The cheapest way to move across the country is to move less, move in the off-season, stay flexible on delivery and get a binding quote so the price you’re given is the price you pay. The lowest number on a quote sheet is not the same thing.
If you want to compare moving by professional movers, a container or a rental truck, start with movers vs PODS vs U-Haul. This guide is about the levers you control once you’ve decided to hire movers.
1. Move in the off-season
The clearest price difference in our booking data is the season: summer moves cost about 19.5% more than off-season moves, and June alone carries about 14% of the year’s moves against about 5% for February.
Source: based on moves customers booked with us, 2020–2026.
2. Avoid the last week of the month
About 29% of moves land in the last week of the month, when leases and closings cluster. We don’t have a clean figure showing month-end moves cost more, but availability is tightest then. If you can, aim for the 8th through the 20th.
3. Move fewer things
Long-distance prices follow what goes on the truck. Sell or donate what you’d replace for less than it costs to move, and do it before your video walkthrough so the quote reflects the lighter load. Nationally, typical interstate prices run from $4,175 for a studio or 1-bedroom to $12,500 for four or more bedrooms, so each room you don’t move matters.
| Home size | Typical price (national) | Usual range |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | $4,175 | $3,650 – $4,950 |
| 2 bedrooms | $4,981 | $4,415 – $5,797 |
| 3 bedrooms | $7,520 | $6,605 – $8,930 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $12,500 | $10,395 – $15,735 |
Source: based on interstate moves we priced from January to mid-July 2026. These are national figures for all interstate routes, not a price for this route alone. A typical price means half of the moves we priced came in lower and half came in higher.
4. Accept a delivery window
Most long-distance moves share a truck with other households, so delivery comes in a window. A truck just for you, with a delivery date you choose, typically adds $1,500–$4,500 depending on distance and destination. If your date has some give, the shared truck is the lower-priced option.
5. Book early, but not blindly
In moves customers booked with us, June is the busiest month at about 14% of the year’s moves, February the quietest at about 5%, about 29% of moves land in the last week of the month, and summer moves cost about 19.5% more than off-season moves. The typical customer books 34 days ahead. Our guidance is 30 to 45 days if you’re selling a home, 3 to 4 weeks if you rent, and more notice for June or month-end dates. The 8th through the 20th is usually easiest.
Source: timing figures are based on moves customers booked with us, 2020–2026. The booking ranges are company guidance, not statistics.
6. Get a binding quote
Every Safeway quote is a flat-rate, binding price set after a video walkthrough: if your inventory doesn’t change, your price doesn’t change, and anything added later is priced on its own. Here’s the difference between binding and non-binding estimates.
A non-binding estimate can cost more at delivery; federal rules say a mover can’t require more than 110% of a non-binding estimate on delivery day.
7. Treat the too-good quote as a warning
If a full-service quote comes in below what renting a truck and doing it yourself would cost, something in that quote isn’t real. The usual result is a higher price once your things are on the truck. See 5 ways to avoid getting scammed by a mover and why the broker model forces the re-quote.
Thinking of renting a truck to save money? The rental rate is just the start: per-mile fees, fuel, dollies and pads, tolls charged as a truck, loading help and days off work all come after. Our moving cost calculator shows the rent-it-yourself total next to what movers cost.
What to do once you pick a mover
Savings only hold if the details hold. After you book, keep your quote and your inventory in one place, confirm your windows in writing, and tell the company right away if anything changes, such as a new room’s worth of boxes or a new address. Small changes made early are priced fairly; changes made on pickup day are where surprises start.
How to compare two quotes fairly
Two quotes only compare if they describe the same move. Before you pick the lower one, check each against the same list:
- Binding or non-binding? A binding flat-rate quote holds if your inventory doesn’t change. A non-binding estimate can grow after pickup.
- Same inventory? Make sure both companies saw the same rooms, the garage and any storage.
- Same dates and delivery window? A shared truck with a window is not the same product as a dedicated truck with a fixed date.
- What’s included? Ask about packing, stairs, long carries, shuttle trucks and storage, and whether each is in the price or extra.
- Who is moving you? A carrier owns the trucks and crews; a broker hands the job to someone else. See moving broker vs carrier.
Where not to cut corners
Some savings cost more than they save. Don’t skip the video walkthrough, because that is what makes a binding price possible. Don’t pay a large deposit to a company whose federal record you haven’t checked; here’s how to read a mover’s DOT record. And ask what protection covers your belongings in transit and what it costs, before you sign, not after something breaks. If something does go wrong, this is what a claim looks like.
If you want to see how the numbers stack up, start with how much movers cost in 2026 and run your own inventory through the moving cost calculator.
Get a flat-rate price for your move
Planning around the calendar? Our interstate moving routes show typical distances and timing by corridor. Use our moving cost calculator for a first number, then call us at (844) 569-4550 for a binding flat-rate quote after a video walkthrough. Before you hire anyone, check who is actually doing the move: we hold our own federal authority (USDOT 3756000, MC 1335229), and this guide shows how to read a DOT record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Move less, move in the off-season, accept a delivery window on a shared truck and get a binding flat-rate quote. In moves customers booked with us, summer moves cost about 19.5% more than off-season moves.
Off-season months are cheaper than summer. Based on moves customers booked with us, February is the quietest month at about 5% of the year’s moves, while June is the busiest at about 14%.
Yes. A shared truck delivers in a window, while a truck just for you with a delivery date you choose typically adds $1,500–$4,500, depending on distance and destination.
Not usually. A quote far below the others, or below what a rental truck would cost, often means charges are missing and will show up later. A binding flat-rate quote after a video walkthrough is the safer way to compare.
Methodology: National prices come from interstate moves Safeway priced from January to mid-July 2026 (quote data). Timing figures come from moves customers booked with Safeway Moving, 2020–2026 (booked data); the booking ranges are company guidance, not statistics. Nothing here is a price for one specific route; your exact price is a flat, binding rate after a video walkthrough. We publish shares and typical figures only; we don’t publish counts.
