Moving Cost Calculator
Get Your Moving Cost Calculated for Free
The free moving cost calculator offered by MyMovingReviews will help you learn the approximate moving cost of your house move regardless of whether you’re moving locally, moving across the country, or moving to another country.
Also, we will list the major factors that will affect your moving cost and what you can do (and can’t do) to reduce the moving costs and expenses effectively.
In other words, you can’t possibly shorten the move distance between the two homes to cut the cost of moving, but you can definitely pack and move fewer items to save your hard-earned money in the end.
We have coverage for most US zip codes for long distance moving and all major cities for local movers.
All van lines in our network are registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to make sure they operate legally. You can trust us both for a residential or an office moving estimate.
What’s the average moving cost?
The national average cost of a local move is about $1,500 with a price range from $800 to $2,200.
The national average cost of a long-distance move is about $4,000 with a price range from $2,200 to $5,700.
Needless to say, the average moving cost will depend on a number of important factors that will influence the average moving price one way or the other - either increasing it, thus straining and burdening your moving budget ever more, or lowering it, thus enabling you to save money in the process.
How to calculate your local moving cost
Bear in mind that local movers charge by the hour. What that means in reality is that the TIME factor will play a major role in determining how much you pay for your local move (when moving within the state).
On average, hiring 2 movers and a moving truck will cost you somewhere between $90 and $120 per hour, and the local movers rates will depend primarily on the state and metro area you live in and the local movers you hire.
Furthermore, you will have to pay more for any additional packer or mover you request, and you may get charged extra for packing materials as well.
Extra charges and fees may also apply depending on your specific house moving case. While a travel fee (a charge for the time the moving team needs to reach your home on the day of the move) has become standard, you may also need to pay a charge for bulky items, a long carry fee, or even an elevator fee.
How to calculate moving costs when moving locally?
Use the moving cost estimator at the top of the page to find out. Enter where you’re moving from and where you’re moving to, the size of your home, and your move-out date. Based on that move info, we will provide you with an accurate cost estimate from top-rated local movers in your area.
How to calculate your cross country moving cost
Interstate moving companies charge a flat fee based on 3 critical factors that determine the cross country moving cost: move distance, shipment weight, and moving services.
- Move distance. The greater the distance between Point A and Point B, the higher the cost of moving will be. Unfortunately, you don’t have any control over the move distance between the two homes, so your chance for a cheaper move will depend on how well you manage the other two price-forming factors.
- Shipment weight. Logic dictates that the more items you choose to take with you to the new home, the heavier the shipment will be, thus forcing you to pay much higher transportation costs. The good news is that it’s no one but you who has total control over exactly what items to pack and move. So, be wise and reduce the long distance moving cost by moving only the items you will really need and use in the future.
- Extra services. Keep in mind that your moving cost will be estimated based on the number of moving services you request or are needed for the successful completion of the job. Not surprisingly, each additional moving service will cost you more money, so it’s important to select only the accessorial services that you know you won’t manage on your own. After all, why should you pay for professional moving services when you can pack your things by yourself?
What are the average moving costs when moving across the country?
Let’s say you happen to be moving to a new home that’s located 1,000 miles from your old one. In that case,
- Moving out of a STUDIO APARTMENT should cost you roughly $1,500-$3,200 without any extra moving services such as packing or temporary storage.
- Moving out of a 1-BEDROOM APARTMENT should cost you around $1,500-$3,200 without any additional moving services.
- Moving out of a 2-BEDROOM APARTMENT should cost you about $3,500-$5,200 without paying for any accessorial moving services.
- Moving out of a 3-BEDROOM HOME should cost you approximately $6,300-$7,800 excluding any add-on moving services.
What Is the Average Moving Cost?
How to calculate moving costs when moving long distance?
Use the moving cost calculator at the top of the page to find out. After entering your specific move parameters - starting point and point of destination, size of your home, and move-out date, then we will provide you with a precise cost estimate from top-rated interstate movers in your area.
How to calculate your international moving cost
When moving to another country, it’s good to know in advance that the international moving cost will be based on several critical factors:
- Size of your move. The more things you choose to ship internationally, the more money you should be ready to pay to cover the international shipping costs. When shipping your items by sea, then the moving cost will be determined by the volume of your shipment. When shipping your things by air, the international moving price will be calculated by the weight of your shipment.
- Moving services. Various moving services may be needed for a successful country to country move. Each add-on service such as packing, furniture disassembly, custom crating, express delivery, etc. will increase the cost of moving abroad.
- Transportation method. International air freight is much more costly than international sea freight.
- Type of move. For accurate calculation of your international shipping costs, you will need to choose a delivery option that works best for you: port to port (the cheapest option), door to port, or door to door (the most expensive option).
- Distance to destination country. In most cases, more mileage between the two countries will mean higher international relocation costs.
- International moving company. Some overseas moving companies charge more than others for the same services, so it’s a good idea to compare the cost estimates of several international movers before you choose your relocation partner.
Depending on a score of variables, the international moving cost can be anywhere from $1,000 for small short-distance port-to-port moves without any extra services and reach $10,000 or more for big international moves to far-away countries.
How to calculate moving costs when moving to another country?
Use our international moving cost calculator to find out. Select your starting point and then pick the delivery country, then point out the approximate moving date and the move size. When ready, we will provide you with an accurate cost estimate from experienced international moving companies that service those two countries.
How to calculate your car shipping cost
When you’ve made up your mind to have your car shipped across the country, then you should be really interested in learning how much it costs to transport a car to another state.
Naturally, the car shipping cost will depend on a number of vehicle-specific factors:
- Distance. The greater the distance between the pick-up location and the drop-off location, the higher the car shipping price will be.
- Car shipping method. Having your auto shipped on an open-air trailer will cost you less than having it moved inside an enclosed container.
- Car size. The size of your vehicle will definitely influence the final car transportation price - larger cars cost more to transport to another part of the country. On average, SUVs, pick-up trucks, and vans cost about $200 extra to get shipped by a reputable car shipping company.
- Weight. In most cases, heavier vehicles will be more expensive to ship across the country due to the higher transportation costs for the car shipper.
- Make and model. Some car makes and models cost more to ship - usually the rarer, more exotic ones.
- Auto insurance. Your car will need to be properly insured for the road. Therefore, the cost of the auto insurance will influence the final cost of shipping a car to another state.
What’s the average car shipping cost?
The average car shipping costs will depend on the factors mentioned above. In the majority of cases, you should expect to pay anywhere from roughly $500 for short car moving instances to $1,500 for car hauls over great distances.
For a rough calculation of the car shipping cost, consider the following data:
- Distance of 1 – 500 miles: $1 per mile;
- Distance of 500 – 1,000 miles: $0.75 per mile;
- Distance of 1,000 – 2,000 miles: $0.60 per mile;
- Distance of 2,000 – 2,500 miles: $0.50 per mile;
- Distance of more than 2,500 miles: $0.40 per mile;
How to calculate moving costs when shipping a car?
For a more accurate calculation of your auto shipping price, use our car moving cost calculator to receive a precise estimate from top-rated car shipping shippers in your town or city.
Major factors that will affect your moving cost
You should already be familiar with some of the principal factors that will affect your home moving cost. Let’s review them again so that you understand better how your money will be spent, and whether or not you can do something about it in order to save some money before, during, and after the move.
- Size of the move. The more items you choose to move with you, the higher the cost of moving will be. Do consider getting rid of anything you don’t need anymore to bring down the price.
- Specialty items. Any specialty items that you own and want to take with you will make the move more complicated and… more expensive. For example, moving a piano will require professional piano moving services. The same is also true when moving antique furniture, a hot tub, a pool table, a grandfather clock, or a heavy safe.
- Extra moving services. Each additional moving service will cost you extra, so it’s important to think about which services you need and which ones you don’t really need. For instance, if you can pack up your things by yourself, then you should do it to save money.
- Move distance. This cost formation factor cannot be manipulated in any way - the move distance between the two homes will remain a constant no matter what you do.
- Packing materials. Packing supplies, especially moving boxes, will be one of the biggest moving expenses you’ll have to deal with. So, getting hold of free moving boxes is always a good idea.
- Move-out date. The date you choose as your move-out date can greatly affect the moving cost. A house move during the peak season or during the weekend tends to be more expensive than an off-season move that falls on a weekday.
- Liability coverage. When using professional moving services, you must consider getting some sort of protection for your valuable items. The best moving companies in the country offer different levels of protection, from Basic Release Value Protection (not recommended) to Full Value Protection (recommended).
- Moving company. Different moving companies offer different moving rates and some tend to charge more for the same type and quality of service. Don’t skip the step of comparing movers and picking the mover that offers quality services at affordable prices.
- Extra fees and charges. Hidden and uncommon fees and charges will increase the cost of moving when you least expect it: an elevator fee, a long carry fee, a charge for handling bulky items, an express delivery fee, an extra stops charge, a travel fee, and so on.
20 Ways to reduce moving costs
Looking for ways to reduce the cost of moving? What a great idea!
Remember that you don’t really need to pay more money than you absolutely need on your next more.
- FIND an affordable mover. That’s easier said than done but definitely possible. Use our online moving cost calculator to get accurate estimates from top-rated moving companies, then compare the quotes carefully to pick a low-cost mover.
- REQUEST in-home estimates. The best way to have your moving cost estimated accurately is to ask movers to visit your home in person. Stay away from cost estimates done over the phone or via e-mail as they won’t be precise enough for your needs.
- NEGOTIATE with your movers. Movers’ rates are not set in stone so try to negotiate a better deal with your movers. Ask for ongoing promotions or price discounts you can take advantage of.
- PICK a good move-out date. Moving during the off-peak moving season should mean a lower moving cost for you. Also, choosing to move out on a weekday in the middle of a month should give you an extra discount from the moving price.
- BOOK your move right away. Once you’ve picked a good moving company, book their services ASAP for a chance to get a discount from the moving price for early booking.
- GET proper insurance. How do you cut moving costs by purchasing a better level of protection for your valuables? You’d be glad you did get Full Value Protection if something bad happened during the move.
- SET a budget. Create a moving budget to supervise your moving expenses and stay in control of your finances.
- FOLLOW a moving checklist. That’s easy - save money by saving valuable time because time is money. Create and follow a MOVING CHECKLIST to organize your time perfectly.
- DECLUTTER your home. One of the best ways to cut moving costs is to move as few items to the new home as possible. And in order to do that, you need to inventory your entire house and declutter it without delay.
- SELL your unwanted stuff. What better way to help your moving budget than to sell the things you won’t ever need again, online or at a moving sale, and pocket the cash?
- GET free moving boxes. Get moving boxes without paying for them to keep your moving costs to a minimum.
- USE free packing supplies. Instead of packing paper and bubble wrap, use soft protective materials that you already have in your home and are taking with you anyway.
- CONSIDER a DIY move. When moving locally without any specialty items and you know you can rely on your friends, then organizing a self-move becomes a viable option.
- ASK friends for help. Save money from having to pay for professional moving labor. How? Ask your good friends to give you a hand with packing and all the heavy lifting on Moving day.
- MAKE no mistakes. Costly moving mistakes could rob you of the chance to keep moving costs and expenses to a minimum, so don’t make any.
- AVOID property damage. The estimated moving cost can increase drastically in the case of property damage. Use proper moving equipment, dress appropriately, and get enough helpers to avoid trouble.
- DON’T get scammed. By using our moving cost estimator and calculator, you’ll get accurate cost estimates from licensed, insured and pre-screened moving companies that you can trust with your valuables.
- CHECK if your expenses are tax-deductible. You may be eligible to claim some of your moving expenses as a deduction when filling out your federal income tax return, especially if you’ve donated some items to charities.
- BE frugal. Be very frugal! Use as many of the above money-saving tips as possible and think twice before taking out your wallet to pay for something.
- USE your common sense. Should you get the funny feeling that you shouldn’t be paying for something during your move, investigate your hunch further to never pay more than you absolutely have to.
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How to get a free moving quote?
Getting a free price estimate is very easy and quick. All you need to do is use our moving cost calculator and you will be contacted by licensed and trustworthy movers. So, don’t waste any of your valuable time and get a free moving quote now.
How to find a reliable moving company?
One of the ways to find out if you can entrust a mover with your items is to read customer reviews. When you see how the moving company has handled its previous moves, you will be able to make a fact-based decision. So, choose a reputable mover from our exhaustive list and their customer testimonials.
What are the different types of moving quotes?
There are three different types of price estimates that you can receive from a moving company. If you want to choose the right one for your relocation needs, you must know the differences between them.
- Binding price estimates - the price that the moving company quotes you is the final price of your relocation and there aren’t any additional charges.
- Non-binding moving quotes - this is a rough estimate of how much your relocation will cost you and does not include any additional services such as packing of your personal belongings.
- Binding Not-To-Exceed estimate - with this type of price estimate, you won’t have to pay anything extra if the items you are moving are more than what is written in the estimate. Also, if your personal belongings are fewer than the ones stated in the original quote, then you are going to pay less money in the end.
Keep this information in mind when you request a free moving quote.
How far in advance do you need to book movers?
You should contact a moving company as early as possible so that you will have time to find a reputable mover. You should usually do that about four to eight weeks before the move-out date. This time period also depends on the type of relocation - local or interstate. So, don’t wait until the last moment and get a free price estimate now.