($1,576+) Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA Movers

Full-service moving costs from Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA

For the 2,710-mile move from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Los Angeles, California, full-service movers cost between $2,429 and $12,058. A long-distance moving company takes care of loading, hauling, and unloading. For an added cost of $382 - $2,544 (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 Philadelphia generally start around $282 plus $130 per hour, per mover.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Philadelphia to Los Angeles:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,429 - $5,720
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $3,895 - $7,547
• 4+ bedrooms: $7,547 - $12,058

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 Philadelphia to Los Angeles.

Specialty moving services from Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA

Specialty needs vary by market — 90% of Philadelphia movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Los Angeles, 88% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from Philadelphia to Los Angeles?

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 Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA

Moving containers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Los Angeles, California, cost between $1,967 and $7,692. You're in charge of loading, and the timeline is yours to set. U-Haul allows 3 days while PODS gives you a full 30. After that, the company picks it up and delivers it to your new address. Running behind schedule? Storage in Philadelphia costs roughly $80/month if you need it.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Philadelphia to Los Angeles:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,967 - $3,785
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,705 - $5,268
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,588 - $7,692

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Storage: Monthly rental charges begin after the first 30 days. Expect roughly $95 per month for smaller containers (7 - 8 feet) and around $191 per month for larger units (12 - 16 feet).
• Moving labor: Containers don't come with loading help, so many customers hire hourly movers for the job. Two movers for about 5 hours will run you around $890 in Philadelphia, PA, per moveBuddha data. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
• Added contents protection: Standard coverage only reimburses by weight. Full-value protection gives you more complete coverage for higher-value items and typically costs 1% - 2% of your total declared value, around $500 - $1,000 on a $50,000 shipment.
• Access: National providers generally operate in both cities, but verify that a facility near your Los Angeles, CA, destination exists if you plan to access stored items.

What are the best moving containers Philadelphia to Los Angeles?

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 Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA

Truck rentals from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Los Angeles, California, range from $1,497 - $4,373 for the 2,710-mile drive. You handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself, plus these extra costs:

• Fuel for the drive: $1,097 - $1,253
• Daily insurance: $38/day
• Equipment rentals: $9 - $25
• Philadelphia daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.89 - $0.99

These are typical moving truck rental costs from Philadelphia to Los Angeles based on home size:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,497 - $3,023
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,758 - $3,600
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,157 - $4,373

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Moving labor: Rental trucks don't come with loaders. Hiring 2 movers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for roughly 5 hours usually costs about $890.
• Gas: Fuel costs total $1,097 - $1,253 for the 2,710-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 $76 and $413, depending on what you need.
• Additional insurance: Daily coverage upgrades typically add around $30.
• Lodging: Budget around $191 per night for hotel stops on the 2,710-mile drive. With 2 - 3 overnight stops, total lodging typically costs $382 - $572.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Philadelphia to Los Angeles?

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 Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA

For larger DIY moves from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 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 Los Angeles, 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 $2,102 and $4,172.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Philadelphia to Los Angeles:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,806 - $3,475
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,102 - $4,172
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,813 - $6,095

What other costs come with freight trailers?

• Seasonal demand: Pricing tends to rise during peak moving season, particularly between mid-May and mid-September.
• Moving labor: Most customers hire loading help since freight is self-loaded. Two movers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for roughly 5 hours typically costs $890.
• More space: Freight companies bill by linear footage. If your belongings take up more room than anticipated, the extra space adds between $95 and $191 per foot.

What are the best freight companies from Philadelphia to Los Angeles?

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. Pipco Transportation, Inc. (4.66/5 stars): Pipco Transportation, Inc. 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: Philadelphia, PA vs Los Angeles, CA

The price of the move is only part of the picture. Here is how everyday costs compare once you are settled in Los Angeles, side by side with Philadelphia 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.