What Is the Average Moving Cost in 2026?

Average moving cost at a glance

The average moving cost depends mostly on two things: how far you are going and how much you own. Here is what the main trackers report for moves with professional movers.

Source: HomeAdvisor, Jun 2026; Opendoor, Apr 2026, citing the American Moving and Storage Association.

Local moves are priced by the hour: the hourly rate, times the size of the crew, times the hours worked. Long-distance moves are priced mainly by the weight of your shipment and the miles. HomeAdvisor says the average household’s belongings weigh about 7,500 pounds.

Moving cost by home size

More rooms mean more boxes, a bigger truck and more hours. These are the ranges for a local move (under 50 miles) and a 1,000-mile move.

Source: Opendoor, Apr 2026; HomeAdvisor, Jun 2026.

Movers rarely quote by square foot, but moveBuddha does give figures for a 2,000 sq ft house: $1,500 to $1,800 for a local move with four movers working 7 to 9 hours, and $5,000 to $14,000 for a long-distance move. In two of its case studies, 2,000 sq ft homes moving about 1,500 and 1,880 miles cost $8,425 and $15,960.

Moving cost by distance

For long-distance moves, the miles add up more slowly than you might expect, because weight drives most of the price.

Source: Opendoor, Apr 2026. This table and the bedroom table above use slightly different ranges for the 1,000-mile column; both come from the same article.

Hiring movers vs doing it yourself

Full-service movers are the most expensive way to move, and a rental truck is the cheapest. Portable containers fall in the middle.

Source: Opendoor, Apr 2026.

A truck rental also comes with fuel ($50 to $400 or more), rental insurance ($15 to $50 a day) and equipment like dollies and blankets, per Opendoor. You also do all the lifting, so weigh the savings against your time and back.

Extra moving costs to plan for

The base quote is rarely the final bill. These are the extras that show up most often:

• Packing. Opendoor puts professional packing at $300 to $1,000 or more for a typical home, or $100 to $300 if you buy materials and pack yourself. HomeAdvisor’s packing average is about $1,000.
• Access fees. Opendoor lists $50 to $75 per flight of stairs, $75 to $150 for a long carry or elevator, and $150 to $500 for a shuttle truck when a big truck can’t reach your door.
• Peak season. Rates from May through September run 20% to 30% higher, per Opendoor.
• Tips. HomeAdvisor suggests 10% to 20% of the total.
• Coverage. Basic liability of $0.60 per pound is usually included. Full-value protection costs about 1% to 2% of your goods’ value, per HomeAdvisor.
• Storage. HomeAdvisor lists $80 to $160 a month for a 10x10 unit.

Opendoor estimates hidden costs like these can add $1,000 to $3,000 to a typical family move. Don’t forget the costs at the other end, too: deposits, utility setup and the first month of new bills. Our average utility bill guide helps you estimate those.

What people actually report

• Many go into debt. In an Intuit Credit Karma survey of 1,029 recent movers in July 2026, 35% took on debt to pay for their move, including 50% of millennials.
• Moves cost more than planned. 40% said their move cost at least twice what they expected, and new furniture was the most common budget buster at 27%, per the same survey.
• Big bills are common. 30% spent $5,000 or more on their move, and 15% spent $10,000 or more. 28% put moving costs on a credit card.
• Surprise fees happen. In North American Van Lines’ 2026 survey of 500 recent movers in the U.S. and Canada, 20.6% reported fees that were not disclosed in advance, and 19.6% said the final bill was significantly higher than the quote, per ConsumerAffairs.
• Few shop around. In the same survey, 21% hired the first mover they found, only 17.2% compared three or more companies, and only 27.6% checked licensing, insurance or official records.

Example: a local move from a 3-bedroom house

Say you are moving a three-bedroom house across town, hiring three movers and a truck, and packing yourself.

Source: Opendoor, Apr 2026, for rates, hours and fees. Totals are our calculation.

1. Labor. Opendoor says a three-bedroom local move usually takes 5 to 7 hours.
2. Supplies. Packing yourself keeps this line at $100 to $300 instead of $300 to $1,000 or more for pro packing.
3. Timing. Moving in June instead of November could add 20% to 30%, which would push the high end of the labor line from $1,190 to as much as $1,547 (our calculation).

That total lines up with HomeAdvisor’s average of about $1,400 for a three-bedroom local move. If the same move were 1,000 miles away, Opendoor’s range jumps to $4,500 to $7,500.

How to lower your moving cost

1. Cut what you move. Weight drives long-distance prices, so selling or donating furniture before the move pays off twice.
2. Move off-season and midweek. moveBuddha says October through April is the best time to move.
3. Get several written quotes. Ask each mover whether the estimate is binding, which locks the price, or non-binding, which can change with the actual weight.
4. Pack yourself. That can save hundreds compared with pro packing.
5. Build a moving fund. Given how many movers borrow, set aside cash first. Our emergency fund calculator can help you size a cushion for the unexpected bills, and our free printable planners help you track them.

If you are moving to buy a home, include the move in your budget along with the down payment and closing costs. Our how much house can I afford and rent vs buy calculator show the bigger picture.

See how we research every number on our method page, or browse more budgeting guides.