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Phinnie Zahareas is a contributing writer for USA TODAY Homefront. She works as a project manager and professional organizer for a moving company in Louisiana. She’s managed dozens of moving jobs — from tiny houses to sprawling office buildings — and aims to make relocations easier for everyone. In addition to her work in the moving industry, she holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. She still lives in New Orleans, where she walks her two spotted dogs along the Mississippi River every evening.
Your moving cost will vary greatly depending on whether it’s a local or long-distance move.
Budget for unexpected add-ons such as cleaning and junk removal fees.
Cut costs during your move by sourcing free supplies and skipping take-out meals.
If there’s one thing that can sneak up on you during a move, it’s the cost. That’s why you need to create a realistic moving budget before you start packing. Track major expenses that come with hiring a professional moving company, as well as secondary expenses including packing materials, cleaning fees and extra take-out meals that can add up once your kitchen supplies are boxed up.
We’ll delve into major costs and hidden expenses of moving — including cleaning fees, security deposits and tolls. Understanding the full scope of relocating costs will help you create a realistic moving budget and make informed decisions so you’re not caught off guard. Let’s unpack this for a stress-free move.
Get started by requesting quotes from the professional movers below.
A local move can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars if you’re not using full-service movers to several thousand dollars depending on the size and distance of your move. Someone moving a studio apartment down the street is going to pay a lot less than someone moving a baby grand piano across the country. Movers charge based on the time it takes to complete your move or the weight of your items. Container services charge based on weight.
Our survey data shows that if you’re moving a three-bedroom house across state lines, say somewhere between 1,250 and 1,450 miles, it will cost an average of $13,100. If you want to use a U-Haul 26-foot truck for the same house size and distance, budget for about $1,900. A transportation-only U-Pack 26-foot trailer will run close to $4,000.
The needle on your budget will also rise a bit if you need extra packing supplies or crate services. “Moving is a great opportunity to get rid of anything you don’t love,” advised Kay Morrison, owner and operator of The Occasional Wife, a company that provides moving services in New Orleans.
In a perfect world, you could thoroughly declutter the house, pack it up and drive the moving truck — saving yourself extra money. However, many of us have limited time and physical ability for a DIY move that’s quick and efficient. As you’re working on your moving budget, focus on the top expenditures during a relocation. These include professional movers, packing services and deposits. It helps to set aside an emergency fund for unexpected additional costs that can sneak up on you.
Factor the down payment or security deposit into your moving budget, depending on whether you buy or rent. The down payment is a significant upfront cost for homebuyers, typically 3%–20% of the total home price — for a $400,000 house, that’s $12,000–$80,000.
Often, renters must allocate funds for the first month’s rent and the security deposit, which is usually equal to one month’s rent. For a $2,000 apartment, you should have $4,000 on hand to move in. These expenses are substantial and coincide with the moving timeline, so factor them into your moving budget.
Moving labor costs vary based on the level of service. It will cost more to contract a full-service moving company to wrap each and every plate than it will to use pros only for loading, transporting and unloading your belongings.
Labor costs will also depend on the distance of your move. Hiring a two- to four-person crew for an afternoon could cost you a few hundred dollars, while paying for a full-service cross-country move would likely cost thousands of dollars.
“People are often surprised at how much movers cost, but it’s not just labor you’re paying for,” Morrison said. “When you hire pro movers, you’re also paying for the peace of mind that comes with having insurance for your belongings and worker’s compensation if the movers get hurt in your home.”
Labor costs will also increase if you need additional services such as the following:
To get the best deal on a move, get a quote from at least three reputable, top moving companies. “You can save a lot of money if you do your homework,” said Pamela Downs, real estate advisor at Compass New England in Wilmington, Massachusetts.
Moving truck prices typically depend on the truck’s size and the distance of your move. Local rentals usually charge by the hour or offer a daily rate, while long-distance rentals factor mileage into the total cost.
Most moving truck companies, including U-Haul, offer online quotes. You can enter the dimensions of a truck and your pick-up and drop-off locations, then receive an instant quote. Remember to add equipment to your rental — such as dollies, hand trucks and furniture pads. Prices for these extras can range from $5 for six moving blankets to $10 for an appliance dolly.
You will probably need wardrobe and multisized cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, packing paper and mattress covers. The list of essential supplies can add up depending on the size of your move. “The cost of moving supplies catches everyone by surprise,” Morrison said. “And they’ve gotten more expensive over the past couple of years.”
The U-Haul moving supplies calculator is an excellent resource for a moving budget. It will give you a packing supply estimate based on the details of your home, including the number of rooms, closets and furniture.
You’ll need to include fuel costs in your budget if you’re gearing up for a long-distance move and plan to drive. Depending on your travel distance, fuel costs can become a significant expense.
Consider that a moving truck will likely need more gas than your own vehicle. To estimate fuel costs, you’ll need to know three things: the distance of your move, the average gas price and the miles per gallon (mpg) of your car or moving truck.
Once you know those numbers, calculate fuel costs using the following equation:
Miles / mpg x Gas price = Minimum fuel cost
When budgeting to hire a long-distance moving company, don’t overlook the crucial inclusion of lodging expenses. Long-haul relocations often entail several days of travel, necessitating overnight stays. Whether it’s cozy roadside inns, convenient hotels or temporary rentals, the average hotel costs $149 a night. Lodging costs can accumulate rapidly, impacting your overall moving budget.
It’s not just about the truck and boxes; these hidden expenses can add up quickly.
Whether you’re planning a local move across town or embarking on a cross-country journey, we recommend tipping your professional movers — after all, they did do the heavy lifting.
To figure out how much to tip, consider the following:
Moving takes a lot of energy — you’re going to get hungry and you probably won’t want to cook. Take-out is going to be a necessity if you’re planning a long-distance move and driving from your old home to the new residence. Typical fast-food chains charge at least $10 for a combo meal — a McDonald’s in a Connecticut rest stop was charging $18 for a Big Mac meal.
You’ll want to leave your home clean for the new owners, or to ensure that your security deposit is returned. Your new place may also need a little sprucing up (or maybe a deep clean). With some time and energy, you can clean by yourself. But with a move on the docket, scheduling cleaning services is probably the way to go.
A cleaning for a 1,000-square-foot home will cost about $90, but a 3,000-square-foot space will cost up to $250, according to MaidThis, a Cincinnati cleaning company.
Wrangling toddlers or keeping curious pets out of the moving fray is a task in and of itself. Remember to factor in child care or pet care costs so you can focus on overseeing the move without distractions. Budget even more if you have a lot to pack.
Although you can purchase a moving budget app or find templates online, creating your own is easy in a notebook, Excel or Google Sheets. Here’s how to organize a moving budget that includes all your expenses:
Cutting down on moving costs is a savvy approach to staying within budget. Whether you’re moving locally or embarking on a long-distance journey, here are some practical ways to trim expenses without sacrificing the quality of your move:
As you’re fine-tuning your moving budget, don’t forget that you will have expenses when you relocate to your new home. Once you unpack, you may need extra household items and furnishings, especially if you move to a larger space.
Rather than splurging on everything at once, consider making another moving checklist — this one for when you get to your new place. This approach not only helps you manage finances effectively but also allows you to make thoughtful decisions about purchases, ensuring that each addition aligns with your preferences and needs. By pacing yourself, you’ll make wise decisions curating a living space that reflects your style without straining your budget.
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