How to use this template
Copy the table into a sheet and put your own quote in the right hand column. Two totals are worth keeping: the committed cost, which is what you have signed for, and the exposure, which is the committed cost plus every row you have not yet priced.
For the reasoning behind each category, read the moving cost guides. This page is the worksheet; that section is the explanation.
The budget rows
Six of the nine rows are empty on purpose. Those are market prices that vary by home, market and provider, and we hold no dataset for them, so a number here would be a guess with a currency sign in front of it.
| Line | What it covers | What our model holds | Your quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transport, local | A two bedroom move under fifty miles, billed hourly | $630–$1,395 | |
| Transport, interstate | A two bedroom full service move on a long lane | $3,000–$7,000 | |
| Packing materials | Boxes, tape, paper, covers, wardrobe cartons | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. | |
| Packing labour | The crew packing rather than you | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. | |
| Valuation | Full value protection above the default liability | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. | |
| Storage | Storage in transit or a unit between the two ends | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. | |
| Utility set up | Connection and activation at the new address | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. | |
| Deposits | Rent, utility and building deposits | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. | |
| First shop | Food, cleaning supplies and what the kitchen lacks | The pricing model holds no figure for this row. Enter your own quote. |
What the transport line is built from
Our model gives a studio interstate move as $1,650–$4,200, a two bedroom as $3,000–$7,000, a three bedroom as $4,350–$10,850 and a four bedroom as $5,850–$15,050. Local moves are billed by the hour, so a two bedroom local move models at $630–$1,395. Editorial estimate, not a measured transaction price. Reviewed May 2026.
We do not publish prices for rental trucks, portable containers, or freight trailers. Those are vendor quotes that change by lane, date, and equipment availability, and we hold no stored dataset for them — a number here would be a guess with a dollar sign on it. Price the option you are considering directly, on your own dates, and compare it against the full-service figures above.
The lines people forget
- Valuation, which is a separate purchase from the move itself
- Storage between move out and move in, when the two dates do not meet
- Tips for the crew, which are not part of any estimate
- The overlap month when both properties are being paid for
- Cleaning at the old address, whether you do it or pay for it
- Replacing what the mover will not carry, from paint to propane
- Time off work, which is a real cost even when nobody invoices it
How to keep the budget honest
Insist on a written estimate. 49 CFR 375.401 requires an interstate household goods carrier to give you one before the move, and a budget built on a verbal figure is not a budget. Record the estimate type, binding or non binding, in the sheet next to the transport line.
On a non binding estimate the carrier may collect no more than 110% of the estimated charges at delivery under 49 CFR 375.407, with the balance billed afterwards. That figure, not the estimate, is the number your delivery day cash needs to cover.