How Much Does It Cost to Move Out of State?
Moving out of state costs about $4,300 for transport alone — and transport is only half the real bill. The quotes on moving-company websites cover the truck and the crew, but they do not cover the deposit on the new place, the first month's rent, the week your old lease and your new lease overlap, or the furniture you decide is cheaper to replace than to move. Add those in and the true cost of an out-of-state move is often double the moving quote.
Most guides stop at the transport price. This one does not. It gives you the transport costs by distance and home size, then adds the move-in, overlap, and replacement costs the top guides skip, and ends with the cheapest way to make each kind of move.
Transport Costs at a Glance
The table below shows typical transport costs for a professional full-service move, checked Nov 6, 2026 (sources: MoveBuddha's moving-cost data, Angi's 2026 pricing, and This Old House). Prices depend on distance and how much you own.
| Distance | Studio / 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | $1,400–$2,500 | $2,000–$3,500 | $3,000–$5,000 |
| 500–1,000 miles | $1,900–$3,500 | $2,700–$4,500 | $4,000–$7,000 |
| 1,000–2,500 miles | $2,500–$4,500 | $3,500–$6,000 | $5,000–$8,000 |
| Cross-country | $3,000–$5,500 | $4,500–$7,500 | $6,000–$10,000+ |
The national averages tell the same story from a different angle: Angi puts the average interstate move at about $3,000, and MoveBuddha at about $4,300. The gap is mostly about distance — the average move in those datasets is roughly 1,000 miles, and every additional 500 miles adds $500 to $1,000 to the bill.
Weight is the other driver. Movers charge by weight and distance, and a 3-bedroom house holds roughly 7,000 to 9,000 pounds of belongings. Decluttering before you move is the cheapest saving available: every 1,000 pounds you leave behind saves $300 to $500 on a long move.
The Cheapest Way to Move, by Option
Full-service movers are the most expensive option and the easiest. If you are willing to do some of the work, the ladder below shows what you save, checked Nov 6, 2026 (sources: MoveBuddha and Angi).
| Option | Typical cost (1,000 miles) | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $700–$2,000 | Drive it, load it, unload it |
| Moving container | $900–$4,500 | Load and unload; company drives |
| Full-service movers | $1,941–$4,224 per 1,000 miles | Nothing but pack personal items |
| Freight trailer | $1,000–$3,000 | Load your part of a shared trailer |
A rental truck is cheapest by a wide margin — $700 to $2,000 for the truck, fuel, and insurance on a 1,000-mile move — but you drive a 26-foot truck through mountain passes and back it into a driveway. A moving container splits the difference: the company drops a box at your door, you load it at your own pace, and they drive it to the new address. Full-service movers cost the most and do everything, including packing if you pay for it.
The rule of thumb: if you own little and are young and healthy, drive the truck. If you own a houseful and have a bad back, pay the movers. The middle option — a container — is the best value for most families.
One more saving: ask movers about a shared load. If your belongings fill only part of a truck, sharing the trailer with another family moving the same direction can cut the transport bill by 30% to 40% — at the cost of a wider delivery window, usually a few extra days.
The Costs the Quotes Skip
Transport is 45% to 55% of the true cost of an out-of-state move. The rest is everything around it, and none of it appears in a moving quote.
Move-in costs. A new rental usually needs a security deposit plus the first month's rent upfront — together about 2.2 times the monthly rent. On a $1,800-a-month apartment that is about $4,000 before you have slept there once. Buying a home adds closing costs on top, usually 2% to 5% of the price.
Overlap housing. Most moves involve paying for two homes at once. Your old lease may run to the end of the month while the new one starts on the 1st, or your house takes a month to sell. One month of overlap on a $1,800 rent is $1,800, plus utilities on both places.
Replacement costs. Some things are cheaper to replace than to move: a $150 mattress from a discount store, a $40 bookshelf, a $60 microwave. Movers charge by weight, so a heavy, cheap item can cost more to move than to buy again. Walk through your home with a "replace vs move" eye before the movers arrive.
Travel and food. Driving 1,000 miles takes two days, two hotel nights ($200 to $300), and meals on the road ($100 to $200). Flying is faster but means shipping the car, which costs $1,000 to $1,500.
A Worked Example: The All-In Cost
Take a two-bedroom apartment, moving 1,200 miles, with a $1,800-a-month rent at the new place.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Full-service movers (2-bed, 1,200 miles) | $3,800 |
| Deposit + first month's rent (2.2 × $1,800) | $3,960 |
| Overlap: half a month of old rent | $800 |
| Hotel and food on the road | $350 |
| Replace cheap furniture instead of moving it | $300 |
| Utility deposits and setup fees | $200 |
| Total | $9,410 |
The moving quote was $3,800. The real cost was $9,410 — almost two and a half times as much. The same move with a rental truck drops the transport line to about $1,400, bringing the total to roughly $7,000. Either way, the transport quote is less than half the story.
By home size, the all-in ranges look like this: a studio move costs $2,500 to $7,000 all-in; a two-bedroom $6,000 to $15,000; a three-bedroom or larger $9,000 to $22,000. The bigger the home, the more the non-transport costs dominate, because there is more to replace and more to pay deposits on.
How to Make It Cheaper
- Declutter first. Every 1,000 pounds left behind saves $300 to $500 on a long move. Sell, donate, or throw away anything you have not used in a year.
- Move mid-month and mid-week. Movers charge most at month-end and on weekends. A Tuesday in the middle of the month can save 20% to 30%.
- Get three quotes, in writing. Binding estimates protect you from a bill that doubles on moving day; non-binding estimates do not.
- Move in winter if you can. November through February is the slow season, and movers discount to fill their calendars.
- Pack yourself. Full packing service adds $500 to $1,500. Packing your own boxes is free except for the boxes themselves.
If the move is part of a bigger relocation, it also helps to know the pieces around it. Our guide to how much it costs to hire movers breaks down local and long-distance moving prices, and our guide to storage unit costs covers what to do with belongings that do not fit in the new place yet.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Budgeting only for the moving quote. Transport is 45% to 55% of the true cost — the deposit, overlap, and replacements are the rest.
- Accepting a non-binding estimate. A binding estimate locks the price; a non-binding one can rise on the day.
- Moving everything. Heavy, cheap items cost more to move than to replace. Leave them behind.
- Forgetting the overlap. Budget for at least half a month of double housing, or the first month will feel like a financial ambush.
- Not photographing your belongings. Before the movers load, photograph everything valuable. A claim without photos is a long argument.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to move out of state?
Transport averages about $3,000 to $4,300, checked Nov 6, 2026. All-in, a studio move costs $2,500 to $7,000, a two-bedroom $6,000 to $15,000, and a three-bedroom or larger $9,000 to $22,000.
What is the cheapest way to move out of state?
A rental truck at $700 to $2,000 for 1,000 miles, if you drive and load it yourself. A moving container at $900 to $4,500 is the best middle option; full-service movers cost $1,941 to $4,224 per 1,000 miles.
How far in advance should I book movers?
Four to six weeks for an interstate move, longer in summer. Last-minute bookings in June or July can cost 20% to 30% more.
Do movers charge by weight or by hour?
Interstate movers charge by weight and distance. Local movers charge by the hour. Always ask which basis the quote uses.
Should I get moving insurance?
Yes — basic coverage is only $0.60 per pound, which pays $30 for a broken 50-pound television. Full-value protection costs more but replaces what is damaged.
