{
  "slug": "moving-cost",
  "title": "Moving Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Moving Cost Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/moving-cost",
  "summary": "DIY truck versus full-service movers, all in.",
  "description": "Long moves flip the math: a rental truck plus fuel and hotels can cost as much as hiring movers once you count your own time.",
  "formula": "DIY = truck + fuel + lodging; movers = weight × rate + distance",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=moving-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "miles",
      "label": "Distance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 900,
      "unit": "mi",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "rooms",
      "label": "Bedrooms",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 8
    },
    {
      "id": "truck",
      "label": "Truck rental per day",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 180,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "days",
      "label": "Rental days",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "mpg",
      "label": "Truck fuel economy",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 9,
      "unit": "mpg",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "gas",
      "label": "Fuel price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3.6,
      "unit": "$/gal",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "moverRate",
      "label": "Mover rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0.7,
      "unit": "$/lb",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "winner",
      "label": "Cheaper option",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "diy",
      "label": "DIY total",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "movers",
      "label": "Full-service movers",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "savings",
      "label": "Difference",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "weight",
      "label": "Estimated shipment weight (lb)",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Distance: 900 mi",
      "Bedrooms: 3",
      "Truck rental per day: 180 $",
      "Rental days: 4",
      "Truck fuel economy: 9 mpg",
      "Fuel price: 3.6 $/gal",
      "Mover rate: 0.7 $/lb"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Cheaper option: DIY truck is cheaper",
      "DIY total: $1,560",
      "Full-service movers: $5,790",
      "Difference: $4,230",
      "Estimated shipment weight (lb): 7,500"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter distance (mi).",
      "Enter bedrooms.",
      "Enter truck rental per day ($).",
      "Enter rental days.",
      "Enter truck fuel economy (mpg).",
      "Enter fuel price ($/gal).",
      "Enter mover rate ($/lb).",
      "Read your cheaper 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": {
        "miles": 550,
        "rooms": 2,
        "truck": 110,
        "days": 2,
        "mpg": 5.3999999999999995,
        "gas": 2.16,
        "moverRate": 0.42
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "miles": 900,
        "rooms": 3,
        "truck": 180,
        "days": 4,
        "mpg": 9,
        "gas": 3.6,
        "moverRate": 0.7
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "miles": 1450,
        "rooms": 5,
        "truck": 290,
        "days": 6,
        "mpg": 14.4,
        "gas": 5.760000000000001,
        "moverRate": 1.1199999999999999
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the moving cost calculator work?",
      "a": "Long moves flip the math: a rental truck plus fuel and hotels can cost as much as hiring movers once you count your own time. The underlying maths is: DIY = truck + fuel + lodging; movers = weight × rate + distance"
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "7 values: distance, bedrooms, truck rental per day, rental days, truck fuel economy, fuel price, and mover rate. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the cheaper option result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a plain value and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Moving Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/moving-cost)"
}