Local Moving Cost in 2026
A local move is bought by the hour, and the hour is priced by crew size: two movers run $60–$200 an hour in Angi's 2026 data, three run $90–$300, and the whole job averages $1,696. The trap is comparing crew quotes head-to-head — a bigger crew bills more per hour and fewer hours, so the only honest comparison is the estimated total.
Quick answer: what it costs in 2026
| Local moving (within ~50–100 miles) | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per mover, per hour (Angi; HomeGuide & Fixr band) | $50 | $80 | $100 |
| Whole local move (Angi, 6,434 projects) | $876 | $1,696 | $2,547 |
Two independent surveys land in the same place: This Old House's 2025 survey of 1,000 moving customers found a local average of $1,489, just under Angi's $1,696. HomeGuide's local movers page quotes a leaner $300–$1,500 band, which reflects smaller, shorter jobs — the studio-and-one-bedroom end of the market. If your move is a family home, budget from Angi's numbers; the by-size table below shows why.
Estimates based on Angi's movers cost guide (updated September 2026; 6,434 verified projects), HomeGuide's local movers data, Fixr's movers guide and This Old House's 2025 customer survey, checked November 9, 2026. See our research method.
Local means short: HomeGuide defines it as under 50 miles without crossing a state line, Angi as within a 100-mile radius, and both agree on the pricing model — an hourly crew rate, not the weight-and-distance tariff of a cross-country move. That makes the local quote a simple multiplication: crew rate × hours, plus extras. Everything in this guide is about getting both halves of that multiplication right before the truck arrives.
The crew decision is the one homeowners get wrong most often, because the cheaper hourly quote is not always the cheaper move. Two movers at $60–$200 an hour loading a three-bedroom house will take most of a day; three movers at $90–$300 an hour finish hours sooner and carry the piano without a fourth call-out. This Old House's survey found the market splits almost evenly — 38% of customers hired three movers, 34% hired two — which tells you both are normal and the right answer is arithmetic, not habit: divide each crew's quote by the hours they estimate, and compare totals.
What the price normally includes
- The crew for the booked hours, from arrival to final unload
- The truck for the day — many local companies include a standard truck in the crew rate (confirm when booking)
- Blankets, dollies, straps and basic furniture protection
- Loading, transport within the local area, and unloading
- Basic released-value coverage at $0.60 per pound per item (Angi and This Old House agree on this baseline)
- Standard disassembly and reassembly of beds and tables
Hourly rates by crew size (Angi data)
| Crew | Rate per hour | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mover | $30–$100 | Labour-only help — loading a rental truck |
| 2 movers | $60–$200 | Studios, one- and two-bedroom homes |
| 3 movers | $90–$300 | Two- to three-bedroom homes; heavy pieces |
| 4 movers | $120–$400 | Four-bedroom homes and tight timelines |
HomeGuide and Fixr independently price the building block at $50–$100 per mover per hour, which is why Angi's crew bands are just multiples of it. When a quote lands far outside these bands, ask what is bundled: some companies fold the truck, fuel and travel time into a higher crew rate, while others quote a lean rate and add them back as fees. Neither is dishonest — but only one comparison method works, and it is total-to-total.
Total cost by home size (Angi data, 2–3 mover crew)
| Home size | Typical total |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | $250–$700 |
| 2 bedrooms | $500–$1,200 |
| 3 bedrooms | $900–$2,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,200–$3,500 |
| 5 bedrooms | $3,000–$4,000 |
These totals are the hourly maths already done: a one-bedroom move is a few hours of a two-person crew, while a four-bedroom house is a full day of three or four. HomeGuide adds the time dimension — local moves take 4–8 hours on average — which is the number to sanity-check any estimate against. If a mover quotes a two-bedroom move at twelve hours, the hours, not the rate, are where your money is going.
Extras that change the bill
| Extra | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Packing & unpacking service | $280–$2,200 (avg ≈ $1,000) | Angi |
| Piano moving | $260–$580 | Angi |
| Difficult access (narrow stairs, no lift) | +$200–$500 | Angi |
| Stair carry, per staircase after the first | $50–$100 | Fixr |
| Long carry, per 75 extra feet | $75–$125 | Fixr |
| Parking / moving permit | $10–$80 | Angi |
| Storage, per month | $20–$450 | Angi |
Packing is the heavyweight in that table. This Old House's survey work puts professional packing at 15%–30% on top of the move's cost — on a $1,696 average job, that is real money for a service many households can do themselves in the week before. The access fees are the opposite case: they are small, legitimate, and almost always cheaper agreed in advance than argued about on the pavement with a loaded truck idling.
What drives the price up or down
The calendar
Fixr quantifies the peak-season premium at 20%–30%: May through September, month-end weekends especially, is when every crew in town is booked. The off-season — October to April, mid-week and mid-month — is when the same crews discount. If your dates have any flex at all, this is the largest single saving available, larger than any negotiation.
Hours, not rates
A prepared home moves fast: packed boxes stacked by the door, furniture disassembled, a clear path to the truck. An unprepared one bills you $80-a-mover hours for watching your own packing happen. Movers also commonly quote a minimum number of hours for a booking — ask what it is before you sign, because a two-hour job against a four-hour minimum is a rate you did not agree to.
Estimate type
This Old House's guide draws the distinction that matters: a binding estimate guarantees the price regardless of how the day runs, while a non-binding estimate is settled from the actual hours and services used. For a straightforward local move with a firm inventory, binding is worth asking for by name; for a house still being packed, expect non-binding — and a wider final spread.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Move mid-week, mid-month, off-season — worth 20%–30% against a summer weekend (Fixr).
- Pack yourself: professional packing adds 15%–30% to the bill (This Old House).
- Get the crew-size maths in writing — estimated hours per crew size, so totals can be compared.
- Declutter before the estimate; every room you do not move is hours you do not buy.
- Book ahead: Angi suggests 2–3 months out for the best choice of crews and dates.
- Photograph valuable items and confirm the $0.60/lb baseline coverage — buy full-value protection only for what warrants it.
Frequently asked questions
How much do local movers charge per hour?
Angi's 2026 rate table prices one mover at $30–$100 per hour, two movers at $60–$200, three at $90–$300 and four at $120–$400 — roughly $80 per mover per hour at the middle of the market. HomeGuide and Fixr corroborate the building block: both put a single mover at $50–$100 per hour, so crew quotes are best compared per mover, not per truck.
How much does a local move cost in total?
Angi puts the average local move — within a 100-mile radius — at $1,696, with most households paying $876–$2,547. This Old House's 2025 survey of 1,000 customers who hired movers found a similar local average of $1,489. Where you land depends mostly on home size and hours: Angi's by-size table runs from $250–$700 for a one-bedroom home to $1,200–$3,500 for four bedrooms.
Is a three-person crew worth it over two movers?
Often, yes. A three-person crew bills $90–$300 an hour against $60–$200 for two (Angi), but finishes proportionally faster and handles heavy furniture safely — the hourly rate rises by half while the hours can fall by a third or more. This Old House's survey found 38% of customers used a three-person crew and 34% used two, so both are normal; for anything above a two-bedroom home, three is the crew size the market defaults to.
What extra fees do local movers charge?
The common ones, from Angi and Fixr's published data: packing and unpacking $280–$2,200 (about $1,000 on average); piano moving $260–$580; difficult access such as narrow stairs adding $200–$500; a stair-carry fee of $50–$100 per staircase after the first; long carries at $75–$125 per 75 extra feet; and parking permits at $10–$80 where the city requires one. Every one of these should be a line in the written estimate, not a surprise on the day.
How much should I tip local movers?
Angi's guidance is 10%–20% of the final bill. HomeGuide frames the same tip in cash terms: about $20 per mover for a half-day move and $40 per mover for a full eight-hour day, split across the crew. Tip on the service actually delivered — and note that a tip is separate from the hourly rate, never a substitute for checking the bill's hours.
When is the cheapest time to book a local move?
Outside the May-to-September peak. Fixr quantifies the summer premium at 20%–30% over off-season pricing, and both Fixr and This Old House point to the same pattern: mid-week and mid-month dates in the October-to-April off-season are the cheapest slots in the calendar, while month-end weekends in summer are the most expensive.
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Typical: $260 · Range $180–$375Sources: Angi movers cost guide (updated Sep 17, 2026; 6,434 verified projects — crew rate table, by-size totals, local average $1,696 within 100 miles, extras, tipping guidance); HomeGuide local movers and moving companies data (2026) — per-mover band $50–$100/hr, local totals, 4–8 hour average job length; Fixr movers cost guide (updated Jan 31, 2025) — per-mover band, stair and long-carry fees, 20%–30% summer premium; This Old House moving costs guide (2025 survey of 1,000 customers) — local average $1,489, crew-size norms, packing premium, estimate types, $0.60/lb released-value coverage. Full source list and methodology: How we research. Spotted a price that looks wrong in your area? Tell us — we re-check reader-flagged figures first.