Short Distance Movers: Cost to Hire and Budget-Friendly Move

By: Harrison Gough Last Updated: Apr 03, 2023

  • Share article:

A short-distance or local move is defined as one that doesn’t exceed a 50-mile distance from your old home. It characteristically does not cross state lines and requires less travel time.

BEST FOR LOCAL

4.5


iMoving

  • Book movers online
  • Flexible cancellation policy
  • Binding quotes
Get a Quote 855-466-8464 Read review

BEST ADD ON SERVICES

4.8


Two Men And A Truck

  • Customized services
  • Wide geographic range
  • Licensed and insured
Get a Quote 877-720-0411 Read review

BEST MOVING CREWS

4.6


PODS

  • Well-trained staff
  • Flexible payment options
  • No hidden fees
Get a Quote 855-706-4758 Read review

Moving short distances is easier and more affordable than undergoing a long-distance move, though this doesn’t mean it comes without challenges. To make sure everything proceeds without a hitch, it is advisable to hire a professional moving company.

Read through to learn what you should put into consideration when on the lookout for a professional moving company, you will also get a quick look at 3 of our preferred short-distance moving companies for 2023.


In this article


How Much Does it Cost to Hire Short-Distance Movers?

Every move is unique, which is why it is impossible for us to calculate the exact cost of your short-distance move. However, we can give you an idea of how much it will be—depending on the services rendered to complete your move.

Local movers charge for moving services by the hour, they calculate the time it takes to move your belongings from your old home to delivery at your new home.

If you are moving out of an average-sized 3-bedroom apartment, and it takes 7 hours for a crew of 4 to complete—assuming the moving company charges $70 per mover. Expect to pay roughly $2,000.

But as stated earlier, this figure will vary for your local move depending on the time it takes to complete your move, the size of your home, and the number of movers required.

Some of the additional services that will contribute to your moving costs are listed below:

  • If the services of an additional mover is required, be ready to pay an additional $60.
  • If you need a packing/unpacking specialist, a charge of $80 will be incurred.
  • If you require accessorial services, you will be charged based on the services rendered

To get a more accurate idea of how much your move will cost use our moving cost calculator.


Locating the Best Short Distance Movers

There are a lot of moving companies out there claiming to offer top-notch moving services, but only a few actually live up to the hype. To get the best possible experience when undergoing a local move, we’ve highlighted a couple of tips to guide you when choosing a mover

1. Choose A Licensed & Insured Mover

A license is granted by the state or federal government and is useful when trying to determine the legitimacy of a mover, and when moving across state lines. Your belongings will be at great risk if you hire a moving company that is not licensed or insured—because if your shipment gets damaged or lost, you will be unable to sue.

Hiring a mover with insurance guarantees that even if your items get damaged or lost in transit, you will be compensated either partially or totally based on the coverage plan you chose.

You can find more about a company’s licensing and insurance information on its website.

2. Experience of the Mover

Hiring an experienced mover increases the chances of having a successful move. A highly experienced mover understands the best ways to navigate the roads and how to handle your belongings to keep them safe and protected.

In addition, An experienced mover will be able to address any concerns that you have and provide a fast, efficient and accountable move. When moving locally or long distances, make sure to go with a mover having at least a decade of practice in the moving business.

3. Online Reviews

Online reviews serve as a trusted way to determine the quality of service provided by a moving company. No moving company can have a perfect track record, but what separates good movers from bad is how they respond to and address complaints.

Visit websites like Yelp, Google, the Better Business Bureau, or even Facebook to see what previous customers had to say about the company.


Recommended short-distance moving companies

At MovingFeedback—apart from our extensive moving guides, we provide you with a list of carefully vetted moving companies for either local or interstate moves.

For this section, we will talk about 3 of the moving companies to consider when planning a short-distance move.

  1. iMoving
  2. Two Men and a Truck
  3. PODS
1

BEST FOR LOCAL

4.5

iMoving

  • Book movers online
  • Flexible cancellation policy
  • Binding quotes

Licenses

DOT#: N/A

MC#: N/A

Type: Local and Long Distance Moves

iMoving is a brokerage that connects you with companies that provide moving services. They have an extensive network of movers across the U.S. enabling you to undergo any move.

Not to mention, they are capable of handling both local and interstate moves and offer additional services for specialized moving such as auto transportation, full-service moves, and even storage options.


  • Online booking
  • Binding quotes
  • 24/7 customer service
  • No discounts available on their website
  • Prices highly vary depending on location

iMoving offers a level of top-notch moving service quality to ensure your local move is as easy and stress-free as possible.

They offer customers a binding quote, which gives them an accurate idea of how much their move will cost upfront. With their online booking and wide range of services, iMoving is guaranteed to execute your move as smoothly as possible.

2

BEST ADD ON SERVICES

4.8

Two Men And A Truck

  • Customized services
  • Wide geographic range
  • Licensed and insured

Licenses

MC#: N/A

Type: Long Distance Moves

Two Men And A Truck is the largest franchised moving company in the United States. They have licenses to operate in over 46 U.S states including the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. They provide reasonably priced and quick moves, especially if you are moving locally.

Although Prices vary by location, they offer prices that tend to trend lower than their competitors. This moving company is customer-oriented and goes the extra mile to ensure you are satisfied with their services by hiring only qualified personnel and using Avant-grade equipment.


  • Budget Friendly
  • Nationwide Service
  • Good Reputation
  • No international Moving Services Available
  • No price matching policy

Two Men And A Truck is an award-winning business that focuses on customer service, they aim to provide the best to their customers—and are doing so as the company has a customer satisfaction rating of over 90%.

Putting into consideration their flexible pricing and wide range of services, Two Men and A Truck is possibly the moving company you’re searching for.

3

BEST MOVING CREWS

345

PODS

  • Well-trained staff
  • Flexible payment options
  • No hidden fees

Licenses

Type: Long Distance Moves

PODS—an acronym for Popular On Demand Storage, is a moving and storage company founded in 1998. This Florida-based mover is a popular choice for moving home with three to four rooms.

They offer sturdy containers designed to be weather-resistant and keep your belongings protected when exposed to the elements. You can use their portable storage units to simplify and reduce the stress of moving, whether you’re moving long-distance or making a local move.


  • Positive Customer reviews
  • On-site storage
  • Durable and weather resistant
  • Cost efficient
  • Not completely secure
  • Containers are not climate controlled

PODS offers moving containers of various sizes perfect for a short-distance move. Their moving containers can double as storage units and allow for on-site and off-site storage.


FAQs About Short Distance Movers

What’s an order for service?

An order for service is a document that you will receive from the short-distance moving company at the time of your move and is a written confirmation of what services will be tendered during your move. It includes pick-up and delivery dates as well as charges due after shipment completion.

Can I pay for my move after belongings have been delivered?

Tariff provisions prevent movers from unloading your shipment until the full payment has been received. Payments to moving companies can be made in various forms—by check, cash, credit card, or a money order.

How much does it cost to move short distances?

Hiring a moving company for a local move is relatively cheap, costs could be anywhere from $800 to $2,000. The price is dependent on a variety of factors, ranging from the number of movers hired, to the total time it takes for the move to get completed.

What is the cheapest way to move a short distance?

Although the cheapest way to move a short distance is to move, it is probably best to hire a local moving company. Hiring a moving company will save you from the stress of packing your things, loading them up into the truck, and driving it to your new home.

Where should I keep my valuables when moving?

Valuables that have been claimed as over $100 per pound are known to movers as items of extraordinary value. These items can be anything, from antiques to jewels, and will be handled by your moving company carefully if they are notified of these items before the day of your move.

A high-value inventory form should be filled out if you want to make sure you can claim your items. It is recommended that you keep important valuables, such as documents or sentimental heirlooms, with you instead of packing them in boxes where they may be misplaced or damaged.


To sum it all up,

Finding the best short-distance mover is a task that is often taken lightly by most people. Make sure you put a great deal of consideration before hiring a local mover as only professionals can take the stress off your shoulders.

If you are planning to move long-distance, check out our article on the best long distance moving companies. Happy moving!