Moving From Boston to Florida: Movers, Costs, and Benefits

Boston and Florida are just about as far apart as you can get - not just in terms of distance, but in terms of culture. But if you’re ready to really make a change, why not move someplace completely different?

In your rush to find better beaches and better weather, it may be tempting to just book with the first mover to show up on Google - but we’ve got a better option.

iMoving is the only platform that lets you shop, compare prices, and book your moving company from the comfort of your phone or computer.

All you have to do is tell us a little about your move, and we’ll connect you with over 1000 vetted and verified moving pros to handle your Boston to Florida relocation.

If you’re ready to get packed, we’ll help you get started. But if you’re just looking for more info, read on to learn more about what you can expect from your Boston to Florida move.

A long-distance move can take anywhere from 1 to 21 days, but moving to Florida, you’re looking at a 3-day minimum. Under federal law, your movers can’t clock more than 400 miles of interstate travel per day. But aside from that, the duration of your move also depends on how much you’re hauling.

You might expect a 5-bedroom home to take longer to transport than a 1-bedroom apartment, but that’s not always the case.

Moving companies don’t like to send half-empty trucks all over the place, so with a smaller move, they’ll usually wait until they can bundle multiple moves on the same truck.

This is great for efficiency, but not so great if you’re in a hurry. On the other hand, if you manage to fill an entire truck with just your stuff (say, with a 5-bedroom home), it’ll be shipped a lot faster.

Every move is different, and so is every price tag. There’s a lot that goes into your quote, so let’s take a look at some of the biggest factors behind your final price:

1. Distance

When you’re looking at a long-distance move, the distance is arguably the biggest factor behind your price. Unfortunately, even at their closest, it’s about 1,146 from Boston to Florida. It’s no coast-to-coast move, but your wallet’s still going to sting.

2. Amount of Stuff

We said the distance is arguably the biggest factor behind your price because it’s only part of the equation. The other part is how much you’re hauling.

If you’re transporting a one-bedroom apartment, it’ll be a lot cheaper than transporting a five-bedroom home. Make sure you downsize before shopping for quotes if you want to save every penny.

3. Packing Services

Packing services are optional, but we wouldn’t skip out on these. Even if you’re strapped for cash, packing can free up some much-needed time and energy so you can deal with other parts of your move.

Packing can range from a few hundred bucks to a couple thousand - again, depending on how much stuff you have to transport.

4. Extra TLC

Do you have any artwork, or specialty items like antiques and pool tables? These all require a bit of advance planning - and specialty packing.

We’ve seen it all, from grand pianos to vintage motorcycles. Movers can literally build crates around these hard-to-move objects, but it doesn’t come cheap.

4. Insurance

Under federal law, moving companies are required to provide a bare minimum amount of insurance coverage. Unfortunately, this is just good for $0.60 per pound of damaged or otherwise unsalvageable items.

Break a 4-pound laptop? If you want more than $2.40 for it, you’ll have to pay ahead of time for full-value insurance.

5. Access Fees

Every move is different, and so is every path to the front door. We’ve seen long driveways, long hallways, gates, elevators, and multiple flights of stairs… and with every one of these obstacles, you can expect an additional fee.

To avoid any unpleasant surprises (for you or for your movers) it’s best to communicate about these obstacles ahead of time.

6. Shuttles

When your Boston to Florida movers haul your stuff, they’ll be using a big ol’ semi-truck. Unfortunately, these semi trucks aren’t always allowed to park on city streets.

In these cases, your movers will have to leave the semi at a staging area and use a smaller truck to ferry your belongings from your front door to the truck (and vice-versa). It’s inconvenient, it’s pricey, and it’s all thanks to the city council.

7. Time of Year

The time of year makes a huge difference when you’re shopping for movers. Everyone tries to move when the kids are out of school, which means summer, major holidays, and long weekends are more expensive.

If you want to save, schedule your move in the middle of the week, in the middle of the month.

8. Gratuity

This one isn’t usually included in your quote, but we wanted to include it here anyway. Tips are the norm in the moving industry, and unless your movers explicitly decline to accept gratuity, your moving team will be expecting one. Think 15% - 20% of the total cost of your move, divided up between all your movers.

Boston’s a nice place, but there’s plenty of reason to get out of town. Florida’s calling, and here’s a few examples of what the Sunshine State has to offer:

• Weather: Remember last winter when you were freezing in the snow? Yeah, Floridians were laughing at you. “Oh, but what about hurricanes?” you may be asking. Simple. The folks in Florida just don’t care. It’s like Californians with earthquakes. They’re used to it.

• No state income tax: Tired of Uncle Sam taking his cut? Florida can give you a nice break. There’s no state income tax to worry about, which, compared to Boston’s 5%, is quite a bit of money that’s staying in your wallet.

• Cheaper: Speaking of money, Florida is quite a bit cheaper than Boston. You’ll actually be able to save money, instead of spending it all on rent, groceries, and everything else you need to stay alive.

• Different lifestyle: In terms of lifestyle, Boston and Florida are about as different as you can get. Depending on where you settle down in the Sunshine State, you could be getting up to some deep South redneck stuff, or living full-on Tony Montana.

• Politics: Some people are moving out of Boston because they can’t handle the politics. If you need a break from the deep blue of Massachusetts, Florida is the place for you. Keep in mind, it’s more purple than red, so the change won’t give you total whiplash.

• Miami: That’s right, the entire Miami. Sure, this article compares a city (Boston) to an entire state (Florida), but let’s even the playing field and talk cities for a second: Miami is crazy for all the right reasons. From the beach to the bars, it’s always a good time.

• Everglades: There’s plenty of natural beauty to explore in Florida, and the Everglades are one of the best examples. It’s a huge national park, a flooded grassland full of critters like flamingoes and gators. Pretty different than Boston.

• Amusement Parks: We had to include this one. Disney World, check. Universal Studios, check. Busch Gardens, check. Legoland, check. Whether you’ve got kids or you just refuse to grow up, there are a ton of great amusement parks to cross off your list.

• Redneck stuff: You know how you always see stories about “Florida Man” getting up to some nonsense in the news? Well, if you ever felt the need to shoot a gun off of a swamp boat while crushing a six-pack of beers, Florida’s the place. AMERICA!

• The great outdoors: The Everglades isn’t the only spot for enjoying the great outdoors. You can head to the beach, hit the Cross Seminole Trail, and the list goes on. With excellent weather year-round, you’ll actually be able to go outside!

You’ve seen the movers, you’ve seen the FAQs, you’ve seen the prices, and you’ve seen some of the great stuff to explore in the Sunshine State. Now, it’s time to see about packing your bags.

At iMoving, we make long-distance moving easier than ever. With a few clicks, you can get access to a whole marketplace of vetted and verified Boston to Florida movers. Tell us a little more about your move, and let’s get you packed!