What a local move costs.
Updated October 12, 2026
Local movers generally charge $50 to $100 per mover per hour with a three to five hour minimum, which puts a two or three bedroom move somewhere between $900 and $2,800.
By home size
Local meaning under about 50 miles, which covers most moves inside South Jersey.
| Home size | Crew and time | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bedroom | 2 movers, 2 – 4 hrs | $300 – $800 |
| 2 – 3 bedrooms | 3 – 4 movers, 6 – 7 hrs | $900 – $2,800 |
| 4 – 5 bedrooms | 4 – 5 movers, 9 – 12 hrs | $1,800 – $6,000 |
What gets added
Packing is the big one and it is usually quoted separately — budget $600 to $2,500 for a company to pack and disassemble furniture.
- Stairs and long carries from the truck to the door
- Elevator buildings, especially where the elevator has to be booked
- Pianos, safes, gun safes and oversized appliances
- Packing materials, if you did not buy your own boxes
- Storage between move-out and move-in
Hourly billing rewards being ready
You are paying by the hour, so everything boxed, labelled and stacked by the door before the crew arrives comes straight off the bill. Beds broken down, drawers emptied, path cleared.
The reverse is also true. A crew that spends the first ninety minutes waiting for you to finish packing the kitchen is ninety minutes you are paying for.
Check the licence before you book
Movers operating within New Jersey are regulated by the State, and anything crossing state lines needs federal authority. Ask for the licence number and proof of insurance, and check it.
The classic scam is a low phone estimate, then a truck loaded and a much higher price demanded before anything comes off. A legitimate mover will do a walkthrough or video survey and give you a written estimate.
An honest note on these numbers
These are national published figures, not New Jersey-specific, and not a quote. Rates in the Philadelphia metro may differ.
We will put real South Jersey numbers here once movers in our network supply them.
Where these figures come from
Every number on this page comes from a published cost guide, listed below with its scope and date. None of it is a quote, and none of it is our own data — when it is, we will say so.
- HomeGuide — Moving Company Costs
National figures, written November 2025
Need someone to look at it?
Jersey Home Pros sends your request to one participating moving company that serves your area — not a call center, and not eight companies at once. You choose whether anyone is allowed to phone you.
More from Jersey Home Pros
- Furnace blowing cold air? Here's what to check first.
- No heat at all: what to check before you call.
- Mice in the house in October: why now, and what actually works.
General information for New Jersey homeowners, not a substitute for an inspection by a licensed contractor. Jersey Home Pros does not perform, supervise or guarantee any work.