{
  "slug": "cost-to-move-cross-country-calculator",
  "title": "Cost to Move Cross Country Calculator",
  "heading": "Cost to Move Cross Country Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-move-cross-country-calculator",
  "summary": "Full-service, container and DIY truck compared on weight, distance and season.",
  "description": "Long-distance moving quotes are built on two numbers — shipment weight and mileage — and then adjusted by the things people forget to mention: stairs, a long carry from the truck to the door, packing services, and whether you are moving in the June peak when capacity is scarce. This calculator estimates shipment weight from home size, prices full-service van line, portable container, and rental truck side by side on the same distance, and adds fuel, lodging, and a tow dolly for the DIY option so the comparison is honest. Worked assumption for the defaults: a three-bedroom home at roughly 7,500 lb moving 1,800 miles in peak season — about $9,900 full service, $5,400 by container, and $3,400 driving it yourself once fuel, two nights of lodging and a car tow are counted.",
  "formula": "Full service ≈ weight × distance rate × season × index + packing; container ≈ containers × base + distance rate; DIY ≈ truck rate + miles ÷ mpg × fuel + lodging + tow.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-06",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=cost-to-move-cross-country-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "homeSize",
      "label": "Home size",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "7500",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "2500",
          "label": "Studio / 1 bedroom — ~2,500 lb"
        },
        {
          "value": "5000",
          "label": "2 bedroom — ~5,000 lb"
        },
        {
          "value": "7500",
          "label": "3 bedroom — ~7,500 lb"
        },
        {
          "value": "11000",
          "label": "4 bedroom — ~11,000 lb"
        },
        {
          "value": "15000",
          "label": "5+ bedroom — ~15,000 lb"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "miles",
      "label": "Distance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1800,
      "unit": "miles",
      "min": 100,
      "max": 4000
    },
    {
      "id": "region",
      "label": "Region",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": "Applies a regional labor-and-bid multiplier to the whole job.",
      "default": "1",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "US national average — 1.00×"
        },
        {
          "value": "0.86",
          "label": "Rural / small town — 0.86×"
        },
        {
          "value": "0.94",
          "label": "South metro (Atlanta, Dallas, Tampa) — 0.94×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.02",
          "label": "Midwest metro (Columbus, KC, Minneapolis) — 1.02×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.14",
          "label": "Mountain West (Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake) — 1.14×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.28",
          "label": "Northeast metro (Boston, Philly, DC) — 1.28×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.38",
          "label": "West Coast metro (Seattle, LA, Portland) — 1.38×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.55",
          "label": "Highest-cost metro (SF Bay, Manhattan) — 1.55×"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "season",
      "label": "Move date",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "1.18",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "0.92",
          "label": "Off peak (Oct–Apr, mid-month) — 0.92×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1",
          "label": "Shoulder season — 1.00×"
        },
        {
          "value": "1.18",
          "label": "Peak (mid-May to Sept, month end) — 1.18×"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "vanRate",
      "label": "Van line rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 62,
      "unit": "$/100 lb per 1,000 mi",
      "min": 20,
      "max": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "packing",
      "label": "Full packing service",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 8000
    },
    {
      "id": "containerBase",
      "label": "Container base cost each",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1400,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 300,
      "max": 5000
    },
    {
      "id": "containerMileRate",
      "label": "Container long-haul rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1.15,
      "unit": "$/mile",
      "min": 0.2,
      "max": 6
    },
    {
      "id": "truckBase",
      "label": "Rental truck base + insurance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1450,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 200,
      "max": 6000
    },
    {
      "id": "mpg",
      "label": "Rental truck fuel economy",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 9,
      "unit": "mpg",
      "min": 4,
      "max": 20
    },
    {
      "id": "fuelPrice",
      "label": "Fuel price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3.6,
      "unit": "$/gal",
      "min": 1.5,
      "max": 8
    },
    {
      "id": "lodging",
      "label": "Lodging and meals on the drive",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 4000
    },
    {
      "id": "tow",
      "label": "Car tow dolly or trailer",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 450,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 3000
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "cheapest",
      "label": "Lowest-cost option",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "label",
      "label": "Which option that is",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "vanLine",
      "label": "Full-service van line",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "container",
      "label": "Portable container",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "diy",
      "label": "Rental truck, driven yourself",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "containers",
      "label": "Containers needed",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "savings",
      "label": "Spread between cheapest and priciest",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Home size: 3 bedroom — ~7,500 lb",
      "Distance: 1800 miles",
      "Region: US national average — 1.00×",
      "Move date: Peak (mid-May to Sept, month end) — 1.18×",
      "Van line rate: 62 $/100 lb per 1,000 mi",
      "Full packing service: 0 $",
      "Container base cost each: 1400 $",
      "Container long-haul rate: 1.15 $/mile",
      "Rental truck base + insurance: 1450 $",
      "Rental truck fuel economy: 9 mpg",
      "Fuel price: 3.6 $/gal",
      "Lodging and meals on the drive: 500 $",
      "Car tow dolly or trailer: 450 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Lowest-cost option: $3,381",
      "Which option that is: Rental truck (DIY)",
      "Full-service van line: $9,877",
      "Portable container: $5,374",
      "Rental truck, driven yourself: $3,381",
      "Containers needed: 2",
      "Spread between cheapest and priciest: $6,496"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter home size.",
      "Enter distance (miles).",
      "Enter region — Applies a regional labor-and-bid multiplier to the whole job..",
      "Enter move date.",
      "Enter van line rate ($/100 lb per 1,000 mi).",
      "Enter full packing service ($).",
      "Enter container base cost each ($).",
      "Enter container long-haul rate ($/mile).",
      "Enter rental truck base + insurance ($).",
      "Enter rental truck fuel economy (mpg).",
      "Enter fuel price ($/gal).",
      "Enter lodging and meals on the drive ($).",
      "Enter car tow dolly or trailer ($).",
      "Read your lowest-cost option on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "homeSize": "7500",
        "miles": 1100,
        "region": "1",
        "season": "1.18",
        "vanRate": 38,
        "packing": 0,
        "containerBase": 850,
        "containerMileRate": 0.69,
        "truckBase": 850,
        "mpg": 5.3999999999999995,
        "fuelPrice": 2.16,
        "lodging": 300,
        "tow": 250
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "homeSize": "7500",
        "miles": 1800,
        "region": "1",
        "season": "1.18",
        "vanRate": 62,
        "packing": 0,
        "containerBase": 1400,
        "containerMileRate": 1.15,
        "truckBase": 1450,
        "mpg": 9,
        "fuelPrice": 3.6,
        "lodging": 500,
        "tow": 450
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "homeSize": "7500",
        "miles": 2900,
        "region": "1",
        "season": "1.18",
        "vanRate": 100,
        "packing": 0,
        "containerBase": 2250,
        "containerMileRate": 1.8399999999999999,
        "truckBase": 2300,
        "mpg": 14.4,
        "fuelPrice": 5.760000000000001,
        "lodging": 800,
        "tow": 700
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How accurate is estimating weight from bedrooms?",
      "a": "It is a starting point. Van lines weigh the truck loaded and empty and bill the difference, so a garage full of tools or a piano can push a three-bedroom well past 7,500 lb. Ask for a binding estimate after a video survey."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why is peak season more expensive?",
      "a": "Roughly half of all US moves happen between May and September, and the last week of any month is worse. Moving mid-month in the off season is the single largest discount available on this whole page."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is a container really cheaper than a van line?",
      "a": "Usually, because you load it yourself. The gap narrows if you hire labor at both ends, which is still often cheaper than full service — price that hybrid before deciding."
    },
    {
      "q": "Where does the regional multiplier come from?",
      "a": "It is a job-level index against a US national average of 1.00, built from the spread contractors quote between low-cost rural markets and the highest-cost coastal metros. Materials vary less than labor, but bids move together, so one index tracks real quotes better than splitting them. Swap in your own multiplier by picking the tier closest to two bids you already have."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-sell-a-house-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-build-a-house-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Cost to Move Cross Country Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cost-to-move-cross-country-calculator)"
}