The Cost of Moving in 2024 - What Expenses Do I Need to Budget For?

While the process of moving calls for new beginnings and a fresh start, the costs of it all can rack up fast. Factors like the distance you’re traveling, how many things you’re bringing along, and which type of move you choose all affect your cost of moving. To get a better idea of what exactly goes into that cost, we’ve compiled a series of examples to explain the process.

We’ll be examining six sample moves, each with their own unique set of circumstances. We’ll show you example moves of a single man in a studio, a young couple in a one-bedroom apartment, a small family in a three-bedroom home, a family in a four-bedroom home, and a retired couple in a mobile home. We’ll illustrate the different items that come into play for each example to give you an idea of what to expect with your specific move. Let’s jump in.

1. Joe - Studio Move

Joe is a recent college graduate who is finally ready to move out of his dorm and into the real world. He has a couple offers for jobs, with one being locally in Detroit and the other one all the way across the country in California! Since Joe was living in a studio space previously, he doesn’t have a ton of things making his move easier.

If Joe decided to take on the local job offer and to move to a place closer to the office, he would be able to catch a great deal using a rental truck as the estimated cost would only be around $38 - $89. If Joe needed more help and decided to use full-service movers, he would have to pay closer to between $467 - $987. If he chooses to move with PODS to take advantage of packing and loading at his own pace, he would pay between $398 - $1232. Common packing supplies for this move would include items like boxes, packing tape, packing paper, and bubble cushioning roll. The estimated cost for packing supplies for a studio move could range from anywhere between $75-$150 depending on how you spend your money.

Cross-country moves are much more costly overall and if Joe takes the L.A. offer, he will need to have a good chunk of money in his savings to account for the cost of moving across the country. If Joe decided to move with a rental truck, he would have to pay between $1643 - $2930. If he decided to move with professional movers, on the other hand, he would have to spend closer to between $3308 - $5261. PODS would run him between $2823 - $5360.

*Based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1200 sf) as of July 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, size of household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637.

Q: What is the most cost effective way to move?
A: The most cost effective way to move is to ask friends and family for help packing your things, and consider getting rid of belongings that you may no longer need. Instead of using a more costly moving option like full-service movers, try out a rental truck on your own or the services of PODS!

2. Kathy & Rick - One-Bedroom Move

Kathy and Rick are a retired couple who are ready to downsize and start the next chapter of their lively golden years. They are moving out of their one-bedroom home in North Carolina and want to find a smaller home locally in the same town or possibly in Florida.

If Kathy and Rick decided to downsize to a home locally, a rental truck would not be a steep investment as it would just cost somewhere between $51 - $96 with the caveat that they would be doing all the work themselves. Professional movers would charge somewhere between $541 - $1172, and you can expect to pay anywhere between $424 - $1002 for the services of PODS. The cost of packing supplies such as boxes, labels, tape, packing paper, and bubble cushioning roll for this local move would range somewhere between $100-$200.

If Kathy and Rick decide to opt for retired life in sunny Florida instead, they will have to consider the cost of moving out of state and pay between $600 - $1000 for a move with a rental truck. A full-service move could cost anywhere between $1958 - $4112 while an estimate for a long-distance move with PODS would be approximately $1839 - $4301.

*Based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1200 sf) as of July 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, size of household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637.

Q: What is a reasonable amount for moving expenses?
A: The average amount for moving expenses will ultimately depend on the residence size, the distance, and the type of moving assistance you use. If you choose to go with movers, it  can cost anywhere between $300 and $17,000 total depending on the circumstances! 

3. The Miller Family - Two-Bedroom Move

The Miller family is continuing to expand their family as they are planning to welcome a second baby into the household. Their plan is to stay in the area and move directly into town, but they are also considering moving a few states away in order to be closer to family. The overall moving costs will vary greatly, however.

The Miller family currently lives in Charleston and they don’t have to pay much if the plan is for a local move. The cost of a rental truck for a 2-bedroom residence-sized home in Charleston is approximately $51 - $99, while a professional full-service move would cost you somewhere closer to $759 - $1862. PODS, on the other hand, would cost you $402 - $986. The overall cost of packing supplies to move a two-bedroom residence would be somewhere between $200 - $300.

If the Miller family decided to move to Louisiana for a long-distance move to be closer to family, the rental truck would be in a much different price range at $797 - $1405. A professional full-service move would cost closer to $2762 - $6220 while the cost of PODS moving would fall somewhere between $2276 - $5396.

*Based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1200 sf) as of July 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, size of household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637.

4. The Anderson Family - Three-Bedroom Move

Joe and Felicia Anderson have just started to work remotely, so they are not tied down to one specific place to live for a job anymore. They have an endless amount of options for where to relocate to, but they have been considering a move to the East Coast to live close to the water. The family currently lives in Oklahoma, and they are renting a three-bedroom home. A forever home instead of a rental place is hopefully in the cards for them!

If the family decides to move to a new home locally in their area of Oklahoma City, they should budget for a rental truck costing anywhere between $64 - $126. A professional full-service move, on the other hand, would be at a more expensive price of $1141 - $2886. If the Anderson family decided to move with PODS instead, they could estimate having to pay between $425 - $1887. Packing supplies to move a three-bedroom residence of a family would most likely cost somewhere between $300 - $400.

The Andersons would love to live somewhere cooler, so if the family settles on an area on the East Coast such as Boston, they should plan to spend a total of $1476 - $2696 on a rental truck versus a full-service professional move, which would cost closer to $5618 - $8571. A move to Boston with the help of PODS would cost somewhere between $2509 - $4381.

*Based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1200 sf) as of July 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, size of household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637.

Q: What is a reasonable moving budget?
A: A reasonable moving budget can vary, depending on your own circumstances. A local move can cost from a couple hundred to over a thousand dollars, while long distance moves can average around $2,500 to $5,000. 

5. The Smith Family - Four-Bedroom Move

The Smith family currently lives in a four-bedroom residence; however, the home has experienced significant flood damage from a tropical storm that happened recently. The family plans to relocate to a new four-bedroom residence somewhere locally or potentially move to another state less impacted by storms. The family is deciding if they want their teenage kids to finish up school in the area or possibly move to a different state with better education opportunities so that the kids would be able to receive in-state tuition for college the following year.

The Smith family lives in Houston, Texas, and if they decide to stay local, a rental truck would cost about $66 – 126 while a full-service professional move would cost around $1405 - $3401 and a move with PODS would cost $853 - $4940. An estimated range for packing supplies will ultimately depend on how many belongings they were able to save from the flood but could fall anywhere between $400 - $500.

Massachusetts is ranked fifth in the country for education, which is somewhere the Smith family might want to consider for the kids’ college. If the Smith family decided to move with a rental truck from Houston to Massachusetts, the approximate cost range would fall between $1892 - $3414 while a full-service move would cost closer to $7446 - $12814. A move to Massachusetts from Houston with PODS would cost somewhere around $4821 - $9022.

*Based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1200 sf) as of July 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, size of household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637.

6. Chris & Joanne - Two-Bedroom Move/Mobile Home Relocation

Chris and Joanne are a retired couple currently living in Missouri who might be having some special upcoming moving plans! Joanne recently inherited a two-bedroom mobile home from her aunt, and the couple is planning to move out of the three-bedroom home they’ve been renting in order to live in the mobile home full time instead and cash out their equity.

The couple is deciding if they want to buy land for the mobile home in Missouri to stay there or embark on a long-distance move to Florida where they can find a mobile home community to live in. If the couple chooses PODS to help with their move, they plan to rent two of the 8-ft PODS containers. One container would be used to transport the belongings to the new home, and the other container would be used to store particular seasonal items so they don’t clutter and take up space in the smaller mobile home.

If Chris and Joanne decide to move their belongings out of the three-bedroom residence locally, they can expect to pay anywhere between $65-$124 for a rental truck and $1022-$2616 for professional full-service movers. The cost of PODS moving would be between $405-$912. A cost for packing supplies to move a three-bedroom home will most likely cost between $250-$400.

Chris and Joanne may also move to Florida and they can expect to pay anywhere between $1029-$1841 for a rental truck and $4458-$7154 for full-service movers. PODS is another suitable choice to assist with a move to Florida, and Chris and Joanne can expect to pay anywhere between $4795-$7352.

To relocate the mobile home locally, the cost of moving a mobile home would be $50-$106 for a rental truck, $791-$2,079 for a full-service professional move. To relocate the mobile home to Florida, a rental truck would cost $824-$1,625, a full-service move would cost $3,113-$6,788. 

*Based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1200 sf) as of July 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, size of household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637.

Q: How much does each move cost?
A: Movers average anywhere between $80 and $400 with two movers.

There are lots of factors that go into the cost of moving overall, and you have options when it comes to how much of your budget you’re wanting to spend. Rental trucks will typically save you the most money, but sometimes full-service movers are needed if you require the additional assistance. While there are lots of moving companies out there to choose from, you can’t go wrong when you choose the services of PODS, which includes one-month storage built in every move, extra packing and loading help if needed, a variety of sized containers to choose from, and the option to keep your containers in a storage center locally if needed. 

Relocate to Your New Residence With PODS

With PODS, you can take your time packing and loading at your own pace once you receive your portable moving containers straight at your doorstep! Get referred to help if you need it with packing, and have everything transported to your new home once you’re ready to move. With a month of storage built into your move, you can keep your moving containers in a local storage center until you’re ready for them!

Editor’s note: For ease of reading, monthly rental prices were rounded to the nearest $25 and home values were rounded to the nearest $100.