Average Moving Costs in NYC: Factors that Affect Moving Prices

New Yorkers hustle hard. They don’t have time or money to waste and that applies when they’re househunting and looking to move.

While people may think their NYC moving costs are confined to moving day, moving prices extend beyond that.

There are packing supplies to consider, non-refundable application fees, any penalties for breaking a lease early, or the cost of moving utilities, and those moving costs are before you even book a mover.

Everyone’s move is different, with its own challenges and its own needs. If you’re taking the stress – free option and booking a professional mover, you can find moving prices ranging from dirt cheap to over the top expensive. While the cost of a mover that’s properly insured and offers a fixed flat fee may be higher than an unknown operator with a questionable quoting system, if anything goes wrong you’ll have peace of mind that you and your possessions are protected and any mishaps or damages will be handled by your movers.

The big question is: what’s a reasonable NYC moving cost to expect in New York City? We list out the details to give you a reliable indicator for NYC moving prices.

Please keep in mind, these are not set prices as the cost of your move is dependent on many factors, including the day, time, month, distance, number of items, special items, and handling challenges. Your NYC moving cost is subject to your own moving needs and factors. Piece of Cake Moving & Storage is committed to affordable, flat fee pricing, and can offer you a tailored moving quote, otherwise, the estimates below can be used as a general NYC moving cost guide.

NYC Moving Cost by Type

1. Local moves
2. Long-distance moves
3. Specialty items

1. NYC Local Moves

For local moves within NYC, costs can vary based on the distance and size of the apartment, and generally cost an average of $1,050 for a local NYC move. Typically, you can expect to pay an average of $500 for a local studio move, and an average of $1,900 for a local large home move.

Average NYC Local Moving Costs by Size

2. Long-Distance Moves from NYC

Out-of-state long-distance moves from NYC generally cost an average of $2,200, depending on the distance and volume of items. Factors like fuel costs, tolls, or an expedited drop-off delivery also influence the final price.

3. Specialty Items

Moving specialty items such as pianos, pool tables, or fitness equipment often requires additional care and crew, leading to higher moving costs.

NYC Moving Cost by Size

1. Studio or 1 bedroom moves Living lean
2. Multi-room moves

1. NYC Studio or 1 Bedroom Moves

More than half of the apartments in competitive real estate markets like New York City are 700 square feet in size or less. More than half of New Yorkers live in a studio of about 300-600 square feet in size or a small one bedroom apartment – that’s a lot of lean living. The shoebox experience has its downsides, but the upside is you don’t accumulate much furniture so your average NYC moving costs shouldn’t be huge.

To use professional NYC movers for modest apartment sizes, from studios to one-bedroom units, expect to need 2 movers at an average cost of between $500-800, if they’re local relocations. For any particular challenges, like moving via stairs instead of a service elevator, oversized furniture that needs to be disassembled, or moves outside of the 5 NYC boroughs, expect some additional costs. For one bedroom apartments with more furniture, those moving costs can rise greater than an average of $800+ for a local move.

While you might see mover advertisements highlighting bookings for $60 per mover, or $299 per local move, these companies may omit additional charges such as fuel, tolls, insurance and surprise levies, such as day of the week surcharges. Be sure to check their Terms and Conditions carefully and ask the key questions we outline here in our guide, or that $200 savings from booking unreliable movers may amount to a much bigger headache than you bargained for and run on for months.

2. NYC Multi-room Moves

While we’d all like a 2-3 bedroom apartment for the personal space, they can be filled with a lot more items which add up to more moving costs when the time to move comes.

These NYC apartments can include multiple home office setups, additional storage like wardrobes and pianos. Professional movers will need to send 3 movers or more to these bookings and charge anywhere from $1,100 to more than $1,900 on average for 2+ bedroom moves to large homes, depending on the mix of furniture and buildings complexity involved. The more specialized equipment the movers need to relocate, the longer a move will take. As well as considering the volume of your belongings, consider access and delivery options when you’re getting a quote.

3-4 bedroom apartments will need a 4 person crew to get you moved within a day safely, and can cost an average of $1,900+ for a local move. Keep in mind there are factors that impact each price including the day of the week, month, packing services, distance between locations, stairs, and handling needs.

NYC Moving Cost Factors

1. Packing supplies
2. The fine print
3. Before you move out
4. Connections & utilities
5. Your time
6. DIY move

1. Packing Supplies

Even a studio move in NYC can require $200-$250 worth of sturdy, clean boxes to protect your belongings. Finding strong, damage- free boxes you can repurpose from your building recycling area or free moving boxes from someone else who has just moved and is giving them away will save your budget a healthy amount in your overall moving cost. As a general guide, each shelf on a bookshelf can fit into one medium sized box. For example, It means if you have a 3- shelf bookcase, you will need at least 3 boxes for that one piece of furniture.

For advice on how to find purpose fit boxes for your move, without stretching your budget, read our tips here. If you’re planning on renting plastic boxes for your move, they’re typically rented in 1- week blocks of time, ranging anywhere from $50-$100 for 20 plastic bin rentals for a 1- week duration. These moving bins are waterproof and easily stackable, however, if you aren’t planning to unpack quickly or want more flexibility, those additional costs could add up.

2. The NYC Fine Print

The housing inventory in New York can range from luxury condos to creaky pre-war studios and the application process is just as varied. Some buildings have an extensive credit check and screening process you need to pay for, separate to your security deposit.

These costs can range from a $20 credit check, to a $250 application fee or a $700 co-op screening. These costs are non-refundable and if you’re applying to a doorman building, they are fairly common application costs. Co-ops can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to approve an application so you’ll need to consider your living space or hotel costs in that time. The average daily cost of renting a hotel room in New York City is anywhere from $116 per night for budget hotels, to $350+ per night for luxury hotels. Add city tax and resort fees over a 2 week period and that cost can easily reach $2,000 or more.

3. Before You Move Out

Another charge to avoid in New York City is written in the fine print of your lease. You could be up for more rent after you’ve moved into your new apartment if your landlord included more than a 30- day notice period in your lease, like 60 days, which has become increasingly common.

Check your old lease carefully to identify any financial penalties, like the landlord backcharging you any free rent months or discounts if you vacate earlier than the lease agreement specified.

Further reading: How to get your security deposit back in NYC?

4. Connections & Utilities

In an ideal world, you’ll seamlessly move from one NYC apartment to the next without any disruption to services like your Wi-Fi and electricity. But preparation is always the key to avoiding surprises. Avoid disconnection and reconnection fees by contacting your service providers and making your requests in advance, including move in/out dates, any changes to your service plans, and providing updates to your address.

For example, in NYC, Spectrum charges a $9.99 fee for moving your service location, while, some carriers may require package changes at your new location or your building may be wired to an exclusive service provider, separate to one you may have an existing account with. Or worse, the former tenant may have removed and disposed of the Wi-Fi router, requiring you to schedule a technician or visit a store to obtain a new one.

5. Your Time

Most local NYC moves can happen within one day if you’re using a professional crew. Even with movers handling the heavy lifting, a day off work may be required to manage your move, coordinate both locations, and ensure everything is placed where you want it.

If you can take time off work, it’s an ideal way to create a long weekend for moving and unpacking. However if your roster is not so forgiving, plan ahead to secure the busiest moving day of the week – Saturday. With movers in higher demand on the weekend and Friday, the costs are still affordable.

6. Do it Yourself

If you are planning a DIY move with a truck rental, be sure to ask for free mileage on local trips, ask about one- way rentals i.e. if you can drop off the vehicle at your destination, and whether they will change your reservation if their truck inventory is low. Even a DIY option that starts off with a cheap daily rate can extend into hundreds of dollars, on top of all the responsibility of an NYC move.

A survey of truck rental companies in NYC shows that the average booking cost ranges between $1,200 and $1,800, depending on the truck size and rental duration. For local day moves, prices can start as low as $100, which includes basic mileage and insurance. However, it’s important to note that additional costs can accrue from factors such as fuel charges, extra mileage, tolls, and insurance add-ons. These rates reflect the ongoing demand and cost adjustments typical for truck rental companies in NYC.

If your time is precious, be sure to do your homework on all the pros and cons of a DIY move before you make a decision.

Tips for Reducing NYC Moving Costs

1. Declutter before moving
2. Off-peak moving times
3. Gather free packing materials

1. Declutter Before Moving

One effective way to reduce NYC moving costs is to declutter and get rid of items you no longer need. The fewer items you have to move, the lower your overall NYC moving cost will be.

2. Off-Peak Moving Times

If possible, schedule your moving day at an off-peak time, such as mid-week or mid-month, to take advantage of lower rates. Moving companies often charge premium prices during the weekends and at the beginning or end of the month due to high demand.

3. Gather Free Packing Materials

Save money on packing supplies by gathering free boxes from local stores or using containers you already have at home. You can also ask friends, family, or neighbors for any extra packing materials they may have, especially if you happen to see your neighbor moving in at a time when you’re preparing to move out.
Ultimately, the more flexibility you have to set an ideal moving date that works with your lifestyle, lease responsibilities, and is outside a peak moving time, the less pressure you’ll have on your NYC moving costs. If time is of the essence, be sure to review our Moving Checklist here to help you manage the process as efficiently as possible with our expert NYC moving advice.