How far ahead should I book?

Four to six weeks in summer, two to three off season. The Tuesday-to-Thursday, mid-month slots go last, which is exactly why they're cheaper.

Not the way people assume. Basic released-value liability is 60¢ per pound per item, by law, and it's what you get by default. Full-value protection costs extra and is worth pricing.

How do I check a mover is legal?

In California, household movers need a BHGS permit and must show their CAL-T number in their advertising. Search bhgs.dca.ca.gov. For interstate moves, check the USDOT number at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Can they charge more than the estimate?

Only after an in-person or visual survey does an estimate become a binding not-to-exceed price, and then only a signed change order can move it. Get three written in-home quotes.

← What would you do with it?

What it costs to move in San Diego, and how to spend less.

Real 2026 numbers for movers, trucks, containers and storage, plus the rules that protect you.

Get my moving checklist

Movers loading a truck on a sunny San Diego residential street.

The short version

A local 2BR move runs about $900–$1,450. A three-person crew is $220–$280 an hour.
Summer costs 25–40% more than the off season, so move Tuesday to Thursday, mid-month, and out of season if you can.
Basic mover liability is 60¢ a pound. That pays about $12 for a 20-pound TV, so ask about full-value protection.

$900–$1,450
Local 2BR move
$220–$280
3-person crew, per hour
~$178
10x10 storage, per month
25–40%
Summer premium

What a local move costs

Home	Local move
Studio or 1BR	$450–$800
2BR	$900–$1,450
3BR	$1,500–$2,300
4BR+	$2,200–$4,000

Crew	Per hour
2 movers	$120–$200
3 movers	$220–$280
4 movers	$260–$320

A 3-hour minimum is typical.

Leaving San Diego

To	Typical cost
Phoenix	$1,800–$4,200
Denver	$2,900–$7,200
New York	$4,500–$14,500

Full service vs. container vs. DIY

Full service: $900–$2,300, effort 1 of 5, 1 day. Best for Short notice, or a big house. Container: $323–$813, effort 3 of 5, 2–7 days. Best for A gap between homes. DIY truck: $120–$400, effort 5 of 5, 1–2 days. Best for A small place and willing friends.

DIY truck

$19.95 (10 ft) to $49.95 (26 ft) a day, plus $0.79–$1.39 a mile, plus fuel at 10–12 MPG, plus about $15 a day for damage coverage. The headline day rate is never the price.

Container

PODS local, including a month of storage: 8 ft $220–$426, 16 ft $323–$813. Storage after that is $150–$359 a month.

Full service

See the table above. You pay for hours and weight, which is why decluttering first is the single biggest lever you have.

Estimate your move

Move cost estimator

Home size

Method

Distance15 mi

Storage0 mo

Moving May–September (+30%)Weekend (+12%)Packing service (+25%)Move-out cleaning (+$180)

Estimated cost

$900–$1,450

Base move: $900–$1,450

San Diego rates reviewed 2026-09-24. Get three written in-home quotes before you book.

Know your rights in California

Household movers in California need a BHGS permit, and their CAL-T number must appear in their advertising. Search it at bhgs.dca.ca.gov.
An estimate is binding only after an in-person or visual inspection. Then it's a not-to-exceed price, and only a signed change order moves it.
Basic liability is 60¢ per pound per item. A 20-pound TV pays about $12. Ask what full-value protection costs.
Damage claims go in writing within 9 months.
For an interstate move, check the USDOT number at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Ten ways to pay less

1Move Tuesday to Thursday, mid-month. The weekend and the month-end slots are the ones everybody wants.
2Move in November, January or February if you can. Another 5–10% off.
3Declutter before you get quotes. Weight and hours are the price.
4Get three written in-home quotes, not phone estimates.
5Ask about fuel, stairs and long-carry fees. They run $75–$800 and they're rarely in the headline number.
6Book four to six weeks out in summer.
7Set up SDG&E and City water one to two weeks early. Ask your old utility for a payment-history letter to avoid a deposit.
8Tip $40–$100 per mover for a full day, in cash.
9Pack a first-night box: bedding, chargers, coffee, medications, tools, toilet paper.
10Photograph your electronics' wiring before you unplug anything.

IMG-MV-2

Packed, labelled boxes in an empty room.

IMG-MV-3

A family in their new home with boxes, on moving day.

Movers, deposits, overlap — and a $30,000 commission.

A 3% listing commission on a $1M sale is $30,000. We charge $999 or $4,999 flat, paid out of escrow at closing. Same MLS, same licensed agent, same paperwork — you keep the difference.

See what you'd keep

Based on a $1M San Diego home where the seller offers 3% to the buyer's agent. Applied to closing costs first. How much can go to you beyond that depends on your loan. Estimate only, not a guarantee.

How SelfCloze helps

A local move is one to three thousand dollars, and it lands in the same month as everything else. The money you keep on the sale covers it without touching your down payment.

Questions people ask

How far ahead should I book?: Four to six weeks in summer, two to three off season. The Tuesday-to-Thursday, mid-month slots go last, which is exactly why they're cheaper.
Is my stuff insured?: Not the way people assume. Basic released-value liability is 60¢ per pound per item, by law, and it's what you get by default. Full-value protection costs extra and is worth pricing.
How do I check a mover is legal?: In California, household movers need a BHGS permit and must show their CAL-T number in their advertising. Search bhgs.dca.ca.gov. For interstate moves, check the USDOT number at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Can they charge more than the estimate?: Only after an in-person or visual survey does an estimate become a binding not-to-exceed price, and then only a signed change order can move it. Get three written in-home quotes.

A move costs thousands. The commission costs $30,000.

That's the whole pitch. The listing side of a traditional sale costs about 3% of the price. Ours is a flat fee, and there's no fee at all if it doesn't sell.

Run my numbers