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Is moving expensive? Yes. Are moving costs unpredictable? Also, yes. Use the Perennial Van Lines moving cost calculator below before you request a single quote. You’ll go into the process armed with the knowledge of what your move should cost so you can choose the right company.
Home / Blog / Moving Cost Calculator
Is moving expensive? Yes. Are moving costs unpredictable? Also, yes. Use the Perennial Van Lines moving cost calculator below before you request a single quote. You’ll go into the process armed with the knowledge of what your move should cost so you can choose the right company.
Though in-home estimates provide the most accurate moving quotes, Perennial Van Line’s online moving cost calculator is designed with years of expertise to help you reach a solid baseline estimate and empower your search.
Our cost calculator can instantly provide a price estimate to understand how to budget for your move – whether 20 minutes away, three states over, or coast to coast.
Just plug your distance, move size, and a few key pieces of info into the Perennial Van Lines online moving cost calculator and see your estimate. It’s that easy!
Unsure where to start calculating your moving costs?
Enter key details on your move into the Perennial Van Lines form, and we will take it from there so you can get on your way to comparing moving quotes, calculating lender valuation, to mortgage advice recommendations.
It’s easy to overlook how small moving expenses add up when you’re already worried about signing on a new apartment or mortgage, leaving you with sticker shock at the total moving cost.
Our moving cost calculator brings clarity to costs like:
Breaking down these costs affords you a better understanding of your quotes from professional moving companies so you can choose the best one.
Generally, a local move costs $1,250 on average while a long-distance move of 1,000 miles costs $4,980 on average. These are the typical estimates based on a two-three bedroom move of 7,500 pounds in weight.
Below, you’ll find useful money-saving tips, a free moving cost calculator, and everything you need to know for calculating your moving cost.
Let’s start by discussing how to calculate your moving costs.
While tempting to use the table above as a one-size-fits-all price calculator, moves are complicated. A one-bedroom move can cost more than a three-bedroom move if it involves a lot of heavy furniture and special items, not to mention the distance.
For moves under 50 miles, a local moving company is typically your best option. Local moving companies usually charge you by the hour, which typically includes a moving truck.
Even if you’re only moving a short distance, the city matters. Places like San Francisco and New York City with high costs of living mean local moving companies in these cities cost much more than elsewhere. Labor costs, workers’ comp, fuel, and insurance account for the increase in prices.
For moves over 50 miles, long distance moving companies can make life much easier. When hiring cross country movers, the price is usually based on the weight of your shipment and the distance rather than hours to complete the job.
Long-distance moves involve so many independent factors that companies estimate price on a case-by-case basis. Although every move is unique, a long-distance usually equates to a more complex move and a higher price point.
Here’s one rule that doesn’t change between moves: The more items you need to move, the more money you should expect to pay. Whether short- or long-distance moving, more items need more resources.
A short-distance move from a five-bedroom home will take considerable time to load and unload your items, hence a higher cost. If you are moving across the country with those same items, the heavy shipment will require a larger truck or multiple trucks, more fuel, more labor, and more time – all of which increase costs exponentially.
For receiving the most precise moving cost estimate from our moving cost calculator, it’s important to have as much information as possible.
Logistics come into play with interstate moves. If you’re moving any sort of plant, animal, or item that may be legal in your current state but not in the state you’re moving to, make sure you have everything in order. Most moving companies won’t move plants or animals at all, so you’ll need to manage these logistics yourself.
We already know that the size of your move and the distance you’re traveling are the two main factors impacting moving costs. However, several moving services and conditions influence your final price.
Review the list below to see if these situations apply to your move.
If you want or need to take a hands-off approach to your move, many moving companies can supply the extra help you need from start to finish.
Opting for a full-service move means you’ll pay for moving supplies along with labor for packing your entire home, loading boxes, furniture, and appliances into the truck, driving your items to the new location, unloading everything off the truck, and unpacking.
For full-service moves, you’ll need to be available throughout the entire process, but it’s well worth the price for anyone short on time.
Until you are faced with the real task of moving every item, it’s easy to forget just how many items humans collect over the years. Thankfully, local and interstate moving companies can save you from plenty of stress and frustration, taking the job off your hands and packing everything for you.
If you already have a truck or plan to rent one, you can still hire movers to pack, load, and unpack your things while you watch your costs (and stress) fall. Some companies charge for this service by the box, others by the hour.
Keep in mind that specialty boxes such as custom-made crates or wardrobe boxes will be more expensive than standard boxes.
If you have large, bulky, heavy items – like sculptures, grand pianos, or pool tables – many moving companies have the expertise to prepare and transport these items at an extra cost.
However, many companies may not have the training or supplies to handle such items. If your main moving company can’t handle these items, you’ll have to find a specialist or another option.
Heavy items like couches can fall into this category if getting them out the door would require disassembly and reassembly.
Depending on where you live, narrow roads or other restrictions may prevent the moving truck from getting to your house. You’ll need a smaller truck or van to transport items between your home and the moving truck, which will involve an additional fee.
If you fear this may be an issue or large trucks are not permitted within a certain distance of your residence, make sure to ask the moving company about including this fee in your quote.
Simple questions about the size of a moving company’s pickup and delivery trucks in advance can save you a headache on moving day.
Carrying items between your home and the truck already takes time and work. If the distance between your home and the truck is longer than anticipated, the moving company may charge you extra.
Your written estimate should specify the distance movers will carry items before charging a fee.
Most movers include one flight of stairs in their move estimates. Movers in certain cities, however, might not. Regardless, expect to incur extra fees if your move involves multiple flights of stairs.
Ask the company ahead of time about their stair fees and make sure they include them in a written statement. Slow elevators and restricted elevators can also drive up the time of the entire move, along with a potential fee.
You’re charged for labor, so anything that slows down the move will cost extra. Other obstacles like narrow hallways and doorways can make it a pain to move your furniture, for example.
Sometimes, the moving company will arrive at your new home with your items before you’re able to move in. In other cases, your new home may not fit all the items from your old home.
Most moving companies have relationships with storage facilities or have warehouses of their own. Be sure to ask about storage rates before it’s added to your bill later unexpectedly.
Though not a hidden fee, gratuity is often overlooked. Tipping your movers is customary: $20-$40 per mover. Don’t be afraid to adjust the number (up or down) based on the quality of service. Honor requests not to tip movers
With long-distance moves, your rate is based on how much your entire shipment weighs and the distance between point A (origin) and point B (final destination).
Any additional services will include extra fees. Use an online moving cost calculator to figure out these fees.
It’s important to get at least three estimates so you can compare costs. If an offer sounds too good to be true, move along to another company – otherwise, you may end up with damaged items.
On average, moving items in a studio 1,000 miles away from the destination can cost $1,500 to move for a shipment of 1,800-2,000 pounds. A one-bedroom ranges from $1,800-$2,500 with items weighing 2,500-3,500 pounds. Meanwhile, items in a two-bedroom weighing 5,000-6,000 pounds can cost between $3,500 and $4,200.
Please note that none of those prices include extra fees and services.
Self-moving can either be an excellent way to save money or the biggest headache of your life. The price of a DIY move can seem attractive until you realize just how much work it requires to move your entire life by yourself.
Although you might save on labor and truck rentals, you’ll pay elsewhere in time, energy, and most likely aspirin. Even in self-moving, you’ll still pay for packing supplies, gas, a truck rental, truck rental insurance, and any items that you damage (unless you insure your items for another cost).
Don’t forget the cost of missing work. You might think you can finish the entire move in one day, but that’s often not possible. It takes most people three to four days to complete a self-move.
The price of a local move can vary greatly depending on the location, but as a rule of thumb, you’ll be charged hourly for the service of a local moving company. Regardless of the type of work the movers are doing, the rate doesn’t change.
Additional costs include a travel fee. This is a confusing way of saying that you are going to be paying for the time and fuel needed to get to your home for the pickup and to the new location where your items are going to be delivered.
The average price of a local move is $25 per hour per mover but can go all the way to $200 an hour per mover depending on what part of the country you’re living in and how large your move is.
Strictly speaking on average, moving a studio apartment, based on the $25 rate costs anywhere from $150-$250 if it takes between 3-5 hours to complete the entire job, $375-$525 for a 5-7 hour job, and $700-$1000 for a 7-10 hour job.
On top of these costs, you still have to pay for additional fees incurred and the services you request.
If you’ve decided to make the move on your own, you’ll need to rent a truck that can cost $30 all the way to $500, depending on the size of the truck and how long you’ll be renting it. You’ll also need to factor in food and gas.
If you aren’t going very far at all, for instance, you’re staying in the same neighborhood, moving locally can cost only time and energy if you have such commodities to spare.
Always have a cushion around your long-distance moves, whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a company to take care of it. Moving is a huge undertaking, and you are going to be worn out as a result of all of the work that needs to be done.
The fewer things you have, the less money you’ll pay to haul the items. Start the moving process early to get rid of items and appliances you haven’t used or no longer need.
You can donate or sell them. If you decide to sell them, garage sales and consignment shops are great options to make some money that pays for things like packing supplies.
Instead of hiring movers, you can have a container dropped off in front of your home that you can fill up yourself. The company will then drive the container to your new destination, where you can unload all your things. Easy!
Time to call in all those favors. Movers are expensive without the proper budget, but friends and family might give up a few hours to help you pack, load, or unload.
You can even ask them just to do just one task so no one feels overwhelmed, whether it’s packing or lifting heavy items you can’t manage by yourself.
Check behind your favorite restaurant, grocery store, and deli for clean undamaged boxes. Most places are happy to get rid of the excess boxes in their possession.
Considering moving companies sell boxes for $4 a piece, you can save a nice chunk of money by staying on the lookout for any boxes. You can also use linens and towels as bubble wrap.
Moving during peak season means paying peak prices. Summer is the busiest time of the year for moving. Holidays as well as the first and last days of the month are also some of the most popular times to relocate.
Instead of paying more for the same moving company, choose a slow part of the year, like wintertime or smack dab in the middle of the week.
Lower demand means companies have to compete for your business with potentially lower prices.
Instead of paying movers $25-$35 an hour to pack all your things, save money by handling the job yourself. If you start early and keep at it each day, you can pack up items you don’t use often until your home or apartment is ready for the move.
Always pack boxes fully too. Partially packed boxes cheat you out of moving space and you also put some of your items at risk of being damaged if they are free to bounce around.
Don’t feel obligated to accept the first quote. Outside peak season, moving prices aren’t set in stone.
You don’t need expert negotiating skills to get prices down. Here are some tips to get a better price for your upcoming move.
Get multiple moving quotes and use those to your advantage to drive pricing down. Let them know other moving companies have already made offers. It’s especially effective if you hint you might work with their competitor.
Be upfront if you want to work with a particular company, but the price just isn’t where you’d like to make the commitment. It would kill the company to lose your business over a few dollars. Make sure they know how upset you’d be if you had to find someone else.
Know where you’re willing to compromise. Try to reach a win-win for all parties but be willing to sacrifice a concession or two.
Try again tomorrow. Not only does persistence show your commitment, but people often change their minds – and movers are people, after all. There’s also a chance a different, more flexible representative is working that day.
Always go with in-home estimates if your home is larger than two bedrooms. Some movers have started using apps that enable you to receive virtual moving estimates by taking your phone around your home and taking photographs or making videos of your items.
Regardless of the distance and factors involved, Perennial Van Line’s moving cost calculator makes creating a budget easy.
Just punch a few details into our straightforward form, and you’ll have the confidence to plan your moving budget.
Skip the frustration of getting quotes and in-home estimates from multiple moving companies. Perennial Van Lines has the expertise to provide reliable quotes because we’ve done that work for you.
Don’t stress figuring out the costs of your next move. Let Perennial Van Lines help you find the joy in moving – like new paint colors for your bathroom or extra space for that home office you can’t wait to design.
Most importantly, you can look forward with confidence from a clear picture as the big day gets closer.
For local moves, moving companies will use a per mover, per hour rate based on the number of rooms in the home. For long-distance moves, estimates are based on distance, how much stuff you have (by weight or number of rooms), and how long it will take.
Absolutely! The majority of moving cost calculators allow you to put in all of the relevant information about your move. Then, they use that information you provide to give you a range to use for budgeting.
You should never just get a verbal estimate because you can’t “lock that in”, so to speak. You always want to take the time to get a written quote, because then they can’t overcharge you or add additional fees without your permission.
On average, you’re going to spend around $1,250 on a local move (less than 100 miles from where you live now). If you’re moving long distance, the average cost is right around $5,000, and the largest homes may cost $7500 or more.
Cross-country moves involve a lot of logistical planning. Also, your movers will need to be away from home for a week or more, and the company is putting a lot of mileage on one or more of their company vans or trucks, which part of your costs will cover.
A binding estimate holds the moving company accountable to your quoted price, but you need a written statement clearly indicating your estimate is binding. Note that some movers offer discounts for cash payments. However, not everyone is able to make payment by cash.
A moving cost calculator can help you work out details and ensure you’re getting fair prices from any moving company.
While no moving calculator will get quotes perfect, they can at least give you a range to help to budget and preparing all the details.