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It probably won’t come as a shock that renting a truck, packing it up with all your belongings, and driving it to your new home is cheaper than hiring someone to do it all for you. What is surprising is how much it’s cheaper: After getting quotes from three different moving companies for different moves, I found that doing it yourself will save you about $1,000 for a local move and up to $5,000 for an international move.
In general, you have three options for moving your belongings: rent a moving truck and do it all yourself, pack a moving container and ship it, or rent one professional moving company to do everything. To determine the cost of each option, I collected quotes for moving a three-room apartment at different distances.
Keep in mind that moving quotes are highly customized — especially when it comes to hiring professionals — and you’ll likely need to provide a moving company with a detailed inventory or tour your home to see exactly how the prices will break out for your move.
Rent a moving truck and do it yourself
| Move distance | Medium truck for rent | Gas costs | Final price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 miles | $44 | $4 | $48 |
| 100 miles | $343 | $36 | $379 |
| 500 miles | $799 | $182 | $981 |
| 1000 miles | 1036 dollars | $364 | 1400 dollars |
| 3000 miles | 3102 dollars | 1092 dollars | 4194 dollars |
These truck prices reflect the cheapest options offered by three of the most popular rental companies. These are the simplest 15- or 16-foot truck rental packages available – no insurance, no packing supplies, and no towing. (Learn more about choose the right size truck rental here.)
The time you have with the truck usually depends on how far you are going. For a move from Seattle to Bakersfield, for example, U-Haul gives you five days and 1,218 miles. Other companies, like Penske, give you unlimited mileage for long-distance moves.
I also considered current average gas prices ($3.64 per gallon) and fuel efficiency for a 16-foot truck (about 10 mpg). For a 3,000-mile move, you’ll need to shell out an additional $1,092 for fuel.
Moving container rental costs
| Move distance | Average price |
|---|---|
| 10 miles | 578 dollars |
| 100 miles | 1350 dollars |
| 500 miles | 1459 dollars |
| 1000 miles | 2371 dollars |
| 3000 miles | 3238 dollars |
Container moving splits the difference between do-it-yourself moving and hiring professionals. The company leaves a portable storage unit at your home, you fill it with your belongings, and the company ships it to your new home. Most shipping containers such as PODS and U-Box also offer loading and storage services that will add to the final price.
Cost of hiring professional movers
| Move distance | Average price |
|---|---|
| 10 miles | 1407 dollars |
| 100 miles | 1617 dollars |
| 500 miles | $4,398 |
| 1000 miles | $5,641 |
| 3000 miles | 9061 dollars |
The prices above show the average quotes I received from three different full service moving companies. You pack, and they load, drive and unload. There are a number of other factors that can affect these prices (more on that below), but these are the general figures you can expect to pay when hiring professional movers.
So what’s the cheapest way to get around?
| Move distance | Truck in motion | Movable container | Professional movers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 miles | $48 | 578 dollars | 1407 dollars |
| 100 miles | $379 | 1350 dollars | 1617 dollars |
| 500 miles | $981 | 1459 dollars | $4,398 |
| 1000 miles | 1400 dollars | 2371 dollars | $5,641 |
| 3000 miles | 4194 dollars | 3238 dollars | 9061 dollars |
Not surprisingly, the cheapest way to get around includes lifting those heavy boxes and furniture myself. For almost any moving distance, renting a moving truck and driving it yourself will save you the most money.
The only exception to this rule is for long cross-country moves. If you’re traveling from one coast to another, using a rolling container can be a bit cheaper than renting a truck and driving it yourself. That’s largely because you’re paying for gas out of pocket when you rent a truck, which can add more than a thousand dollars to your final price.
Other cost factors to consider when moving
| Supplement | price |
|---|---|
| Packaging supplies | $200 |
| Packaging services | $500 to $1,800 |
| Moving insurance | 1 to 2% of total coverage |
| Rental truck coverage | $14 to $235 |
| hotels | $206 to $618 |
| Car towing | $69 to $511 |
| Shipment by car | $700 to $3400 |
| Tip for movers | 10 to 20% of the total bill |
Unfortunately, moving costs don’t end once you’ve made a deposit with your moving company or truck. Here are some additional costs you’ll want to factor into your budget as you compare your options.
- Packaging supplies: U-Haul and Lowe’s sell two-bedroom moving kits for about $200 and include everything from boxes to packing tape to mattress covers. You can reduce these costs by looking free removable boxes or using towels and bedding as a pillow instead of foam or bubble wrap.
- Packaging services: Most professional moving companies offer packing services for an additional fee. Packing services added between $500 and $1800 to my moving quotes for a two bedroom apartment.
- Moving insurance: Every move option I looked at offered some kind moving insurance supplement. Interstate movers are required to insure your belongings at the cash value of their weight — 60 cents per pound — but you can also choose additional coverage.
- Rental truck coverage: Your credit card or auto insurance policy probably doesn’t cover a rental truck. U-Haul offers two protection packages: $14 or $28 for a local move and $168 or $235 for a cross-country move.
- hotels: If you’re driving a truck that moves across the country, you’ll want to factor in the cost of lodging while you’re traveling. Average hotel rates are currently $206 per night, according to travel site Hopper.
- Car towing: If you rent a moving truck, you will have the option to tow your vehicle behind it during the trip. Depending on the type of car and the distance, this can add up to $500 to your moving costs.
- Shipment by car: The cost of shipping your car can vary greatly depending on its size, the distance it will travel and whether you choose a closed or open shipment.
- Tip for movers: How much you tip motors is a personal choice, but a good rule of thumb is to plan to spend between 10% and 20% of the total bill.
Bottom line: Moving is expensive
No matter how much of the hard work you do yourself, it costs a lot of money to pack up your life for somewhere new—especially if the new place is across the country. In these situations, it may be better to sell or donating furniture before you move so you don’t pay more to transport your old couch than it’s worth.
For more cost-cutting tips, check out these six tips for transitioning to a budget.
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