How Much Does It Cost to Move Across the Country?

Long-Distance Moving Cost Factors

Several factors can affect your out-of-state moving costs, including the size of your home and the type of services you opt into.

Size of Your Home

Your home’s size can impact a cross-country move’s overall costs, whether you use a moving container, rent a truck, or hire professional movers. A one-bedroom apartment or home typically maxes out at $3,000 to move across the country, while a three-bedroom home usually starts at $4,000.

Size of Moving Vehicle or Storage Container

The size of the truck or storage container that you rent will also affect your total cost to move—and is usually correlated with the size of your home. However, savvy packers can fit larger spaces in smaller trucks while sloppy packers might need a larger space for a smaller amount of belongings.

The table below shows sample prices for 10-, 15-, 20, and 26-foot trucks traveling from Nashville, Tennessee, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We used U-Haul to generate these estimates.

Similarly, we reviewed prices for a U-Pack storage container for the same move:

Requested Services

The level of professional moving assistance you require can drastically alter the overall cost to move across the country.

• Moving a 1-bedroom home yourself in a rented truck from Nashville to Albuquerque costs $1,325 plus gas.

• Moving a 1-bedroom home in a storage container from Nashville to Albuquerque costs $3,500. You can pay more for features like climate control, indoor storage, and vehicle storage.

• The cost of hiring professional movers ranges from $4,000 to $10,000+ for full-service; for most long-distance moves, moving companies charge by weight, not the hour.

If you don’t want to pay the full-suite price for movers, you can pay for a la carte services like packing and unpacking, then rent a truck or storage container to load, unload, and drive yourself.

• Professional packers cost from $270 to $2,200.

• Move out cleaning costs from $110 to $650.

• The cost to move furniture in-house is $70 to $610.

Time and Distance

Renting a truck locally costs between $20 and $40 per day, depending on the size of the truck. For local moves, professional movers also charge by the hour, usually $50 to $100 per hour for 1 to 2 movers.

Out-of-state moving costs are usually calculated by weight or distance instead of time, though you might get a day rate for a truck if you’re just moving across the border into the next state. In general, the heavier your belongings and the farther you have to travel, the more you will pay in long-distance moving costs.

Time of year can also impact the cost of your move. Moving on a weekend or on a holiday may result in higher rental prices.

Other Long-Distance Moving Costs to Consider

In addition to these cross-country moving cost factors, you may also need to budget for:

• Moving supplies: $175–$200 for a two-bedroom home. Packing tape, boxes, packing paper, and a dolly rental may seem minute compared to the cost of a truck rental for a long-distance move, but the small fees add up.

• Gas prices: If you’re driving a rental truck, be prepared for high gas prices, especially in 2022. Moving container prices have also gone up to reflect the rising cost of fuel.

• Insurance: 1% to 2% of property’s value. In most cases, homeowners insurance or renters insurance should cover your belongings during a move, but you can purchase insurance through your moving company or a third party if needed.

• Closing costs, down payment, and/or security deposit: If you are buying a house, you’ll have additional fees related to closing. Renters will likely need to pay a security deposit and maybe a month of rent.

• Other costs: Don’t forget that a new state means a new vehicle registration and driver’s license. Plus, you may need to budget for meals and lodging while on the road. If you aren’t ready to immediately move your belongings into a new space, you might need to budget for storage unit costs.

Cross-Country Moving Costs by Distance

The average cost of a cross-country move is $4,700, but that number can fluctuate tremendously depending on the distance you are traveling.

The table below explores rental truck and storage container costs for moves of various distances. For this example, we are assuming a 20-foot truck or container for a two- to three-bedroom home.

Long-Distance Moving Companies Prices and Services

If you're planning a long-distance move of more than 400 miles, you'll need to choose a type of moving service for the trip.

Full-Service Movers

Hiring full-service movers costs $4,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the distance and any additional services. Popular companies include:

• Allied

• Atlas

• Mayflower

• North American

• Old Dominion

When you hire a moving company for an interstate trip, they usually send a consultant to your house to:

• Evaluate the size of the truck you’ll need

• Estimate total weight for the load

• Talk to you about extra insurance for your belongings

At the end of the consultation, you’ll get a detailed estimate with itemized services and costs.

Freight Trailers

Renting a 28-foot freight trailer for a long-distance move costs an average of $2,900, depending on the distance traveled and the number of items packed. Popular companies include:

• U-Pack

• OD Household Services

• Estes SureMove

If you’re renting a full truckload (FTL), you’re reserving the entire trailer for your move. Renting a less-than-truckload (LTL) trailer means you rent out space by foot in the freight trailer and share it with other customers. LTL is more affordable, but delivery times may be slower because the trailer may serve multiple people simultaneously.

Cross-Country Moving Truck Rental

Renting a moving truck to move across the country costs $1,200 to $2,100. A 10-foot vehicle runs $1,200 to $1,400, while a 26-foot truck ranges from $1,900 to $2,100.

This estimate includes the cost of renting the vehicle, plus its mileage. If you need to tow a car, you’ll pay an additional $1,300 to $1,800. You will also need to confirm that the truck has the proper towing equipment.

These costs do not include loading or unloading. If you hire movers to get the truck ready, you’ll pay an additional $400 to $1,600, or $50 to $100 per hour for the service.

Shipping Containers

Renting a shipping container and transporting it for your move costs $700 to $5,000. The price depends on how many units you need, and how far you plan to go. Most homes use one to three units.

Container companies drop a portable storage unit at your house and let you pack it at your leisure. On a specified date, they pick it up and deliver it to your destination for you to unload.

Cost to Ship Furniture Across the Country

Shipping furniture across the country costs an average of $300 to $800 per piece. You may want to add insurance for valuable belongings that you’re not transporting personally. This expense costs about 1% of the item’s value.

DIY vs. Hiring Long-Distance Movers

Handling a local move with some friends and a pickup truck may not be your ideal version of a Saturday, but it’s completely doable. But when moving across the country, you’ll likely need to pay for some kind of service to lighten the load.

It’s possible to pack, load, transport, unload, and unpack your items yourself and just pay the cost of the rental truck or storage pod, but hiring local movers for a long-distance move can save you a great deal of time and effort, especially when you might instead need to be focused on finding a new house or apartment and preparing for a new job.

If you decide to look for moving companies near you, read reviews and get quotes from multiple movers.

FAQs

How much money should I save to move out of state?

Depending on the size of your house and the distance from your current home to your new residence, you can spend anywhere between $700 to $$10,000 to move out of state. This includes the cost of a rental truck or pod, plus the cost of movers.

In addition, you may need to budget for:

• Packing supplies: $175–$200

• Car registration: $15–$200

• New driver’s license: $10–$100

• Professional packing and unpacking costs: $270–$2,200

What is considered a long-distance move?

Most professionals consider a long-distance move to be 400 miles or more.

What is the best way to move out of state?

The best way to move out of state depends on your budget, distance to your new home, and the number of belongings coming with you. However, hiring professional movers to assist with your out-of-state move is the ideal way to organize and execute your move. Pro movers have the skills and experience necessary to get your cross-country move done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What do I need to do when moving to a new state?

Moving to a new state takes about two months to plan. Using this cross-country moving checklist can help.

How much does shipping a car cross country cost?

Shipping a car costs $700 to $1,200; the average cost to ship a car in the U.S. is $1,150. 

How much does it cost to ship a motorcycle?

The cost to ship a motorcycle ranges from $400 to $600. However, you should anticipate higher gas costs if moving in 2022.

What questions should I ask before hiring professional movers?

When interviewing potential professional movers, ask the following questions:

• Will the standard insurance cover the value of my possessions?

• Is this estimate guaranteed, or can the final price run higher?

• Will my goods remain on the same truck or transfer?

• Does the estimate include all charges?

• Which forms of payment do you accept?

• Who do I contact, the mover or the broker?

• What is the process for making a claim if something is damaged?

What are some moving dos and don’ts that I should know?

Keep these moving tips in mind when you’re preparing to move across the country:

• Declutter and downsize as you pack.

• Number the boxes and label what’s in them.

• Don’t ship your pets.

• Service your car a week in advance.

• Perform a thorough walk-through of your old home before you leave.

• Keep your gas tank above 1/3 full.

• Reserve lodging at least a few hours before you stop.

• Don’t leave your valuables in your car overnight.