A local move looks cheap on paper because the distance is short. Then the quotes arrive, the deposit is due, and the old lease overlaps the new one by a week. Suddenly a move across town costs more than you expected. Many people only start thinking about a personal loan at that point.
This guide gives realistic cost ranges for the three main ways to move locally, lists the charges that tend to show up late, and explains when a personal loan is a reasonable way to cover the gap. If you landed here while comparing avant lending options for a move, start with the numbers. They will tell you how much, if anything, you actually need to borrow.
Average Cost of a Local Move
A local move, usually defined as under 50 to 100 miles, commonly costs $150 to $700 if you rent a truck yourself and $300 to $4,000 or more with full-service movers, depending mostly on home size, crew hours and access.
Local movers almost always bill by the hour rather than by weight. That means time drives the price. The more stuff you own, the more stairs you have, and the farther the truck parks from your door, the bigger the bill.
The figures in this guide are typical estimates, not quotes, and they are the same starting point we suggest for any avant lending request tied to a move. Rates run higher in large metro areas and during peak season, generally late spring through summer.
DIY Truck Rental Costs
Renting a truck and moving yourself is usually the cheapest route, often $150 to $400 for an apartment and $300 to $700 for a larger home once mileage, fuel, equipment and protection coverage are added to the base rate.
The advertised daily rate for a local rental truck is only the starting point. Most local rentals add a per-mile charge, and you return the truck with the fuel level you received it with.
What goes into a DIY truck bill
- Base rental: often $20 to $60 for the day, depending on truck size.
- Mileage: commonly around $0.70 to $1.30 per mile for local rentals.
- Fuel: a 15 to 26 foot truck may get under 10 miles per gallon.
- Damage coverage: roughly $15 to $40 per day if your auto policy does not extend to rental trucks.
- Equipment: a dolly and furniture pads might add $10 to $30.
- Help: food and gas money for friends.
The hidden cost of DIY is time and risk. A dropped dresser or a sprained back is not free. If you have heavy furniture, multiple flights of stairs or limited help, a hybrid option may be the better value. A DIY move is also the version least likely to need a personal loan, since the total often fits inside one paycheck.
Labor-Only Movers: The Middle Option
Labor-only movers load and unload a truck you rent, typically for about $60 to $120 per hour for a two-person crew with a two- or three-hour minimum, so a small apartment often lands between $200 and $500 in labor.
The split approach works well when you can drive the truck but do not want to carry a sleeper sofa down three floors. You pay the truck rental separately, then book helpers for the loading window and again for unloading.
Ask whether the hourly rate includes travel time between your two addresses, since you are the one driving. Also confirm whether the crew brings straps, a dolly and blankets or whether you need to rent them.
For many renters, this hybrid keeps the bill low enough that no personal loan is needed at all, or it keeps an avant lending request to a few hundred dollars.
Full-Service Mover Costs by Home Size
Full-service local movers commonly charge $100 to $200 per hour for two movers and a truck, and $150 to $275 per hour for a crew of three, which puts most moves between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars.
| Home size | Typical crew | Typical hours | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bedroom | 2 movers | 2 to 4 | $300 to $900 |
| 2 bedrooms | 3 movers | 4 to 6 | $700 to $1,600 |
| 3 bedrooms | 3 to 4 movers | 6 to 8 | $1,200 to $2,500 |
| 4 bedrooms or more | 4 or more movers | 8 to 10 or more | $2,000 to $4,000 or more |
Estimates only. Actual prices vary by city, season, building access, volume of belongings and the company. Get written quotes before you book.
Many companies add a trip fee, often equal to one hour of labor, to cover driving to your home and back to the depot. Packing services are usually extra and can add several hundred dollars for a two-bedroom home. Full-service is where costs climb fastest, and it is the scenario most people have in mind when they research a personal loan for moving.
Hidden Costs That Raise the Total
Hidden moving costs are the charges that sit outside the mover's quote: stairs and long carries, packing supplies, rental deposits, overlapping rent, utility setup and cleaning. Together they can easily add $1,000 to $3,000 to a local move.
Access fees: stairs, elevators and long carries
Some movers charge a flat fee per flight of stairs, often $50 to $150, while others simply bill the extra time. A long carry fee may apply when the truck has to park more than about 75 feet from the door. Reserve a loading dock or elevator in advance to avoid delays that cost you by the hour.
Packing supplies
Boxes, tape, bubble wrap and wardrobe cartons commonly run $75 to $300 for a one- or two-bedroom home.
Deposits on the new place
A security deposit is often equal to one month's rent, and some landlords ask for first and last month up front. Pet deposits and application fees can add more. This is frequently the single largest moving cost, and it is due before you get the keys. When people look into a personal loan for a move, the deposit is usually the reason.
Overlapping rent
Lease dates rarely line up perfectly. Paying for both places for even five to ten days can add a few hundred dollars. A full month of overlap can double your housing cost for that month. If borrowing helps you avoid a full month of overlap, compare the personal loan interest with that extra month of rent.
Utilities, internet and cleaning
- Utility setup: connection fees of roughly $25 to $100 per service, plus possible deposits of $50 to $300 if you have limited credit history with the provider.
- Internet installation: sometimes free, sometimes $50 to $150 plus equipment.
- Move-out cleaning: professional cleaning often runs $150 to $400, and it can protect your old security deposit.
- Tips and food: many people budget $20 to $40 per mover for a half day.
- Parking permits: some cities require a permit to park a moving truck on the street.
Add these lines to your list before you size any avant lending request, since they are the easiest costs to forget.
A Sample Two-Bedroom Move, Itemized
A renter moving a two-bedroom apartment across town with full-service movers could reasonably spend around $4,200 once movers, supplies, a security deposit, overlapping rent, utilities and cleaning are counted together.
| Cost item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Full-service movers, 3 movers, 5 hours plus trip fee | $1,200 |
| Packing supplies | $150 |
| Tips and lunch for the crew | $140 |
| Security deposit at new apartment | $1,650 |
| Seven days of overlapping rent | $385 |
| Utility and internet setup | $175 |
| Move-out cleaning | $250 |
| Small buffer for surprises | $250 |
| Total | $4,200 |
Estimates only. Your own figures will depend on rent, location, mover rates and timing.
Notice that the movers are less than a third of the total. The deposit and the overlap cost more combined. If you only budget for the truck or the crew, the rest of the bill can push you onto a credit card or into a larger personal loan than you planned. An avant lending estimate built on the movers alone would miss about $3,000 of real costs here. For a step-by-step planning template, see our moving budget checklist.
Ways to Cut Local Moving Costs
The fastest ways to cut local moving costs are to move fewer things, move on a less popular date, do the packing yourself, and collect at least three written quotes so you can compare hourly rates, minimums and fees.
- Declutter first. Every box you sell or donate saves crew time. A garage sale can even fund part of the move and reduce any personal loan you need.
- Pick a midweek, mid-month date. Demand is lower, and some companies offer reduced rates.
- Move in the off-season. Fall and winter are often cheaper than summer.
- Pack before the crew arrives. Movers waiting on you is the most expensive hour of the day.
- Find free boxes. Liquor stores, grocery stores and local buy-nothing groups are common sources.
- Disassemble furniture yourself. Bed frames and tables take time that you are paying for.
- Go hybrid. Rent the truck, hire labor-only help, and drive yourself.
- Ask about the deposit. Some landlords will split a security deposit across two months if you ask early.
Getting your old deposit back also counts as savings. Schedule a walkthrough, take photos, and clean thoroughly. A full refund can cover a large share of the new deposit. Every dollar you recover shrinks any avant lending amount you might need and the personal loan interest that comes with it.
When Borrowing Is Reasonable: Avant Lending for a Move
Borrowing for a move is reasonable when the costs are necessary, the timing cannot wait, and the monthly payment fits your new budget comfortably. A personal loan is usually a poor fit for optional upgrades you could save for.
A common case is the timing gap. Your new deposit is due now, but your old deposit will not come back for several weeks. A small personal loan can bridge that window if you are confident about the refund and have a plan to repay quickly.
A quick payment example
Suppose you need $1,500 to cover the deposit and movers. A $1,500 personal loan for 12 months at 24.99% APR with no origination fee works out to about $142.56 a month, $1,710.71 total repaid and $210.71 in interest, as an estimate. Your actual APR may be lower or higher depending on your credit and the lender. Most avant lending questions about moving come down to this kind of math. Compared with putting $1,500 on a card at a higher APR, a fixed personal loan payment also gives you a clear end date.
Try your own numbers in the personal loan calculator before you commit. A shorter personal loan term costs less in total but raises the payment, so check that the payment still works alongside your new rent and utilities.
When not to borrow
Skip an avant lending request if any of these apply to you:
- The move is optional and could wait two or three months while you save.
- Your new rent already stretches your income.
- You would be borrowing to buy new furniture rather than to move what you have.
- You already carry high-rate debt that you are struggling to pay.
- The personal loan payment would leave you with almost no cushion each month.
Readers who check avant lending reviews often want to know whether a move is a common reason to borrow. It is, and moving costs are among the more common personal loan requests, but the right amount is the smallest one that covers the true gap, not the whole budget.
How to Request a Personal Loan for Moving Costs
Requesting a personal loan for moving costs starts with one online form, after which lenders in our network may send offers you can compare by APR, term, fees and total cost before deciding anything.
We are an independent, free loan-request service, not a lender. An avant loan application through our loan request form shares your details with third-party lenders who may make personal loan offers for amounts from $500 to $5,000. There is no fee to submit and no obligation to accept. Whether you typed avant apply for loan into a search bar or followed a friend's link, the process is the same.
Many personal loan lenders start with a soft inquiry that does not affect your credit score, and a hard inquiry may follow only if you accept an offer. If approved and you sign, many lenders deposit funds as soon as the next business day, though some take a few business days. Plan your avant lending request about a week before the deposit is due.
People searching avant online loans for a move often assume the fastest personal loan offer is the best one. Compare at least two. Reading avant loans reviews can show how lenders tend to communicate, but the offer itself is what counts. Our page on moving loans covers typical personal loan amounts, terms and what lenders look for.
Next Steps for Your Move
A realistic next step is to price your move three ways, add every hidden cost you can predict, and only then decide whether an avant lending request makes sense for the remaining gap.
- Get at least three written mover quotes, or price a DIY truck and labor-only help.
- Confirm deposit amounts and lease dates at both addresses.
- Call utility providers to ask about setup fees and deposits.
- Add a buffer of about 10% for surprises.
- Run a personal loan payment estimate for the gap, if one remains.
- Subtract what you have saved and what you expect back from your old deposit.
If a gap remains and the payment fits, an avant cash loan request for that exact amount is a reasonable tool. If the gap is small, a few weeks of saving may cover it with no personal loan interest at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours does a local move usually take?
A studio or one-bedroom move with two movers often takes 2 to 4 hours. A two-bedroom home commonly takes 4 to 6 hours with three movers, and a larger home can take a full day. Stairs, long walks to the truck and unpacked boxes all add time.
How much should I tip local movers?
Tipping is optional, but many people give about $20 to $40 per mover for a half-day job and $40 to $60 each for a full day. Cold drinks and a meal are appreciated too. Budget the tip in advance so it does not surprise you on move day.
Is it cheaper to move on a weekday?
Often, yes. Many moving companies charge less or have more open slots Monday through Thursday, and mid-month dates tend to be less crowded than the first and last days of the month, when most leases turn over.
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