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How much does it cost to move a house in 2024? A complete price guide
Moving costs can vary (a lot) depending on how far you need to travel. This guide provides a general idea of what to expect to pay to move your home.
Moving is always an expensive undertaking, but it's hard to know just how pricey it will be until you're well into the planning stages. Surprise costs can add to your total if you don't hire a reputable mover or forget to account for something. If you want to start budgeting months in advance, knowing how much to save is a challenge.
Fortunately, you can generally rely on a few factors to set a budget range. The distance you're moving, the size of your home, and regional differences all affect the price of your move. We spoke with moving companies all over the country to help you get a better idea of what your move will cost.
Hiring a moving company to move your home locally
Throughout most of the U.S., movers charge an hourly rate for local moves. The number of movers required determines the rate, which can vary by region. Most companies charge between $40 and $90 per mover, per hour. For a crew of three movers, which companies typically recommend for an average three-bedroom home, the range is between $120 and $270 per hour.
The price difference between movers on the lower end of that spectrum and those on the high end often comes down to company size. Frequently, you'll find more competitive rates from smaller companies that are highly focused on serving a local area. For our list of the best movers in San Antonio, Texas, for example, Camouflage Movers, a small and relatively young company, quoted us a rate of $165 per hour for three movers, which was much lower than the $240-per-hour rate quoted by the most expensive company on the San Antonio list.
Rates will be lower for smaller moves and higher for larger, four- or five-bedroom home moves. In large cities on the East Coast, many moving companies eschew the hourly rate model for flat-rate fees based on your total inventory. The final cost is often similar to what you'd pay for an hourly-rate mover in the same area.
Here's a quick overview of what range to budget for depending on your home size:
One bedroom | Two bedroom | Three bedroom | Four+ bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
$300 to $700 | $600 to $1,500 | $1,100 to $2,500 | $2,000 to $4,000+ |
Hiring a moving company to move a home long-distance
Unlike the hourly rates for local moves, long-distance moves are typically priced by weight and distance. They usually involve an in-person or virtual estimate, during which a move coordinator takes note of all the furniture and boxes you plan to move. The company then calculates a flat rate based on the total weight of your belongings, distance, and any additional travel fees.
The larger the home and the more stuff to move, the more expensive the long-distance move. Before your long-distance move, it can be a good idea to downsize and declutter your belongings to cut down on costs. Here's a look at what you should budget for based on the distance of your move, according to Moving.com:
250 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,500 miles |
|---|---|---|
$1,100 to $5,600 | $1,400 to $10,000 | $1,900 to $14,000 |
Additional house-moving costs
The ranges listed above are for the costs of loading and unloading the truck and moving your belongings between homes. If you add additional services, such as packing, they can raise your total price significantly. If you have movers pack your boxes, you'll usually pay the same hourly rate for however long it takes to complete that job.
A reputable moving company will pack quickly, but you should still budget for between three and eight hours of packing time, depending on the size of your home. Paying movers to pack your stuff usually gets you guaranteed damage coverage for the boxes they pack. Ask your mover about this when getting an estimate.
Specialty items are another area that can run up costs. Pianos, grandfather clocks, and antiques all require special handling and incur more fees. You might be surprised by some of the everyday items that incur additional charges. Those fees depend on the specific items but expect to pay an additional $200 to $1,000.
Renting a moving truck or portable storage container
If you opt to forego hiring a moving company to move a house, you can significantly reduce your costs. However, you'll make up for those savings with physical labor. Still, moving trucks and portable storage containers are solid options under the right circumstances.
Portable storage containers, like those from PODS and U-Haul's U-Box service, can cost anywhere from $1,000 and $7,000 for shipping distances between 100 and 2,500 miles, depending on how many containers you need. Check out our guide on moving container shipping times and costs for more details.
Moving truck rental services like U-Haul give you more control over moving your stuff and can be quite a bit cheaper for local moves but can also quickly balloon in cost for cross-country moves. According to Moving.com, you can expect to pay as little as $73 for a 20-mile move in a 15-foot truck to more than $3,300 for a 1,000-mile move in a 26-foot truck.
