How Much Does It Cost To Move?

Moving costs vary greatly depending on many factors: location, the quantity and size of items being moved, the distance of the move and whether you do the moving yourself or hire professional movers to do it. There are basically three types of moves: full service, hybrid and do it yourself. Full service moves are when the moving company does the packing, loading, driving and unloading; full service moving costs are $90-$200 per hour. A hybrid move is when the person moving does all the packing, and helps with the loading and unloading of the truck; hybrid moving costs range from $50-$90 an hour. A do it yourself move is when the person moving rents and drives their own truck, does all their own packing, and loads and unloads the truck themselves; DIY moving costs range from $20-$40 an hour.

Some moving companies charge an hourly rate, some companies charge a per pound rate, some charge a flat rate, while others charge both an hourly rate and a per pound rate. However, the majority of moving companies charge an hourly rate for in city moves and a per pound rate for moves to other cities, states or countries. The cost of moving when a moving company is hired to load and unload the truck and drive it ranges from $90-$150 an hour for two movers and the truck. In addition, there may be extra charges for gas and insurance. If the moving company charges per pound, moving costs are around $0.35-$1.50 per pound. In addition, there may be extra charges for gas and insurance. Some moving companies also charge an hourly rate on top of the per pound rate. Those who choose to move themselves will save considerable money. On top of basic moving costs, there may be additional costs for packing materials like boxes and bubble wrap, storage, insurance and taxes.

Average Moving Cost

Average costs for a full service in city move are $90-$120 an hour, approximate cost for a hybrid in city move are $50-$90 an hour, and typical DIY costs for an in city move are $20-$40 an hour.  Typical costs for a cross country move are around $.50-$1 per pound; however, average cross country moving costs vary greatly depending on location and the distance of the move.  Approximate costs for an international move are 2-3 times higher than approximate moving costs for a cross country move. Typical costs for an international move are $5000-$20,000.

Moving Estimates

As moving costs can vary by hundreds or even thousands of dollars it is best to contact numerous moving companies to get estimates. There are also several websites that offer free programs for people to get estimates online. By getting numerous moving estimates, people can work out their budget accordingly and get the best deal possible. Estimates are not exact, but are usually within a few hundred dollars of the final moving cost.

Moving Cost Per Pound

Some moving companies charge a per pound rate instead or on top of an hourly rate, especially for long distance moves. Per pound moving costs range from $0.35-$1.50 per pound. The average studio apartment contains about 1800 pounds of furnishings and personal items, so it would cost around $630-$2700 to move. The average one bedroom apartment contains around 2200-3200 pounds of furnishings and personal items; the cost of moving it ranges from $770-$4800. The average two bedroom apartment has 5000-6000 pounds of furnishings and personal items; average per pound moving cost for a two bedroom apartment are $1750-$9000. The average 3-4 bedroom house contains about 9000-12,000 pounds of furnishings and personal items; average per pound moving costs are $3150-$18,000.

Cross Country Moving Costs

Most moving companies charge a per pound rate for cross country moves. In addition, to the per pound rate, there is often an hourly charge or a gas charge. The average cost of moving cross country is $0.35-$1.50 per pound plus an hourly rate or gas charge. Cross country moving costs can be significantly decreased if people do all or some of the work themselves.

International Moving Costs

Making an international move takes a lot of planning and is very expensive, especially if people move furnishings and a large amount of personal belongings.  International moving costs are far cheaper if the person is moving to another country that they can drive to compared to a country that they must take a plane or boat to. Moving personal belongings by plane is faster than moving them by boat, but it is also 2 to 3 times more expensive. The average cost to move household belongings from the United States to Europe ranges from $5000-$20,000. The average cost of moving a car from the United States to Europe is around $6000. To help decrease international moving costs people are best to downsize their belongings as much as possible; unwanted belongings can be sold or given away, while other belongings can be stored in storage if the international move is only temporary. It is best to contact numerous international movers and get moving estimates to ensure the best deal possible.

Moving Company Rates

Moving company rates vary per company and location. Rates are higher in areas with a high cost of living than in areas with a low cost of living. Some moving companies charge an hourly rate, some charge a flat rate, some charge a per pound rate and some charge both a per pound and an hourly rate. Average moving company rates are $90-$120 an hour; however, they can be as high as $200 an hour, or $0.35-$1.50 per pound. Rates vary greatly depending on how many movers are hired and if the movers do all the work themselves or not.

Moving Truck Rates

Instead of hiring a moving company, people can simply rent a moving truck and move themselves; DIY moving is far cheaper than hiring a moving company. However, DIY moving is time consuming and extremely hard work that can lead to physical injuries. Moving truck costs vary per rental company and location.

The cost of renting a moving truck is also affected by the size of truck that is rented. For a 1-2 bedroom a10 foot truck is usually needed, for a 2-3 bedroom home a 17 foot truck is usually needed, and for a large 4 plus bedroom home a 24 foot truck is usually needed. Depending on location, driving a large truck often requires a special license. Moving truck rates for one day in city rentals range from $20-$60 per day, plus a mileage fee of $.10-$1 per mile. Moving truck rates for a long distance move when the truck is returned to the same location it is rented from are $60-$100 per day; this may or may not include mileage. Renting a moving truck for an one way long distance move is the most expensive, but most convenient way to move long distance as the truck does not have to be returned to the rental location it was rented from. One way long distance moving truck rates range from $200-$500 per day; this price may or may not include mileage. Moving truck rates are usually less on weekdays than weekends and during the winter than the summer. It is best to contact several truck rental companies to get moving estimates.