My Florida to Washington Move With PODS Cost Exactly What I Was Quoted
Fact Checked by: 
Pensacola, FL to Burien, WA
$3,200
Two rooms, about 30 boxes
$3,200
Matched my PODS quote
2,700 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared container quotes from PODS and U-Pack before I hired PODS for my Florida to Washington move.
- PODS charged exactly its $3,200 quote, but driving myself across the country added $890 in hotels and gas.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Clifford, who moved from Pensacola, Florida, to Burien, Washington, in October 2026 using PODS. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Florida to Washington
I left Seattle for Pensacola, Florida, and about a year later I knew it was a mistake. So I moved back, to Burien, Washington, just south of Seattle.
It was just me and about two rooms of furniture and boxes. I shipped my things in a PODS container and drove my car across the country with the essentials I’d need the day I arrived.
I compared container companies before I booked, which is the same comparison moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator does in one step, without the phone calls.
My PODS experience at a glance
PODS did what I needed at the price it promised. Timing was the weak spot on both ends.
- Pricing accuracy: PODS charged exactly its $3,200 quote, with no surprise fees. I gave it five out of five for that.
- Timeliness: The container drop came nearly five hours late, and delivery took 14 days when PODS had told me 10. I gave timeliness three out of five.
- Communication: PODS sent plenty of emails before the move, but the drop window kept shifting on moving day and I got almost no updates while my container was in transit. I’d have liked to be able to track it.
- Condition: Nothing was damaged or missing. My TV made it in one piece wrapped in styrofoam, a towel, and safety pins.
- Would I use PODS again? Yes, and I’d recommend it. It was inexpensive and reliable, apart from the timing, and doing the loading myself was a fair trade for the price.
in hotels and gas on top of my PODS bill
Find out what a move from Florida to Washington actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose PODS
I chose a container to save money and because I could handle the work myself. The PODS container was bigger than the U-Pack option, and PODS gave me a discount, so the choice took me about a day.
The main drawback was timing. PODS kept changing my drop window on moving day, then took four days longer to deliver than it said it would.
rating
- 30 days storage included
- Local and long distance moving options
- Unlimited loading/unloading time
- Store on property or at a facility
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my Florida to Washington move, including what PODS quoted and what I paid.
| Loaded | Oct. 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Delivered | Oct. 21, 2026 |
| Moved from | Pensacola, FL |
| Moved to | Burien, WA |
| Distance | 2,700 miles |
| Move size | Two rooms, about 30 boxes |
| Moving company | PODS |
| PODS quote | $3,200 |
| PODS final cost | $3,200 |
| Hotels & gas for my drive | $890 |
We found that when you use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, you can save 30% on moving costs compared to customers who go with the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
I narrowed my search to three container companies and got real numbers from two. U-Pack’s cheaper quote was for a container too small for my things, and two U-Pack containers would have cost $5,602.
| Company | What was quoted | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| U-Pack | One container (too small) | $3,081 |
| PODS | One container | $3,200 |
| U-Pack | Two containers | $5,602 |
| 1-800-PACK-RAT | No quote | Not a fit |
Pickup day
PODS gave me a three-hour drop window the evening before, then changed it twice more on moving day. The container finally arrived around 5:30 p.m., nearly five hours late. I had helpers ready at 2 p.m. with nothing to do.
The driver said heavy morning rain had backed up the schedule. We moved loading to the next morning, and my helpers and I filled the container in about an hour. I’d have liked to pick a preferred time of day, since my place is on a busy street.
PODS charged my credit card at each stage, and I paid my helpers in cash. I also bought the PODS protection package and my own lock, which I’d recommend.
Delivery day
PODS picked up my container on October 7 and delivered it to Burien on October 21. That was 14 days in transit, four more than PODS told me. I heard almost nothing while it was on the road.
The driver and I first misunderstood each other about which way the container door should face. Once he saw the spot, he figured out how to back in, and we were both happy with it. The container door was unusually hard to lift, but nothing inside was damaged or missing.
My own drive took six days. My directions sent me the wrong way on one leg, which added about three hours, and I lost my mobile service partway through. I’d bring a road atlas next time.
Final thoughts
PODS was the right call for me. The container was excellent and the price was much better than a full-service mover, and the quote never changed.
What kept it from five stars was timing: a late drop, a longer trip than PODS promised, and no way to track my container. Plan for that, and PODS is a solid way to move on a budget.
Get a head start on the entire moving process and compare multiple quotes quickly with moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator. According to moveBuddha, users who compare quotes save an average of 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My ratings
Here’s how I scored PODS from booking to delivery.
- Communication: 3 out of 5 stars. The emails before the move were frequent, but my drop window changed all day and I got almost no updates in transit.
- Timeliness: 3 out of 5 stars. The drop was nearly five hours late, and delivery took 14 days instead of 10.
- Quote accuracy: 5 out of 5 stars. PODS quoted $3,200 and charged $3,200.
- Overall: 4 out of 5 stars. The container and the price were great. The timing is what cost it a star.
More moving resources
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Clifford’s experience:
- Add a day or two on either end: Clifford’s container arrived four days later than PODS estimated. Build buffer into your lease dates, travel plans, and time off work.
- Buy your own lock: A lock you choose yourself means only you have the key while your container sits on the street and travels across the country.
- Book helpers with a flexible window: Container drop times can shift by hours. Ask your helpers whether they can wait or come back the next morning.
- Plan your own drive carefully: If you’re driving while your things ship, map your route ahead of time, keep a road atlas in the car, and budget for hotels, gas, and tolls.
Moving soon? We’ll pay you $500 to tell it like Clifford did.
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