Is It Cheaper to Move Your Furniture or Buy New?
Here’s the bottom line: It’s usually cheaper to move your existing furniture than to buy new, especially on a local move, where moving a refrigerator can cost less than $50 compared to $1,000 or more to replace it. Long-distance moves complicate that math, since interstate movers charge by weight and mileage, so a heavy dresser or bedroom set can end up costing more to ship than it’s worth. This guide breaks down when it’s cheaper to move furniture or buy new, what drives the cost difference between local and long-distance moves, and how to estimate the decision item by item, using pricing from moveBuddha’s list of the best moving companies.
Jump to the furniture-vs-buy-new info you’re looking for:
- The cost difference between moving and replacing furniture
- Is it practical to move your furniture?
- Will your furniture fit and suit your new home?
- Does your furniture have personal value?
- What’s the dollar value of your furniture?
- What factors should you consider?
- How do you estimate the cost yourself?
- Is it worth paying movers instead of buying new?
- Pros and cons of moving furniture or buying new
- FAQ
While there’s no hard-and-fast rule, it’s usually less expensive to move furniture and appliances than to get rid of them and replace them later. Of course, it depends on a few factors:
- Shipping cost versus replacement cost: Compare what it costs to move each item against what it would cost to buy it new once you arrive.
- How you’re moving: Whether you’re hiring a professional moving company or using moving containers changes the math. moveBuddha scores movers across 72 performance data points from 25+ independent sources, so you’re comparing real vetting, not just a sales pitch.
Before any move, you need to do your homework: using all the tools available to you can save you time and money. Decide on a budget and see which moves meet your needs with a moving cost calculator. moveBuddha’s calculator draws on a monthly dataset of 1,000+ live price points and research on 4,500+ movers, so plugging in where you’re moving and how much you’re bringing gets you a much stronger benchmark than a single quote.
By getting quotes, you can compare different types of moving services and consider a hybrid move, which can save you money if you decide to move some items yourself and leave the specialty furniture to the pros. Now, let’s break down what it costs to move your furniture and whether selling or bringing everything with you is the better option.
Why moveBuddha?
- On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking.
- When you choose a moveBuddha Certified mover, you get $1,000 in added move coverage, plus dedicated support throughout your move.
- If something goes wrong, moveBuddha provides dispute mediation with Certified movers to help resolve the issue and protect your move.
The cost difference between moving and replacing furniture on local and long-distance moves
On local moves, it’s usually more cost-effective to move items than to get rid of them and replace them after settling into your new place. This is because labor and transportation on local moves are usually charged by the hour, and you can move even bulky items like recliners and refrigerators fairly quickly.
Below are a few examples to illustrate the cost differences:
| Item(s) | Average cost to move locally (as part of a full move) | Estimated replacement cost |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Less than $50 | $1,000 or more |
| Bedroom set | $100–$200 | Well over $1,000 when bought new |
| Hot tub | About $100 | Well over $1,000 when bought new |
Keep in mind that if you plan on renting a truck and doing the heavy lifting yourself, you’ll need your own moving blankets, sliders, and packing materials, and you may need to hire additional moving help.
On the other hand, the decision to move or replace items may not be so clear on long-distance moves, because interstate move charges are based on important factors like weight (or volume) and mileage. Below are a few examples to illustrate the cost differences on a long-distance move:
| Item(s) | Average cost to move to another state (as part of a full move) | Estimated replacement cost |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | $200–$500 | $1,000 or more |
| Bedroom set | $250–$1,000 | Well over $1,000 when bought new |
| Hot tub | $200–$300 | Well over $1,000 when bought new |
Of course, these figures are just estimates. Your actual moving and replacement costs will vary depending on how and when you move, and whether you’re considering buying new or pre-owned items. To help you make your final decision, ask each moving company to provide quotes that include and exclude the items in question.
Pro tip: Long-distance movers often quote by weight, so ask for a written estimate that separates line-haul costs from accessorial fees like fuel surcharges and shuttle service, then compare it against moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, which weighs distance, home size, move date, and service level together so your estimate reflects this specific move instead of a flat average.
Is it practical to move your furniture?
If your furniture has seen its best days, it may not be worth the cost and hassle to move. Old pieces of furniture are more likely to get damaged during the moving process, and you may have to buy new furniture quickly to replace broken items.
Decluttering and downsizing before a move can be therapeutic, and it can also save you money by eliminating things you no longer need, use, or want. If you plan on donating your old furniture, make sure the charity you choose can pick it up for free.
This goes for mattresses as well. Think about how old your mattress is and whether it’s worth packing up and moving with you.
Will your furniture fit and suit your new home?
Size and style matter as much as price. Measure doorways, hallways, and room dimensions in your new place before you commit to shipping oversized furniture, since a sectional or sofa that worked in one floor plan can easily overwhelm a smaller room or get stuck at the door.
Oversized and specialty pieces also cost more to move. Access fees for stair carries, elevator carries, and long carries add $75–$500 or more to a move when the truck can’t load directly at the property, and bulky items like large sectionals, safes, and big appliances can add another $150–$400 per item in extra labor and specialized equipment.
Pro tip: Walk through your new home’s floor plan, or ask your landlord or agent for room dimensions, before booking movers so you know which pieces will actually fit before you pay to ship them. See our moving checklist for what else to confirm before move day.
Bulky and oversized furniture can add $150 to $400 per item in extra labor, plus $75 to $500 or more in access fees if the truck can’t load directly at your building.
Does your furniture have personal value?
Sometimes a piece of furniture can have sentimental value. Perhaps an armchair was passed down through your family for generations. It’s okay to be soft-hearted about personal belongings: emotional value can outweigh the practicality of moving costs.
However, not all pieces of furniture in your home are family heirlooms. Take a hard look at each piece of furniture you possess. You’ll likely view most of your furniture from a practical perspective, with only one or two pieces having any real sentimental significance.
If you have a sentimental piece that’s too expensive to move or won’t fit in your new space, reach out to family or friends. Giving away a sentimental piece can give you the peace of mind of knowing it’s being cared for.
What’s the dollar value of your furniture?
If you have high-quality, expensive furniture that will last you a long time, it’s worth moving. But keep in mind that pricey furniture has to be appreciated: if you’re holding onto a designer couch just because it cost you a fortune, you probably won’t love it any better in your new home.
Think about what will make you happy in your new space, and compare that to what you can afford. Weighing the cost of the move against what you truly want in your new home is the best way to a decision you’ll be happy with.
What factors should you consider before moving or buying new furniture?
If you’re weighing the pros and cons of moving furniture or appliances versus buying new, ask yourself the following questions:
- Distance of your move: Whether you’re moving locally, out of state, or overseas changes how much it costs to ship each item.
- Storage needs: Replacing items may be cheaper than paying to store them long-term, so factor in whether your items will be stored or moved directly into your new residence.
- Who’s doing the moving: Hiring movers versus doing the move yourself changes both the cost and the physical effort involved.
- Current value: Know the monetary value of each item you’re considering replacing before you decide to part with it.
- Replacement cost: Price out what it would actually cost to replace each item new, not just what you assume it would cost.
- Your own physical capacity: Be honest about whether you’re capable of moving large pieces of furniture by yourself.
- Disassembly and access: If you’re moving heavy furniture yourself, check whether any pieces require disassembly and whether you’ll need to navigate stairs.
- Tax benefits: Donating gently used items may qualify you for a tax write-off, which can offset some of the cost of buying new.
- Pickup logistics: Confirm whether the donation center or charity will pick up your items for free before you count on that option.
How to make an old furniture vs. new furniture estimate
Assuming your furniture has no personal value, get the following estimates to see whether it’s cheaper to move your furniture or buy new:
- Create a shopping list of new furniture. Find out if there’s a furniture store in your new city or town that works with your budget, and make sure it offers delivery and assembly if necessary.
- Ask for two estimates if working with a professional mover. A moving service can give you one estimate with all of your old furniture included and one without it. Keep in mind that moving companies have a minimum weight price, so reducing the load may not make a difference, in which case moving your old furniture may make more sense financially than buying new.
moveBuddha’s Mover Marketplace can get you both estimates at once, since it collects competing quotes from vetted movers on a single request instead of you calling each company separately. Booking a moveBuddha Certified mover also gets you $1,000 in added move coverage and dispute mediation if something goes wrong, on top of whatever the estimate itself tells you. - Compare two truck sizes if you’re moving yourself. Look at estimates for two different size moving trucks, then compare those numbers with the cost of new furniture to see if it’s worth it. Factor in the physical labor required to move the old furniture, since your own time and effort matter too.
Is it worth paying movers instead of buying all new furniture?
In most cases, yes. Moving quotes may look steep next to a single piece of furniture, but replacing an entire home’s worth of furniture is almost always the more expensive option. New furniture also comes with its own delivery and assembly fees on top of the sticker price, costs that a moving quote for your existing pieces has already factored in.
Pros and cons of moving your furniture or buying new
- It has sentimental value
- It’s valuable, well-made, and in good condition
- It will fit in your new place and match the decor
- It costs more to replace than to move
- You’re renting a moving van or using moving containers and have excess space
- You’re physically able to move furniture yourself or are hiring someone to move it for you
- It’s going to be put on a moving truck and not shipped as part of a larger shipment
- It’s worn out or poorly made
- It has no sentimental value
- It won’t fit in your new place
- You can’t move the furniture yourself
- Money isn’t an issue
To make the most informed decision, start by using a moving cost calculator and look through real customer moving experiences from moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project to find practical moving advice.
FAQ
Is your move local or long-distance?
If you’re moving a short distance, you’ll save money by moving your furniture instead of buying new. Hire reputable furniture movers, or ask friends to help if you’re planning a DIY move. If your move is cross-country, consider getting rid of heavy, large items like dressers and armoires and buying new after you arrive, and pay attention to customer reviews when you hire a moving company for a cross-country move. See more tips for moving cross-country.
Will you require storage?
Storage isn’t free: long-distance movers typically charge about $0.50 per cubic foot per month for storage-in-transit, which works out to roughly $257 a month for a typical one-bedroom home’s worth of belongings (514 cubic feet). Weigh that ongoing cost against how you’ll transport items to and from the storage unit, since you may be able to avoid it entirely by downsizing and buying new furniture instead. Compare your options in our guide to storage units versus moving containers, and get quotes from the most reputable moving companies to see which approach costs less for your specific move.
Is it cheaper to move furniture yourself than pay a mover, or is it better to buy new?
Doing the move yourself, with a rental truck or a moving container, is usually the cheapest way to bring furniture along. DIY options like moving containers or rental trucks reduce moving costs by about 30% compared to full-service movers on average, so a self-move often costs less than replacing everything even when a full-service quote wouldn’t. Paying a full-service mover to haul a handful of low-value pieces long-distance is usually where buying new starts to make more financial sense.
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