How Much Does It Cost to Move an Apartment?

Moving entails a lot of planning and organization, a lot of hard decisions and hard work, a lot of emotions and concerns… And one of the greatest concerns associated with a house move is the relocation cost. This is only normal, of course – money is hard-earned and should be spent wisely and efficiently.

So, when faced with a relocation, you will want to plan your finances and set a prudent budget – and to do that, you will need to know your moving costs. According to statistical data, the average cost of an interstate move is about $4,500 and the average cost of a local move is about $2,000.

If you’re moving out of an apartment though, those numbers will be quite different – the cost to move an apartment depends not only on the weight of the shipment and the relocation distance, but also on a number of specific factors, such as the floor on which the apartment is located and the availability of parking space at the building’s entrance.

How can you know what your move will cost you then? How can you financially prepare for the big endeavor? The only way to get an exact price is to request an on-site estimate, but the answers to the following questions will give you an idea of what to expect:

# What is the average cost to move an apartment?

# How much does it cost to move an apartment locally? What about a cross-country move?

# How much do movers cost for a one-bedroom apartment? For a studio? For a two-bedroom apartment?

Here is everything you need to know:

What Factors Affect the Cost to Move an Apartment?

The cost to move an apartment is determined by several important factors that differ from case to case:

The Moving Option You Choose

When moving out of an apartment you have a few viable moving options:

1. DIY move

Apartments are usually smaller than houses, so they’re much easier to relocate – there will be fewer items to take care of and you will most likely not need to move any large and heavy appliances. A self-move is, therefore, quite feasible, especially if you’re moving locally.

This may be your cheapest apartment moving option – when moving by yourself, you’ll only have to pay for packing supplies, truck rental, and fuel. On average, the quality packing materials necessary for packing a two-bedroom apartment will cost you about $150.

You will need a 17ft. truck (or larger) to transport your belongings – it will come at a rental fee of $29.95 per day, plus a fee of 99 cents per mile – and will probably be required to return the vehicle with a full (or half-full) tank of gas.

If you’re considering a DIY move, keep in mind that you will probably need help from friends and family and you will have no insurance if something goes wrong.

2. Portable moving containers

Portable moving containers are an excellent option for apartment moves – they’re easy to pack, come in different sizes so you can choose the one that best accommodates your needs, and fit into a standard parking space.

The containers are dropped off, picked up, and transported by professionals, so you don’t have to drive a large truck for several days across the country or along busy streets across town. Scheduling is very flexible, so you can pack and unpack your belongings at your own pace.

Moving containers usually cost about $200-$400 per month plus a $100 fee for pick up/delivery (for local moves). For long-distance moves, the final cost averages $1,200-$2,500.

3. Partial move

You can hire a professional moving company to help you with a specific moving task – transport your belongings to your new home, load and unload heavy furniture, etc. – but take care of everything else yourself.

In this case, moving a 2-bedroom apartment locally will cost you $600-$700, while moving it cross country will cost about $2,500-$3,000. (See below for details)

4. Full-service move

I have moved house both with movers and on my own and here’s my observation: hiring full-service movers is your most expensive but easiest and safest moving option when it comes to moving to a new home.

I’m glad that I have decided to use professional moving services in the past simply because the pros take care of a residential move from start to finish – they will pack up the apartment, load the household items onto the moving truck, transport them to the new home, and take everything safely inside the new residence.

If you’re moving a 2-bedroom apartment and opt for full-service moving, you can expect to pay about $900-$1,000 for a local move and $3,500-$4,500 for a 1,000-mile move. (See below for details)

How to Move House – The Moving Options You’ve Got

The Distance of Your Move

The further you’re moving, the higher your moving costs will be, of course – a long-distance move takes more time and incurs higher fuel costs, so it is more expensive.

Generally, local apartment movers charge by the hour, while long-distance moving costs are determined by the weight of the shipment and the distance to the final destination.

• Local move – The average cost to move a 1-bedroom apartment locally is $400-$600 (See below for details);
• Long-distance move – The average cost to move a 1-bedroom apartment cross country is about $2,000-$2,500 (See below for details).

What Is the Average Moving Cost?

The Number and Type of Items You Have for Moving

The number of items you have for moving will determine, to a large extent, the final cost of your move – the more items you decide to relocate, the longer your move will take and the heavier your shipment will be, so the relocation cost will be higher.

It is not only the amount of your belongings that matters though – the type of the items you’re moving to your new home is just as important. Furniture, appliances, and other large pieces have a much bigger impact on the cost of your move than smaller items that can be boxed up – boxes are easy to stack and fit into a compact space; furniture pieces and other bulky items are heavy and awkwardly-shaped (and therefore much more difficult – and more expensive – to move).

If you have any specialty items that need extra care or specialized moving services (such as a piano or a grandfather clock, for example), the moving cost will increase even further.

When I moved house a few years ago, I didn’t have a choice but to take the grandfather clock with me. The freestanding clock is a priceless family heirloom so I wanted to make sure it would arrive in the new home perfectly safe and sound. That’s when I did some research on how to pack a grandfather clock for moving and I realized that I wouldn’t be able to provide the best type of protection for the valuable floor clock.

And since I just knew I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own, I ended up trusting an experienced moving company. Actually, this is the trick to a successful move – to know when you can manage something on your own and when to admit it’s time to let professional packers and movers do what they do best.

How to Decide What to Take and What to Throw Away When Moving

The Required Extra Services

You may want to take advantage of some of the additional services apartment movers offer (such as packing, for example).

Or you may have specialty items that require specialized packing supplies or specialized moving services – crating, piano moving, etc.

Or the peculiarities of the pick-up or delivery location (physical restraints like narrow streets or weak bridges, insufficient parking space, high-floor apartment, lack of elevator in the building, narrow doorways and hallways, etc.) may necessitate accessorial services (hoisting services, shuttle services, etc.).

In all these cases you will be charged extra for the extra services you use.

So, when moving an apartment, you may need to pay additional fees for:

• Packing supplies – if some of your items require specialized packing supplies or you wish to buy quality packing materials from your chosen moving company;
• Packing services – if you want professional packers to prepare your items for shipment. Unpacking services and disposal of packing materials are also available upon request for an additional fee;
• Custom crating – if you have very fragile and/or very valuable items (artwork, antiques, crystal items, etc.) that need to be packed in custom wooden crates for optimal protection;
• Furniture disassembly (and reassembly) – if some of your larger furniture pieces need to be dismantled before the move;
• Moving items up and down stairs – if your apartment building doesn’t have a service elevator;
• Elevator service – if the movers have to wait to use the elevator;
• Hoisting services – if some of your larger items don’t fit through the doors or along the hallways and need to be taken out of (or into) your apartment through a window;
• Long carries – if there isn’t a convenient parking place for the moving truck near the entrance to your apartment building and the movers need to carry your items for more than 50 feet. Long, narrow hallways may also incur an extra fee;
• Shuttle services – if your apartment building is not accessible to a large moving truck and your items have to be picked up or delivered with the help of a smaller vehicle;
• Storage – if you need your items to be kept in the movers’ storage facility for some time.

How to Save on Additional Moving Services

The Time Period of Your Move

It is no secret that moving rates are higher during peak moving season (from May to September) and during the first and last several days of a month, on weekends, and on national holidays.

The majority of house moves take place during these periods and moving services are in high demand – so the costs are higher and it’s much more difficult to secure the services of a reputable moving company (the best apartment movers will be booked months in advance). (See also: How Far in Advance to Book Movers)

So, if possible, try to schedule your move for a less busy period – your relocation costs will be lower and many good movers will be available at your preferred moving date.

Things to Consider When Deciding on a Moving Date

Your Chosen Moving Company

Different moving companies have different rates, so you may be able to save on your move by hiring a more affordable mover.

Keep in mind though that you get what you pay for – a higher quality service may be worth a little extra money. Also, be careful not to fall victim to moving scams – a low-ball estimate can be a red flag of moving fraud.

Good to remember: When looking for movers, you’re advised to get price quotes from three or four reputable apartment moving companies, research the movers well, compare their offers, and choose the professionals that best suit your needs, preferences, and available budget. (See also: How to Choose a Moving Company in 31.5 Steps)

How Well Prepared You Are

If you’re ready when the movers arrive (your items are well organized and fully packed (unless you’ve requested packing services)) and everything is prepared (you’ve reserved a convenient parking place for the moving truck, cleared the path from the entrance of your home to the moving van from obstacles, taken precautions to prevent property damage, etc.), your movers will be able to complete the job in a quick and efficient way.

If, on the other hand, the movers have to wait for you to finish your moving preparations, you’ll have to pay for the wasted time. And if you overlooked something important (forgot to reserve the elevator, for example), you’ll have to pay for the extra work entailed by your inadequate preparation (moving items up and down the stairs or waiting for the elevator).

Good to know: Moving costs can vary from state to state and from one city to the next, so your location will also impact the final cost of your move.

When all the above factors are taken into account, the cost to move an apartment is easily estimated.

How Much Does It Cost to Move a One Bedroom Apartment?

Moving a one-bedroom apartment is not an expensive endeavor, but it all depends on the specific circumstances of your case:

Cost to Move a One-Bedroom Apartment Locally

If you’re moving locally – within 100 miles of your current home and without crossing any state lines – you will be charged by the hour. Therefore, the faster your move is completed, the less you’re going to pay (and the fewer items you have for moving and the better prepared you are, the less time your move will take).

So, how much does it cost to hire movers for a 1 bedroom apartment?

Moving a 1-bedroom apartment locally usually takes about 4-5 hours. Local moving companies charge around $100 per hour for two movers and a truck, so the average moving cost for a 1-bedroom apartment is $500.

Yet, your relocation might cost much more or much less depending on the complexity of the job.

Prices will be different depending on what floor apartment you’re moving out of and into, if there is an elevator in the buildings, how much furniture you have, what specialty items you’re relocating, etc.

To get an accurate estimate of your moving costs, you need to provide the movers with all the relevant information and discuss your requirements and preferences, as well as possible obstacles and difficulties, in detail.

Cost to Move a One-Bedroom Apartment Cross Country

When moving a 1-bedroom apartment across country, your relocation cost will be calculated based on the distance to your final destination, the weight of your shipment, and the additional services you use.

Different long-distance movers have different tariffs, but the standard cost to move a 1 bedroom apartment cross country is $2,000-$2,500 (for a distance of 1,000 miles and an approximate weight of 3,000-3,500 lbs.)

Your household items, however, may weigh much more or much less than 3,000 pounds and you may or may not request additional moving services, so your moving cost may be quite different.

Whatever the circumstances in your case though, the lighter your shipment, the less you’re going to pay, so make sure you declutter your home and pare down your possessions before your move (See also: How to get rid of unwanted items when moving).

How much does it cost to move a studio apartment?

A studio apartment is smaller than a standard 1-bedroom apartment, so it costs less to move:

• Moving a studio apartment locally will cost you $250-$300 (two professional local apartment movers will be able to complete the job within 3 hours);
• Moving a studio apartment cross country costs about $1,500 (for a distance of 1,000 miles and an approximate weight of 2,000 lbs.)

Any desired or necessitated extra services will add to the cost, of course.

How Much Does It Cost to Move a Two-Bedroom Apartment?

There are more items in a two-bedroom home than in a one-bedroom home, so the moving cost for a 2-bedroom apartment is higher than the moving cost for a 1-bedroom apartment.

But exactly how much does it cost to hire movers for a 2-bedroom apartment?

Cost to Move a Two-Bedroom Apartment Locally

Moving a 2-bedroom apartment typically takes 6-7 hours. At an hourly rate of $100 for two movers and a truck, the cost to move a 2 bedroom apartment locally comes to $600-$800.

If you opt for a full-service move or need some accessorial moving services, your final relocation cost may soar up to $1,000.

Cost to Move a Two-Bedroom Apartment Cross Country

The items in a two-bedroom home weigh about 4,500-5,000 pounds. So, if you’re moving a 2-bedroom apartment across the country, you should expect to pay around $3,500-$4,500 (for a 1,000-mile move).

It is, however, possible to cut down the moving costs – you can lighten the load, move in off-peak season, look for affordable long-distance apartment movers, etc. (See also: How to Save on a Long-Distance Move)

How Much Does It Cost to Move a Three-Bedroom Apartment?

Moving a three-bedroom apartment is much more laborious and time-consuming than moving a small apartment. The moving cost is, therefore, much higher as well:

Cost to Move a Three-Bedroom Apartment Locally

A 3-bedroom apartment move usually takes about 8 hours and requires at least three professional workers, so your local apartment movers will charge you about $1,200 for labor alone.

The average moving cost for a 3-bedroom apartment locally is $1,300-$1,600, but the price may vary greatly depending on your particular needs and preferences and the specifics of the origin and destination locations.

You need to discuss the details of your move with your potential movers in order to get accurate apartment moving quotes.

Cost to Move a Three-Bedroom Apartment Cross Country

A three-bedroom apartment can weigh anywhere between 5,500 pounds and 9,000 pounds. For an average weight of 7,500 pounds, the cost to move a 3-bedroom apartment across country will be about $5,000-$7,000 (for a distance of 1,000 miles).

Needless to say, you will have to pay more if you include additional moving services such as packing, full value protection insurance, storage, etc.

To sum it all up:

How much does it cost to move an apartment locally?

Studio apartment	1-bedroom apartment	2-bedroom apartment	3-bedroom apartment
$250-$350	$400-$600	$800-$1,000	$1,300-$1,600

How much does it cost to move an apartment cross country? (relocation distance – 1,000 miles)

Studio apartment	1-bedroom apartment	2-bedroom apartment	3-bedroom apartment
$1,500	$2,000-$2,500	$3,500-$4,500	$5,000-$7,000

Keep in mind that these average costs can only give you an idea of what your apartment moving costs will be – to find out the exact price of your move, you need to get an in-house cost estimate and discuss the details of your relocation with the movers.