Cost pillar · 2026 data
How much does a long-distance move cost?
The honest answer is a range, because two things drive the price and they move independently. Here's the 2026 math by home size, by distance, and by season, every figure from the same rate model that powers your instant estimate.
Short answer: a long-distance move runs about $975–$19,600 end to end. The most useful single benchmark is a 2-bedroom at 1,500 miles: $3,425–$6,900.
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The two things you're paying for
Every interstate move is handling + transport. Handling is the crew loading and unloading, the same 3-mover crew loads a 2-bedroom whether it travels 400 miles or 2,800, so handling scales with home size, not distance. At $62/mover/hour, a 2-bedroom's ~5.5 hours of loading and unloading is a fixed base no matter how far you go.
Transport is a per-mile carrier cost that scales with weight (a bigger truck) and steps downacross distance tiers, the fixed origin-and-destination work amortizes over a longer trip, which is why the per-mile rate on a 2,500-mile move is far lower than on the first 100 miles. That's the real economics behind long-haul pricing, and why cost-per-mile is a misleading way to shop. See how to choose a carrier.
Cost by home size (~1,500 miles)
A cross-country haul at the benchmark 1,500-mile distance, by home size. Bigger homes carry both more handling and more transport weight.
| Home size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,725 | $2,600 | $3,475 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,250 | $3,413 | $4,575 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,425 | $5,163 | $6,900 |
| 3 bedrooms | $5,000 | $7,563 | $10,125 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $7,200 | $10,900 | $14,600 |
Cost by distance (2-bedroom home)
Holding home size constant at a 2-bedroom, here's how price and transit window grow with distance. Notice the cost rises far slower than the miles, that's the per-mile step-down at work.
| Distance band | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional (~500 mi) · 2–5 days | $2,075 | $3,125 | $4,175 |
| Mid-haul (~1,000 mi) · 3–7 days | $2,750 | $4,150 | $5,550 |
| Long-haul (~1,500 mi) · 4–8 days | $3,425 | $5,163 | $6,900 |
| Cross-country (~2,000 mi) · 5–10 days | $3,875 | $5,863 | $7,850 |
| Coast-to-coast (~2,800 mi) · 6–12 days | $4,625 | $6,988 | $9,350 |
What season does to the bill
Timing is the biggest lever you actually control. Peak season (May–September) adds about 15%, and the last five days of any month add roughly 8% on top. Move off-season, mid-month, on a weekday and you stack all three discounts. The full breakdown, with dollar figures, is in the best-time-to-move guide.
Ways to spend less
- Move off-peak and mid-month. The single biggest controllable saving on a long haul.
- Compare full-service to a container. For a small home, U-Pack or PODS can beat a van line, see containers vs. movers.
- Purge before you weigh.Transport scales with weight, every box you don't ship is money saved.
- Get three real quotes. Interstate prices vary ~2× by carrier; competition is your best negotiating tool.
The dedicated cheapest-way-to-move guide prices full-service, containers, and rental trucks side by side.
Long-distance moving cost FAQ
Full-service interstate moves run from about $975 for a small studio on a regional haul to $19,600 for a 4+ bedroom coast-to-coast move. The single most useful benchmark is a 2-bedroom at 1,500 miles: $3,425–$6,900.
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