Expect to pay anywhere from $2,300 and $9,600 to move a 3-bedroom house, depending on your house size, the move distance, and more.
The average cost to move a 3-bedroom house long distance is $5,000, but it can range between $2,300 and $9,600, depending on distance, weight, packing, and more. So, you’ll want to set a budget and stick to it as you start planning your move. Moving a 3-bedroom home long distance is no small feat—luckily, our guide will help you navigate the various costs of a long-distance move.
When hiring movers for a long-distance move, you’ll need to consider several factors influencing your overall cost. These factors include home size, distance, weight, prep, additional services, accessibility, the time of year, and your location. Here are the cost breakdowns to move a 3-bedroom house long distance:
The size of your home, apartment, or condo will influence your total cost, especially if you utilize every room, such as basements, garages, and attics. If you have a larger home, you’ll need more movers to load and unload your belongings, increasing your overall cost.
Moving companies generally consider anything from 100 to 400 miles or more a long-distance move. Due to the nature of a long-distance move, moving companies will charge a flat rate instead of an hourly rate. The flat rate will include mileage, gas, tolls, and incidentals. So the further away you move, you can expect your overall moving cost to increase.
The weight of your belongings is a significant cost factor in your long-distance move. The more belongings you have, the larger the moving truck size you’ll need. A larger, heavier truck will require more fuel, increasing your costs.
When prepping your home to move, you’ll need to budget for packing materials and supplies. You can expect to pay $200 to $500—with moving boxes costing between $2 and $5 per box and 100 square feet of bubble wrap costing $20.
Heavy and fragile items will cost extra on top of the flat-rate price for moving long distances. You can expect these additional moving fees to cost:
Piano: $100–$2,000
Pool table: $50–$4,000+
Hot tub: $200–$1,000
Small boat: $2.50 per mile
Car: $700–$1,200
Motorcycle: $200–$2,000
Aquarium: $50–$300+
Exercise equipment: $100–$300+
Riding lawn mower: $150–$400
Safe: $175–$500
Fine art and antiques: $200–$1,000
The ability of movers to safely and efficiently pack and load your belongings is vital. So, if your home is inaccessible—say, due to living on a crowded city street with limited parking, a walk-up apartment with no elevator, or if you have a steep driveway, you can expect to incur additional charges. For example, your moving company may need to shuttle your items to a larger van parked at a more accessible location.
Prime moving season is between May and September, with weekends during those months having the highest demand. Make sure to book your long-distance move well in advance—and, if you can, try to move outside of peak season (like during the winter) or during the week, and you may be able to get a lower, discounted rate.
Another cost factor is your location, with it costing much more to move a 3-bedroom house long distance from New Mexico than from Missouri. Here are the average long-distance moving costs for a 3-bedroom home:
| State | Average Long-Distance Moving Price |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $4,179 |
| California | $5,353 |
| Florida | $4,448 |
| Idaho | $9,610 |
| Kentucky | $3,802 |
| Minnesota | $5,798 |
| Missouri | $2,276 |
| New Mexico | $8,036 |
| New York | $4,733 |
| Oklahoma | $6,361 |
| South Carolina | $5,434 |
| Texas | $4,267 |
| Utah | $7,348 |
| Wisconsin | $3,761 |
When moving a 3-bedroom house long distance, there are additional fees you need to consider. These costs include:
If you purchase third-party insurance coverage, you can expect to pay between 1% and 5% of your household belongings' total value. However, many moving companies provide moving insurance and offer two types of coverage: full value and released value.
You can expect to pay 1% of the total estimated cost of your household goods for full-value protection coverage. The moving company will fully repair or replace your lost or broken items. Or they will offer money for repairing or replacing a damaged or lost item.
Released value protection is budget-friendly, and you typically won’t pay extra for this insurance. The moving company will pay no more than $0.60 per pound for broken or lost items.
It’s a nice gesture to tip your movers after a long-distance move—especially if they went above and beyond your expectations. You can either tip a flat rate per person or 10% to 20% of your total bill in gratuity.
You can expect to pay a flat rate of $1,500 to $2,300 to rent a moving van for a long-distance trip. Moving a 3-bedroom house long distance is a challenging task. In addition to loading and unloading your belongings, you’ll need to pay for gas, tolls, insurance coverage, overnight hotel stays, food, packing supplies and materials, and heavy-lifting tool rentals.
If you have the time and can handle a long-distance move yourself, you can save significant moving and labor costs. However, tackling a long-distance move yourself comes with risks, including physical injury and navigating how to drive a large truck. We recommend hiring a long-distance moving company near you. This service will cost you an average of $5,000, but you’ll have peace of mind. You won’t have to worry about loading, unloading, organizing, packing, lifting heavy items, keeping your valuables safe, and transporting household belongings.
Moving a 3-bedroom house long distance is a lot of work. You can make it easier by adding a few extra service items. These items include:
Professional packing and unpacking: $1,000 average
Renting a storage container: $2,610–$3,290
Professional furniture assembly: $120–$180 per piece
Professional organizers: $250–$1,500
The best way to save money while moving a long distance is to set a budget and do as much prep work as possible. Here are ways to save money during your cross-country trek:
Get quotes from at least 3 moving companies.
Plan and book your moving company early.
Move during the off-season or during the week.
Create a moving checklist at least 8 weeks in advance and make sure you stick with it.
Keep your set moving date as movers may charge $500 or more to change your moving date.
Pack and unpack all of your household items.
Choose the proper moving insurance with the best rate.
Declutter your home and sell or donate belongings you no longer need before moving.
Knowing how much a typical long-distance move will cost is the first step in the budgeting process. Start by calling at least three local moving companies for quotes so you have a ballpark range—then you can start saving weekly. You can also start decluttering your home to reduce your truck weight and try to find donated packing supplies from local businesses or neighbors that recently moved.
Yes, it’s worth the cost to hire professional long-distance movers. Professional movers will ensure your household belongings reach your destination safely and efficiently—with many companies already having made similar moving trips recently. Also, professional movers have the proper equipment and experience to ensure your move goes smoothly.
Full-service movers provide all the necessary packing supplies and materials—saving you time and money. In addition, long-distance moving companies have special blankets and padding to move heavy, bulky items. Full-service movers will pack and unpack your belongings quickly and safely and dispose of all the packing materials, including recycling cardboard boxes.
The best way to move a 3-bedroom house long distance depends on your budget. Hiring a full-service moving company works best if you have a higher budget. If you’re on a tighter budget, renting a moving van and doing everything yourself is your best bet. Other options include renting a storage container, pod, or freight container. You can also ship your belongings if you don’t have many items.
