($636+) Denver, CO to Riverside, CA Movers
Moving from Denver, CO, to Riverside, CA, runs anywhere from $636 for a DIY rental-truck move of a small home up to $8,090 for full-service movers handling a larger 4+ bedroom household. The two cities sit about 982 miles apart, and a move on this route usually takes 2 to 7 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 $2,020, while larger 4+ bedroom relocations can reach $8,090 or more.
- Moving containers run $1,176 - $3,915, and renting a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul is the cheapest route at $636 - $1,870.
- Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars) is our top recommendation for a move from Denver, CO, to Riverside, CA. They're known for transparent pricing, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $2,497 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 Denver, CO to Riverside, CA
There are 3 main ways to move from Denver to Riverside: full-service movers, moving containers, and rental trucks. Full-service handles labor and transportation for you, with a 2-3 bedroom move on this route costing $2,497 - $6,443. Moving containers run about 42% less than full-service for the same home size, while rental trucks come in around 72% less, though both put loading on your shoulders. Plan on 2 to 7 days for this 982-mile route, depending on which option you go with.
Here is how full-service movers, moving containers, rental trucks, and freight trailers compare on the 982-mile route from Denver to Riverside, broken down by home size:
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Rental truck | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | $2,020 - $5,132 | $1,176 - $2,163 | $636 - $1,268 | $1,037 - $1,852 |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | $2,497 - $6,443 | $1,440 - $3,037 | $702 - $1,406 | $1,128 - $2,453 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $4,363 - $8,090 | $1,920 - $3,915 | $872 - $1,870 | $1,536 - $3,255 |
Pricing reflects moveBuddha's monthly dataset of 1,500+ live quotes across our vetted mover network. Last updated October 30, 2026.
Full-service moving costs from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA
Full-service movers for the 982-mile relocation from Denver, Colorado, to Riverside, California, cost between $2,020 and $8,090. 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 $388 - $2,584, 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 Denver typically charge a base rate around $262 plus $115 per hour, per mover.
Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Denver to Riverside:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,020 - $5,132
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,497 - $6,443
- 4+ bedrooms: $4,363 - $8,090
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 Denver to Riverside.
Pro tip: Moving company rates climb during peak moving season (May –-September) when demand peaks. Scheduling your move outside of that window can lead to noticeably lower costs and better availability.
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Specialty moving services from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA
Specialty needs vary by market: 48% of Denver movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 60% nationally. In Riverside, 53% of movers offer the same service.
| Service | When you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Full packing | Full crew packing70% of local movers | $646 - $6,460 |
| Storage in transit | New place not ready48% of local movers60% nationallyTop pick: Skyline Moving Company | $258 - $1,550/mo |
| Shuttle fee | Truck can't reach door | $388 - $3,101 |
| Full-value protection | More than $0.60/lb coverage15% of local movers | $300 - $600 (1% - 2% of value) |
| Small moves | Under ~2,000 lbs53% of local movers | $1,292 - $3,876 |
| Office / commercial | Workplace relocation | $3,230 - $12,920 |
| Car shipping | Second vehicle | $968 - $1,839 |
| Antiques & fine art | Fragile, high-value items19% of local movers26% nationallyTop pick: Moving Brothers LLC | $1,292 - $3,230 |
| Piano | Any piano type39% of local movers40% nationallyTop pick: Skyline Moving Company | $1,034 - $4,522 |
| Pool table | Disassembly & re-leveling10% of local movers | $388 - $1,938 |
| Hot tub | Heavy, needs disconnect8% of local movers9% nationallyTop pick: Klatt Moving & Storage LLC (CO) | $840 - $2,584 |
| Wine collection | Climate-controlled transport | $388 - $19,380+ |
| Pet relocation | Ground, air, or concierge | $388 - $4,522+ |
What are the best full-service movers from Denver to Riverside?
If you're vetting a mover on your own instead, membership in California Moving & Storage Association is a good first thing to confirm.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Good to know: For moves over 500 miles, national movers are consistently lower-priced than local companies in Denver, CO. Van lines spread long-haul costs across multiple shipments, while local movers tend to charge 30% - 40% more for the same distance. A direct route with a local mover averages 2-day delivery, but that added speed typically carries a higher price tag.
Moving container costs from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA
Moving containers from Denver, Colorado, to Riverside, California, cost between $1,176 and $3,915. 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 Riverside. If you go over that window, storage in Denver adds around $80/month.
Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Denver to Riverside:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,176 - $2,163
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,440 - $3,037
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,920 - $3,915
What other costs come with moving containers?
- Storage: Monthly rental charges begin after the first 30 days. Expect roughly $97 per month for smaller containers (7 - 8 feet) and around $194 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 $904 in Denver, CO, 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 Riverside, CA, destination exists if you plan to access stored items.
Every price below reflects an actual quote from a moveBuddha reader planning a Colorado to California 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 $1,176. Underestimating how much you have and needing an extra container means paying for another one, so getting your count right upfront saves you from a costly surprise. For reference, a 2 - 3 bedroom home typically runs $1,440 - $3,037.
What are the best moving containers Denver to Riverside?
- 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 Denver 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 Denver:
- Skyline Moving Company (4.9/5), 10 years in business
- Moving Brothers LLC (4.9/5), 13 years in business
- Moving Proz (4.8/5), 13 years in business
Moving truck rental costs from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA
Truck rentals from Denver, Colorado, to Riverside, California, range from $636 - $1,870 for the 982-mile drive. You handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself, plus these extra costs:
- Fuel for the drive: $404 - $461
- Daily insurance: $39/day
- Equipment rentals: $9 - $26
- Denver daily rental rate: $19 - $39
- Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.59 - $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 Denver to Riverside based on home size:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $636 - $1,268
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $702 - $1,406
- 4+ bedrooms: $872 - $1,870
Pro tip: Budget beyond the advertised rate of $636 - $1,870 when pricing out a rental truck from Denver to Riverside. Fuel alone runs $404 - $461, and overnight lodging ($194/night), meals, and equipment rentals add up quickly. Most people spend roughly $600 - $1,200 more on meals, equipment, and other extras beyond fuel and lodging by the time the move is done.
What other costs come with rental trucks?
- Lodging: Overnight accommodations on longer drives average around $194 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 $84 and $420 to your total.
- Additional insurance: Daily protection upgrades typically add about $30.
- Gas: Plan on spending $404 - $461 in fuel for the 982-mile move, depending on your truck's fuel type.
- Moving labor: Hiring a crew instead of doing the loading yourself typically costs around $904 in Denver, Colorado, for a 2-person crew and 5 hours of labor.
What are the best moving truck rentals from Denver to Riverside?
- 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 Denver, CO to Riverside, CA
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 Denver, Colorado, to Riverside, California. 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. A 2 - 3 bedroom long-distance move using this method runs roughly between $1,128 and $2,453.
Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Denver to Riverside:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,037 - $1,852
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,128 - $2,453
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,536 - $3,255
Pro tip: Loading a freight trailer is a bit different from filling a container. The 4-foot ramp can be steep with large items, and getting the most out of 8 feet of vertical clearance takes planning. Since pricing is based on linear feet used, every inch of wasted space has a cost.
What other costs come with freight trailers?
- Moving labor: Freight trailers don't include loading help. In Denver, Colorado, hiring 2 movers for about 5 hours typically costs $904.
- More space: You only pay for the trailer footage you use, but underestimating your load can add roughly $97 - $194 per additional foot to your total.
- Time of year: Rates tend to climb during peak moving season (mid-May through mid-September) when trailer demand is at its highest.
What are the best freight companies from Denver to Riverside?
- 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.
- 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.
Pro tip: Freight trailers are one of the fastest ways to move your belongings interstate, often beating full-service movers on delivery time. If getting your stuff to Riverside quickly is a priority, freight is worth a hard look. That said, freight carriers typically require you to be available to receive your shipment within a set window, so if you need short-term storage or your new place won't be ready right away, a container or full-service mover may give you more flexibility.
Cost of living: Denver, CO vs Riverside, CA
There's not a big cost-of-living gap between Denver and Riverside to plan around. Cost of living index: 128 vs. 131. Average rent: $1,900/mo vs. $2,295/mo. The bigger factor in your budget is the one-time cost of the move itself, covered above. Walkability: 95 vs. 43. Safety index: 52.16 vs. 59.76.
Moving the reverse route? We've got you covered with our Riverside, CA to Denver, CO guide.
Why book your mover through moveBuddha:
moveBuddha has processed 10 real quotes from Colorado to California 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 267 movers based in Colorado, handy for sizing up options on this 982-mile route.
Our take
How you handle your interstate move from Denver, CO, to Riverside, CA, comes down to your budget and how much time and work you're able to put into it. Hands-off relocations handled by full-service movers range from $2,020 - $8,090 on the 982-mile route and handle everything. Moving containers from PODS or U-Pack run $1,176 - $3,915 and put you in charge of loading. Rental trucks from Budget or U-Haul are the lowest-cost option at $636 - $1,870 with you handling everything. For full-service moves, Safeway Moving is our top pick, starting around $2,497 for a 2-bedroom move with 30 days of free storage and 24/7 live support.
Worth knowing beyond the move itself: Major employers in the area include Bourns and California Baptist University.
FAQs: Moving from Denver, CO, to Riverside, CA
What do local movers charge in Denver?
Local movers based in Denver typically start around $262 as a base rate, plus $115/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 Riverside run similarly and are worth checking if you need help unloading on the other end.
What size moving truck do I need for this route?
Rental trucks generally range from 10 to 26 feet. A 15- to 17-foot truck covers most 2-bedroom moves, while a smaller 10- to 12-foot truck works for a studio or 1-bedroom. Homes with 4 or more bedrooms usually need a 20- to 26-foot truck, and anything that size typically runs on diesel rather than gas.
How much does it cost to move from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA?
Costs on this route range from around $636 to $8,090, depending on your home size and which service you choose. Full-service movers typically fall between $2,020 and $8,090, while DIY options like rental trucks and containers come in lower. Moving during peak season (May - September) tends to push prices higher across the board.
What is the cheapest way to move from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA?
Renting a moving truck is almost always the most affordable option, since you handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself. A 2-bedroom rental truck move on this route averages $702 - $1,406. See our cheapest truck rental recommendations for the lowest available rates on your DIY move.
What extra costs come with a truck rental on this route?
The base rate only covers the vehicle. Expect to add fuel ($404 - $461), daily insurance ($39/day), and equipment rentals ($9 - $26) on top. Overnight stops can add another $194/night for lodging if your drive spans more than a day.
What percentage of Denver movers handle specialty items like pianos or antiques?
About 39% of movers in Denver handle piano moves, and 19% handle antiques and fine art, compared to 40% and 26% nationally.