Cost to Hire Movers in San Francisco

A long distance move in San Francisco will set you back between $2,100 and $10,500. If you’re just moving short-distance, local San Francisco movers will cost you from $410 to $1,550.

Your long distance movers will charge based on mileage and weight, and your local movers will charge per hour, per mover (typically 2 movers per bedroom, at $40 an hour for each).

These are pretty big windows, but they cover all the bases. If you want a more exact number, there’s a lot more that goes into your final price.

In this article, we’ll walk you through all the factors behind the cost of a San Francisco move, and we’ll show you a few ways to save, too!

You’ve seen the regular culprits, but there are also a few extra fees you should look out for. Here are some hidden fees for San Francisco moving:

• Access Fees: Extra obstacles come at an extra price. San Francisco movers will have to deal with elevators, long hallways, gates, and tough parking restrictions. These expenses will be tacked on to your final bill.

• Shuttle Fees: Certain cities don’t let movers park their semi trucks on their streets. In San Francisco, there’s barely any room for that anyway. Your movers may have to use a smaller truck to shuttle your stuff to the main long-haul trailer. 

• Specialty Hauling: Fragile, high-value items like artwork, antiques, pianos, and pool tables all require specialty hauling. Custom crating and even hoisting stuff out the window is pretty impressive, but it’s not cheap.

• Increased Demand: Want to move when the kids are out of school? So does everyone else. June, July, and August see the most moving demand, and the prices will reflect the crowded market.

• Tips and Gratuity: These aren’t explicitly included in your quote, but you should set aside 15% - 20% of your total price as a tip to be shared between your whole moving team. In the moving industry, tips are the norm (and moving is a lot of hard work!).

The price to move in San Francisco can vary. It all comes down to a few important factors:

• Distance: The actual distance is probably the biggest factor behind your final price. More miles means more money. Moving from San Francisco to Oakland may not be so bad. Moving from San Francisco to New York? Better prepare your wallet.

• Physical dimensions: This is the physical size of your move. Your movers will assign a weight value to all of your belongings - although some will use volume by cubic feet. Want to save on a move? Downsize as much as you can before shopping for quotes.

• Packing services: It can be tough to do your own packing. Fortunately, you can pay your professional movers to handle it for you. Packing services can range from a few hundred to a few thousand, depending on what you’re hauling.

• Storage: Storage units give you some much-needed flexibility and square footage. They typically run a monthly rate that depends on the size of your storage unit, but some movers will throw in a free 30 days.

• Insurance: Moving companies offer basic coverage for your items, but it’s only good for $0.60 per pound. If you want to be reimbursed the full price of any lost or damaged items, you’ll have to pay for full-value insurance.

Now that you know the price, it’s time to meet the best San Francisco moving companies. Fortunately, iMoving can break the ice.

iMoving is the only place that lets you shop, compare prices, and book your San Francisco movers from the comfort of your web browser. No annoying phone interviews, and no intrusive in-home estimates. Just tell us more about your move, and let’s get started!