Average Moving Costs in NYC (2024)

Let’s face it, if you’re planning on moving in NYC you have to have a serious talk with your wallet to prepare it. We’ve all been there, NYC with all its charm is one of the most expensive cities in the world. It’s no secret you’ll be spending more in NYC than in Philly but that is exactly why we are here.

At Roadway Moving you are our priority and we thought that this article might help you to get a clearer image of what factors affect moving costs and how you can save money when moving.

However, please keep in mind that these are just rough estimates and that each move is different and requires a specific price. To get a free estimate for your move, please fill out this form.

What are the average moving costs in NYC in 2024? (Quick answer)

Before you continue reading about the factors that influence the moving price, we’ve summarized the average moving costs in NYC per apartment size:

• Studio apartment – starting from $400-$600
• 1 bedroom apartment – starting from $500-$800
• 2 bedroom apartment – starting from $1,000-$1,500
• 3+ bedroom apartment – starting from $1,500+

Disclaimer: Please note that these are just average base prices, for regular, local moves in NYC, that don’t include additional services like packing, unpacking, custom crating, additional stops, storage and other that are listed below.

What factors affect moving service price the most?

Volume/Size of the move

The factor that affects the moving service cost the most is the volume of the items that need to be moved.

The more furniture, boxes and other items you have, the higher the cost of the move would be. That is why we recommend getting rid of unnecessary items prior to your move.

Once you know which items do you need to move you may share your items list with moving companies that you want to receive moving quotes from.

Moving companies will usually collect your items list via an online form, email, phone call, during an on-site visit to your place or via a video call. Of course, you are able to choose which one of these methods for sharing items list works best for you.

After you share the items list, moving companies will be able to estimate how many cubic feet needs to be moved and then they will multiply the number of CFT with their rate to get a price for you. Of course, there are other factors that will impact the price of your move and you may read about these below.

Distance and additional stops

Distance has a big role in the final charging. It is time and fuel consuming and the further away your new apartment is from the current one, the more it will cost. Also if there are any additional stops between the locations, it is going to cost you more. Roadway Moving does both local and long-distance moves, so rest assured we’re going to take you wherever you wish to go.

Accessibility

Another factor that can have a big impact on your final bill is accessibility. The first ones that come to mind are stairs; depending on the number of fleets of stairs the movers are going to have to take to climb up and down, the price can go higher. This stands for both your pick-up and drop-off location.

Also, the furniture that can’t fit in the elevator and needs to be taken by stairs even if the building has an elevator would also increase the cost of the move.

Timing

The same move can cost you very differently depending on the timing of your move. Sunday can bring you more welcoming rates than if you moved on a Friday or Saturday. Families that move, typically move in the summer because they don’t want to take their children out of school. Since this is the busiest season, it makes it a more expensive time for a move. This is why winter could be your go-to season.

Similarly to that, leases usually end on the last or the first day of a month, so everyone wants to move then. During this period the prices are very high. If you want to save some money, you could consider choosing a day between the 4th and 26th day of the month. In addition, most people want to move in the morning so the cheaper option would be if you book movers for the middle of the day.

Packing supplies

Boxes, packing paper, tape, markers, bubble wrap,… and more are everything you’ll need to pack your belongings for a move. These packing supplies, also have a price of their own. However, there are a few sources where you can find these supplies for free, like asking friends or local recycling spots. Here you may learn more about sourcing free moving boxes.

As an alternative to cardboard moving boxes, some moving companies also offer reusable plastic bins rental as a more environment friendly solution.

Packing and unpacking services

If you don’t want to lift a finger during your moving day and if you want to avoid all the headaches of packing and moving, you may even get full packing and unpacking service, where you can rely on our professional movers to do the complete job.

On the other hand, if you need help with only one room or with kitchen only for example, you may choose a partial packing service, where we would help pack the items from a room of your choice.

Of course, adding packing and unpacking service to your move would increase the total cost of your move, but it is an option that customers utilize frequently, since it saves them a lot of time and nerves.

Storage

Renting a storage space is ideal when you need to store your belongings somewhere if your new home isn’t ready yet. Roadway Moving owns multiple climate-controlled storage facilities and is ready to help you with your emergency, short term or long term storage needs at competitive prices.

However, in order to save money on moving and storage costs, it would be good if possible to align the end date of your current with the start date of your new lease.

Additional services

There could be some other services you’ll need that are also influencing the price. Some of your special belongings might need custom crate packing as well. Moving companies construct custom wooden crates for your sculptures, art, precious antiques, highly delicate furniture, expensive electronics or expensive motorbikes.

Average cost of long distance moves from NYC

The prices for long distance moves also mostly vary depending on the factors listed above, but there is one more factor which affects the price significantly when it comes to long distance moves.

It is whether you choose consolidated or exclusive shipping.

With exclusive shipping you get your exact delivery date and you can get your move completed quicker.

On the other hand, if you choose consolidated shipping you would get a significantly lower price, but instead of an exact delivery date you would get an arrival window and your items would share a trailer with other customer’s items. However, at Roadway Moving, we perform a detailed and bar-coded inventory of each load and also physically separate each job inside our trailers with wood dividers, so your belongings won’t get mixed.

Average cost of a long distance move from NYC could range from $750 to $10,000+.

We know, NYC is expensive and there are a lot of details you need to go through before even contacting moving companies. But look on the bright side, you have all these options to choose from, and now, after reading this article, you may even get some new ideas on how to save money when moving.

Besides, Roadway Moving is always there to honestly advise you anytime. Just give us a call at (212) 812 52 40 and one of our professional moving consultants will be happy to assist you.