It will not come as a shock to you that any household move will cost you money, especially when you’re moving long distance or out of state. It doesn’t matter how small your place is, how short a distance you’re moving, how many boxes you beg, or how many friends with trucks you have—ultimately, you will have to spend some cash to get your belongings from point A to point B.
This inevitable money-spending is the main reason why it is so important to create a moving budget—things can quickly get out of hand if you’re not prepared. If you are new to moving or to making a budget, here are a few basics that may be included depending on how you decide to execute your move:
- Fuel (for your own car and/or for any vehicle you choose to rent)
- Packing materials
- Movers
- Additional moving services such as packing
- Added fees for things like long carries, stairs, or other logistical challenges
- Truck rental
- Equipment rental
- Food or other incentive for your kind and generous friends and family
With all of that in mind, you may be wondering what the exact dollar amount may be so you can plan your budget. While we can’t give you the precise amount it will cost you to move out of state, we have compiled some data to give a guideline for what to expect. Read on to learn more.
How much does it cost to move out of state?
While you can typically assume an apartment will be cheaper to move than a single family home, this is not always the case. Whether you live in an apartment or a house, the cost of a move is less about the type of dwelling in which you reside and more about the number of rooms, the amount of stuff you have to move, and the distance you are moving it.
Below, we’ve put together some helpful charts that look at the most commonly made moves by people within the U.S.A. based on State-to-State Migration Flows from the United States Census Bureau. The data included in each chart is based on the largest cities in each state and is estimated based on the cost of:
- Packing supplies
- Packing services
- Fuel
- Equipment and truck rental
- Hiring a moving team
NOTE: Due to the seasonality of moving, costs may rise and fall based on the month, week, and day you book your move.
Based on that data, typically you can expect to spend the following:
| # of Bedrooms | Approximate cost to move |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $500-$4,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | $600-$5,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | $800-$8,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | $900-$11,000 |
How much does it cost to move yourself?
If you plan on handling your long distance move on your own, there are a lot more items you will have to consider and procure, as well as tasks you’ll have to do yourself that some moving companies could otherwise provide, including:
- Packing services
- Packing supplies such as boxes, packing tape, packing material, crates, etc.
- Equipment such as different kinds of dollies, moving straps, moving blankets, etc.
- Movers (a.k.a., friends and family with trucks)
- Moving truck, including gas and insurance
While the overall expense for a DIY move may be lower, each of these items still costs you money and, perhaps more importantly, time and effort.
In the following chart, we have combined the cost of store-bought packing supplies and truck rental to give you a rough idea how much it might cost to move yourself:
| Departure → Destination | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California → Texas | $2,880-$3,152 | $3,032-$3,427 | $4,093-$4,635 | $5,154-$5,824 |
| Washington → California | $675-$947 | $711-$1,106 | $817-$1,359 | $924-$1,594 |
| New York → Florida | $2,204-$2,476 | $2,320-$2,715 | $2,548-$3,090 | $2,896-$3,566 |
| Virginia → North Carolina | $591-$863 | $622-$1,017 | $809-$1,351 | $995-$1,665 |
| California → Arizona | $587-$859 | $618-$1,013 | $927-$1,469 | $1,236-$1,906 |
Source: U-Haul. Estimates do not include the cost of gas, insurance, or other equipment.
How much does it cost to hire long distance movers?
Hiring professional movers will almost always be more expensive than a DIY move, but not always by a huge margin. In some cases, the extra amount is negligible, especially when you factor in the amount of time, energy, and stress it will save you.
Typically, a local move will cost you somewhere between $1,250 and $2,300 compared to $4,300-$4,890 for a long distance move. When it comes to hiring professional movers, the price tag varies depending on:
- Mileage between departure point and destination
- Total weight of your belongings
- Moving date
- Labor costs, such as the number of movers required
- Insurance and liability coverage
- Additional services such as furniture disassembling, or packing
Here’s a rough idea how much you can expect to pay when hiring long distance movers:
| Departure → Destination | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California → Texas | $2,779-$3,780 | $3,780-$4,782 | $5,674-$7,568 | $7,568-$11,048 |
| Washington → California | $2,566-$3,465 | $3,465-$4,372 | $5,181-$6,899 | $6,899-$10,051 |
| New York → Florida | $2,463-$3,312 | $3,312-$4,175 | $4,947-$6,585 | $6,585-$9,596 |
| Virginia → North Carolina | $1,832-$2,375 | $2,375-$2,951 | $3,464-$4,561 | $4,561-$6,549 |
| California → Arizona | $1,952-$2,554 | $2,554-$3,185 | $3,748-$4,948 | $4,948-$7,134 |
Source: Moving.com Moving Cost Calculator. Estimates do not include the cost of packing services.
If you have a smaller home and fewer belongings to move, say less than a truckful of stuff, there is another option when it comes to transporting your things—less than truckload shipping (LTL). When your shipment does not completely fill the truck, it is shipped using LTL shipping.How much does it cost to ship your belongings to a new state?
With an LTL company like TSI, you can select Economy Shipping Service if all of your items can be boxed and organized at the curb for pickup. This will save you money and transport time is typically 3-5 business days. If you have furniture, art, and other items in addition to boxes, White Glove service is a better option. This includes 2-person inside pickup and delivery, and transport times are typically 15-20 business days.
What is White Glove Shipping? If a hands-off approach is more in line with your moving style, LTL White Glove Shipping might be right for you. All you have to do is pack your boxes and the moving team will do the rest—pack furniture items for transport, load the furniture and boxes onto the truck, and safely deliver them to their destination. After arriving, they will unload your belongings into the new home.
| Departure → Destination | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California → Texas | $3,837.05 | $4,801.99 | $6,284.84 | $9,372.30 |
| Washington → California | $3,637.20 | $4,542.22 | $5,896.36 | $8,761.46 |
| New York → Florida | $3,837.05 | $4,801.9 | $6,284.84 | $9,372.30 |
| Virginia → North Carolina | $2,692.21 | $3,291.73 | $4,030.56 | $5,865.68 |
| California → Arizona | $2,812.11 | $3,454.48 | $4,273.38 | $6,241.37 |
Conclusion
While there are ways to whittle down the cost of your move, such as decluttering and getting rid of or selling many of your possessions or having a friend with a truck, you will almost certainly have to spend some amount of money on your move.
Depending on where you are moving from and moving to, how much stuff you have, and whether it’s a DIY or professional move, you can generally expect to pay between:
- $500-$4,000 for a 1 bedroom move
- $600-$5,000 for a 2 bedroom move
- $800-$8,000 for a 3 bedroom move
- $900-$11,000+ for a 4 bedroom move
Moving to another state?
TSI specializes in long distance small moves and specialty shipments.
Featured Image: Woman photo created by wayhomestudio - www.freepik.com
About the author: Stephanie Rosenlund is the Director of Strategic Solutions at TSI, the long distance move and shipment provider for thousands of businesses, families, and individuals every year. Stephanie knows all the tips and tricks to make your move or shipment simple and specializes in freight shipping and interstate relocations. In her free time, she loves exploring the world with her husband and two kids.
