The Best Moving Companies in Los Angeles

You should book your move at least one month before your moving date—and earlier, if possible. That’s because moving is a supply-and-demand industry, and in California, the demand is high: One in four California voters have thought about leaving the state.¹ So the later you book, the more likely you are to pay higher costs.

If you’re moving within the same zip code, you’ll spend anywhere from $500 to $5,000. The total cost of your move depends on your home size, time of year, the kind of moving services you hire, and how far you’re moving. Professional full-service movers—the companies who send a moving truck and loading crew to your home—are the most expensive option.

If your number one goal is to cut costs, rent a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul and bribe your friends to help you pack and load. Moving with a storage container is your Goldilocks option: You load the container yourself, but you pay the moving company to transport it to your new home, where—you guessed it—you’re still on the hook for unloading. You’ll pay more than a renting a moving truck but a lot less than for professional movers.

Long-distance moves can cost thousands of dollars, especially if you hire a professional full-service mover. Maybe you’re in search of more affordable housing (LA’s average monthly rent is a hefty $1500²)—in that case, we recommend a more budget-friendly moving option, like renting and driving your own moving truck, or reserving a moving and storage container. Or maybe you’re ready to sell that home cash in on rising house prices (if our house value went up 15% in one calendar year, we’d think about selling too³). If you’ve got the budget for it, professional moving is the way to go: one company handles everything from loading to transportation to unloading at your new home. The average long-distance professional move costs between $2,000 and $7,500 depending on your home size and moving distance.⁴

Downsizing before you move? There are plenty of charities in Los Angeles that will accept your gently used household items—and some will even pick up your donations for free. For everything else, you can haul it to your local recycling center or public landfill.

And if you’ve got a lot of stuff to offload (think home renovations or extreme downsizing), a junk removal company can haul it all off for you.