($1,202+) Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA Movers

Full-service moving costs from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA

Hiring full-service movers from Chicago, Illinois, to San Diego, California, costs between $2,409 and $11,614. A full-service interstate moving company handles loading, transportation, and unloading across the 2,076-mile route, with optional professional packing available for an additional $377 - $2,512, depending on the size of your home. Your final cost comes down to two things: the total weight of your shipment and the distance between Chicago and San Diego. For a rough baseline, movers based in Chicago tend to start around $220 plus $100/hour per mover on local jobs, before long-distance pricing takes over for a move this size.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Chicago to San Diego:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,409 - $5,336
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $3,497 - $7,478
• 4+ bedrooms: $6,622 - $11,614

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 Chicago to San Diego.

Specialty moving services from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA

Specialty needs vary by market — 93% of Chicago movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In San Diego, 100% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from Chicago to San Diego?

All three below meet the standards set by the California Moving & Storage Association, the group most California movers are affiliated with.

1. Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars): Safeway Moving is the best overall value on this list, with flat-rate pricing that holds firm on moving day and a customer support team available around the clock.
2. American Van Lines (4.9/5 stars): American Van Lines is the most experienced mover here. With 30+ years of interstate moves behind them, AVL uses full-time in-house crews instead of the contracted labor most national carriers rely on.
3. Allied Van Lines (4.2/5 stars): Allied Van Lines is best for contents coverage, with fragile-only packing, 24/7 shipment tracking, and an optional full-value protection plan available on every long-distance move.

Moving container costs from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA

Moving containers from Chicago, Illinois, to San Diego, California, cost between $1,688 and $6,142. A container is delivered to your home and you load it on your own time. Loading windows vary by company: U-Haul gives you 3 days and PODS gives you 30. From there, the company takes over and transports it to San Diego. If you go over that window, storage in Chicago adds around $100/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Chicago to San Diego:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,688 - $3,373
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,250 - $4,457
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,115 - $6,142

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Moving labor: Containers are self-loaded, so many people hire hourly help for the heavy lifting. moveBuddha data shows two movers for about five hours runs around $879 in Chicago, IL. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
• Added contents protection: If you want stronger coverage than the default liability, full-value protection is the upgrade to consider. Most providers charge 1% - 2% of your shipment value, roughly $500 - $1,000 for $50,000 in contents.
• Storage: After the first month, rental fees average $94 per month for a small 7- to 8-foot container and $188 per month for a larger 12- to 16-foot unit.
• Access: If you anticipate needing to access items while in storage, confirm there's a facility conveniently located near your San Diego, CA, destination before booking.

What are the best moving containers Chicago to San Diego?

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 Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA

Renting a moving truck for the 2,076-mile move from Chicago, Illinois, to San Diego, California, costs between $1,227 and $3,591, before these typical add-ons:

• Fuel for the drive: $830 - $948
• Daily insurance: $38/day
• Equipment rentals: $9 - $25
• Chicago daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.79

These are typical moving truck rental costs from Chicago to San Diego based on home size:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,227 - $2,416
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,342 - $2,788
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,659 - $3,591

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Lodging: Overnight accommodations on longer drives average around $188 per night. Most long-distance moves with rental trucks require 1 - 3 overnight stops.
• Equipment: Tow dollies, auto trailers, and specialty moving equipment can add between $82 and $408 to your total.
• Additional insurance: Daily protection upgrades typically add about $30.
• Gas: Plan on spending $830 - $948 in fuel for the 2,076-mile move, depending on your truck's fuel type.
• Moving labor: Hiring a crew instead of doing the loading yourself typically costs around $879 in Chicago, Illinois, for a 2-person crew and 5 hours of labor.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Chicago to San Diego?

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 Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA

For larger DIY moves from Chicago, Illinois, freight trailers give you plenty of room without putting you behind the wheel. Standard trailers are 28 feet long. You load the section you need, and the carrier transports everything to San Diego, California.

Because freight companies bill by linear footage, your total is based on how much of the trailer you occupy, not the full length. For most medium-to-large moves on this route, pricing typically falls between $1,801 and $3,456.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Chicago to San Diego:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,611 - $2,773
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,801 - $3,456
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,517 - $5,013

What other costs come with freight trailers?

• More space: Freight trailers are billed by the section you fill. If you misjudge your shipment size, each extra foot of trailer space adds around $94 - $188 to your final bill.
• Peak season pricing: Expect higher rates during peak season (mid-May to mid-September) when trailer availability tightens across the country.
• Moving labor: Loading is on you unless you hire outside help. A half-day crew of two movers in Chicago, Illinois, typically costs $879.

What are the best freight companies from Chicago to San Diego?

1. MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is the pick for best for large moves. The company is well-regarded as a top moving container option for its load-it-yourself, we-drive-it model, and that same model makes it a strong freight option for larger homes that benefit from the company's 53-foot trucks and footage-based pricing.
2. U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack offers the best value freight trailer on this route. Alongside their flagship container service, U-Pack provides a top-notch freight trailer option that follows the same model: no deposits, no upfront fees, and pricing based on the linear footage you actually use.
3. Keller Trucking Co, Inc. (4.54/5 stars): Keller Trucking Co, Inc. is the best locally owned freight company on this list. Locally owned and based facilities mean accessible support staff and area-specific scheduling flexibility that national-only freight carriers typically don't match.

Cost of living: Chicago, IL vs San Diego, CA

The price of the move is only part of the picture. Here is how everyday costs compare once you are settled in San Diego, side by side with Chicago on housing, income, and taxes.

Cost of living index is relative to the U.S. average of 100. Figures reflect the latest available city and state data.