Moving Cost Calculator & Pricing Guide
Two ways a move is priced
Local moves are billed by the hour. Your rate is set by crew size — a 2-person crew is our lowest rate, a 4-person crew our highest. Move Monday–Thursday and you get our discounted weekday rate; Friday through Sunday and month-end is our standard rate. You only pay for the hours used. The crew, the truck, blankets, dollies, shrink wrap, and standard disassembly and reassembly are all included.
Long-distance moves are a flat range. Cross-state and long-haul moves are quoted as a single range based on the driving distance and the size of your home — not by the hour. Every long-distance move rides on one dedicated Movers Best truck with one crew, start to finish.
What a local move costs
(discounted weekday rate)
Every rate includes the crew, the truck, blankets, dollies, shrink wrap, and standard furniture disassembly and reassembly. You only pay for the hours used.
What that works out to for a typical move (we confirm your exact number in a free quote):
Totals are before packing or specialty items and include California Double Drive Time (Section 6).
What a long-distance move costs
Distance | 1 bedroom | 2 bedroom | 3 bedroom | 4 bedroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
200–300 mi (e.g. Las Vegas) | $2,700–3,700 | $3,100–3,700 | $3,600–5,400 | $4,400–6,600 |
300–400 mi (e.g. Phoenix) | $3,100–3,800 | $3,400–4,300 | $4,200–6,390 | $5,200–7,800 |
400–500 mi (e.g. Tucson, Sacramento) | $3,300–4,800 | $3,700–5,400 | $4,590–8,000 | $5,580–8,700 |
500–600 mi (e.g. SF Bay Area) | $4,000–4,900 | $4,590–5,400 | $5,400–8,100 | $6,570–9,900 |
600–700 mi (e.g. Salt Lake City) | $4,590–5,490 | $5,100–6,000 | $6,000–9,100 | $7,100–10,700 |
700–800 mi | $4,950–5,850 | $5,670–6,390 | $6,390–9,630 | $7,380–10,710 |
800–900 mi | $5,800–6,500 | $6,200–7,100 | $7,100–9,800 | $7,560–10,900 |
900–1,000 mi (e.g. Portland) | $6,200–7,100 | $6,800–7,700 | $7,700–11,600 | $9,000–13,500 |
1,000–1,100 mi (e.g. Denver) | $7,600–8,500 | $8,300–9,300 | $9,350–14,000 | $10,800–16,200 |
1,100–1,200 mi (e.g. Seattle) | $8,100–9,000 | $8,800–9,700 | $9,900–14,900 | $11,300–17,000 |
1,200–1,300 mi | $8,100–9,100 | $8,900–9,800 | $9,900–15,000 | $11,500–17,200 |
1,300–1,400 mi (e.g. Austin) | $8,800–9,800 | $9,600–10,500 | $10,800–16,200 | $12,300–18,500 |
1,400–1,500 mi (e.g. Dallas) | $9,300–10,200 | $9,900–10,800 | $10,800–16,200 | $12,300–19,200 |
1,500–1,600 mi | $9,800–10,700 | $10,600–11,500 | $11,700–17,500 | $13,400–20,100 |
1,600–1,700 mi | $10,300–11,200 | $10,900–11,800 | $11,700–18,400 | $14,300–21,000 |
1,700–1,800 mi | $11,400–12,300 | $12,300–13,200 | $13,500–20,200 | $15,300–23,100 |
1,800–1,900 mi | $11,900–12,800 | $12,900–13,900 | $14,200–21,500 | $16,100–24,200 |
1,900–2,000 mi | $13,400–14,300 | $14,400–15,300 | $15,700–23,600 | $17,800–26,700 |
2,000–2,100 mi (e.g. Chicago) | $13,400–14,300 | $14,400–15,300 | $15,750–23,670 | $17,800–26,700 |
2,100–2,200 mi | $13,600–14,600 | $14,600–15,600 | $16,100–24,200 | $18,100–27,200 |
2,200–2,300 mi | $14,700–15,700 | $15,800–16,700 | $17,200–25,900 | $19,400–29,100 |
2,300–2,400 mi | $15,300–16,100 | $16,100–17,000 | $18,100–25,900 | $19,400–29,100 |
2,400–2,500 mi | $15,800–16,700 | $17,000–17,900 | $18,400–27,700 | $20,800–31,200 |
2,500–2,600 mi | $16,100–17,000 | $17,200–18,200 | $18,700–28,000 | $21,000–31,500 |
2,600–2,800 mi (e.g. East Coast) | $18,100–19,100 | $19,400–20,300 | $21,000–31,500 | $23,500–35,300 |
The calculator finds your exact band by destination.
Packing, storage, and specialty items
Packing. Billed by the hour at the same all-inclusive rate as your move, with materials included in the quote. A studio or 1-bedroom is usually a 3–4 hour pack; a 2–3 bedroom home 5–9 hours. (Full details on the Packing Services page.) Materials, if bought separately:
| Material | Price |
|---|---|
| Wardrobe box | $30 |
| Bubble wrap (roll, sold in ¼ increments) | $140 |
| Packing paper (bundle) | $50 |
| Moving blankets | $30 buy / $15 rent |
Material | Price |
|---|---|
Small box | $3 |
Medium box | $4 |
Large box | $5 |
Storage — clean, secure, month-to-month:
| Unit | Price | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight on truck | $150 / truck | 10 × 20 | $499 / mo |
| 10 × 10 | $299 / mo | 10 × 25 | $589 / mo |
| 10 × 15 | $389 / mo | 10 × 30 | $649 / mo |
Heavy & specialty items — a flat add-on, quoted per item. We ask for a few photos of the item and the access path first, so we send the right crew the first time — a safe-crew approach, never the cheapest-crew gamble.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Extra-heavy item, 250–300 lbs | $100 |
| Extra-heavy item, 300+ lbs | $0.50 / lb |
| Piano — ground to ground | $100 |
| Upright piano through stairs (at least 4 movers) | $200 |
| Baby grand piano (at least 6 movers, ground-to-ground only) | $300 |
| Murphy bed (confirm with manager) | $300 |
The one charge California requires
What makes a move cost more or less
Monday–Thursday moves (discounted weekday rate) · mid-month (2nd–20th) · ground floor or elevator-direct access · fully packed and labeled before the crew arrives · short distance between homes · off-season (Oct–Feb)
stairs, long carries, or elevator waits · same-day/next-day rush booking · packing left for the crew on move day · heavy or specialty items · peak summer demand (Jun–Aug).
Why Movers Best
Moving cost FAQ
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How much does it cost to hire local movers in Orange County?
Local moves are billed by the hour based on crew size, with a discounted rate Monday through Thursday. A typical 2-bedroom move runs about 5–7 hours and most land around $950–$1,600; a 4-bedroom home runs about 9–12 hours. Most local moves fall between roughly $400 for a studio and $3,400 for a large home, before packing or specialty items. Travel between your two homes is billed under California’s standard Double Drive Time. The best way to get a real number is a quick free quote.
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How is the cost of a long-distance move calculated?
Long-distance moves are priced as a flat range based on driving distance and home size, not by the hour. For example, a 1-bedroom move of 200–300 miles runs about $2,700–$3,700, and a 3-bedroom move of 900–1,000 miles about $7,700–$11,600. Every long-distance move uses one dedicated truck with no broker hand-offs or shared loads, and your exact price is confirmed after a full inventory.
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Does Movers Best have a moving cost calculator?
Yes. Our free moving cost calculator gives you a price range for a local or long-distance move in seconds — no email required. Then request a free, no-obligation exact quote whenever you’re ready.
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What is Double Drive Time and why is it on my bill?
It’s California’s standard way of billing the travel portion of a local move. If the drive between your old and new home is over 15 minutes, that travel time is counted twice. It’s a single, regulated, transparent figure, and we always show it before you book. We don’t charge for the drive out to your first stop — the clock starts when we arrive.
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Is renting a storage container like PODS cheaper than full-service movers?
It depends on your move. A container shifts the loading, driving, and unloading onto you, plus monthly container and transport fees. Full-service movers handle all of it for one rate, with trained crews, equipment, and coverage included. For local moves the totals are often comparable once you count container rental, your time, and damage risk. We also offer month-to-month storage from $299/mo if you need it.
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Is a deposit required, and what about same-day or next-day moves?
A deposit reserves your date and is applied to your final bill. Standard advance bookings just need a card on file. Same-day bookings require a larger deposit plus a small rush rate, and next-day a smaller deposit plus the rush rate — call us and we’ll tell you what’s open today.