How Much Do Movers Cost in Philadelphia?

Most local moves in Philadelphia cost between $913 and $2,422, with an average near $1,625. Local movers bill by the hour, so the price follows the number of hours the crew works: a studio takes two to three hours and a three-bedroom rowhouse takes seven to ten. Long-distance moves from Philadelphia average about $5,040 and are priced by shipment weight and mileage instead.

Moves take longer in Philadelphia because of rowhouse staircases, narrow streets, permit-only parking, and buildings that require elevator reservations and proof of insurance. A one-bedroom move can add several hundred dollars when the crew carries furniture up three flights and then walks it from a truck parked down the block. This guide covers hourly rates by crew size, cost by home size, long-distance prices, Philadelphia-specific charges, parking permits, seasonal timing, and ways to lower the bill.

Updated October 2026

Estimate Your Philadelphia Move

Enter your home size, addresses, and move date to get an estimate based on the factors covered in this guide.

Key Points (2026)

• Local moves: $913 to $2,422 for most moves, with an average near $1,625. The total depends on crew size and the hours needed to load and unload at both addresses.
• Hourly rates: two movers with a truck cost $120 to $180 per hour, three movers $180 to $270, and four movers $260 to $390. Larger crews cost more per hour and finish in fewer hours.
• Long-distance moves: the average is about $5,040. Prices run from about $555 for a one-bedroom apartment under 100 miles to $13,300 for a large home moving coast to coast, based on weight and mileage.
• Parking permits: a moving truck needs a temporary no-parking permit, which costs $50 per day in Center City and University City and $25 per day elsewhere, for each 40 feet of space. The city requires at least four full business days of notice.
• Timing: summer weekend month-end moves cost the most. A weekday, mid-month move from December through March can cost 35% to 45% less.

Hourly Rates: What Philadelphia Movers Charge by Crew Size

Almost all local Philadelphia moves are priced by the hour. The rate covers the crew, the truck, fuel, and basic equipment such as dollies and furniture blankets, and it rises with crew size. The lowest hourly rate does not always produce the lowest bill, because a smaller crew needs more hours for the same job.

Two movers with a truck cost $120 to $180 per hour and suit studios and one-bedroom apartments that are already packed and disassembled. Rates at the low end of that range can reflect a newer company or thinner insurance coverage, so check the license and insurance before choosing on price.

A third mover raises the rate to $180 to $270 per hour and cuts total time by about 35% on two-bedroom homes and apartments, because the crew can pass boxes and furniture along a line instead of each person making separate trips.

Four movers cost $260 to $390 per hour and suit three-bedroom and larger homes. A four-person crew finishes in about 55% less time than two movers, so a job that takes two movers eight hours takes roughly four hours with four. The total bill is often similar to the smaller crew’s, with a shorter day.

Note: Rates typically include the truck, fuel, and standard equipment. Time savings are typical figures and vary with access conditions. Sources are listed under References.

Local Move Costs by Home Size

Home size is the strongest predictor of cost because it sets how many items the crew handles and how many hours the move takes. Two apartments with the same number of bedrooms can still differ widely: a household that has lived in one place for a decade usually owns more furniture than one that has lived there a year. For that reason, an in-person or video estimate based on your inventory is more reliable than a size average.

Walk-up buildings, basements and garages with stored items, and multi-floor rowhouses push a move toward the high end of its range.

Note: Duration includes loading, transit under 30 minutes, and unloading. For homes with three or more bedrooms, a fourth mover can lower the total by shortening the time spent carrying items between the house and the truck.

Long-Distance Moving Costs from Philadelphia

Interstate moves are priced by shipment weight and mileage instead of by the hour, so an estimate needs a room-by-room inventory or an in-home or video survey. Philadelphia long-distance moves average about $5,040. A one-bedroom apartment ranges from $555 for a move under 100 miles to $5,500 coast to coast, and a four- or five-bedroom home ranges from $1,755 to $13,300. Households above roughly 12,000 to 15,000 pounds can exceed the ranges in the table.

For moves that start in Northeast Philadelphia, see our page on movers in Northeast Philadelphia.

Note: Distances are approximate road miles. Because interstate quotes are based on weight, removing furniture you would replace anyway lowers the price directly. Ask each company whether its estimate is binding, not-to-exceed, or non-binding, and request the estimated weight so you can compare quotes on the same basis.

Philadelphia-Specific Factors That Affect Your Price

Each of the factors below adds billable hours, and in an hourly structure added hours raise the final cost directly. Experienced Philadelphia movers plan for them, and you should include them in your budget from the start.

Rowhouse stairs slow most Philadelphia moves, particularly in South Philadelphia, Fishtown, Northern Liberties, and Fairmount, where three-story townhomes with narrow staircases are common. Each flight adds 15 to 30 minutes. Three floors at the origin and three at the destination add one and a half to three hours compared with a ground-floor apartment with an elevator. Buildings with elevators often require reservations booked weeks ahead, strict time windows, and a certificate of insurance from the moving company.

Center City and Old City streets and buildings were laid out long before moving trucks. Trucks often stop in a travel lane because curb space is unavailable, long carries from the street to the unit entrance add unplanned time, and buildings routinely require an insurance certificate before any move begins.

Common Charges and Time Additions

Note: Labor figures use a three-person crew at $180 to $270 per hour. Securing a parking permit and finishing all packing before the crew arrives can remove up to two hours of billable time, which is $180 to $540 at that rate.

Parking Permits for Moving Trucks

Philadelphia requires a temporary no-parking permit to reserve street space for a moving truck. A truck parked without one can be ticketed, booted, or towed, and the crew’s hourly charge continues while you resolve it. The permit costs $50 per day for each 40 feet of space (about two parking spaces) in Center City and University City, and $25 per day in all other areas. The fee covers processing and is non-refundable.

The City of Philadelphia Streets Department processes permits in these steps:

1. Apply online at least four full business days before the move. The system rejects shorter notice. Submit one address per permit and one permit per address, so a move between two Philadelphia addresses needs two applications.
2. Wait for the invoice. The city processes applications in order of move date. An application filed more than a week ahead is generally answered about five business days before the move, with either an invoice or a request for more information.
3. Pay the invoice online and wait for the final permit to be issued.
4. Take the printed permit to your Police District Headquarters to receive the temporary “No Parking” signs, and post them at least 24 to 48 hours before the move.
5. If cars are still in your zone on moving day, contact the Police District and ask that the vehicles be ticketed. They may then be towed. Do not arrange a tow yourself.

When You Move Affects What You Pay

Moving companies price on demand. In Philadelphia, a summer Saturday at the end of the month is the most expensive combination, and a weekday in the middle of a winter month is the least expensive. The percentages below compare each period with summer rates.

Summer, from May through September, is peak season because families move before the school year, college leases turn over, and the weather is good. July and August have the highest rates, and weekend dates are often booked weeks ahead. Fall, from October through November, runs 15% to 25% below summer, with mild weather through mid-October and companies that are competing for bookings. Winter, from December through March, runs 30% to 40% below summer, and companies are more willing to negotiate than they are in July.

2026 Moving Price and Demand Calendar

Stacking the savings: a weekday, mid-month move from December through March can cost 35% to 45% less than the same move on a Saturday at the end of July. On a $1,500 move, that is $525 to $675.

Philadelphia Move Planning Checklist

Ways to Reduce Your Bill

Declutter first. Reducing your volume by 20% to 30% reduces labor hours by a similar share. Closets, storage areas, and basements usually hold items that can be donated, sold, or discarded, and each one removed is one fewer trip up and down rowhouse stairs.

Choose a weekday in mid-month, from December through March. This combines the lower seasonal rate, the lower weekday rate, and the lower mid-month rate, and can cost 35% to 45% less than a late-July Saturday.

Pack yourself. Professional packing adds $300 to $800 to a move. Self-packing only saves that amount if the packing is finished before the crew arrives, since waiting crews bill by the hour.

Compare at least three written quotes. Quotes for the same Philadelphia move often differ by $200 to $500, depending on each company’s overhead and current bookings.

Why Quotes for the Same Move Differ

Two carriers can quote the same inventory and the same addresses at different prices because their hourly rates, minimum hours, travel-time charges, and open dates differ. Comparing several quotes is the most direct way to see where your move falls in that range.

Coastal Moving Services is a broker. We collect your inventory and addresses, request quotes from licensed carriers, and arrange the move with the carrier you choose. We do not own the trucks, and the carrier sets the price. Brokers and carriers operate under different federal registrations, so it helps to know which one you are dealing with. You can look up our registration on FMCSA SAFER (US DOT #4090919, ICC MC #1558401).

Questions to ask any broker, including us:

• Which carrier will perform my move, and what is its USDOT number?
• Is the estimate binding, not-to-exceed, or non-binding?
• What deposit is required, and when is it due?
• Who handles a damage claim, the broker or the carrier?
• Does the rate include travel time, fuel, stairs, and long carries, or are they separate charges?

FAQ

How much do movers cost in Philadelphia?

Most Philadelphia local moves cost between $913 and $2,422, with an average near $1,625. Hourly rates are $120 to $180 for two movers, $180 to $270 for three, and $260 to $390 for four. The total depends on how many hours the move takes.

Do I need a parking permit for a moving truck in Philadelphia?

Yes. The permit costs $50 per day for each 40-foot space in Center City and University City and $25 per day in other areas. Apply online at least four full business days ahead, pick up the temporary no-parking signs at your Police District after the permit is issued, and post them 24 to 48 hours before the move.

When is the cheapest time to move in Philadelphia?

A weekday in the middle of the month from December through March, which can cost 35% to 45% less than a Saturday at the end of July. October and November combine rates 15% to 25% below summer with mild weather.

How much do long-distance moves from Philadelphia cost?

The average is about $5,040. Prices run from about $555 for a one-bedroom apartment under 100 miles to $13,300 for a four- or five-bedroom home moving coast to coast, and are based on weight and mileage instead of hourly rates.

What makes Philadelphia moves take longer?

Rowhouse stairs, narrow streets, limited curb space, and building rules such as elevator reservations. Depending on the address, these can add from 30 minutes to about three hours, and with hourly billing the added time is added cost.

What hidden costs should I watch for?

Travel time to and from the company’s facility, minimum charges of two to four hours even for short moves, long-carry fees of $75 to $150 when the truck cannot park near the door, specialty-item fees of $100 to $350 for pianos or safes, and packing services that the estimate does not clearly exclude.

Should I hire movers or rent a truck and move myself?

For a studio or a lightly furnished one-bedroom where you have help and can do the lifting, renting a truck saves money. For a two-bedroom or larger home with heavy furniture, several flights of stairs, or valuable items, professional movers usually justify the cost through speed and lower risk of injury and damage.

Is Coastal Moving Services a mover or a broker?

Coastal is a licensed moving broker. We arrange your move with a licensed carrier, and the carrier’s crew and truck perform it. Our registration is US DOT #4090919 and ICC MC #1558401.

How can I verify a broker or mover?

Look up the company’s USDOT number on FMCSA SAFER to see its registration and operating authority. For moves within Pennsylvania, the carrier should also hold a Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) license.

References

1. City of Philadelphia: Temporary No Parking for Moving Trucks & Containers
2. Angi: Moving Costs in Philadelphia, PA
3. ConsumerAffairs: Best Moving Companies in Philadelphia
4. Today’s Homeowner: Moving Cost Benchmarks and Accessibility Fees
5. Allied Van Lines: Long Distance Moving Cost Calculator
6. FMCSA SAFER: Coastal Moving Services company snapshot