Introduction
Things are usually expensive in NYC. It’s not a cheap place, even by US standards.
If you’re moving in NYC, whether you’re just shifting houses a borough over or going to a different state, it’s important to know the real cost of hiring movers in 2025. This will save you from overpaying your company and losing money that you could spend elsewhere.
In this post, we’re going to tell you not only the costs that you can expect when hiring NYC movers, but also the various factors that play a part in it. By understanding the latter, you will be able to work out the costs yourself as well and avoid getting blindsided by inflated costs and hidden charges.
What is the Cost of Hiring NYC Movers in 2025?
To give a really broad answer, the cost of hiring NYC movers in 2025 can range from around $600 to $3,500 for local, short-distance moves and from $2,500 to $10,000+ for long-distance moves.
Let’s break it down for local and long-distance moves.
What is the cost of local moves in NYC?
Even for local moves within NYC, total costs can fall anywhere on a very wide spectrum. Here are a few examples to help you understand the variations that can occur in the total moving costs depending on your exact situation:
- For someone moving a 1-bedroom apartment from Brooklyn to Queens, the cost could be around $600 to $700 since the belongings will be few and the distance will be short.
- If someone is moving a 3-bedroom house from Manhattan to Staten Island, the cost could be around $2,000 to $2,500 since the items to be moved will be numerous and the distance is also not that short.
- If someone is moving a 50-desk office from the Bronx to Staten Island, then the costs could reach the ceiling of $3,500 due to the huge number of items and the long distance.
What is the cost of long-distance, cross-country moves from NYC?
The cost of a long-distance move can vary widely depending on the number of items you’re moving as well as your destination. (The exact factors that play a role here will be discussed in a section below.) However, to give you an idea of the long-distance move costs, here are some instances:
- If you’re moving a 1-bedroom house to a nearby state, such as Pennsylvania or Maryland, the cost might come to around $2,500.
- If you’re moving a 3-bedroom house halfway across the country, say Kansas or Nebraska, then the cost can come to around $6,000 or $7,000.
- If you’re moving a large 5-bedroom house or an office across the country, from NYC to California or Oregon, then the cost can reach $10,000, or even higher.
What are the Factors That Decide the Cost of NYC Movers in 2025?
Now that we’re done looking at some general examples of short-distance and long-distance NYC moves and their costs, let’s break things down a bit and get more specific.
Here is a list of the various factors that decide the cost of your NYC move, whether it’s local or long-distance.
Distance
One of the primary factors that decides the cost of your NYC move is the distance.
The closer your destination is, the lower the costs the company will incur when transporting your belongings. Plus, many companies charge by the hour. If the destination is close by, the total working hours will be less, and hence, the costs will be lower.
Even for a company that charges per item, the distance plays a major role in the overall costs. The cost per item can go up or down depending on how far it has to be taken.
Note: A move is considered “local” when it is within a 50 to 100-mile radius, while any farther than that is considered a long-distance move. A cross-country move is one that involves going from one coast to the other, such as from NYC to California.
Items to be moved/weight
Moving on, the second most important factor is the total weight or number of items being moved.
Some companies base their pricing on weight, especially if you’re hauling heavy items like appliances or furniture. Others may go by volume or total number of boxes, depending on how they structure their quotes.
Number of movers
If you hire more movers, you’ll have to pay more. Usually, a small team of one or two movers is enough for local residential moves. However, for longer distances or for larger houses/offices, a bigger team is needed.
The total number of movers you need is usually decided when you discuss your project with your moving company.
Packing materials and services
If you’ve ordered packing materials from the moving company (and also hired their packing services), it could add to the total costs. That is, unless the company you’re working with provides these as amenities or complementary services. Most people, especially those working on a tight budget, prefer to go the DIY route for the whole packing part.
Type of moving service
Your total moving costs are also affected by the type of service that you’ve hired.
Many companies offer different services, such as moving only, packing + moving, etc. A service that covers all the various aspects of the move, such as packing/unpacking, loading/unloading, transportation, etc., is called full-service moving. On the other hand, if the movers are hired only for the transportation, then it is known as a “labor-only” move.
A full-service move is costlier than a labor-only move.
Time selected for the move
The time that you choose for your move can have an impact on the cost as well.
If you move during the peak season, such as around the start of the year or in the summer holidays, the company can charge you more due to the increased demand.
On the other hand, if you move at a quieter part of the year, or in the “off-season,” you can get the same services at a lower cost.
Booked or last-minute?
Getting moving services last-minute can be costlier as compared to having them booked a few months or weeks beforehand. On a last-minute, same-day notice, your company may have to make quick arrangements, which can incur extra costs. Those same costs can be transferred to your quote.
Additional Costs and Charges to Keep in Mind
There are a number of additional costs and charges that can pop up during your NYC move. Knowing about them beforehand can help you avoid an unpleasant surprise.
Special services
If you’re hiring special services, such as for moving fragile items or antiques, it can cost you a bit more. The charge may show up after the initial quote if you hadn’t informed your movers beforehand.
Storage services
When moving long-distance, you may need to store your belongings for some time before moving them into your home (or office). If you utilize the storage services offered by your moving company, you will be charged for it.
Tipping
Although tipping is not strictly enforced, it is very heavily expected, especially in NYC. Some companies may simply demand it in the quote, while others may be a lot subtle. Whether you want to tip your movers or not is up to you. It is, nevertheless, a cost to keep in mind. (The exact tipping amount is decided by the scope of your moving project.)
How Can You Save Money When Hiring NYC Movers?
Moving on, let’s take a look at some tips that you can follow to save money when hiring NYC movers:
- Pick the right moving company: Make sure that you pick the right moving company to help you with your relocation. Even in a tight budget, you can hire a reputable moving company in NYC. You can easily find versatile and qualified, affordable NYC movers by doing some quick searches on the internet.
- Get rid of anything that you don’t need: The less stuff you have, the less you’ll be charged by your movers. Get rid of anything you don’t need. Donate your old clothes, devices, and appliances to your local charity and lighten yourself for the relocation.
- DIY whatever you can: It can be really tempting to hire the moving company’s services for anything and everything, e.g., packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, etc. While convenient, doing so can be expensive. Try to DIY whatever you can. Pack everything yourself. You can even rent a truck from the moving company and do the loading, transportation, etc., yourself as well, if the circumstances allow it.
- Try to move in the off-season: Moving in peak season can be expensive. Try to move in the off-season when there is less demand. It can be easier on your wallet.
- Carefully check the quote for hidden fees: When you get the initial quote from your company, check it carefully. You want to make sure there are no surprise fees hidden inside the quote that can make an appearance at the last moment.
Wrapping Up
And with that, we’re done!
The real cost of hiring NYC movers is around $600 to $3,500 for local moves, while it can go up to $10,000 and even higher for long-distance moves. There are various factors that play a role in the overall cost.
In the post above, we’ve explained those factors in detail. We’ve also mentioned some tips that you can follow to make your move affordable and budget-friendly.
