What Will You Pay to Move from the East to the West Coast?

What will it cost you to move from the East Coast to the West Coast  

Moving from one ocean town to another across the country takes a lot of planning and thousands of miles of travel. It will also cost money to trade Atlantic Ocean views for Pacific Coast views (or vice versa). But just how much will it cost to move across the country?

With multiple moving options, comparing rates and services is the best way to find the most affordable solution for a cross-country move. Let’s review some example quotes to help you get a feel for coast-to-coast moving prices to help you choose.

Moving companies’ coast-to-coast moving prices

Full-service movers can cost several thousand dollars for a coast-to-coast move, with average prices starting at $15,000 for a studio apartment. If that’s not in your budget, the most affordable option is a DIY moving solution like U-Pack®.

With U-Pack, you get a budget-friendly way to move across the country without having to drive a rental truck thousands of miles. Let’s review quotes for an example move below to compare prices.

U-Pack East Coast to West Coast moving cost example

We looked at an example move for a studio apartment from Norfolk, VA, to Oakland, CA, in June 2026. Prices were accurate at the time of posting, but actual moving costs will vary based on location, distance, move date and the size of the home. 

U-Pack’s all-inclusive price for this coast-to-coast move was $2,638 for 1 ReloCube® moving container. The price includes equipment, transportation and standard liability coverage.  

Need moving labor? Add loading or unloading help to your U-Pack move and save money over full-service movers. 

How do cross-country rental truck rates compare?

Driving a moving truck might seem like a cheaper way to go, but that’s often not the case, especially after adding fuel costs. Gas mileage for fully loaded trucks is much lower than that of personal vehicles, and it decreases even more when towing a car. 

Compare the costs below for the national rental truck companies, Budget®, Penske® and U-Haul®. We requested a quote for the same move from Norfolk to Oakland using each company’s recommended equipment. These prices were accurate at the time of posting and rounded to the nearest dollar. Actual moving costs will vary based on location, equipment availability and the date of your move

*Based on the estimated MPG for the truck listed on each company’s website, at an average of $4.06 per gallon of unleaded gasoline, according to AAA’s average fuel prices at the time of posting. 

All the rental options were more expensive than U-Pack, and keep in mind that the fuel prices were only estimates. Actual costs can be higher with fully loaded trucks. With U-Pack, you can travel with your family without the hassle of driving the moving equipment 3,000 miles. 

Moving from the West Coast to the East Coast instead?  U-Pack can help!

Get a free, no-obligation U-Pack quote online now or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant.  

Let us know if you have questions about U-Pack services or financing your move. We’re always happy to help! 

Budget® is a registered trademark of Budget Truck Rental, LLC. Penske® is a registered trademark of Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P. U-Haul® is a registered trademark of U-Haul International, Inc. Use of third-party trademarks or registered trademarks does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by such third party.