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Pick your home size, enter the move distance in miles, and add any packing service or storage weeks. The estimator applies a transparent rate table, built from published 2026 moving cost data, to each part of the move: the local base price, the transport charge for miles beyond 50, packing and storage. You get a low to high estimate range plus a line-item breakdown. These are planning estimates, not binding quotes, so always confirm with a written quote from a licensed mover.
The estimate is built from four line items. First, a base cost for the local part of the job (labour, truck, loading and unloading) that depends on home size: $400 for a studio, $550 for a 1-bedroom, $800 for a 2-bedroom, $1,100 for a 3-bedroom, $1,500 for a 4-bedroom and $2,000 for a 5-bedroom. Second, a transport charge for every mile beyond 50: $2.00 per mile for a studio, $2.60 for a 1-bedroom, $3.50 for a 2-bedroom, $4.50 for a 3-bedroom, $6.00 for a 4-bedroom and $8.00 for a 5-bedroom, which reflects how long-distance movers price by weight and distance. Third, packing: a flat partial-packing rate per home size ($150 to $1,200), doubled for full packing. Fourth, storage at $25 to $110 per week by home size. The low estimate is 90 percent of the subtotal and the high estimate is 120 percent. Worked example: a 2-bedroom home moving 25 miles with no packing and no storage costs $800 × 0.9 = $720 at the low end and $800 × 1.2 = $960 at the high end, which lines up with published local averages for that home size.
Choose the currency you budget in first. Select the home size closest to your current home, then enter the road distance between your old and new address in miles (use 25 or less for a local move across town, and anything over 50 for a long-distance move). If you want the movers to pack fragile items such as dishes and glassware, choose partial packing; choose full packing if you want them to pack everything. Add storage weeks only if your belongings must sit in storage between homes. The page updates instantly, so you can compare scenarios: try 25 miles against 1,000 miles, or no packing against full packing, and watch how the range changes. This moving cost calculator is free and needs no sign-up, so you can run as many estimates as you like while planning.
These 2026 industry benchmarks are what our rate tables are calibrated against. Local moves (under 50 to 100 miles, full-service movers): studio or 1-bedroom $400 to $1,500, 2-bedroom apartment $800 to $2,200, 3-bedroom $1,200 to $3,200, 4-bedroom $1,800 to $4,500, 5+ bedroom $2,500 to $6,000 or more. Long-distance moves (about 1,000 miles): studio or 1-bedroom $1,200 to $4,500, 2-bedroom $3,500 to $6,500, 3-bedroom $5,500 to $9,000, 4-bedroom $7,500 to $12,500, 5+ bedroom $9,500 to $15,000 or more. The jump between local and long-distance pricing exists because local movers charge by the hour for labour, while long-distance movers charge by shipment weight and mileage.
Distance is the biggest lever on a long-distance move; fuel, driver time and weight drive the price per mile. Home size matters because more rooms mean more weight, more truck space and more crew hours. Packing can add hundreds to thousands: professional full packing typically runs $500 to $2,500 or more by home size. Timing shifts prices too: summer months, weekends and the first or last few days of any month are peak demand and cost more, while midweek dates in the middle of an off-season month (October through April) are usually cheapest. Extra services raise the bill as well: stairs, long carries to the truck, specialty items like pianos or safes, and upgraded valuation insurance. Decluttering before you book is the single cheapest way to cut the cost, because every item you do not move is one you do not pay for.
Move midweek in the middle of the month during the off-season if your dates are flexible. Get at least three written quotes and compare them against your estimate: a quote far above the range deserves a line-item explanation, and one far below it deserves a check for missing fees. Pack yourself if you have the time, since packing labour alone can double the price; start weeks early with items you rarely use. Consider a hybrid move: moving containers or labour-only movers can undercut full-service prices if you pack or drive yourself. Ask about discounts for military, students and seniors, and book early once you decide, because rates rise as peak dates fill up. Moving prices are often negotiable, so use your estimate as leverage and ask the mover to walk through the line items if a quote comes in higher than expected.
The national average is around $1,250 for a local home move and about $4,300 for a long-distance move of roughly 1,000 miles, based on industry figures quoted by Lugg for 2026. A studio across town can land under $500, while a 4-bedroom home moving cross-country can clear $10,000. Use the estimator above to place your specific move inside these ranges.
Local moves (usually under 50 to 100 miles) are priced by the hour for crew and truck, so the main cost is labour time. Long-distance moves are priced by shipment weight and mileage, so the main cost is how much you own multiplied by how far it goes. The break point is roughly 100 miles: past it, you cross into a different pricing model entirely. Some movers price by volume instead of weight, charging by the cubic feet of truck space used plus mileage, but weight-based estimates are harder to inflate and are the safer option for interstate moves.
Tipping is voluntary but common. The usual guide is $4 to $5 per mover per hour: about $20 to $40 per mover for a half-day move and $40 to $80 for a full day, rising to $80 to $100 or more for an exceptionally hard day. For long-distance moves with different crews at each end, tip each crew separately based on its own hours and work.
The cheapest window is mid-October through April, the off-season. Tuesday through Thursday in the middle of a month is typically the cheapest stretch, sometimes 20 percent less than the same move on a Saturday. Summer, weekends, and the first or last few days of any month are peak demand and priced higher.
DIY is usually cheaper in money but costs time and physical effort: a local truck rental can start under $150 plus fuel and mileage, versus $400 to $1,500 for full-service movers on the same move. For long-distance moves the gap narrows once you add truck rental mileage, fuel, insurance and your own days of driving. Containers sit in the middle: you pack, the company drives. Run the estimate both ways before deciding: hiring movers looks expensive per hour, but the DIY total climbs once truck mileage, fuel, insurance and extra days are counted.
Common extras are stair fees (about $50 to $75 per flight), long-carry fees when the truck cannot park near your door, fuel surcharges of 8 to 15 percent, shuttle fees for tight streets, and specialty-item fees for pianos or safes. Packing materials, upgraded valuation insurance and tips rarely appear in the base quote either. Always ask for a written estimate that itemises every surcharge.
A binding estimate locks in your price before the move, while a non-binding estimate can change based on actual weight and services. A not-to-exceed estimate sets a maximum but can come down if the move is smaller than expected. For interstate moves, federal rules cap what a mover can demand at delivery on a non-binding estimate at 110 percent of the original quote.
A good estimator gives a reliable ballpark because it uses the same factors a mover does: distance, home size and service level. No online tool can account for every detail such as stairs, access or specialty items, so treat the result as a planning estimate and a sanity check for quotes, not a final price. Always follow up with an in-home or video survey for the most accurate quote.