How much do movers cost

The average, and why it is misleading on its own

The most recent survey we could read is This Old House's 2025 Moving Survey of 1,000 customers. It puts the average cost of a move at $3,020. That figure hides two very different markets. Seventy-two percent of the respondents moved locally, within their state or in a single day, and paid an average of $1,489. The minority who moved long distance paid two to five times as much, and their bills pull the overall average up. So the first question is not "how much do movers cost" but "how far, and how much stuff": distance decides the pricing method, and the size of the home decides the weight.

Prices are national figures from the sources listed at the end of the page, with their date. Your quote depends on your area and your job.

Cost by distance

Averages across all home sizes, from the 2025 survey. Local movers charge by the hour; past about 50 miles, and always across a state line, movers price by the weight of the shipment and the distance, which is why the steps below are gradual rather than per mile.

This Old House 2025 Moving Survey; each row averages one- to four-bedroom moves.

Cost by home size and distance

Movers ask how many bedrooms you have because it predicts weight: This Old House gives 2,000 to 4,000 pounds for a one-bedroom, 4,000 to 7,000 for two, 7,000 to 10,000 for three, and over 10,000 for four or more. Weight is what a long-distance mover bills; time is what a local mover bills, and both grow with the pile. The survey's averages by home size and distance:

This Old House 2025 Moving Survey. Averages across all distances: one-bedroom $2,197, two-bedroom $2,290, three-bedroom $3,334, four-bedroom $6,374. A two-bedroom local move averaging less than a one-bedroom is what survey data looks like: small samples per cell, and a one-bedroom with a piano.

Two lessons sit in the table. The jump from three to four bedrooms is far larger than the others: at 1,401 to 1,700 miles it doubles the bill, from $4,253 to $8,513, because a four-bedroom house usually means a garage, a basement and furniture that needs two people per piece. And the distance bands overlap: a one-bedroom moved 501 to 800 miles ($1,999) averaged less than one moved 201 to 500 miles ($2,239), so for a small shipment the distance matters less than whether it fills a truck on its own or shares one.

How local and long-distance movers price

A local mover quotes an hourly rate for a crew of two or three and a truck, with a minimum of a few hours, plus a travel charge from their depot. Your bill is the hours it takes to load, drive and unload, so stairs, a long walk from the door to the truck, unpacked boxes and a disassembled bed all cost minutes that become dollars. The survey's local average of $1,489 is what a day of that comes to for a typical home.

A long-distance or interstate mover weighs the truck empty and loaded and bills by the hundredweight over the distance, plus accessorial charges for stairs, elevators, long carries, shuttle trucks where a full-size trailer cannot reach the door, packing, and storage in transit. This is where estimates matter: the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates interstate movers, requires a written estimate and distinguishes a binding estimate, which fixes the price for the services listed, from a non-binding one, where the final charge follows the actual weight. The FMCSA's Protect Your Move site lets you check that a mover is registered and explains what the mover must give you before loading.

What adds to the bill

This Old House, 2026 guide: packing, specialty items, storage, long carry beyond 50 to 75 feet, released value at $0.60 per pound, cancellation fees of 5 to 15 percent, summer as the peak season. The FMCSA explains valuation and accessorial charges for interstate moves.

Binding or non-binding estimate: which to ask for

Most movers offer a non-binding estimate as their standard: an approximation from a look at your belongings, with the final price set after the move from the actual weight and services. This Old House lists its advantages (changes to your inventory simply adjust the price, you pay less if the shipment weighs less, the estimate is quick) and its risks (the final bill can be far above the estimate, you may need cash on short notice, and disputes over weight happen on moving day). Federal rules cap what an interstate mover can demand at delivery at 110 percent of a non-binding estimate, which This Old House notes still allows a substantial increase. A binding estimate fixes the price for the inventory and services listed: it needs a detailed catalogue of your goods, it usually comes in higher because the mover builds in a buffer, and adding items afterwards can void it, but it removes the moving-day argument. For a long-distance move with a known inventory, ask for a binding or a "not to exceed" estimate; for a local hourly move, the question does not arise, and the lever is how ready you are when the crew arrives.

What the mover owes you if something breaks

Two levels of liability exist, and the difference is large. Released value protection, which This Old House notes is often included at no extra charge, pays $0.60 per pound per item: a 50-pound television that breaks is worth $30 to the mover. Full value protection makes the mover liable for the repair or replacement value of what is lost or damaged, and is priced on the total declared value of the shipment, so it adds to the bill. For an interstate move, the FMCSA's Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move booklet, which the mover must give you, explains both and how to file a claim. Before you choose, check whether your home or renters insurance covers goods in transit; some policies do, most limit it. Items you pack yourself are usually covered only for external damage to the box, which is one more reason to let the mover pack the things you cannot replace.

Cost by company

The same move can differ by thousands of dollars depending on who does it. This Old House's survey gives these averages by company; note that U-Haul is a truck rental (you drive and load), PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, U-Pack and Zippy Shell are container services (they drive, you load), IMRG is a broker that assigns your move to a carrier, and Allied Van Lines is a full-service interstate carrier.

This Old House 2025 Moving Survey. A broker's price may change once a carrier is assigned; This Old House notes the risk of service inconsistencies with IMRG.

Doing it yourself

A rental truck is the cheapest line in the survey at $1,778 on average, and for a studio moved across town it can be a few hundred dollars. The regional vice president of a real estate firm quoted by This Old House lists what the rental price leaves out: fuel, mileage fees, equipment rental, the risk of damaging furniture or injuring yourself, and the friends you owe a day. For a long or complex move, the professional quote can end up cheaper once those are counted. The container services in the table are the middle path: you load at your pace, they drive.

Tipping

Tipping is customary for good service. This Old House's guidelines: about $20 per mover for a half-day move of four hours or less, $40 to $60 per mover for a full day, and $60 to $100 per mover for a multi-day move, more for stairs, heat, or fragile items handled with care. Cash to each mover at the end of the job is the usual form.

Getting three quotes that compare

Ask for an in-home or video survey rather than a phone estimate, so that every quote is built from the same inventory. Ask whether the estimate is binding or non-binding and what it includes: packing, materials, valuation level, stairs, long carry, shuttle, storage. Ask for the company's US DOT number and check it on the FMCSA site for an interstate move; for a local move, check your state's licensing body. Ask who will actually carry your goods, the company quoting or a carrier it assigns. Ask about the delivery window and what happens if it is missed. Write the answers in one table under the three prices: the cheapest headline is often the non-binding one with the fewest services listed, and the survey's $3,020 average contains a great many bills that grew on moving day.