Moving From California to New York: Movers, Costs, and Benefits

There’s tons of people moving out of California every day. It’s expensive, it’s crowded, and it’s filled with sociopathic LA types and aggressive homeless people. But is New York really that much better?

As it turns out, New York is still a pretty popular destination. It’s one of those places that never loses its sheen, no matter how gritty it gets. Heck, some New Yorkers even treat it as a badge of honor - and at the very least, they’re not stuck in traffic on the 110.

The downside? California and New York are about 2,800 miles apart. That’s a lot of ground to cover. But why DIY it when you can find the pros on iMoving?

iMoving is the only online platform that lets you shop, compare prices, and book long distance movers entirely online. No phone calls or house calls necessary - just tell us more about your move, and pick the best fit for the job.

If you’re still on the fence about the CA - NY route, read on to see what you can expect from your new home state… 

California to New York movers will cost you anywhere from $1,780 to $7,289. That’s a bigger window than you’ll get with your apartment, but for a good reason: Long distance movers charge based on the miles traveled, and the pounds (or cubic feet) of stuff they have to transport.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about the distance on this one. California and New York are about as far apart as you can get. You’re looking at 2,518 miles, minimum. The distance is going to dig into your savings, but the physical size of your move is a different story.

If you want to save big, you have to downsize. Get rid of all your unwanted items, either by regifting, selling, or just plain giving away. Less stuff means a lower price tag - but it doesn’t always mean less time on the road… 

A long distance move will take anywhere from 1 and 21 days, but since you’re looking at the California to New York route, it’ll be more like 7 to 21 days.

Under federal law, your movers can’t clock more than 400 miles of interstate travel per day, but if you’re moving a smaller amount of stuff, there may be other delays.

Moving companies don’t like to send half-empty trucks all over the country. That wasted space is wasted money. Instead, they’ll wait until they can bundle multiple small moves in the same trailer (while keeping everything separate and secure, of course). This is great for efficiency, but it means you’ll have to wait longer for pickups and dropoffs along the way.

$1,780 to $7,289 looks like a pretty big window, but there’s a lot of different factors behind the cost. Let’s take a look at some of the major expenses that stack up behind the final price of your move:

1. Distance

As we mentioned earlier, the distance of a move is one of - if not THE - most important factor when your movers are mathing out how much your move will cost. More miles means more money, so your California to New York movers won’t come cheap.

2. Volume

Right up there with the distance of your move, the volume of all your stuff really impacts the price. Your movers will assign a weight or volume value to all your boxes and furniture, and they’ll charge per pound or per cubic feet.

You can definitely lighten the load to save a few bucks, so get rid of that old couch if you don’t want it anymore.

3. Packing

You can DIY your packing, but let’s be honest: Do you really have the time, energy, and patience to deal with all that cardboard? Packing is one of the most time consuming and frustrating parts of a move, so it’s usually worth the extra couple hundred bucks if you pay your movers to deal with it instead. Plus, you may not qualify for full-value insurance if you DIY it.

4. Storage

You can’t be in two places at once, so it’s a bit of a challenge to figure out exactly how much space you have in your new place.

And even when you’re done with the long haul, it takes time to get everything situated. If you need more time, more square feet, or both, you can pay for a storage unit. Fortunately, some movers offer 30 days free.

5. Access Fees

If you’ve got an obstacle course between your front door and the street, your movers will charge you extra for those gates, elevators, staircases, and long hallways.

Make sure you communicate with your moving team ahead of time so there aren’t any surprise staircases (or surprise fees).

6. Shuttle Fees

Some cities are more restrictive than others. Most aren’t too happy about big rigs, so they don’t allow huge trucks to park on the street while movers load and unload everything.

Instead, your movers will have to park the main truck on the outskirts, and use a smaller box truck to ferry your belongings to and from the actual trailer. Thank your city council for the extra charge.

7. Insurance

It’s rare, but there’s always the chance of something getting broken, damaged, destroyed, or stolen - you’re moving from California to New York, after all.

Under federal law, movers are required to provide a minimum level of insurance coverage, but it’s just good for $0.60 per pound. If you want to be reimbursed full value, you’ll have to pay extra for full-value coverage.

8. Gratuity

You LA people may be rolling your eyes at this one, but don’t worry - no 30% nonsense here (unless you REALLY want to be nice).

In the moving industry, tips are accepted and expected. Unless your mover explicitly turns it down, plan to shell out about 15% - 20%, to be divided between your whole moving team.

California and New York seem like they’re cut from the same cloth - but that’s just at first glance. There’s tons of reasons people are moving out of the Golden State, and New York has plenty to offer:

• Familiar prices: Lots of people freak out when they see the price of rent, groceries, and pretty much everything else in New York. But if you’re able to afford living in one of California’s major cities, you’ll be able to handle (most of) New York no problem.

• Faster pace: California is known for its laid-back lifestyle. New York, not so much. Everything is go go go (unless you’re moving upstate someplace). It’s a lot more rush, but New Yorkers live for it.

• A different vibe: You tell a Californian you’re cold, and they’ll probably smile and tell you they’re sorry to hear it. You tell a New Yorker you’re cold, and they’ll probably tell you to shut up and stop whining - but there’s a chance they’ll actually lend you a coat, too.

• Easier to get around: The traffic in California is legendary. Whether you’re from the Bay or LA, odds are you spend more time sitting in gridlock than you do at your actual destination. New York’s way easier, as long as you don’t mind public transport.

• Actual seasons: Lots of people love that whole “sunny season, and slightly less sunny season” setup California has. But if you actually want four seasons (with all the snow and rain that entails), New York is the place.

California is a tough state to beat in terms of sheer activities. After all, not many states can brag about great surfing and great snowboarding all in the same day. But if you’re headed to the Empire State, you’ll still have plenty to do:

• The rest of the state: We just wanted to remind you that New York isn’t just New York City. There’s Albany, there’s Niagara Falls, there’s the Hamptons… the list goes on. We know you’re probably interested in the city, but there’s a whole state to see.

• All the tourist traps: My dad was born and raised in New York, and he didn’t visit the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty until the week he left. The locals take this stuff for granted, but you’ll want to see the famous spots at least once.

• Central Park: The green heart of the big city. It’s got a zoo. It’s got concerts. It’s got a forest. It’s got a lake - a few, in fact. Central Park is huge, and it’s one of those spots the locals enjoy just as much as the tourists.

• Metropolitan Museum of Art: This is a world class museum with tons of art, ranging from the old masters to the modern. There’s even a second location at Fort Tryon Park that’s loaded with even more historical artifacts and antiquities.

• Theater arts: Sure, California has the movie industry, but New York has Broadway and live shows (and they’ve got a pretty sizeable movie industry, too). Catch a show or two, and brag to all your friends about it.

You’ve made it to the end! Thanks for sticking with us. Now that you’ve seen our best moving companies from California to New York (and learned a bit more about what you can expect from the Empire State), it’s time to get serious about moving day.

If you’re ready to get packing, iMoving is here to help. With over 1000 moving specialists from here to NYC, we’ve got the experience and professional movers to help you get there. Tell us a bit more about your move, and shop for your California to New York movers today!