($314+) Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL Movers
Moving from Knoxville, TN, to Birmingham, AL, runs anywhere from $304 for a DIY rental-truck move of a small home up to $6,540 for full-service movers handling a larger 4 - 5 bedroom household. The two cities sit about 256 miles apart, and a move on this route usually takes 1 to 4 days door to door. Use our moving cost calculator to compare estimates and options for your specific move.
- Full-service moves for smaller spaces (studio apartments and 1-bedrooms) start around $1,061, while larger 4 - 5 bedroom relocations can reach $6,540 or more.
- Moving containers run $836 - $2,796, and renting a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul is the cheapest route at $304 - $766.
- Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars) is our top recommendation for a move from Knoxville, TN, to Birmingham, AL. They're known for transparent pricing, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $1,681 on this route. They also throw in 30 days of free storage and have 24/7 customer support.
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Compare moving options from Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL
Moving options from Knoxville to Birmingham fall into 3 main service types: full-service movers, moving containers, and rental trucks. A 2-3 bedroom full-service move costs $1,681 - $4,775 on this route, with movers handling all labor and transportation. Moving containers come in around 30% less for the same home size, and rental trucks are around 60% less, though both require you to handle the loading. This 256-mile route typically takes 1 to 4 days door to door.
Here is how full-service movers, moving containers, rental trucks, and freight trailers compare on the 256-mile route from Knoxville to Birmingham, broken down by home size:
Home size makes the biggest difference in what you'll pay on this route. A studio or 1-bedroom runs $1,061 - $3,974 with full-service movers and considerably less with a container ($836 - $1,503), rental truck ($304 - $533), or freight trailer ($801 - $1,408). A 2 - 3 bedroom home moves that range up to $1,681 - $4,775 full-service, and a 4+ bedroom household tops out around $6,540.
Pricing reflects moveBuddha's monthly dataset of 1,500+ live quotes across our vetted mover network. Last updated September 16, 2026.
Full-service moving costs from Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL
Full-service movers for the 256-mile relocation from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama, cost between $1,061 and $6,540. With a long-distance moving company, loading, transportation, and unloading are all taken care of. If you want to skip packing boxes, too, that can be added for $270 - $1,800, depending on your home size. What you pay in the end is mainly a function of how much your shipment weighs and how far it's traveling. As a point of reference, local movers in Knoxville typically charge a base rate around $170 plus $113 per hour, per mover.
Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Knoxville to Birmingham:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,061 - $3,974
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,681 - $4,775
- 4+ bedrooms: $2,225 - $6,540
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 Knoxville to Birmingham.
The following are real quotes requested by moveBuddha readers in the past 90 days for moves from Tennessee to Alabama. Prices are based on 1,500+ monthly pricing data points collected across our network of vetted movers and updated monthly.
Pro tip: Avoiding peak moving season dates (May - September) is one of the easiest ways to reduce costs. Off-season moves typically come with lower pricing and more room to negotiate since movers have fewer bookings.
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Specialty moving services from Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL
Specialty needs vary by market — 67% of Knoxville movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Birmingham, 91% of movers offer the same service.
| Service | When you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Full packing | Full crew packing100% of local movers | $450 - $4,500 |
| Storage in transit | New place not ready67% of local movers85% nationallyTop pick: College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving | $180 - $1,080/mo |
| Shuttle fee | Truck can't reach door | $270 - $2,160 |
| Full-value protection | More than $0.60/lb coverage | $300 - $600 (1% - 2% of value) |
| Small moves | Under ~2,000 lbs67% of local movers | $900 - $2,700 |
| Office / commercial | Workplace relocation | $2,250 - $9,000 |
| Car shipping | Second vehicle | $674 - $1,281 |
| Antiques & fine art | Fragile, high-value items22% of local movers46% nationallyTop pick: All My Sons Moving & Storage | $900 - $2,250 |
| Piano | Any piano type67% of local movers71% nationallyTop pick: Gouffon Moving & Storage | $720 - $3,150 |
| Pool table | Disassembly & re-leveling | $270 - $1,350 |
| Hot tub | Heavy, needs disconnect22% nationallyTop pick: | $585 - $1,800 |
| Wine collection | Climate-controlled transport | $270 - $13,500+ |
| Pet relocation | Ground, air, or concierge | $270 - $3,150+ |
What are the best full-service movers from Knoxville to Birmingham?
All three below meet the standards set by the Alabama Trucking Association, the group most Alabama movers are affiliated with.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
How much do local movers cost in Knoxville, TN?
Based on recent quotes for this route, a 2-bedroom move from Knoxville to Birmingham with a local mover averages $1,748 - $4,966. A local mover in Knoxville, TN is worth considering for moves under 500 miles. Short-distance moves don't always need the scale of a national carrier, and local companies can offer streamlined service, more flexible pickup windows, and a more personal approach to coordination.
Be sure to confirm interstate licensing, insurance coverage, and delivery expectations before booking.
Gouffon Moving & Storage (4.64/5 stars) is a local mover in Knoxville, based on our analysis of feedback from 243 customers, 91.8% of which is positive.
Address: 1520 Amherst Road, Knoxville, TN, 37909 | Founded: 1887
Moving container costs from Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL
Moving containers from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama, cost between $836 and $2,796. 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 Knoxville runs about $60/month.
Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Knoxville to Birmingham:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $836 - $1,503
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,068 - $2,170
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,557 - $2,796
What other costs come with moving containers?
- Storage: Monthly rental charges begin after the first 30 days. Expect roughly $68 per month for smaller containers (7 - 8 feet) and around $135 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 $630 in Knoxville, TN, 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 Birmingham, AL, destination exists if you plan to access stored items.
Every price below reflects an actual quote from a moveBuddha reader planning a Tennessee to Alabama move in the past 90 days. Our pricing data is drawn from 1,500+ monthly data points across our vetted mover network and refreshed every month.
Pro tip: Before ordering moving containers, take a careful inventory of everything you're moving. A typical 1-bedroom home weighs around 3,000 pounds and fits in a single container starting at $836. Underestimating and needing 1 - 2 additional containers can push your total to $1,068 - $2,170, so getting your count right upfront saves you from a costly surprise.
What are the best moving containers Knoxville to Birmingham?
- Units Moving and Portable Storage (4.3/5 stars)
- U-Pack (5.0/5 stars)
- MovingYourself (5.0/5 stars)
Want a hand without paying for full service? A container or truck move does not mean doing all the heavy lifting yourself. You can hire a labor-only crew in Knoxville to load and unload while you handle the drive, then book full help later if you change your mind. Three top-rated local crews for labor-only help in Knoxville:
- College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving (4.7/5), 10 years in business
- Gouffon Moving & Storage (4.8/5), 139 years in business
- TWO MEN AND A TRUCK (4.4/5), 27 years in business
Moving truck rental costs from Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL
Renting a moving truck for the 256-mile move from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama, costs between $304 and $766, before these typical add-ons:
- Fuel for the drive: $73 - $84
- Daily insurance: $27/day
- Equipment rentals: $6 - $18
- Knoxville daily rental rate: $19 - $39
- Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.79
| Home size | Typical truck size |
|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | 10 - 12 ft |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | 15 - 17 ft |
| 4+ bedrooms | 20 - 26 ft (typically requires diesel) |
These are typical moving truck rental costs from Knoxville to Birmingham based on home size:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $304 - $533
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $310 - $670
- 4+ bedrooms: $384 - $766
Pro tip: Budget beyond the advertised rate of $304 - $766 when pricing out a rental truck from Knoxville to Birmingham. Fuel alone runs ($73 - $84) , and overnight lodging ($135/night), meals, and equipment rentals add up quickly. Most people spend an additional $600 - $1,200 beyond the base rate by the time the move is done.
What other costs come with rental trucks?
- Additional insurance: Supplemental coverage typically averages around $30 per day.
- Lodging: Budget around $135 per night if your drive requires an overnight stop. Typically, you'll make 1 - 3 overnight stops, depending on move distance.
- Moving labor: Bringing in professional loading help in Knoxville, Tennessee, usually costs about $630 for 2 movers and 5 hours of labor.
- Gas: Fuel for the 256-mile drive falls between $73 and $84, depending on whether your truck runs on gas or diesel.
- Equipment: Appliance dollies, moving pads, and vehicle trailers are easy to overlook but can add between $45 and $270 to your total.
What are the best moving truck rentals from Knoxville to Birmingham?
- Budget Truck Rental (4.3/5 stars)
- Penske Truck Rental (4.0/5 stars)
- 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 Knoxville, TN to Birmingham, AL
Freight trailers are a good fit for medium-to-large moves where you need more space than a container but don't want to drive a rental truck from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama. The trailer is delivered to your address, you load it, and the carrier takes it the rest of the way.
Unlike truck rentals with flat rates, freight trailers scale with your shipment. Every additional section of trailer space you fill increases your total. Most long-distance moves using this method run roughly between $891 and $1,617.
Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Knoxville to Birmingham:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $801 - $1,408
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $891 - $1,617
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,151 - $2,194
Pro tip: Freight trailers offer generous space but reward good packing strategy. The 4-foot ramp can be challenging for large or heavy pieces, and using the full 8-foot height takes careful stacking. Because you're billed by the linear foot, maximizing vertical space keeps your costs lower.
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 $68 - $135 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 Knoxville, Tennessee, typically costs $630.
What are the best freight companies from Knoxville to Birmingham?
- MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is best for large moves. Primarily known as a top moving container option for its DIY hybrid model where customers load and the company drives, MovingYourself also functions as a strong freight option thanks to its 53-foot trucks and pay-only-for-the-space-you-use pricing.
- U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack is the best value freight trailer on this list. Best known for its container service, U-Pack also runs a top-notch freight trailer operation with the same no-deposit, pay-by-the-foot approach that keeps overall costs lower than most freight competitors.
- Hittman Transport Services, Inc. (4.26/5 stars): Hittman Transport Services, Inc. is the best locally owned freight company on this list. Locally owned facilities and accessible live support staff make scheduling and route coordination easier on local-area routes than what most national freight providers can offer.
Pro tip: Freight trailers move fast, making them one of the quickest ways to get your belongings from Knoxville to Birmingham. If you have a hard move-in date and want your stuff there as soon as possible, freight is hard to beat. It's worth noting that freight works best when you're ready to receive your delivery, so if your move-in date is still up in the air or you'll need short-term storage, a moving container is likely the more practical choice.
Cost of living: Knoxville, TN vs Birmingham, AL
Day-to-day costs in Birmingham are close to what you're used to in Knoxville: cost of living index of 87 versus 92, with average rent of $1,250/mo compared to $1,795/mo. Housing, income, and taxes are all in a similar range, so budgeting for this move mostly comes down to the moving costs above rather than a shift in your monthly expenses. Walkability and safety scores are close too, at 31/100 and 57.46/100 in Knoxville versus 33/100 and 38.36/100 in Birmingham.
Moving the reverse route? We've got you covered with our Birmingham, AL to Knoxville, TN guide.
Why book your mover through moveBuddha:
moveBuddha has processed 10 real quotes from Tennessee to Alabama in the past 3 months alone, keeping our pricing data current. Run your numbers through our moving cost calculator before you talk to movers to avoid low-ball or inflated estimates and steer clear of bad actors. For context, we track 70 movers based in Tennessee, handy for sizing up options on this 256-mile route.
Our take
Full-service movers on the 256-mile route from Knoxville, TN, to Birmingham, AL, run $1,061 - $6,540 depending on home size. Moving containers from PODS or U-Pack are a middle-ground option at $836 - $2,796, and rental trucks from Budget or U-Haul start as low as $304 for the most budget-conscious movers. Safeway Moving is our top overall pick for full-service moves, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $1,681, 30 days of free storage, and a 24/7 support team you can actually reach.
Worth knowing beyond the move itself: Major employers in the area include Encompass Health and Regions Bank.
FAQs: Moving from Knoxville, TN, to Birmingham, AL
Is Birmingham a safe place to live?
Birmingham has a safety index of 38.36 out of 100 and a crime index of 61.64, compared to 57.46 and 42.54 in Knoxville. Neither figure tells the whole story on its own, so it's worth digging into specific neighborhoods before you commit to an address.
How walkable is Birmingham?
Birmingham has a walkability score of 33 out of 100 and a bike-friendliness score of 31, compared to 31 and 30 in Knoxville. If you're used to getting around on foot or by bike, this is worth factoring into which neighborhood you pick.
What are the best neighborhoods in Birmingham?
For families, Oxmoor, Crestwood South, and Redmont Park are worth a look in Birmingham. If you're moving solo or without kids, Central City, Five Points South, and Highland Park tend to be popular picks instead.
How do I know a mover is licensed in Alabama?
To guarantee the safety and reliability of local moving services in Alabama, it is essential for moving companies to possess a registration number issued by the Alabama Public Service Commission (APSC). Trust your move to registered professionals for a secure and dependable experience.
What do local movers charge in Knoxville?
Local movers based in Knoxville typically start around $170 as a base rate, plus $113/hour per mover. That's a useful baseline if you're hiring help just to load a rental truck or container rather than booking a full long-distance move. Rates in Birmingham run similarly and are worth checking if you need help unloading on the other end.
What percentage of Knoxville movers handle specialty items like pianos or antiques?
About 67% of movers in Knoxville handle piano moves, and 22% handle antiques and fine art, compared to 71% and 46% nationally.
