Whether you’re researching moving companies for your first move or you’ve used them in the past, you’re likely aware that the costs associated with moving can be tough to gauge. Many people like to get free quotes from professional movers to decide whether it’s worth it to hire a moving company or make a DIY move.
But sometimes, even getting quotes can be unreliable. In this study, we discovered that a majority of Americans who moved in 2021 and 2022 were charged around $2,300 more than originally quoted.
The truth is many factors go into moving costs. Most are predictable, such as how much stuff you have or how far you move. But other factors may be less known, such as which month or day of the week you’re planning to move.
To better understand how much movers cost, we dove into national moving data from 2021 and 2022. Data comes from our partner. This article explores our findings and offers insight into moving cost factors. Check out our methodology section below for more information on our sources and process.
Main Findings
- Hiring a moving company in 2022 cost an average of roughly $8,100.
- Distance traveled and the number of items moved are the two biggest factors affecting pricing. In 2022, small households (one bedroom or smaller) paid $31 per mile for movers compared to large households (four or more bedrooms) paying about $49 per mile.
- Most Americans (64%) who hired a moving company last year paid more than they were quoted, by $2,282 on average.
- Seasonality has some effect on moving quotes—with summer moves trending higher in terms of cost—while the day of the week shows no significant impact on price.
How Much Do Movers Cost?
It’s hard to give a blanket answer for how much movers cost, as it depends on many factors unique to the type of move you’re planning. However, developing a rough moving budget is still possible, as prices are largely determined by the distance traveled and the number of items moved.
Local vs. Long-Distance Moving Costs
Aside from the number of items moved, distance plays one of the biggest roles in the moving process. The table below shows average costs by the distance of your move and size of home.
Moving Costs Per Mile
The average cost of moving was $41.59 per mile traveled, based on 2022 data. Not surprisingly, costs ranged from low to high depending on the household size, with small households at $31.42 per mile, medium households (two to three bedrooms) at $43.94 per mile, and large households (four or more bedrooms) at $48.77 per mile.
How Accurate Are Moving Quotes?
While getting quotes from the best moving companies is one of the most accurate ways to estimate moving costs, it’s not a perfect system. One factor that can lead to inaccurate quotes is providing incomplete information when requesting a quote.
Our data found that 64% of Americans who hired a professional moving company in 2022 paid more than they were quoted by an average of $2,282. Thirty-four percent reported paying exactly what they were quoted, and 2% said they paid less ($818 on average).
There was a similar trend for 2021 moving data, although moving companies seemed to hit the mark more often that year. Fifty-seven percent of Americans reported paying more than quoted ($2,415 on average), 40% reported paying the same, and 3% reported paying less ($668 on average). The type of moving estimate you receive can also affect how accurate the quote is to your final price.
How Does Timing Affect Moving Costs?
While household size—the number and type of items needing to be moved—and distance are the largest factors when determining moving costs, you may wonder about other factors. We considered both the time of year and day of the week, and we found that month and season affect pricing, whereas day of the week does not generally impact costs.
How Much Do Moving Costs Change by Month and Season?
Summer is the peak season for moving, and it’s also the most expensive time of year to move. Our data found that hiring a moving company between May and August will generally cost you more compared to the off-season months of the year.
In 2022, the average moving price peaked in July at $13,873. The chart below shows the share of movers by month in 2022 along with average prices during the highest and lowest months (July and December, respectively).