How much does Local moving cost?
Based on 1,177,228 real quotes from businesses in United States.
$90
TYPICAL
$159
Yelp calculates estimated costs by gathering and analyzing real quotes provided to consumers by businesses on Yelp. Actual costs may vary.
Key takeaways
Local moving costs are affected by the size and weight of your belongings and distance traveled
Some local moving companies charge a flat rate, while others charge by the hour
If you need more than 2 movers, the price is typically higher
Moving can be challenging, whether your new home is down the street or halfway across the state. You’ll need careful planning to make sure all the packing, hauling, and unpacking goes smoothly, and that your stuff arrives intact and undamaged.
You can make things easier by hiring a professional moving company to handle the job for you. On your move date, they’ll pick up your belongings, load them into a truck, move them to your new home, and unload them there—so you won’t have to do any of the heavy lifting.
By moving-industry standards, any distance of 100 or fewer miles—within the same state—is usually considered a “local move” (as opposed to a cross-country or long-distance move). In this guide, you’ll learn about the typical costs of a local moving company’s services.
Watch below as Vojin Popovic, CEO of Piece of Cake Moving & Storage in New York City breaks down the expenses involved in moving.
To learn more about moving pros, watch How to hire a mover, read Benefits of hiring a mover and 10 questions to ask movers.
Total cost of local moving
Some movers charge an hourly rate for the duration of the job—from the time they start loading at one end to the time they finish unloading at the other. The average cost is $80–150 per hour, which usually includes the services of 2 people. If you need more help, you’ll typically pay $40–75 per hour for each additional mover.
Moving the contents of a 1-bedroom home a short distance typically takes about 2–3 hours, so the total cost would be $160–450.
Cost of local moving by home size
Local moving companies may also charge a flat rate based on a variety of factors, including the size and weight of your belongings, size of the truck needed to carry them, and distance to your new residence. They’ll usually provide an estimated moving quote upfront.
Here are some average price ranges for local moves, based on the size of the home and estimated amount of belongings involved, with labor included.
Studio apartment. Most studio apartments contain an average of 1,600–1,800 pounds of belongings and require at least 2 movers to load and unload the truck. Average cost: $300–400.
One-bedroom apartment. Most 1-bedroom apartments contain an average of 2,200–3,000 pounds of belongings and require at least 2 movers to load and unload the truck. Average cost: $300–450.
Two-bedroom home. Most 2-bedroom homes contain 3,000–4,000 pounds of belongings and may require 2–3 movers to complete the job. Average cost: $500–650.
Three-bedroom house. Most 3-bedroom houses contain upwards of 5,500 pounds of belongings and may require 3–4 movers to complete the job. Average cost: $700–900.
Cost factors
Here are some issues that can affect how much you’ll pay for local movers.
Where you live. Labor costs tend to be higher in large cities, such as San Francisco, Chicago, or New York. In high-theft areas, you may be charged for an extra mover so someone is always with the moving truck during loading and unloading.
How far you’re moving. Since a “local move” is defined as anything under 100 miles (or sometimes as much as 400 miles), added driving time can increase your hourly or flat-rate charge (and you may pay for extra fuel costs as well).
Building access. You may pay more if the movers need to navigate stairs, narrow hallways, or other issues.
Difficult items. If you have a lot of fragile or especially heavy items (such as a piano), or large items that the movers will need to disassemble, the price may be higher.
Add-on services. Most people do the packing and unpacking themselves, but there are full-service movers who will carefully pack up your belongings, even specialty items or fragile items. This typically adds $40–50 per hour to your moving quote. Ask if packing materials (moving boxes, packing paper and tape) are included in the price.
Liability coverage. Most companies include moving insurance in their estimated cost. However, if you’re moving expensive or fragile items not covered by the basic policy, you might consider purchasing third-party moving insurance. Some policies are based on a value per pound, while others reimburse the total cost of an item or cost of repairs.
Tipping. It’s common to offer a gratuity, which is usually 15–20% of the moving cost.
How to save money
Here are some tips for reducing your moving costs.
Avoid peak season. Spring and summer are the most common times of year to move, and the end of the month is also a busier time for movers (because that’s when people tend to move out of rentals). If you hire movers during fall or winter, or at the beginning of the month, some companies offer a lower moving estimate.
Move yourself. If you’re willing to put in the work (or have some strong, helpful friends), you’ll often save money with a DIY move. Moving truck rentals cost an average of $130–200 per day.
Hire labor-only movers. These are workers who will load the truck at one end or unload it all the other, while you’re still responsible for the truck rental and doing all the driving. They typically charge $60–80 per hour.
FAQs
How much do movers cost for local move?
You’ll typically pay $80–150 per hour for a job that requires 2 movers. But your total moving budget can be affected by the size and weight of your belongings, distance traveled, and additional services (such as packing your items in moving containers).
What is the cheapest way to move?
When you hire professional movers, you’ll often pay less if you schedule them during fall or winter, or at the beginning of the month, when they’re less busy. You can also avoid additional costs by purchasing packing supplies and doing all the packing yourself.
How far in advance should you book a moving company?
You should book as early as you can—as far as 2–3 months in advance, if possible. This will ensure availability and allow you to compare rates between moving companies, which may leave you with a better deal.
Find local moving services in your area.
More moving resources
19 questions to ask movers: Your script for a trouble-free delivery
How are Yelp’s cost estimates calculated?
Every year, millions of consumers request quotes on Yelp from top-rated local professionals. We combine these real-life project quotes with data from the millions of people who interact with businesses on Yelp today. We use our years of expertise to create handy local cost guides that you can trust. Get accurate estimates on projects in your area, from roofing to moving.
How are Yelp’s cost estimates calculated?
Every year, millions of consumers request quotes on Yelp from top-rated local professionals. We combine these real-life project quotes with data from the millions of people who interact with businesses on Yelp today. We use our years of expertise to create handy local cost guides that you can trust. Get accurate estimates on projects in your area, from roofing to moving.
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