” The answer will help you decide whether to use moving services or not, exactly what kind of services to request, and how to best plan your finances.

As most important questions, however, this one doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer – the price of your move will depend on the specific circumstances in your case, so you will need a personalized estimate in order to find out how much your relocation will cost you.

Yet, you can get a very good idea of how much you can expect to pay for professional moving help by exploring the average costs of hiring movers in San Francisco.

Here are some specific numbers, cost factors, and money-saving strategies to help you in your moving endeavor:

How much does it cost to hire local movers in San Francisco?

San Francisco, a city renowned for its rich tapestry of history, culture, and topography, can also claim fame for its dynamic moving landscape. Considering the amazing kaleidoscope of eclectic neighborhoods and tranquil suburbs in the city, it’s no wonder that moving within San Francisco is such a common occurrence.

Just like the diverse areas of the city, local moving costs in San Francisco can vary dramatically from one relocation case to another.

For reference, here are the average costs to hire San Francisco local movers:

• One-bedroom apartment – San Francisco is notorious for its high cost of living. So, it’s only natural that the cost of moving will be high as well. Relocating even a 1-bedroom apartment in the City of Fog will cost you as much as $700;
• Two-bedroom home – As can be expected, the cost to hire professional moving help in San Francisco for a 2-bedroom house or apartment goes over $1,000 – up to $1,500 (with an average of $1,200);
• Three-bedroom residence – Moving a 3-bedroom home in San Francisco will cost you a pretty penny – about $2,700 in case things go smoothly and no complications arise;
• Four-bedroom house – Quite naturally, larger homes incur higher moving costs – you can expect to pay about $3,200 for the relocation of a standard 4-bedroom house in the Golden Gate City, but the price can easily go over $4,000 for more complicated jobs and greater distances between the pickup and drop-off locations.

While the size of the move is the major factor determining the cost of hiring professional moving services in the City of Fog (San Francisco local movers charge by the hour – the more things there are for moving, the more hours the job takes, so the moving costs are higher), the type of items to be relocated and the specifics of the pickup and delivery locations also influence the final moving bill (specialty items, access issues, and all kinds of difficulties that slow down the job, make it more complicated, or require extra services incur extra charges).

Keep in mind that any requested accessorial services (such as packing or furniture disassembly, for example) will add to the moving cost as well – and even the time of the year will affect the price (professional movers offer promotions and lower their rates during slow periods when moving services are not in high demand).

Last but not least, the actual distance between your old home and your new one, as well as the specifics of the areas you’re moving from and to, should also be taken into consideration. Moving from the inner city to one of San Francisco’s picturesque suburbs (Berkeley, Los Altos, Walnut Creek, Albany, etc.) or from one suburb to another (from Palo Alto to Pleasanton, from Richmond to Foster City, etc.) will cost you much more than relocating within the same neighborhood, of course. Besides, the hilly terrain, limited parking space, and narrow streets in some parts of SF will inevitably increase your moving costs when relocating in these areas.

So, the only way to find out how much your move within the Golden Gate City will actually cost you is to get in-home price estimates from several reputable San Francisco movers – the pros will see exactly what you have for moving, will assess any potential complications, will take your requirements and preferences into account and will give you an accurate quote.

Bonus tip: Before choosing a local mover in San Francisco to work with, be sure to check the company’s registration number with the California Public Utilities Commission – California movers are regulated by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services and need a permit from the CPUC in order to operate legally in the state.

To compare the cost of hiring San Francisco moving companies with movers’ costs in other major cities in California, follow the links below:

How much do movers cost in Los Angeles

How much do movers cost in San Diego

How much do movers cost in San Jose

How much does it cost to hire San Francisco movers for a long-distance move?

While local moving costs in San Francisco, California, may not be cheap, prices skyrocket when it comes to long-distance relocations. That’s hardly a surprise, considering the high cost of living in SF and the high costs of cross-country moves in general.

Here are the average costs of hiring a long distance moving company in San Francisco at a glance:

	1-bedroom apartment	2-bedroom home	3-bedroom home	4-bedroom house
500 miles	$2,000 – $4,100	$2,400 – $5,150	$3,500 – $5,900	$4,050 – $7,000
1,000 miles	$2,600 – $5,200	$3,000 – $6,150	$4,050 – $6,950	$5,100 – $8,150
1,500 miles	$2,850 – $5,450	$3,400 – $6,450	$4,700 – $7,600	$6,200 – $10,100
2,000 miles	$3,050 – $5,750	$3,950 – $7,050	$5,300 – $8,100	$7,350 – $11,800
3,000 miles	$3,400 – $6,300	$4,550 – $7,900	$6,000 – $9,050	$8,400 – $12,900

See also: The average cost of moving

To get a better idea of how much you can expect to pay for your out-of-state move to or from the Golden Gate City, take a closer look at the sample costs along some of the most popular moving routes from San Francisco to other major cities in the country:

• Moving from San Francisco, CA to Austin, TX
  • $2,700 – $5,250 (1-bedroom)
  • $3,450 – $6,300 (2-bedroom)
  • $4,650 – $7,500 (3-bedroom)
  • $6,300 – $10,250 (4-bedroom)
• Moving from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL
  • $2,750 – $5,350 (1-bedroom)
  • $3,700 – $6,600 (2-bedroom)
  • $5,050 – $8,000 (3-bedroom)
  • $7,000 – $11,300 (4-bedroom)
• Moving from San Francisco, CA to Denver, CO
  • $2,600 – $5,150 (1-bedroom)
  • $3,000 – $6,150 (2-bedroom)
  • $4,050 – $6,900 (3-bedroom)
  • $5,050 – $8,250 (4-bedroom)
• Moving from San Francisco, CA to Portland, OR
  • $1,950 – $3,800 (1-bedroom)
  • $2,350 – $5,000 (2-bedroom)
  • $3,500 – $5,950 (3-bedroom)
  • $4,200 – $7,250 (4-bedroom)
• Moving from San Francisco, CA to New York, NY
  • $3,150 – $6,200 (1-bedroom)
  • $4,450 – $7,800 (2-bedroom)
  • $5,900 – $8,950 (3-bedroom)
  • $8,400 – $12,800 (4-bedroom)
• Moving from San Francisco, CA to Seattle, WA
  • $2,250 – $4,600 (1-bedroom)
  • $2,700 – $5,450 (2-bedroom)
  • $3,600 – $6,150 (3-bedroom)
  • $4,300 – $7,350 (4-bedroom)

Needless to say, the above figures are just average prices – the cost of your move may be a bit lower or much higher, depending on the specific circumstances in your case. You can use our free moving cost calculator to get a rough estimate of your relocation costs but only a moving company can give you an accurate price quote – after a visual survey of your home and a thorough discussion of your requirements and preferences.

Ask for recommendations, read moving reviews, check ratings, and request on-site estimates from three or four top-rated and highly recommended San Francisco moving companies. Interview the movers, give them all the relevant information, compare their offers, and choose the best moving partners for you. Be sure to carefully research the company you’re considering hiring for your move (verify its USDOT number, check its complaints history, etc.) before signing a contract – to avoid unpleasant surprises and potential problems with your relocation.

What factors affect the costs of professional moving services in San Francisco?

While the cost of a move depends primarily on its size (more items mean more time to complete the job (so local moving costs are higher) and heavier load (so long-distance moving costs are higher)), other factors also come into play:

1) Distance of the move – The distance between origin and destination determines the way moving costs are estimated. As already mentioned above, short-distance moves (under 50 miles) are charged by the hour while long-distance moves are charged at a per-mile rate.

2) Required services – Naturally, the more moving services are provided, the higher the cost of the move:

• Accessorial services – Auxiliary services customers may request to save themselves time and effort during the moving process (packing and unpacking, furniture disassembly and reassembly, appliance servicing, etc.);
• Specialty services – Specialized services required for a safe and efficient relocation (handling of specialty items, hoisting through windows, etc.)
• Additional services – Any other services that may be desired by the customer or necessitated by the circumstances (storage, split pickup and/or delivery, shuttle services, exclusive use vehicle, etc.).

3) Additional fees – In addition to the charges for any required extra services, movers may charge extra fees if:

• They need to take a customer’s items up or down several flights of stairs (flight fee);
• They need to wait for an elevator (elevator fee);
• They need to carry a customer’s items more than 50 feet from the front door to the moving truck or vice versa (long-carry fee);
• They need to take a customer’s items to a storage facility, because the customer couldn’t receive the shipment at the agreed time for one reason or another (storage fee and re-delivery fee).

4) Time of the move – Prices are driven by demand, so moving costs are higher during peak season (April to September) and on weekends and national holidays when most house moves take place.

5) Insurance – Basic liability coverage comes for free but full value protection costs extra.

See also: How much does it cost to hire movers

How to reduce moving costs?

As expensive as everything in San Francisco may be, there are proven ways to cut your moving costs when hiring professional moving help in the city:

• Pare down your possessions – Since the weight, volume, and type of items you have for moving are such major factors when determining moving costs, purging your belongings is one of the most effective ways to lower the cost of your move. Go through your stuff before the move and sell, donate, or throw away everything that you don’t need or love. It will make your relocation cheaper and simpler;
• Schedule your move smartly – If possible, opt for a mid-month, mid-week move during the fall or winter. This way, you’ll be able to take advantage of seasonal discounts and score a better deal for your move;
• Get multiple quotes – Do not just go with the first movers you find – get estimates from several reputable San Francisco movers. It provides clarity on market rates and allows for negotiation;
• Find cheap movers to work with – Hiring affordable movers is the surest and easiest way to save money on your move. Just be careful to balance cost with service quality – choosing the cheapest option may be tempting but remember that you get what you pay for. Research the movers, find out if they’re properly licensed and insured, check their testimonials, ratings, and track record, and be sure to hire experienced and reliable professionals for your move;
• Do your own packing – Prepare all your belongings for moving yourself – or leave only the most delicate and most valuable items to the pros. Packing by yourself will save you a lot of money for professional packing services and professional packing supplies (you’ll be able to use free moving boxes and alternative packing materials). Just be sure to provide your belongings with excellent protection so they survive the move safe and sound;
• Prepare well for moving day – Reserve a convenient parking place for the moving truck, reserve an elevator, clear the way of obstacles, make sure you’re fully packed and ready to go by the time the movers arrive, etc. The better prepared you are, the faster your movers will complete the job and the smoother things will go – there will be no hassle, no delays, and no extra last-minute charges.

Must-read: How to cut down moving costs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)