CalcMyHomeMeasure once. Buy right.Moving Cost & Box Planner
Plan your move before you book anything. Compare a DIY truck rental with a professional move side by side, work out how many boxes each room needs, and print a packing checklist. Every rate in the calculator is an editable estimate — change it to match a real quote or rental price you have been given. Nothing on this page is a quote, and no market price is presented as a fact.
Moving cost calculator
Enter your move, then press Calculate. Results are a low / mid / high planning range, with the arithmetic shown so you can check it.
Your estimate
Boxes & packing supplies
This is a planning estimate, not a quote. Get binding written estimates from licensed movers before you book.
Packing checklist
Tick items off as you go — the print button above prints this list with your results.
How moving costs are worked out
Four things drive most of the price:
- Home size — how much you own. Movers charge by weight in the US and by volume (cubic metres) in the UK and Australia, so a bigger home means a bigger load and a bigger price.
- Distance — the one-way miles or kilometres between homes, plus fuel and driver time.
- Weight or volume — the load itself. The calculator uses rough planning figures per home size (shown under the form). A mover's survey or weighbridge reading will be more accurate.
- DIY vs professional — hiring movers adds labour, equipment and usually some damage cover. Doing it yourself means truck rental, fuel, packing supplies and your own time, plus the risk if something breaks.
Access, timing and extras also matter: stairs, lifts, long carries from truck to door, peak-season dates, and services such as packing, storage or moving bulky items. If a quote looks far below the others, check what it leaves out before accepting it.
Worked example: 3-bedroom home, 500 miles (800 km)
This example uses the calculator's default editable rates, so you can reproduce it exactly. It is a worked example of the maths, not a market price.
Assumptions: 3-bedroom home, about 7,500 lb (US) / about 25.5 m³ (UK & Australia), 500 miles / 800 km, 65 boxes.
Professional move (US defaults)
Formula: base fee + (distance × rate per mile) + (weight × rate per lb). Mid rates: $800 base + $3.50 per mile + $0.25 per lb.
- Low: $800 + (500 × $2.45) + (7,500 × $0.18) = $800 + $1,225 + $1,313 = $3,338 (per-distance and per-lb rates at 70% of mid; $0.25 × 0.7 = $0.175, rounded to $0.18 in the display — the calculator uses the unrounded figure, giving $3,338).
- Mid: $800 + (500 × $3.50) + (7,500 × $0.25) = $800 + $1,750 + $1,875 = $4,425.
- High: $800 + (500 × $4.55) + (7,500 × $0.325) = $800 + $2,275 + $2,438 = $5,513.
So the professional planning range is about $3,300–$5,500, mid about $4,400.
DIY move (US defaults)
Formula: truck base + (distance × truck rate per mile) + fuel + boxes. Mid: $400 truck base + $0.60 per mile + fuel (500 miles ÷ 10 mpg = 50 gallons × $3.50 = $175) + 65 boxes × $3 = $195.
- Low: $240 + (500 × $0.42) + $175 + $195 = $240 + $210 + $175 + $195 = $820.
- Mid: $400 + $300 + $175 + $195 = $1,070.
- High: $600 + (500 × $0.78) + $175 + $195 = $600 + $390 + $175 + $195 = $1,360.
So the DIY planning range is about $820–$1,360, mid about $1,070 — cheaper in cash, before counting your time. Change any rate in the calculator and both ranges update with the same arithmetic.
Read the range, not a single number. Real quotes vary by mover, season and access. A single precise-looking figure would be false precision — the low / mid / high range is the honest answer until you hold written estimates.
Moving cost by home size
Professional-move planning ranges using the calculator's US default rates, for a local move (50 miles) and a long-distance move (500 miles). These are estimates from the calculator's editable defaults, not market prices or quotes — change the rates and the ranges change.
| Home size | Planning load | Local — 50 miles (low–high) | Long distance — 500 miles (low–high) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | ~1,800 lb | $1,250–$1,600 | $2,350–$3,650 |
| 1 bedroom | ~3,000 lb | $1,450–$2,000 | $2,550–$4,050 |
| 2 bedrooms | ~5,000 lb | $1,800–$2,650 | $2,900–$4,700 |
| 3 bedrooms | ~7,500 lb | $2,250–$3,450 | $3,350–$5,500 |
| 4+ bedrooms | ~10,000 lb | $2,650–$4,300 | $3,800–$6,350 |
Table figures are rounded to the nearest $50 from the calculator formula (base $800; per-mile $3.50 mid; per-lb $0.25 mid; low/high at 70%/130% of the per-mile and per-lb rates). DIY costs are lower in cash — run the calculator for your distance.
How many boxes you need
Use the room planner in the calculator for your exact count. As a starting guide:
| Room | Boxes (planning guide) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | 10–15 | Clothes, bedding and personal items; wardrobe boxes help for hanging clothes. |
| Living room | 10–12 | Books are heavy — use small boxes for them. |
| Kitchen | 12–15 | Most boxes of any room; wrap plates and glasses individually. |
| Bathroom | 3–5 | Toiletries and towels; keep one bag aside for moving day. |
| Dining room | 6–8 | Tableware and linens. |
| Home office | 8–10 | Files, cables and equipment; photograph cable setups first. |
| Garage / storage | 8–15 | Tools and garden items; check fuel and chemicals cannot travel in the truck. |
Overall planning guide: studio 15–25 boxes, 1-bedroom 25–35, 2-bedroom 40–50, 3-bedroom 60–70, 4-bedroom 80–90 or more.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a move cost?
It depends on home size, distance, weight or volume, and whether you hire professionals or move yourself. Use the calculator above with your own rates: it shows a low, mid and high planning range for both DIY and professional moves. These are estimates, not quotes — get binding written estimates from licensed movers.
Is DIY or professional moving cheaper?
DIY (truck rental) is usually cheaper in cash terms, because you are not paying for labour, but it costs your time and effort and you carry the risk of damage and delays. A professional move costs more but includes labour, equipment and, usually, some cover for damage. Compare both side by side in the calculator, including fuel and packing supplies for DIY.
How many boxes do I need?
As a planning guide: a studio needs roughly 15–25 boxes, a 1-bedroom 25–35, a 2-bedroom 40–50, a 3-bedroom 60–70 and a 4-bedroom home 80–90 or more. Kitchens and bedrooms need the most boxes. Use the room-by-room planner above and adjust each room to your own belongings.
What affects moving cost the most?
Distance and the amount you are moving — weight in the US, volume in the UK and Australia — matter most, followed by access (stairs, lifts, long carries), the time of year and day, and extra services such as packing, storage or moving bulky items like pianos.
How far in advance should I book movers?
For a local move, book at least 2–4 weeks ahead; for a long-distance move, 4–8 weeks is a safer planning guide, and longer in peak season. Get at least two or three written estimates, check the mover is licensed in your country, and confirm what is included before you book.
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Disclaimer: Everything on this page is a planning estimate only, not a quote. Prices vary by mover, season, access and what is included. Get binding written estimates from licensed movers before you book, and check mover licensing in your country — for example, interstate movers in the US are regulated federally, and requirements differ in the UK and Australia. CalcMyHome does not sell moving services and is not a mover.