🚛 Moving Cost Estimator
Estimate your total moving cost by combining mileage-based transportation cost, labor cost, and any flat fees (like a moving company's base fee).
The three parts of the total
Moving quotes hide a lot inside one number. This one splits into distance, time and everything else, then adds them:
transport = miles × cost per mile
labor = labor hours × labor rate
total = transport + labor + flat feeWith the starting figures — 200 miles at $1.20, four hours at $40, and a $150 flat fee — transport is $240, labor is $160, and the total is $550. Change any box and all four rows redraw. There is no minimum charge and no tax applied on top; put those in the flat fee if your quote carries them.
What to put in each box
- Cost per mile is the all-in running cost, not just the rental line. A 10 mpg truck over 200 miles burns 20 gallons, so at $3.50 a gallon fuel alone is $0.35 a mile.
- Labor rate is the crew rate, not one person's wage. Two movers at $40 each means 80 in that box, not 40.
- Labor hours should cover loading, driving stops and the unload at the far end. Four hours is a small flat; a three-bedroom house loaded and unloaded is closer to eight.
- Flat fee is the catch-all: base call-out charge, valuation or insurance, stair and long-carry fees, a shuttle for a narrow street.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 200 mile move cost?
On the default assumptions, $550: $240 of driving, $160 of loading help and a $150 base fee. A full-service company doing the same run charges the labor by weight or room count instead, and usually lands higher.
Are packing boxes and tape included?
No. Nothing here covers cartons, tape, bubble wrap or blankets. Price those separately and add the result to the flat fee if you want one number.
Why is my quote higher than this estimate?
Usually stairs, a long carry from door to truck, a second flight of loading at the destination, or valuation coverage above the free minimum. Each is a real line on a mover's bill and belongs in the flat fee here.