($622+) Rochester, NY to Des Moines, IA Movers

Full-service moving costs from Rochester, NY to Des Moines, IA

For the 919-mile move from Rochester, New York, to Des Moines, Iowa, full-service movers cost between $1,749 and $7,326. A long-distance moving company takes care of loading, hauling, and unloading. For an added cost of $265 - $1,764 (1 - 5+ bedrooms), crews will pack your boxes. The weight of your shipment and the mileage between the two cities are what drive your final cost. For scale, local movers in Rochester generally start around $294 plus $216 per hour, per mover.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Rochester to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,749 - $4,415
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,176 - $5,292
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,896 - $7,326

Packing, storage, shuttle fees, and added coverage can stack on top of the base price. See the full add-ons and specialty services table below for what each runs from Rochester to Des Moines.

Specialty moving services from Rochester, NY to Des Moines, IA

Specialty needs vary by market — 100% of Rochester movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Des Moines, 58% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from Rochester to Des Moines?

Movers licensed to operate in Iowa are typically members of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, worth checking for before you book any of the three below.

1. Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars): Safeway Moving is the best overall value on this list. Flat-rate pricing, 24/7 customer support, and 30 days of free storage are included with every move.
2. American Van Lines (4.9/5 stars): American Van Lines is the most experienced mover on this list, with 30+ years in business since 1995. AVL is one of the few national carriers that uses full-time in-house crews instead of contracted labor.
3. Allied Van Lines (4.2/5 stars): Allied Van Lines is best for contents coverage, combining fragile-only packing, 24/7 shipment monitoring, and an optional full-value protection plan that covers damage, loss, and breakage.

Moving container costs from Rochester, NY to Des Moines, IA

Moving containers from Rochester, New York, to Des Moines, Iowa, cost between $1,140 and $3,919. The container gets dropped at your door and you load it at your own pace. U-Haul gives you 3 days to load and PODS gives you up to 30. Once you're done, the company handles all the transportation. If you need extra time, storage in Rochester runs about $100/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Rochester to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,140 - $2,045
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,480 - $2,960
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,052 - $3,919

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Storage: Small containers (7 - 8 feet) run about $66 per month after the initial period, while larger units (12 - 16 feet) cost around $132 per month.
• Access: Make sure your container company has a storage facility reasonably close to your new home in Des Moines, IA, if you need to retrieve anything while items are still in storage.
• Moving labor: Since you're responsible for loading the container yourself, many customers bring in hourly help. Based on moveBuddha data, hiring 2 movers for approximately 5 hours costs about $617 in Rochester, NY. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
• Added contents protection: Full-value protection goes beyond the standard minimum and covers repair, replacement, or reimbursement at declared value. Pricing is typically 1% - 2% of your total shipment value, about $500 - $1,000 on a $50,000 move.

What are the best moving containers Rochester to Des Moines?

1. Units Moving and Portable Storage (4.3/5 stars)
2. U-Pack (5.0/5 stars)
3. MovingYourself (5.0/5 stars)

Moving truck rental costs from Rochester, NY to Des Moines, IA

A rental truck is the cheapest way to cover the 919 miles from Rochester, New York, to Des Moines, Iowa, running $642 - $1,787. It's also the most hands-on option, and the base rate doesn't include:

• Fuel for the drive: $258 - $295
• Daily insurance: $26/day
• Equipment rentals: $6 - $18
• Rochester daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.99

These are typical moving truck rental costs from Rochester to Des Moines based on home size:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $642 - $1,189
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $728 - $1,385
• 4+ bedrooms: $887 - $1,787

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Moving labor: Rental trucks don't come with loaders. Hiring 2 movers in Rochester, New York, for roughly 5 hours usually costs about $617.
• Gas: Fuel costs total $258 - $295 for the 919-mile drive, depending on whether your truck takes gas or diesel.
• Equipment: Appliance dollies, auto transport trailers, and furniture pads are separate rentals. Expect to spend between $53 and $287, depending on what you need.
• Additional insurance: Daily coverage upgrades typically add around $30.
• Lodging: Budget around $132 per night for hotel stops on the 919-mile drive. With 2 - 3 overnight stops, total lodging typically costs $265 - $397.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Rochester to Des Moines?

1. Budget Truck Rental (4.3/5 stars)
2. Penske Truck Rental (4.0/5 stars)
3. U-Haul Truck Rental (4.2/5 stars)

The best truck rental companies for this route, based on moveBuddha's ratings.

Freight trailer costs from Rochester, NY to Des Moines, IA

Freight trailers are a solid option for larger DIY moves from Rochester, New York, to Des Moines, Iowa. Standard trailers run 28 feet long, and you're only charged for the portion you actually fill. The carrier drops the trailer off, you load it at your own pace, and they handle the drive to your new city.

Pricing is based entirely on the linear footage your shipment occupies, not the full trailer length. Most long-distance freight moves land somewhere between $794 and $2,272.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Rochester to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,078 - $2,015
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,172 - $2,272
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,545 - $3,073

What other costs come with freight trailers?

• Demand cycles: Trailer costs climb during peak moving season, especially from mid-May through mid-September when demand is at its highest.
• More space: You're billed only for the linear feet you use, but underestimating your inventory means paying for extra space, typically around $66 - $132 more per foot.
• Moving labor: Freight trailers don't include loading crews. Two movers in Rochester, New York, for about five hours typically runs $617.

What are the best freight companies from Rochester to Des Moines?

1. MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is our pick for best for large moves. The company is best known as a top moving container option for its hybrid model where you load and they drive, and that same model translates well to freight thanks to their 53-foot trucks and pay-by-the-foot pricing.
2. U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack offers the best value freight trailer on this route. Beyond their flagship container service, U-Pack also runs freight trailers with the same no-deposit, no-upfront-fee model, charging only for the linear footage you actually fill.
3. Stingray Transport, LLC (4.42/5 stars): Stingray Transport, LLC is our pick for best locally owned freight company. Their locally owned and operated facilities mean you work with support staff who know the route and the area, giving you more responsive scheduling than national-only carriers typically offer.

Cost of living: Rochester, NY vs Des Moines, IA

Good news for your budget: Des Moines isn't meaningfully more or less expensive to live in than Rochester. Cost of living index runs 87 there against 89 here, and rent, income, and tax rates all fall in a comparable band. Focus your planning on the move itself rather than a change in monthly expenses. Walkability and safety scores land in a similar range too - 61/100 and 36.66/100 here versus 45/100 and 57.8/100 there.