1-bedroom local in Chicago
Lakeview 1BR (3rd floor walk-up) to a Wicker Park 2-flat, 6.1 mi. Two movers + truck, mid-month Tuesday in February. 4.5 hours + 1 hour travel at $135/hour, plus $80 stairs, $90 COI, $95 fuel: $1,005.
Illinois Moving Cost Calculator (2026)
Illinois pricing is dominated by Chicago, where high-rise COIs, freight elevator reservations, and Lake Shore Drive truck restrictions all add planning time. Downstate IL pricing runs 25–30% lower.
By Daniel Harper, Senior Pricing Analyst · Reviewed by Melissa Grant, Editorial Reviewer · Updated April 2026
Estimate your Illinois move
Drag the sliders. Numbers update live and reflect 2026 carrier tariffs.
800–1,200 sq ft, ~5,500 lb
1,100 mi
Interstate / long-distance (tariff billing)
Loaded, driven, and unloaded by a crew.
Off-peak weeks routinely save 15–25% on the same inventory.
Estimated price range
$2,300–$6,500
- Linehaul (weight × distance) priced against an FMCSA-filed tariff for ~1100 mi.
- Full-service includes loading, transport, and delivery. Packing, valuation, stairs, and shuttle fees are extra.
Working range only. Confirm with a binding-not-to-exceed written estimate after a video survey.
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Why Illinois is different
What drives pricing in this market
- Chicago high-rise buildings overwhelmingly require freight elevator reservations and COIs naming the building. Reservation windows are typically 8 AM–4 PM weekdays, no weekends.
- Lake Shore Drive bans commercial trucks; movers route through Lake Shore feeder streets, adding 15–25 minutes per Loop-area job.
- Illinois Commerce Commission regulates intrastate carriers (separate from FMCSA). Verify both before signing.
- Snow and ice between November and March can extend job duration 15–25% in Chicago — most movers price for it directly.
Pricing
Cost by home size
Local rates assume two movers and ground-floor access. Stairs and long carries add 10–25%.
| Home size | Local move | Interstate move |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $300–$775 | $1,540–$4,020 |
| 1 Bedroom | $400–$930 | $2,100–$5,226 |
| 2 Bedroom | $600–$1,395 | $2,800–$6,700 |
| 3 Bedroom | $800–$1,860 | $4,060–$10,385 |
| 4+ Bedroom | $1,100–$2,480 | $5,460–$14,405 |
Real moves
Recent Illinois examples
3-bedroom Chicago → Texas interstate
Family of four, ~8,300 lb, 1,080 mi to Austin. Binding-not-to-exceed from a national van line: $5,640. October pickup. Compares to ~$6,500 in peak season.
2-bedroom downtown Loop high-rise
River North 2BR to a Lincoln Park townhouse, 4.2 mi. Three movers + truck, freight elevator reserved at both ends. 7 hours + 1 hour travel at $165/hour, plus 2 COIs at $90 each, $110 fuel: $1,610.
Deep dive
The Illinois pricing playbook
Illinois pricing is a tale of two markets. Chicago and the immediate suburbs run roughly $100–$155/hour for two movers + a 26-foot truck — among the highest in the Midwest. Downstate Illinois (Springfield, Peoria, Rockford, Champaign, Quad Cities) runs $75–$110/hour, comfortably below the national median. If you're getting quotes for a downstate move and the hourly figure looks like a Chicago number, push back. Some statewide carriers default to a Chicago tariff for any IL job, which silently inflates the bill 25–30%.
Chicago's accessorial stack is the country's third-most complex behind NYC and SF. Most condo and apartment buildings in River North, the Loop, Streeterville, Lakeview, and Lincoln Park require freight elevator reservations and Certificates of Insurance naming the building as additional insured. Reservation windows are almost always weekday, 8 AM to 4 PM, no weekends. The single move-day delay that costs the most money in Chicago is showing up to a building where the freight elevator was never reserved — most movers will charge a wait fee of $135–$190/hour while the building manager runs paperwork.
Lake Shore Drive bans commercial trucks, which means anything moving in or out of a near-lake address routes through Lake Shore feeder streets and adds 15–25 minutes per direction. Most Chicago movers price for it implicitly, but if you're comparing a downtown quote against a suburban quote on the same household, the routing time alone can add a full billable hour.
Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) regulates intrastate household goods carriers, separate from the federal FMCSA. Always verify both USDOT and ICC MC numbers before signing a quote. Illinois is in the top 10 states for moving complaints filed annually with the FMCSA, and most of those complaints involve carriers operating without proper intrastate authority.
On long-haul, Chicago sits on a backhaul-favored lane to Texas, Florida, and the Southwest. Outbound interstate rates from Chicago to Austin, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Tampa typically run 10–12% below the reverse direction. If you're moving south, request quotes from at least one carrier with a confirmed hub in your destination metro.
By metro
Illinois city pricing notes
Chicago
Highest IL rates; high-rise COIs and freight-elevator reservations are mandatory for almost all condo/apartment buildings.
Naperville
Suburban access keeps loading times short; rates run 10–15% below Chicago proper.
Rockford
Cheapest mid-size IL metro; deep regional carrier base.
Springfield
Downstate pricing — typically 25–30% below Chicago on the same inventory.
Peoria
Median downstate pricing; strong year-round mover supply.
How to lower your Illinois moving cost
- Reserve the freight elevator at both buildings the same week you book the mover. Most Chicago high-rises only allow weekday loading windows.
- Off-peak (October–April) saves 18–25% in Chicago, and weather risk is real but manageable with same-day rescheduling clauses in the contract.
- Downstate IL pricing (Springfield, Peoria, Rockford, Champaign) runs 25–30% below Chicago — verify origin pricing if your mover quotes off a Chicago tariff.
- Verify both FMCSA USDOT and Illinois Commerce Commission MC number before signing. ICC operates a separate intrastate registry.
- If moving to TX or FL, Chicago is on a favored backhaul lane — outbound rates run 10–12% below the reverse direction.
By city
Illinois city cost calculators
Frequently asked questions
Local moves in Illinois typically run $400–$2,200 depending on home size, while interstate moves out of Illinois average $2,800–$7,500 for a two-bedroom household. Distance, packing services, and the time of year all shift those numbers.
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