Key takeaways
- Local movers cost $80 to $200 per hour for a two-person crew in 2026, with most local moves totaling $400 to $3,000 all-in.
- Long-distance moves run roughly $1,500 to $10,000 or more, driven mainly by distance and how much you’re shipping, a 2-3 bedroom home moved 1,000 miles typically lands between $2,800 and $6,300.
- There are three different pricing models movers use, hourly, weight-times-distance, and flat binding rate, and the model behind your quote determines how much your final bill can drift from the number you were told.
- The biggest cost surprise isn’t the hourly rate; it’s whether your estimate is binding or non-binding. A non-binding estimate is legally just a guess.
- Safeway’s own 2026 booking data shows national medians of $4,175 for studio and one-bedroom loads up to $12,500 for four-bedroom-plus loads, actual booked prices, not survey estimates.
In 2026, professional movers cost $80 to $200 per hour for a two-person local crew, and most local moves total between $400 and $3,000 all-in. Long-distance moves run roughly $1,500 to $10,000 or more, driven mainly by distance and how much you’re shipping, a 2-3 bedroom home moved 1,000 miles typically lands between $2,800 and $6,300. Below are current rate tables by crew size, home size, and distance, the factors that push a quote up or down, and how to compare estimates so the number you sign is the number you actually pay.
The Three Pricing Models Movers Use
Before comparing numbers, know which pricing model is behind each quote, because the model determines how much the final bill can drift. Local moves are billed hourly: crew size times an hourly rate, plus a travel fee; the total depends on how long the job actually takes. Traditional van lines price long-distance moves by weight times distance: your shipment is weighed on a certified scale, and the bill is recalculated afterward, which is why van-line bills so often exceed the estimate. The third model, the one Safeway uses, prices long-distance moves by cubic feet at a flat, binding rate: the inventory is surveyed up front, the price is fixed in writing, and it cannot be recalculated at delivery. Same truck, same route, three very different levels of certainty about what you’ll pay.
Local Movers: Hourly Rates by Crew Size
| Crew Size | Typical 2026 Hourly Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers + truck | $80-$200/hour | Studios and 1-bedroom apartments |
| 3 movers + truck | $120-$280/hour | 2-bedroom homes |
| 4 movers + truck | $160-$360/hour | 3-bedroom homes and up |
Per-mover rates average $40 to $80 per hour nationally, but climb past $150 in high-demand metros, and some cities exceed $200 per hour for a crew during peak summer weekends. Most companies also charge a travel fee, commonly one hour’s rate, and bill a minimum of 2 to 4 hours. Ask how the clock starts and stops before you book, that answer varies more between companies than the hourly rate does.
Local Moving Costs by Home Size
| Home Size | Typical Total | Typical Crew and Time |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 BR (~500 sq ft) | $200-$600 | 2 movers, 3-4 hours |
| 2 BR (~1,000 sq ft) | $700-$1,400 | 3 movers, ~6 hours |
| 3 BR (~1,800 sq ft) | $1,000-$2,200 | 4 movers, 7-8 hours |
| 4+ BR (~2,500+ sq ft) | $1,500-$3,000+ | 4+ movers, 8+ hours |
Long-Distance Moving Costs by Distance and Home Size
Long-distance pricing switches from hourly to volume-and-distance. The 2026 ranges below are compiled from published industry data: moveBuddha’s dataset puts most 2- to 3-bedroom long-distance moves at $3,060 to $5,280, and ConsumerAffairs reports about $5,000 as typical once you pass 1,000 miles.
| Distance | Studio-1 BR | 2-3 BR | 4+ BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 250 miles | $1,200-$2,600 | $2,000-$4,500 | $3,500-$6,500 |
| 250-500 miles | $1,400-$3,000 | $2,300-$5,000 | $4,000-$7,500 |
| 500-1,000 miles | $1,700-$3,600 | $2,800-$6,300 | $4,800-$9,000 |
| 1,000-1,500 miles | $2,000-$4,200 | $3,100-$7,000 | $5,500-$10,500 |
| 1,500-2,800 miles (coast-to-coast) | $2,500-$5,200 | $4,000-$9,000 | $7,000-$14,000+ |
Volume is the single biggest lever: the difference between a lightly furnished and a fully furnished 3-bedroom home can be $2,000 or more on the same route. For corridor-specific numbers, see the route pages: moving from New York to Florida, moving from New York to Los Angeles, moving from California to Texas, or run your own numbers in the Moving Cost Calculator.
Reality Check: Our Own 2026 Pricing File
Our own book backs this up. Across every interstate move Safeway priced between January and July 2026, nationwide, the medians came out at $4,175 for studio and one-bedroom loads, up to 500 cubic feet, $4,981 for two-bedroom loads, 501 to 900 cf, $7,520 for three-bedroom loads, 901 to 1,400 cf, and $12,500 for four-bedroom-plus loads. Half of all customers in each band fell within roughly $1,300 to $2,700 of those medians. Those aren’t survey figures or a competitor’s averages; they’re what our own customers actually booked this year, flat-rate and binding.
Two patterns from that dataset worth planning around. First, the calendar: April through July carried nearly 80% of our first-half 2026 volume; if you can move outside that window, you’re negotiating in a buyer’s market. Second, the month itself: the last ten days of any month run about 35% busier per day than the first twenty, because that’s when leases turn over. A mid-month Tuesday is the cheapest legitimate date on the calendar.
Packing Services and Common Add-Ons
| Service | Typical 2026 Cost |
|---|---|
| Packing labor | $25-$50/hour per packer, plus materials |
| Full-service packing (whole home) | $500-$4,000 depending on size |
| Unpacking | Roughly 60% of the packing charge |
| Piano / safe / specialty item | Flat fee, commonly $150-$800+ |
| Stairs, long carry, elevator | Per-flight or flat access fees |
| Shuttle truck (street too small for a semi) | Flat fee, varies by market |
| Full-value protection (valuation) | Priced per $1,000 of declared value, released value (60 cents/lb) is free |
The add-ons above are legitimate when disclosed up front. The problem is the ones that aren’t: fuel surcharges that appear after signing, bulky item fees invented on move day, materials billed per roll of tape. When you collect quotes, ask for every possible fee in writing, a reputable mover can list them all before you book, because the fees are in its published tariff. A quote that arrives as one suspiciously round number with no breakdown is a quote designed to grow later.
What Drives Your Cost Up, or Down
Season is the quiet budget-killer: May through September typically runs 15 to 25% above off-peak, and month-end and weekend dates carry premiums year-round. If your dates are flexible, a mid-month, mid-week move in October through April is the same truck and crew at the bottom of every range above. Access is second: every flight of stairs, long carry from door to truck, and elevator wait adds labor hours, and a street too tight for a tractor-trailer means a shuttle fee. Then there’s storage: if your closing date slips, storage between homes normally costs $50 to $300 or more per month plus warehouse handling, Safeway includes 30 days of free storage on every interstate move, which routinely absorbs exactly this gap.
Claims are a hidden cost, too. Lost or damaged items cost you time, deductibles, and replacements that no quote line-item shows. It’s why Safeway barcode-scans every item at pickup and tracks it with live GPS to delivery, an item-level manifest means nothing is probably on the truck.
Binding vs. Non-Binding Estimates: Where Budgets Die
The biggest moving-cost surprise in 2026 is not the hourly rate; it’s the estimate type. A non-binding estimate is legally a guess: your final bill is based on actual weight and services, and federal rules only cap what you must pay at delivery at 110% of the estimate, with the balance billable afterward. Lowball non-binding quotes are the engine of most moving-cost horror stories, and brokers add a second layer of risk; a broker’s estimate does not bind the carrier who actually shows up.
A binding estimate fixes the price in writing before the move; if your inventory doesn’t change, the price can’t. Safeway, a veteran-owned carrier with 20+ years in operation and ranked #1 Best National Moving Company by Newsweek Readers’ Choice 2026, quotes every move flat-rate and binding after a triple-check virtual survey of your inventory. The quote you sign is the price you pay at delivery.
How to Compare Moving Quotes Apples-to-Apples
First, give every company the same complete inventory; quotes built on different item lists cannot be compared. Second, ask each one: Is this estimate binding? Is packing material included? What valuation coverage is included, and what does full-value protection cost? Is storage included if my dates slip? Third, verify each company’s USDOT number at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and confirm it’s a carrier, not a broker, Safeway’s is USDOT 3756000, MC 1335229. Finally, treat any quote far below the tables above as a red flag, not a deal; that discount is usually recovered mid-move.
Final Thoughts
The number that matters most in any moving quote isn’t the hourly rate or even the total; it’s whether the estimate is binding. Everything else in this guide- the rate tables, the seasonal timing, the add-on fees- only matters if the number you’re quoted is the number you actually pay at delivery. Compare quotes on that basis first, then use the tables above to sanity-check whether the number itself is reasonable.
Frequently Asked Questions
In 2026, expect $80 to $200 per hour for two movers and a truck, $120 to $280 for three movers, and $160 to $360 for four, with a travel fee and a 2 to 4 hour minimum on top. Per-mover rates run $40 to $80 nationally and higher in major metros and peak summer. Hourly billing applies to local moves, long-distance moves are priced by volume and distance instead.
Locally, a 3-bedroom move typically costs $1,000 to $2,200 with a four-person crew over 7 to 8 hours. Long-distance, a 3-bedroom home runs roughly $2,300 to $5,000 at 250 to 500 miles and $4,000 to $9,000 coast-to-coast, before packing services. Volume, access, and season decide where in the range you land.
Yes. Mid-week, mid-month dates avoid the weekend and month-end premiums most companies charge, and moving between October and April avoids the 15 to 25% peak-season markup. A flexible date is often worth several hundred dollars on the same move.
Tipping is customary but never required: $4 to $6 per mover per hour, or roughly 5 to 10% of the total split across the crew, is typical for good service. Tip each mover directly in cash, and scale up for tougher conditions like stairs, heat, or heavy specialty items.
Because most estimates are non-binding: the final bill is recalculated from actual weight and services, and federal rules only require the mover to release your goods at 110% of the estimate, billing the rest later. A binding estimate removes that risk, if the inventory doesn’t change, the price can’t. That’s how every Safeway quote works.
Get a Price That Can’t Change at Delivery
Get a flat-rate, binding quote built from a triple-checked virtual survey, with barcoded inventory tracking and 30 days of free storage on interstate moves included.
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