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Moving Cost Seasonality: When to Move
June costs 31% more than December for the identical move. The 2026 month-by-month index with real dollar figures, why summer peaks, and the smaller timing levers that stack on top.
Filed October 20, 2026 · figures checked against the 2026 rate bands
The short answer
Moving has a season, and the season has a price. MoveSmart's 2026 cost index puts June at 122 and December at 93 (January = 100), which means a June move costs about 31 percent more than a December move for the identical shipment. On a 2-bedroom moved 1,000 miles, that is $5,002 in June versus $3,813 in December: a $1,189 swing for changing nothing but the date on the calendar.
What moving a 2-bedroom 1,000 miles in December saves versus June — the same truck, the same crew, the same boxes, a different month.
The 2026 month-by-month index
Applied to a 2-bedroom, 1,000-mile full-service move (base $4,100 before seasonality), the index prices every month of 2026:
| Month | Index | 2-bedroom, 1,000 mi |
|---|---|---|
| January | 100 | $4,100 |
| February | 102 | $4,182 |
| March | 105 | $4,305 |
| April | 108 | $4,428 |
| May | 115 | $4,715 |
| June | 122 | $5,002 |
| July | 120 | $4,920 |
| August | 118 | $4,838 |
| September | 110 | $4,510 |
| October | 104 | $4,264 |
| November | 97 | $3,977 |
| December | 93 | $3,813 |
The index anchors (June 122, December 93, January 100) are MoveSmart's published 2026 figures; the months between are interpolated, which matches how demand actually ramps through spring and falls off after August. The shape is what matters: a steep climb from March to June, a plateau through August, then a slide into the winter trough.
Why summer costs more
It is not a conspiracy; it is a calendar collision. Roughly two-thirds of moves happen between May and September, driven by forces nobody in the moving industry controls: school years ending, leases turning over on the same cycle, college moves, and weather that makes hauling furniture merely unpleasant instead of dangerous. Crews run at capacity, trucks are fully booked, and the companies with the best reputations stop discounting because they do not need to. Winter is the mirror image: crews need the work, trucks sit idle, and the dispatcher who quoted you $5,002 in June will take $3,813 in December and thank you for calling.
The smaller timing levers
The month is the big lever, but three smaller ones stack on top of it:
- Mid-month beats month-end. Leases expire on the 1st and the 30th, so the last and first five days of every month are mini-peak seasons. The 10th through the 20th is the quiet window, and quiet windows get better quotes.
- Weekdays beat weekends. A Tuesday crew costs less than a Saturday crew for the same job, and the good crews are actually available.
- Lead time matters. Booking four to six weeks out in summer (two to three in winter) gets you the pick of dates; booking the week of the move gets you whoever is left, at whatever they charge.
Stacked, the timing discounts are multiplicative in spirit: an off-season, mid-month, Tuesday move can price a third below a peak-season, month-end Saturday for the identical shipment.
What to do if you must move in June
Sometimes the date is not negotiable — the job starts, the lease ends, the kids' school year rules. The June playbook:
- Book the moment you know. June capacity sells out; early booking is the only discount that is always available.
- Take the Tuesday. Even in peak season, mid-week dates price below weekends.
- Price the container. Container capacity is less seasonal than crew capacity; the container's June premium is smaller than the full-service one.
- Move less. The weight charge does not care about the month. Every 500 pounds you sell instead of ship saves about $300 regardless of season.
The calendar is the biggest single lever in moving costs — bigger than the company you pick, bigger than haggling. Shifting a 2-bedroom 1,000-mile move from June to December saves $1,189, which beats every coupon, every negotiation tactic, and most of the "cheap moving hacks" lists combined. If your dates flex at all, flex them toward winter.
Sources: MoveSmart 2026 moving calculator FAQ and cost index, June 122 / December 93 / January 100 (https://movesmart.co/moving-calculator); monthly figures interpolated from the published anchors and applied to this site's moving model (2-bedroom, 1,000 miles, base $4,100).
Questions movers hear every day
- What is the cheapest month to move?
- December, by the 2026 seasonal index (93 versus June's 122). November through February are all trough months; May through August are peak.
- How much more does a summer move cost?
- About 31 percent more than a winter move: a 2-bedroom 1,000-mile move prices at $5,002 in June versus $3,813 in December, a $1,189 difference.
- Is it cheaper to move mid-month?
- Yes. Month-end and month-start dates are mini-peak seasons driven by lease cycles; the 10th through the 20th is the quiet window with better availability and quotes.
- Are weekdays cheaper for movers?
- Generally yes: Tuesday-through-Thursday crews price below Saturday crews, and the better crews are actually free on weekdays.
- How far ahead should I book movers?
- Four to six weeks ahead in summer, two to three in winter. Late booking in peak season means paying premium rates for whoever is still available.
Keep reading
- How much does it cost to move in 2026?The full breakdown: local, long-distance, and what each dollar buys.
- How much do movers cost for a 2-bedroom apartment?A worked example at 25, 500, and 1,000 miles, with every add-on priced.
- Savings Goal CalculatorSaving up for the move? Turn the quote into a monthly plan.
- Moving Cost CalculatorPrice your own move: three ways, every add-on, down to the dollar.