($1,315+) San Diego, CA to Chicago, IL Movers

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

Full-service movers for the 2,081-mile relocation from San Diego, California, to Chicago, Illinois, cost between $1,312 and $11,501. 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 $406 - $2,708, 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 San Diego typically charge a base rate around $226 plus $200 per hour, per mover.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,312 - $5,441
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $3,532 - $8,094
• 4+ bedrooms: $7,095 - $11,501

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 San Diego to Chicago.

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

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

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

If you're vetting a mover on your own instead, membership in Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association is a good first thing to confirm.

1. Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars): Safeway Moving offers the best overall value on this route. Flat-rate pricing locks in your cost upfront, and 24/7 customer support is available throughout the move.
2. American Van Lines (4.9/5 stars): American Van Lines is the most experienced mover on this list. Operating since 1995, AVL staffs every move with full-time in-house crews trained on antiques, art, and other high-value items.
3. Allied Van Lines (4.2/5 stars): Allied Van Lines is best for contents coverage. As one of the largest van line networks in North America, Allied offers fragile-only packing, real-time shipment tracking, and an optional full-value protection plan.

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

Moving containers from San Diego, California, to Chicago, Illinois, cost between $1,756 and $6,081. 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 San Diego runs about $100/month.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,756 - $3,373
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,294 - $4,548
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,055 - $6,081

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 $948 in San Diego, CA. 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 $102 per month for a small 7- to 8-foot container and $203 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 Chicago, IL, destination before booking.

What are the best moving containers San Diego to Chicago?

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 San Diego, CA to Chicago, IL

Plan on $1,290 - $3,345 for a rental moving truck on the 2,081-mile route from San Diego, California, to Chicago, Illinois. The rental company provides nothing beyond the vehicle, so add:

• Fuel for the drive: $897 - $1,025
• Daily insurance: $41/day
• Equipment rentals: $9 - $27
• San Diego daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.79 - $1.09

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,290 - $2,367
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,396 - $2,960
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,795 - $3,345

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Additional insurance: Supplemental coverage typically averages around $30 per day.
• Lodging: Budget around $203 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 San Diego, California, usually costs about $948 for 2 movers and 5 hours of labor.
• Gas: Fuel for the 2,081-mile drive falls between $897 and $1,025, 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 $68 and $406 to your total.

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

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 San Diego, CA to Chicago, IL

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 San Diego, California, to Chicago, Illinois. 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 $1,677 and $3,492.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,519 - $2,919
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,677 - $3,492
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,420 - $5,161

What other costs come with freight trailers?

• More space: Freight pricing is based on exactly how much of the trailer you fill. If your items take up more than expected, the added footage can increase your cost by between $102 and $203.
• Peak season impact: Moving during peak season (mid-May to mid-September) often means higher trailer rates as demand increases across the board.
• Moving labor: Unless you plan to load everything yourself, factor in labor costs. Two movers in San Diego, California, for roughly five hours typically average $948.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Fast Transportation (4.34/5 stars): Fast Transportation 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.

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

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