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Moving Cost Calculator
A 2-bedroom costs about $900 to move across town and $4,100 to move 1,000 miles with a full-service crew — unless you rent the truck yourself, in which case it is $214 and $1,594. This manifest prices all three ways to move, seasons the quote by month, and adds the packing, storage, and insurance most quotes bury.
When movers cost 2.5× the truck, the labor is the purchase. Under 1.5×, the crew is usually worth it.
Estimates from the calculator's published model: local full-service at $50 per mover per hour plus a $150 truck fee; long-distance at $0.60 per pound plus $2.00 per mile; containers and trucks from 2026 rate bands. Seasonal multipliers interpolate MoveSmart's 2026 cost index (June 122, December 93, January 100). Planning ranges are ±15%. Not a quote; get three written estimates before booking. Figures are estimates, not financial advice.
Where the numbers come from
The model is deliberately simple so you can argue with it. Local moves (100 miles or fewer) price a crew at $50 an hour per mover — inside the $25–$50 band MoveSmart's 2026 calculator FAQ publishes — times typical load hours (3 for a studio, 9 for a 4-bedroom), plus a $150 truck and travel fee. Long-distance moves switch to the industry's weight-and-distance math: $0.60 per pound plus $2.00 per mile, inside MoveSmart's $0.50–$1.00 per pound and $3–$7 per mile bands. The seasonal index interpolates MoveSmart's 2026 figures (June 122, December 93, January 100). Cross-checks: a 2-bedroom moved 500–1,000 miles prices at $3,100–$4,264 against BookMyMove's $3,060–$5,280 band; a 4-bedroom cross-country lands at $11,590 against MoveSmart's $6,000–$14,000; the national average interstate move is $4,890 per the American Moving & Storage Association's 2025 report.
Container and truck bands come from MyMovingJourney's 2026 calculator: containers $422–$766 local and $856–$3,950 long-distance; rental trucks $29–$489 local. Full-value protection at about 1% of goods value and basic released-value coverage at $0.60 per pound follow the FreightWaves 2026 moving calculator's insurance notes.
Questions from the loading dock
- How much does it cost to hire movers?
- A 2-bedroom apartment runs about $900 to move across town ($796–$1,076 in the calculator's planning range) and about $4,100 for 1,000 miles. The American Moving & Storage Association puts the national average interstate move at $4,890 (2025 report, via MoveSmart).
- Why do moving quotes jump past 100 miles?
- Under 100 miles, movers price by the hour: crew size times hours plus a truck fee. Past 100 miles the industry switches to weight-and-distance pricing (about $0.60 per pound plus $2.00 per mile in this calculator's model). That regime change is why the full-service number jumps at the 100-mile line.
- Is a moving container cheaper than hiring movers?
- Usually, yes: for a 2-bedroom moved 1,000 miles in October, the calculator prices a container at $2,704 against $4,264 for full-service movers. The catch is that you do the packing and loading yourself; the container company just drives.
- How much does a rental truck really cost for a move?
- The $29-a-day headline is only the start. With per-mile charges and fuel, a 2-bedroom moved 1,000 miles lands around $1,594 in the calculator's model. The truck is almost always the cheapest option, and almost always the most work.
- What is the cheapest month to move?
- December. MoveSmart's 2026 cost index puts June at 122 and December at 93, so a 2-bedroom moved 1,000 miles costs about $5,002 in June versus $3,813 in December — a $1,189 swing for the identical move.
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.
- The cheapest way to moveTruck vs container vs movers at 1,000 miles, and when DIY stops being cheap.
- Moving cost seasonality: when to moveJune costs 31% more than December. The month-by-month index with dollar savings.
- Hiring movers vs renting a truckThe honest head-to-head on cost, time, risk, and insurance.