Updated September 29, 2026
A local move in the US usually costs $500–$2,500, billed by the hour (Bellhop). A long-distance move is priced by weight and distance. For a 2–3 bedroom home going 500–1,000 miles, that’s about $3,060–$5,280 (moveBuddha). How far you go and how much you take set most of the price. Below are current US and Canadian figures, and the extras that tend to catch people out.
Key takeaways
- Local movers charge by the hour. US crews run about $80–$350 an hour, depending on crew size and city (ConsumerAffairs; Bellhop).
- Long-distance movers charge about $0.50–$0.80 per pound (ExtraSpace). The old “$1 a pound” rule no longer holds.
- In Canada, local movers charge about C$100–C$185 an hour. Moves between provinces run about C$2,500–C$9,000+ (The Moving Companies).
- The free basic coverage on US interstate moves pays 60 cents per pound per item, not what the item is worth (FMCSA).
Is your move local or long-distance?
Most movers call a move local if it stays within 50–100 miles (80–160 km). Anything farther is long-distance. Where the line falls depends on the company. Bellhop uses 50 miles, iMoving uses 100 miles within the same state, and Simple Moves in Vancouver counts 50–100 km as local.
For early planning, 60 miles (100 km) is a fair rule of thumb. One catch: crossing a state line usually makes a move long-distance, even a short one (iMoving). Ask each mover how they’d classify your route, because the answer can change your bill (see the example below).
Local vs long-distance moving costs in 2026
The two types of move are priced in completely different ways.
| Local move | Long-distance move | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical distance | Under 50–100 mi (80–160 km), same state or province | Farther, or across state/provincial lines |
| How it’s priced | Hourly rate for crew and truck | Weight (or volume) plus distance |
| US rate | About $80–$350/hr | About $0.50–$0.80 per lb |
| US typical total | $500–$2,500 | $3,060–$5,280 (2–3 bedrooms, 500–1,000 mi) |
| Canada rate (CAD) | About C$100–C$185/hr | About C$0.50–C$0.80 per lb |
| Canada typical total (CAD) | About C$500–C$3,000 | About C$2,500–C$9,000+ |
| Minimum charge | Usually 2–4 hours (US), 3–4 hours (Canada) | Varies by mover |
Sources: Bellhop, ConsumerAffairs, ExtraSpace, moveBuddha (via BookMyMove), The Moving Companies, EasyTools, MovingCalculator Canada. These are published averages, not quotes.
Why is the hourly range so wide? Partly because the sources measure different things. ConsumerAffairs prices a basic two-mover team at $80–$100 an hour. Bellhop’s $120–$350 covers bigger crews and more services. My read is that a three-person crew in a large city, with packing included, will land near the top of that range.
How much does moving cost by distance?
Here are published 2026 averages for a 2–3 bedroom home with full-service movers.
United States
| Distance | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Local, same city | $500–$2,500 | Bellhop |
| About 250 miles | About $2,500–$3,250 | moving-calculator.net ($10–$13 per mile × 250) |
| 500–1,000 miles | $3,060–$5,280 | moveBuddha |
| 1,000+ miles (cross-country) | About $4,300–$5,000 | Allied/AMSA; ConsumerAffairs |
Canada (CAD)
| Route | Typical cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Local, Metro Vancouver (2 bedrooms) | C$600–C$1,800 | Simple Moves |
| Toronto to Ottawa (2–3 bedrooms) | C$2,000–C$4,500 | EasyTools |
| Vancouver to Calgary (2 bedrooms) | C$2,500–C$7,000 | Movers.ca; Simple Moves |
| Toronto to Vancouver (2 bedrooms) | C$4,500–C$12,000 | The Moving Companies; MovingCalculator Canada |
Doubling the distance doesn’t double the price. Loading and unloading cost roughly the same whether you go 50 miles or 2,000, so a longer trip spreads that cost over more miles. One per-mile guide puts a 250-mile, 2-bedroom move at about $10–$13 a mile. At 2,500 miles, it drops to about $1.40–$1.85 a mile.
The averages don’t always agree, either. Allied quotes about $4,300 for a 1,000+ mile move of a 7,400 lb shipment. Elsewhere on the same page, it gives about $6,300 for a 2–3 bedroom home over the same distance. Use these tables to get a rough sense of cost, not as your budget.
How weight-based pricing works
A long-distance mover estimates what your shipment weighs, then multiplies that by a per-pound rate for your route. Take a typical 2–3 bedroom load of about 7,400 lb (Allied/AMSA) (hypothetical example):
- At $0.50/lb: 7,400 × $0.50 = $3,700
- At $0.80/lb: 7,400 × $0.80 = $5,920
- At the old $1/lb rule of thumb: 7,400 × $1.00 = $7,400, well above current averages
So decluttering before a long move saves real money. A box of old books you donate is weight you won’t pay to ship. On an hourly local move, the saving is smaller and less direct. You’re paying for time, and one fewer box only trims a few minutes of carrying.
When the pricing method changes your bill
This matters most when your new place sits near the local/long-distance line. Two movers can quote the same trip using two different pricing methods.
Here’s a hypothetical case. You’re moving a 2-bedroom home 90 miles. One mover treats that as local and quotes by the hour. Another treats it as long-distance and prices it by weight. At 8 hours and $150 an hour, the hourly quote comes to 8 × $150 = $1,200. At 7,400 lb and $0.50 a pound, the weight-based quote comes to $3,700. It’s the same trip with the same boxes, and the second quote is more than three times the first.
The hours and rates here are made up to show the math. They aren’t real quotes. If your route is close to the line, ask for quotes priced both ways and compare the totals, not just the rates.
Other costs to budget for
On top of moving your stuff from A to B, a full-service move can include:
- Packing materials: boxes, tape and padding. If you pack yourself, use sturdy boxes. A Box for All Reasons explains which box suits what.
- Packing services: in Canada, professional packing adds about C$300–C$800 to a typical move (The Moving Companies). It’s worth considering for fragile items, or if you’re short on time.
- Access fees: stairs, a long walk from the truck, elevators, and shuttle trucks for narrow streets are often billed as separate charges (EasyTools).
- Travel time on local moves: many crews bill the drive to and from their base. Two Small Men with Big Hearts says charging 30–60 minutes of travel is standard.
- Storage: you’ll need it if your move-out and move-in dates don’t line up. Long-distance movers may also charge storage-in-transit fees if they have to hold your shipment (ExtraSpace).
- Specialty items: pianos, safes and hot tubs cost extra. See how much it costs to move a piano across the country.
- Taxes: in Canada, GST/HST applies, and Ontario’s HST is 13% (EasyTools). In the US, it depends on the state, so ask the mover to show tax on the quote.
Here’s how the extras add up on a Canadian local move (hypothetical example). A 2-bedroom move in Vancouver takes about 5–7 hours of labor at roughly C$150 an hour. Add a C$75–C$150 travel fee (Two Small Men with Big Hearts):
- Labor: 5–7 hours × C$150 = C$750–C$1,050
- Plus the travel fee: C$825–C$1,200
- Plus 5% GST: about C$866–C$1,260. PST may apply too, so check your quote.
Does moving insurance cost extra?
The basic option is free, and it pays accordingly. On US interstate moves, released value protection covers at most 60 cents per pound per item (FMCSA). FMCSA’s own example is a 25 lb TV, which would get $15 (25 × $0.60).
Full value protection costs more. Under it, the mover repairs or replaces anything lost or damaged, or pays you its current value. On interstate moves, you get full value protection by default unless you sign to choose released value instead (FMCSA). You can also buy separate insurance, though FMCSA suggests checking your homeowner’s policy first.
Moves within one state, and moves in Canada, follow different rules. Ask each mover what their coverage includes, and get it in writing. Boxes you pack yourself may have limited coverage (Greek Moving), so let the crew handle anything fragile or valuable.
The cheapest times to move
If your dates are flexible, the calendar is one of the easiest ways to save. In the US, May through September is peak season. Moving between October and April can cut costs by about 15–25% (ExtraSpace). In Canada, moving mid-month in late fall can save about 15–20% (The Moving Companies).
Canadians may also be able to deduct moving costs if the move puts them at least 40 km closer to a new job or school, using CRA Form T1-M (MovingCalculator Canada). Check the CRA rules before counting on it. For more ideas, see how to lower your moving costs.
FAQ
How much does it cost to move a 3-bedroom house?
For a local move, ConsumerAffairs puts it at about $600–$1,000. In Ontario, EasyTools puts a local 3-bedroom move at about C$780–C$1,800. The sources estimate differently, so a quote based on your own inventory is the only number worth budgeting around.
What’s included in a local mover’s hourly rate?
Usually the truck, fuel for short distances, and basic furniture protection such as pads and straps (ExtraSpace). Travel time, stairs and heavy items are often billed on top.
Is it cheaper to rent a truck than to hire movers?
Usually, if you do all the lifting yourself. One Canadian estimate puts truck rental at about 60–70% less than full-service movers for smaller moves, and moving containers at about 30–50% less (EasyTools).
Do you have to tip movers?
No. Bellhop says tipping isn’t required but is common when the crew does good work. In Canada, Two Small Men with Big Hearts says tips aren’t mandatory but are appreciated.
The tables above give you a fair starting range for how much moving costs. Packing, access fees, insurance and tax sit on top of that. What actually moves the final number is your own inventory, and whether your stairs, parking and dates make the job harder.
If your route is near the local/long-distance cutoff, ask for quotes priced both ways. Before you book, read how to find a reliable moving company, so every quote you compare comes from a legitimate mover.
Get written quotes from at least three movers. Ask each one to show the rate, the estimated weight or hours, and every extra fee.
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