Moving cost calculator: what an interstate move costs
Pick your states and home size to see what a long-distance move typically costs with a rental truck, a moving container, or full-service movers.
Moving cost: $1,020–$13,410
Moving about 1,530 miles from California to Texas costs roughly $1,020 – $13,410, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $1,020 – $4,600 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,870 – $4,980 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $3,000 – $13,410 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 153 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Popular routes (2–3 bedroom home)
| Route | Miles | Truck | Container | Full service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California → Texas | 1,530 | $1,020–$4,600 | $1,870–$4,980 | $3,000–$13,410 |
| California → Florida | 2,650 | $1,620–$7,970 | $2,530–$7,460 | $4,000–$20,620 |
| California → Arizona | 530 | $480–$1,590 | $1,280–$2,760 | $2,120–$6,980 |
| California → Tennessee | 2,160 | $1,360–$6,500 | $2,250–$6,380 | $3,560–$17,470 |
| New York → Florida | 1,200 | $840–$3,610 | $1,680–$4,250 | $2,710–$11,290 |
| New York → North Carolina | 580 | $510–$1,750 | $1,310–$2,870 | $2,160–$7,300 |
| New Jersey → Florida | 1,130 | $810–$3,400 | $1,640–$4,090 | $2,650–$10,840 |
| Illinois → Texas | 1,020 | $750–$3,070 | $1,570–$3,850 | $2,550–$10,130 |
| Texas → Florida | 1,130 | $810–$3,400 | $1,640–$4,090 | $2,650–$10,840 |
| Washington → Texas | 2,010 | $1,280–$6,050 | $2,160–$6,040 | $3,430–$16,500 |
| Massachusetts → Florida | 1,350 | $920–$4,060 | $1,770–$4,580 | $2,850–$12,260 |
| Colorado → Texas | 870 | $670–$2,620 | $1,480–$3,510 | $2,420–$9,170 |
Moving to Alaska or Hawaii
Moves to and from Alaska and Hawaii go by sea, or through Canada by road, so we price them from published carrier rates and quotes instead of the road model. Published prices for a 2–3 bedroom move start at about $6,250 of ocean freight (before trucking and loading) to Alaska and $5,350 to Hawaii from the West Coast, and rise with distance. See Alaska moving costs and Hawaii moving costs for Matson's container rates in both directions.
Moving costs from your state
- Moving from Alabama
- Moving from Alaska
- Moving from Arizona
- Moving from Arkansas
- Moving from California
- Moving from Colorado
- Moving from Connecticut
- Moving from Delaware
- Moving from Washington, DC
- Moving from Florida
- Moving from Georgia
- Moving from Hawaii
- Moving from Idaho
- Moving from Illinois
- Moving from Indiana
- Moving from Iowa
- Moving from Kansas
- Moving from Kentucky
- Moving from Louisiana
- Moving from Maine
- Moving from Maryland
- Moving from Massachusetts
- Moving from Michigan
- Moving from Minnesota
- Moving from Mississippi
- Moving from Missouri
- Moving from Montana
- Moving from Nebraska
- Moving from Nevada
- Moving from New Hampshire
- Moving from New Jersey
- Moving from New Mexico
- Moving from New York
- Moving from North Carolina
- Moving from North Dakota
- Moving from Ohio
- Moving from Oklahoma
- Moving from Oregon
- Moving from Pennsylvania
- Moving from Rhode Island
- Moving from South Carolina
- Moving from South Dakota
- Moving from Tennessee
- Moving from Texas
- Moving from Utah
- Moving from Vermont
- Moving from Virginia
- Moving from Washington
- Moving from West Virginia
- Moving from Wisconsin
- Moving from Wyoming
How we estimate
We measure the distance between the population centers of the two states (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020) and add 17% for roads (the typical gap between straight-line and driving distance on our calibration routes). We then apply cost lines for each moving method and home size, fitted to 198 published price ranges on 22 real interstate routes (moveBuddha, which reports quotes from its users). We checked those lines against 47 independent published prices: dated quotes U-Pack published for its own trailers and containers and for U-Haul, Penske, Budget, U-Box and PODS, HireAHelper's rental-truck database and Move.org's full-service medians. Those ran higher for 2–3 bedroom and larger moves, so the top of those ranges now reaches the typical independent price. Your price will depend on your exact addresses, the weight of your belongings, the season and extras. Tips to save: how to cut the cost of a long-distance move.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to move out of state?
On the popular routes above, a 2–3 bedroom move costs about $480–$7,970 with a rental truck, $1,280–$7,460 with a moving container, and $2,120–$20,620 with full-service movers. Distance and home size matter most; use the calculator for your route.
What is the cheapest way to move to another state?
Renting a truck and doing the work yourself is usually cheapest in dollars, but fuel, lodging and time add up on long moves. Moving containers are a middle ground: you pack, they drive.
How are long-distance movers priced?
Interstate movers price by the weight or volume of your belongings and the distance, plus extras like packing, stairs and storage. Get a binding or not-to-exceed estimate in writing.