How much do NYC Movers Cost?

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How Much do Movers in NYC Cost?

Posted in: I'm Moving, Local Moving

How much do movers charge in New York City, NY?

Not in New York? Click here to read our general guide on how much movers cost.

A tricky question – asking how much movers charge in NYC is almost like asking how much an airplane costs. It all depends on several factors, including a couple majors – the size and the speed. But I wanted to try to answer that question with some insight into what to watch for when pricing out your move in New York City.

First off, what’s the size of your current residence? Three bedroom, two bath 1,500 square foot house? Or a studio apartment?

Are you staying local, lets say, within 100 miles of the NY home you’re moving out of? Are you renting a truck or expecting the movers to bring one?

You might love our:

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If the quote from your movers felt expensive …
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I think the best way to answer this question would be with a price range. Keep in mind your exact situation will have it’s own special details (movers might charge extra to move your 300 pound gun safe that smells like old cheese, for example. What do you have in there anyways? I digress).

$390 – Option A – The Cheap (your move will probably cost more than this)

Lets assume you live in a first floor, 1 bedroom apartment, lightly furnished. You’ll be renting and driving the moving truck 5 miles to your new 1 bedroom apartment on the first floor. It’d take 2 movers about 4 hours to load and unload costing you on average, in New York City, about $310. The truck for 5 hours (time to pick-up and return) would cost about $40-$80 depending on who you book your truck through (Budget, Penske, etc.) and whether you waive insurance (NOT recommended). This is also assuming you’ll find your own free packing materials behind grocery stories, at hospitals, etc.

$1,390 – Option B – The Average

Now lets look at the you of tomorrow. Or 10 years from now. Add in a spouse and 3.2 kids and you’re in a 4 bedroom 3 bath 1,500 square foot house. The new house you’re moving to is the same size but it’s in White Plains, NY an hour away. You won’t be able to take the time off work to rent and drive a moving truck, so you hire movers with their own truck. A house that size will usually take 4 movers at least 6 hours to load and unload plus the 1 hour drive between locations. On average, the movers & truck will cost about $1,150 if you don’t have any special items (pianos, jacuzzi hot tubs, etc.). You’ll also probably want to buy packing materials this time which should run about $200-$240.

$20,000+ – Option C – The Big Move

Lets say your start-up business combining fashion, cupcakes, and accordions is really taking off. You’ve made some money and are now living comfortably in a 3,200 square foot 5 bedroom estate. First of all, congratulations – I’ve always said accordions belong in fashion. But to the point. You’re now moving 800 miles away to Chicagoland. With a move this size going that far, every case will be different, but you can expect to spend at least $10,000 and costs could get as high as $20,000+ on a full service moving company, which will include the cost of loading/unloading, the moving company’s truck, fuel, tolls, and equipment. People have found it’s cheaper in these situations to customize their move either by hiring loaders, renting and driving a truck themselves, and hiring unloaders in their new location. Some have found it’s cheaper to use a portable storage company like 1800Packrat or PODS, and to do all the loading & unloading themselves. The reality is, if you’ve got a huge house, are moving hundreds of miles away, and don’t want to lift a finger, it’ll cost you.

The answer: somewhere between $390 – $20,000. If you can size up your move size and distance somewhere on the scale above then you’ll start to get a picture of what’s too much to spend vs. what deal is too good to be true. For a more concrete answer use our moving calculator. Or checkout the pricing listed on New York City movers on HireAHelper.

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