Moving across the country costs an average of $4,576 or between $2,393 to $6,868, depending on factors like home size, weight, and distance.
The average cost to move cross-country is about $4,576, but prices can range between $2,393 to $6,868. The total cost will depend on various factors such as home size and distance covered.
Moving out of state or across the country is a major milestone that you should celebrate. As you plan your move, it’s important to consider how much it costs to move cross-country. Learn about all the various cost considerations that come into play when making a long-distance move.
Ready to make your budget for your upcoming long-distance move? Several components factor into the total price tag of a cross-country move. Here are a few determinants of the cost of moving across the country.
Many movers charge by the mile, so the exact distance of your move is important for overall costs. Beyond a certain mileage threshold, moving companies bundle mileage costs and other transportation fees into one flat fee, making it easier to estimate costs. That bundled estimate usually kicks in for moves over 100 miles, which is very common when you’re moving across the country.
Moving several hundred miles often costs up to $2,500, depending on the exact distance, amount and weight of belongings, and more. Moving from one coast to another is the most expensive, driving costs up to $10,300. Plus, moving across state lines can incur other costs, including additional permits, escorts for oversized loads, and toll fees.
The start and end points of the move also affect the total bill. If moving trucks must spent a lot of time in urban areas where navigation is more difficult and time-consuming, the costs of the move will typically be higher.
Let's look at how distance affects the cost of hiring full-service movers for a two-bedroom home.
| Moving Route | Full-Service Moving Cost |
|---|---|
| East Coast to West Coast | $4,600–$10,300 |
| East Coast to South East Coast | $3,000–$8,000 |
| North East Coast to South East Coast | $3,000–$8,000 |
| South East Coast to West Coast | $4,700–$9,400 |
Another important factor to consider is the size of your home. Home size tends to positively correlate to the total since the larger the house, the more belongings and furniture you’ll need to move. Many moving and truck rental companies will request this information when determining your price estimate. The table below illustrates average prices for long-distance moves based on home size.
| Number of Bedrooms | Cost to Move Cross Country |
|---|---|
| Studio/1 | $700–$3,000 |
| 2 | $1,000–$7,000 |
| 3 | $1,400–$8,000 |
| 4 | $1,800–$10,000 |
| 5 | $3,000–$12,000 |
| 6 | $4,000–$15,000 |
The type of moving truck you choose offers flexibility for various budgets and your comfort with doing the heavy lifting yourself. Unsurprisingly, the more you handle on your own, the lower the cost of the cross-country trek.
Always keep in mind that preparing for moving day can be stressful, and spending more on professional help is worth its weight in gold. Driving the truck, lifting heavy furniture, and coordinating tricky cross-country travel are best left to the pros whenever possible. Here are the three main moving truck options and their price tags.
| Transportation Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Moving Rental Truck | $1,200-$2,100 |
| Moving Container | $700-$3,200 |
| Full-Service Movers | $1,400-$9,700 |
The total weight of your move (essentially the total weight of your items) influences your move’s total cost. In fact, weight is the second-largest contributor to the cost of your long-distance move after distance. While some companies offer an estimate based on your home size, most will request an entire inventory of the items you plan to move, including the number of boxes. Overall, movers will charge an average of $0.50 to $0.80 per pound.
Remember that the weight of your items can also determine if the movers need to use a larger or even a second truck. In some cases, moving over a set number of pounds will trigger this option and require a higher rate for the overall cost of the move.
Estimating the weight of your belongings can be a difficult process. It’s usually best left to movers and their itemized lists. If you want to estimate the weight of the belongings in a certain room or your whole house, here’s a quick table to get started. For reference, a three-bedroom home is usually estimated to have around 8,000 to 9,000 pounds of belongings.
| Weight of Belongings | Cost Range for Moving Across Country |
|---|---|
| 500 pounds | $250–$400 |
| 1,000 pounds | $500–$800 |
| 2,000 pounds | $1,000–$1,600 |
| 5,000 pounds | $2,500–$4,000 |
| 10,000 pounds | $5,000–$8,000 |
| 15,000 pounds | $7,500–$12,000 |
When movers are transporting belongings in and out of a home, the ability to quickly maneuver through a building and property design becomes important. Many movers charge extra fees if they have to move items long distances, such as areas where they have to park a block away from the home’s entrance. Likewise, movers may charge additional fees if they have to use the elevator in an apartment building or navigate a significant number of stairways.
Full-service movers bring their own packing supplies, which are bundled into the provided cost estimate, so you don’t need to worry about managing packing supplies. However, many homeowners prefer to pack belongings as they manage garage sales, organize trash pickup, and guarantee their belongings are properly padded.
Costs for common packing supplies include:
Moving boxes (small): $1–$2 per box
Moving boxes (large): $2–$3 per box
Storage bins and crates: $5–$30
Bubble wrap: $20–$40
Additional packing paper and padding/peanuts: $10 per pack
Moving blankets: $10–$20 per blanket
Packing tape: $2–$4 per roll
Plastic bags or trash bags: $15–$30 for larger packs
Markers for labeling: $1–$2 per marker
Plastic wrap for furniture: $10–$20 per roll
TV boxes: $10 per box
Homeowners may want to add several common professional services when they move. Add-on moving tasks include:
Packing and unpacking: Moving companies provide add-ons for packing and unpacking belongings. Prices can vary: Some movers charge around $0.50 per pound for packing and unpacking, in addition to other weight fees.
Insurance: Moving insurance helps cover the cost of your belongings if they are damaged or lost, and offers particular value for longer moves. It’s usually calculated by value per pound: 10,000 pounds of belongings would cost around $600 to insure.
Move-out cleaning: It’s also common to add cleaning services for a whole-house clean as a move goes underway to prepare it for the next occupant. Hiring move-out cleaning services costs between $120 and $420.
Storage: Storage is very common for cross-country moves, and prices vary greatly depending on location and storage duration. Storage units cost around $100 to $450 per month for average storage needs, but can increase if special items (like sports cars) need additional protections. Movers may also charge extra if they have to make extra stops between homes and storage facilities.
Expedited moves: Expedited moves and rush deliveries are arranged on very short notice. Movers can handle these requests, but they will charge a hefty service fee which can rise to 50% of an average move cost or more.
Another important cost factor is whether you request additional services from your moving team. If you have items that need special attention during moving, like moving a piano or a shed, you’ll need to arrange for separate moving services.
This request will increase the project’s total cost but also take time-consuming tasks off your plate. Here are the most common add-on services for long-distance moves:
Furniture assembly and disassembly: $35–$90 per piece
Piano moving: $2.50–$10.00 per mile
Moving a shed: Up to $2 per mile
Antique or fine art moving: $150–$2,500 per piece
Moving a mobile home: $1,000-$20,000
You may be surprised to learn that when you move can affect the cost of your cross-country move. The summer months are the peak season for cross-country moves. This increase is partially due to the warm weather and students being out of school. Try to pick a moving date during the winter since this will likely be the least busy moving season and, thus, the least expensive. Pro tip: Schedule a midweek move for additional savings on moving trucks and teams.
The extensive cost range to move long distances accounts for the significant differences between taking the DIY approach and hiring full-service, professional movers. If you are comfortable schlepping all your boxes and furniture into a rental truck, you could pay as low as $1,200 to $2,100. If you have a small home or apartment, you could rent a shipping container to fill, which a moving company will transport to a designated location. This alternative ranges from $1,800 t0 $8,300.
However, if you are driving a rental truck yourself, you will handle the heavy lifting and driving. That option includes many extra costs for a cross-country move, including gas, tolls, and staying overnight at a hotel. You may also want to purchase your own moving insurance package along with the rental.
The other option is hiring local professional movers to handle the lifting and driving, costing between $4,000 and $10,000 to move longer distances. Add on specialty services like packing, unpacking, and specialty items, and you get into a five-figure territory.
However, long-distance moving estimates take more cost factors into account than relocating across town. Factors like mileage, tolls, time of year, storing your items, and rush options all tip the scales in either direction.
Your cross-country move will inevitably put a dent in your wallet, but there are several ways to cut costs.
You can pack and unpack your home on your own instead of hiring professional help. Set a packing schedule that provides plenty of time to successfully pack your moving boxes and prepare your furniture for the big move. You could also enlist the help of family and friends to make the moving process quicker and more enjoyable.
Moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter your home. Be sure to throw out, recycle, or donate unwanted items since these will contribute to your project’s total weight cost and add unnecessary clutter to your new home.
Before making a big trip to the store for packing supplies, look around your home and see if you can find useful items, such as cardboard boxes, crates, and Tupperware. Another clever item to use is suitcases. Instead of packing your suitcases, fill them. You can also request used moving boxes from grocery stores, hardware stores, liquor stores, and other places frequently using cardboard.
The weekends are a more popular time to move than the weekdays, so try to schedule your move during the week. Your moving service may also offer discounted rates for midweek moves. Also, consider moving during the off-season, such as the winter months. Moving companies usually charge you less when there is lower demand for their services.
Sometimes, homeowners and renters insurance policies cover moving insurance. To avoid double-paying to protect your items during the big move, review your insurance policy with a fine-toothed comb for additional savings. You can also contact your insurer to determine whether your current policy covers moving expenses.
Before hiring a company for your cross-country move, get at least three free quotes for the prospective service and compare the costs. While paying a reasonable price is important, you’ll also want to consider the company’s professionalism and reputation. You may decide that it’s worth it to spend a bit more on a company that comes highly recommended.
There are many ways to get discounts on moving services. Some individuals may qualify for moving assistance programs, such as those with disabilities, senior citizens, and veterans. You can also ask your moving company if they offer any promotions or discounts. Sometimes, they may even be willing to negotiate by matching a lower quote you received from another company.
It’s important to read the fine print carefully before entering a contractual agreement with a moving company. Look for any clauses that may result in hidden fees or a higher final cost. If there’s any jargon you don’t understand or extra costs you weren’t aware of, clarify with your moving professional before signing.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Depending on your home size and the number of items you’re packing, moving materials—such as boxes, tape, and bubble wrap—cost between $200 to $600 for an average two-bedroom home.
Although purchasing moving insurance will add to the total cost of your move, it might take a weight off your shoulders. Moving insurance covers roughly 60 cents per pound. If you’re moving several antique or fragile items, you may want to invest in moving insurance covering damage or item losses.
Renting a moving truck or shipping container is the cheapest way to move long-distance. Moving a few items in a container can cost as low as $700, whereas renting a standard-sized moving truck will range from $1,200 to $2,100.
If you are hiring professional movers, their company will handle any permits and similar arrangements. But if you are renting a truck to move yourself, you may have to pay permits when moving across state lines or away from a specific city or town. Research your move and its requirements as you plan. Most states, cities, and even rental companies offer useful information about what permits you may need.
Use specialized boxes for packing artwork, TVs, and fragile items that may be more subject to damage during the move. Moving companies sell these specialized supplies for extra fees. Otherwise, keep in mind that cross-country moves tend to be bumpier, harsher rides for dishes and glassware. Wrap them in padding and space them well in moving boxes. For plates and similar breakables, try to wrap each piece separately.
