Cheapest way to move out of state

Compare interstate moving methods by what you do and what it costs

See our moving container cost guide and truck rental comparison for provider-level pricing.

Ways to lower your out-of-state moving cost regardless of method

• Move off-season — October through April, avoiding month-end and weekends, is typically 20-30% cheaper across every method
• Downsize before you move — sell, donate, or discard anything you're not confident you'll use in the next year; you're paying by weight or cubic feet regardless of method
• Book several weeks ahead rather than last-minute, when prices and availability are both worse
• Pack yourself even if hiring full-service movers — packing labor is one of the largest add-on costs
• Compare at least three written quotes line by line, not just by the bottom-line total, since a low total can hide a non-binding estimate or missing services

When the cheapest option isn't actually the best deal

DIY driving a truck 1,000+ miles costs real time off work, fuel, possible lodging, and the physical toll of loading and unloading yourself. Many people fixate on the rental sticker price and forget to factor in these hidden expenses. A cross-country drive in a loaded 26-foot truck burns through far more diesel than a personal vehicle, and you will likely need at least one night in a motel along the way. Your body pays a price too — hauling boxes down stairs and wrestling furniture through doorways leaves most people sore for days. For a large household or a move where your schedule is tight, the labor-inclusive options can end up being the better value even at a higher listed cost. When you calculate lost wages against the convenience of professionals handling the heavy lifting, the math often shifts.

Combining moving methods to save more

You don't have to pick one method for the whole move. Many movers mix and match services to strike a balance between savings and sanity. Common combinations that save money without taking on the full DIY load include hiring labor-only crews to load a rental truck you drive yourself, or packing your own boxes while bringing in professionals for the furniture and appliances. Some people rent a portable storage container, fill it at their own pace, then pay for transport while skipping the driving entirely. Others use freight services for the bulk of their belongings and haul fragile or essential items in a personal vehicle. The key is matching the approach to your actual constraints — physical ability, available help, and how much time you can realistically take away from work or family obligations.

• Rent your own truck, hire local labor to load/unload — you cover the driving and fuel, moving-labor services (booked separately at each end) handle the heavy lifting
• Pack everything yourself, pay only for transport labor — packing is one of the largest full-service add-ons, and skipping it while still hiring a crew for loading/driving/unloading captures a meaningful chunk of the savings
• Ship only what's practical, sell or donate the rest — for some moves, especially shorter-term relocations, it's cheaper to replace furniture at the destination than to pay to move it 1,000+ miles

Rough interstate moving cost snapshot by method

For a 2-bedroom household moving 500-1,000 miles, expect roughly a range of costs depending on how much labor you outsource. A full DIY truck rental typically runs lowest but demands the most personal effort and time. Adding loading and unloading help raises the price but spares your back and your weekend. Full-service options sit at the top of the range yet handle nearly every aspect of the move. Distance within that 500-1,000 mile band matters less than weight and how many flights of stairs are involved. Seasonal demand swings prices too — summer rates can jump 20-30% above late fall pricing. Always get multiple written estimates since quotes for the same household can vary by hundreds of dollars between providers.

These are general ranges, not a quote — see the moving cost calculator for a number based on your exact distance and home size.

Calculate your real fuel cost for a DIY truck move

A fully loaded moving truck typically gets around 8 to 10 miles per gallon — noticeably worse than a passenger car, and worth budgeting for separately from the rental fee itself. A 2,000-mile move, for example, works out to roughly 200-250 gallons of fuel. Multiply that by the price at the pump along your route (which can vary a lot state to state) to get a realistic total, rather than assuming the rental quote is close to your final cost. (Source: U-Pack)

More specific out-of-state moving money-saving tactics

• Price-match truck rentals: Penske, Budget, and U-Haul will often match a competitor's quote if you ask — get all three quotes before booking rather than assuming the first one is final. (Source: College Hunks Hauling Junk)
• Request the newest truck available when you book — older rental trucks break down more, and a breakdown mid-move costs you time and sometimes money you didn't budget for.
• Ship only what's light and essential separately: for a very small load, shipping a few boxes of clothing or books through a postal or freight service while you drive the rest yourself can beat the cost of any truck rental at all.
• January is typically the single cheapest month to move nationally, even cheaper than the broader fall/winter window — demand bottoms out right after the holidays.

What each method actually cost for a 1,000-mile move

For a 2-3 bedroom household moving roughly 1,000 miles, one industry cost comparison found notable differences between service levels. The study examined actual moves of similar size and distance, comparing what families paid out of pocket across three main approaches. DIY truck rental came in with the lowest direct costs, though participants reported spending more on incidental expenses than anticipated. Moving containers landed in the middle, offering a compromise between cost and convenience that appealed to people with flexible delivery windows. Full-service movers charged the most upfront but generated fewer surprise costs and required minimal physical effort from the customer. The comparison underscored that the cheapest option on paper rarely tells the whole financial story once all real-world factors are tallied.

Containers and rental trucks came in roughly 30% below full-service pricing on average in that comparison — consistent with the general pattern, though your own numbers will vary by exact distance, season, and how much you own. (Source: MoveBuddha)

Frequently asked questions

Related resources

• All moving guides
• Moving cost calculator
• Moving container cost guide