Moving far, far away from your current residence and starting over is a decision that can change your entire life. Furthermore, it can turn out to be among the most fulfilling and enlightening events of your life. Long distance move is by no means simple.
It requires careful budgeting, a lot of heavy lifting, patience, planning, and forethought. Because moving a long distance is more expensive and more complicated than moving locally, say, down the street or around the corner.
Anything beyond 1,000 miles is seen as a long-distance move by the majority of professional movers. The typical cost for long-distance moving of a three-bedroom home’s belongings with most national and local moving companies is between $3,200 and $5,000.
Naturally, a lot depends on how many belongings you have, how far you’re relocating, and how much of your move you do on your own. Or with the assistance of a seasoned moving company. Moving cross-country, out-of-state, or within-state lines all affect how much your relocation will end up costing in the end.
How Much Does a Cross-Country Move Cost?
Cross-country moving can be as cheap as $1,000 or as expensive as $20,000. Because numerous things can be meant by “across the country.” For instance, it’s about 700 miles from New York City to Chicago (so it’s still considered a local move).
As for the distance between New York City and Alaska, it is around 4,500 miles or roughly 90 hours of travel. From NYC to Alaska, 3,500 miles from San Francisco, and 1,150 miles from Florida. Therefore, in certain oddly enough, moving internationally might sometimes be less expensive than moving inside the same state.
A cross-country move might cost tens of thousands of dollars, depending on your home’s size, whether you’re employing full-service movers, hourly rates, any add-ons you might require, gas prices, and other factors. To put it briefly, your new home will cost more the larger it is now and the farther it is from you.
The Typical Price to Work With a Long-Distance Moving Company
Long-distance moves often cost between $3,200 and $5,000. Stated differently, the average price across the country is approximately $4,100. This is based on our personal long-distance moving experience, data from van lines, and moving quotes from local and long-distance moving businesses around the country.
The average cost of hiring a professional mover to relocate a one-bedroom apartment 1,000 miles or more is between $1,400 and $3,000. A four- or five-bedroom house must be moved over the same distance for a price between $4,900 and $8,100.
The average cost to relocate a one-bedroom home 2,500 miles or more away is between $1,900 and $3,800. While the cost of a four- or five-bedroom home is $10,000 or more.
See below a few examples of average moving costs according to the home size and the distance.
- 2-3 bedrooms, from NYC to Florida (1,100 miles) = $3,200 to $4,900
- 2-3 bedrooms, from NYC to Denver (2,500 miles) = $3,800 to $6,700
- 2-3 bedrooms, from NYC to California (3,000 miles) = $9,500 to $15,000
But keep in mind that these numbers might vary due to a variety of reasons, as we’ll cover below.
Factors Influencing the Price of Your Move
Here are the elements that will influence the total cost of your move. Regardless of whether you choose to do it entirely or partially yourself or hire professionals:
Travel Charges
For the time it takes for movers to get from their main office to your home, they will charge you a travel fee. But when it comes to long-distance moves, this gets a little trickier. Thus, additional work hours (such as time spent in traffic), gas, and other expenses may be included in the travel fees. All depending on the moving firm and the distance of the move.
Move Size
Your possessions’ quantity and size are most likely the two main cost determinants, along with distance. The majority of movers use the total weight of your belongings or the number of cubic feet they occupy to determine the size of a move and its associated cost. Therefore, the cost of transporting a fully equipped three-bedroom home will be significantly higher than that of a studio apartment.
Packing Charge
Packing is a must before moving. It is typically something that most homeowners handle themselves, at least in part. However, expert movers typically provide packing and unpacking services as well. This is a wise decision if you have a lot of things going slowly because it will save you time and trouble. However, it also increases your overall expenditure.
Boxes and Moving Supplies
Packing items are needed when packing. Things like boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, tape, sharpies, and so on accumulate. Furthermore, even though it won’t be the largest moving expense, it shouldn’t be disregarded. Particularly in case you own a lot of goods.
The Price of Doing a Long-Distance Move Alone
If you have a car, van, or truck, aren’t relocating too far, and don’t have too many things, you can probably pay for all of your moving expenses for $1,000 or less. However, be ready to spend 10 times that. Especially if you are moving across the nation, and have a ton of stuff. In either case, be sure to plan, perform some arithmetic, and conduct as much research as you can. But if you want this to be a hassle-free process, contact Zenith Moving right away!
