5 Cheapest Long-Distance Moving Companies

Seka Moving is the cheapest long-distance moving company we’ve found, but it operates only in a handful of states. We put together a list of other companies, like Allied Van Lines, that quoted us less than the average cost of a long-distance move ($6,017).

Remember, your exact move cost depends on how far you’re going, what you’re transporting, and how quickly you need to move.

Seka Moving is a local and long-distance moving company based in New York City. Seka us a long-distance move quote of $3,385, significantly cheaper than the average quote of $6,017.

Seka specializes in moves within the New York tri-state area and to and from Miami or Los Angeles. The company is known for moving college students into dorms.

Seka offers a lot of value for the money, but it’s a small company with a limited service area. If you’re moving outside that area, you’ll have to choose another mover.

Roadway Moving provides local and long-distance moves originating in California, New Jersey, and New York. The company quoted us $6,500 for a long-distance move.

The company gets great customer reviews. Reviewers praise packers and movers for carefully handling their items. Roadway is a great pick if you have a location nearby and have a lot of fragile possessions.

A few complaints mentioned that the company updates customers about delivery at the last minute. So you might want to pick another company if you have a complicated move and need frequent updates.

Allied Van Lines is a large, nationwide moving company that has been helping people move for over 95 years. It offers local, cross-country, and international moves.

The company gave us a long-distance moving quote of $5,250, a little less than the average cost.

Allied’s size makes it likely that you can get the move date you want no matter where you are.

But some of the company’s locations have low ratings with lots of damage and customer service. So you should check out the reviews for your local branch before booking.

Colonial Van Lines is a full-service, long-distance moving company that operates in the continental US. The company quoted us $5,600 for a long-distance move, a little below the average price.

Colonial offers many flexible services, like custom packing that includes packing materials. It’s a great choice for anyone with a lot to pack and needs help.

But Colonial also has lots of customer complaints And some former clients even claimed that Colonial paid them to change or remove their poor reviews.

SOS Moving is a newer local and long-distance moving company in California and Washington. A representative quoted us $3,900 for a long-distance move, significantly cheaper than average.

SOS is surprisingly available for a small company, even on short notice, for last-minute moves. The rep even told us the company could accommodate the following weekend.

But SOS only handles moves to specific places. It has locations in Orange County and San Francisco, California, and Seattle, Washington.

What’s the cheapest way to move long distances?

The cheapest way to move long distances is to do everything yourself, including packing, loading, and driving.

Our research found that the average cost of hiring a long-distance mover is $6,017.

If you do it all yourself, you’ll probably have to pay for packing supplies, truck rental, gas, tolls, food, hotel stays, and other travel costs. Renting the largest available U-Haul truck is under $300 per day. So even with those costs, moving yourself will be much cheaper than hiring even the most affordable long-distance moving company.

Also, 49% of Americans who hired a moving company reported damage to their belongings during the move.

But DIY moves come with their own price — hard, tedious work. There are also some risks. You could get injured or get into an accident driving a big truck you’re not used to. Hiring a good long-distance mover is probably worth it if you’re not physically up to the job or are too busy to handle everything.

Methodology

We acquired and combed through a significant amount of data to develop our list of the cheapest long-distance moving companies.

We collected quotes for moving the contents of a two-bedroom home from more than 50 movers of various sizes across the country. The costs we’ve published are rough estimates based on those quotes. Your personalized quote will vary based on the specifics of your move, such as your location, relocation date, and home size.

Then, we narrowed down our list to the most affordable options. We included national brands operating across the country and regional movers with a more limited service area.

Learn more about Home Bay’s editorial policy.

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