California has a lot to offer its residents: beautiful beaches, famous attractions, and yearlong sunshine. It’s no wonder people pay a premium to live there (overall, California has the fourth-highest cost of living, behind Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Massachusetts).

But how much does moving and living in California cost? Below are average moving costs based on thousands of moves booked through HireAHelper and their affiliates*.

California Moving Costs in 2023

• Avg. Cost of a California Move (Moving labor-only): $398
• Avg. Cost of a California Move (Movers with a truck): $997
• Avg. Cost of a Long-Distance Move w/ CA Destination: $2,182 – $10,329

If you’re moving cross-country from the East Coast to California, you can expect to spend between $2,182 and $10,329 on your move, according to a recent PODS article. The main factors affecting this cost are distance, the moving service you choose, and the size of your move. A shorter move, such as one between Phoenix and L.A., would cost between $328 and $5,300, while the cost of a move from NYC to San Francisco could cost over $10,000. 

• Avg. Timeframe for a California Move – 3.4 Hours
• Avg. Distance of a California Move – 35 Miles

The average time spent on a move that features an origin, destination, or both within California is just shy of three and a half hours, while the average distance traveled is 35 miles.

How Do These Figures Compare to Other States?

The average cost of California moving labor services is $16 more expensive than the national average. Across all move types and services, it costs an average of $396 to move locally anywhere within the country.

“Contrary to popular belief, not everything’s more expensive in SoCal versus NorCal. When comparing the cost of moving in Northern California versus Southern California, there’s virtually no statistical difference. Moving labor costs are roughly $443 in both regions, on average.”

The national average timeframe for moving is three hours (24 minutes shorter than the average California move), and items are transported an average of 74 miles (39 miles farther than the average California move). The specific moving service you use will make a difference, though.

The Current State of Moving to California in 2023

Between April 2020 and July 2022, California lost over 700,000 more residents than it gained, according to the Los Angeles Times. While the pandemic likely played a part in this exodus, the truth is that California residents have been leaving the Golden State for other, more affordable locales since 2000. California has one of the highest costs of living in the nation, and the highest sales tax rate. In San Francisco, for instance, the average home value is above $1.27 million. A family of four would need $112,903 in household income just to get by.

With COVID-19 causing many to shift to remote work, employees who were once tied to a desk suddenly had the freedom to find somewhere more affordable to put down roots. 

Still, California has a very large population (over 39 million) and, despite having a net loss of hundreds of thousands of residents between 2020 and 2022, it still managed to rank as the third most moved-in state by volume last year with +3.6% move-ins.

While the cost of living and high taxes may be a turn-off for some, living in California comes with a gorgeous climate, breathtaking scenery, myriad job opportunities, and endless culture and entertainment. People are still moving to the Golden State and, with all of these perks, “California dreaming” isn’t likely going anywhere.

More 2023 California Moving Stats

Given the multiple moving options available to you, each has many pros and cons, including the price. The average California moving service costs in 2023 were as follows:

**Expressed as a national average, as state-specific data is not available.

Avg. Cost of Labor-Only Moving Services in California by Job Type

Hiring labor-only saves people money, but which part of your move you hire the labor for makes a difference. Let’s compare the average costs of different labor-only moving services in California to the national averages.

Top 5 Least Expensive Cities for Moves Within California (Labor-Only)

Top 5 Most Expensive Cities for Moves Within California (Labor-Only)

California moves in the above graphs are calculated using booked moves where the origin city, destination city, or both reside within California and are at least 50 miles apart.

Which Cities in California Are Growing and Shrinking?

Californian City With the Greatest Population Increase*** – Santa Cruz, CA (+12.5%)

This mellow beach town is located in Northern California along Highway One. Among other things, it’s known for its surf culture, whale watching, and close proximity to the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Californian City With the Greatest Population Loss*** – Livermore, CA (-2%)

Located in the San Francisco Bay area and dating back to 1869, Livermore is the state’s oldest wine region. In addition to its thriving wine industry, the city also enjoys a rich arts and culture scene.

***Based on population increase or decrease between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Most Affordable California Cities (Based on Cost of Living)

Here’s a closer look at six of the most affordable cities in California (according to Niche) and how their average household incomes and home values compare to the state averages.

Sources: Average home values are based on Zillow data and median household incomes are based on U.S. Census data (expressed in 2021 dollars) available as of June 2022.

Cost of Moving Within California (NorCal Versus SoCal)

Contrary to popular belief, not everything’s more expensive in SoCal versus NorCal. When comparing the cost of moving in Northern California versus Southern California, there’s virtually no statistical difference. Moving labor costs are roughly $443 in both regions, on average.

That said, Southern California is home to the most expensive city for moving in the entire country: Riverside. On average, state moves originating in Riverside totaled $538.

Least Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

Most Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

What Are California’s 2023 Tax Rates?

The costs of moving to California aren’t just about hiring movers, buying packing supplies, or renting self-storage. If you’re moving from out of state, there’s a good chance the sales tax rates in California will be higher (possibly much higher) than you’re used to, affecting the final cost of moving-related expenses. Not to mention California’s high income taxes, which will almost certainly take a toll on your disposable income.

Below is a breakdown of California tax rates.

Sales taxes in California include:

• California sales tax rate: 7.25% (highest in the U.S.)
• Average local sales tax rate: 1.57%
• California gasoline tax rate: 63¢
• California cigarette tax rate: $2.87 (per 20-pack)

California income tax rates are as follows:

Source: H&R Block

If you’re considering moving to California, be sure to look at your new city’s cost of living compared to your salary. Keep in mind that even if you’re moving for a job, it may not be necessary to live in one of the big, expensive cities listed above. There are plenty of affordable California suburbs — which aren’t necessarily in the middle of nowhere — including Morada, Desert Edge, and Golden Hills.

And, when you’re ready to book movers in California, use Hire A Helper’s moving calculator to understand what your own unique moving costs might be.

*Unless otherwise indicated, the previous statistics are based on thousands of moves carried out by the halfway point of 2021. These data points are calculations of average and median costs of “labor-only” and/or “Mover + Truck” moving services booked through HireAHelper.com, as well as “Long Distance Move” moving services from MovingPlace.com, and may also include additional related moving data from industry partners and affiliates collected between 2020 and 2021.

Illustrations by Naomi Ann Clarke