($594+) St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA Movers
Moving from St. Petersburg, FL, to Lafayette, LA, runs anywhere from $599 for a DIY rental-truck move of a small home up to $7,460 for full-service movers handling a larger 4 - 5 bedroom household. The two cities sit about 790 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 $1,499, while larger 4 - 5 bedroom relocations can reach $7,460 or more.
- Moving containers run $1,118 - $3,719, and renting a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul is the cheapest route at $599 - $1,642.
- Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars) is our top recommendation for a move from St. Petersburg, FL, to Lafayette, LA. They're known for transparent pricing, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $2,049 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 St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA
There are 3 main ways to move from St. Petersburg to Lafayette: 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 $2,049 - $5,487. Moving containers run about 30% less than full-service for the same home size, while rental trucks come in around 60% less, though both put loading on your shoulders. Plan on 2 to 7 days for this 790-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 790-mile route from St. Petersburg to Lafayette, broken down by home size:
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Rental truck | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | $1,499 - $3,965 | $1,118 - $1,975 | $599 - $1,140 | $1,046 - $1,796 |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | $2,049 - $5,487 | $1,422 - $2,824 | $617 - $1,238 | $1,115 - $2,259 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $3,761 - $7,460 | $1,869 - $3,719 | $748 - $1,642 | $1,603 - $2,945 |
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 St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA
Full-service movers for the 790-mile relocation from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Lafayette, Louisiana, cost between $1,499 and $7,460. 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 $293 - $1,956, 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 St. Petersburg typically charge a base rate around $318 plus $185 per hour, per mover.
Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from St. Petersburg to Lafayette:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,499 - $3,965
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,049 - $5,487
- 4+ bedrooms: $3,761 - $7,460
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 St. Petersburg to Lafayette.
The following are real quotes requested by moveBuddha readers in the past 90 days for moves from Florida to Louisiana. Prices are based on 1,500+ monthly pricing data points collected across our network of vetted movers and updated monthly.
Pro tip: Demand for full-service movers surges during peak moving season from May - September, pushing prices higher. Shifting your move to a cooler month could save you a meaningful amount on your total bill.
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Specialty moving services from St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA
Specialty needs vary by market — 93% of St. Petersburg movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Lafayette, 75% of movers offer the same service.
| Service | When you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Full packing | Full crew packing98% of local movers | $489 - $4,890 |
| Storage in transit | New place not ready93% of local movers85% nationallyTop pick: Let's Get Moving, Inc. | $196 - $1,174/mo |
| Shuttle fee | Truck can't reach door | $293 - $2,347 |
| Full-value protection | More than $0.60/lb coverage31% of local movers | $300 - $600 (1% - 2% of value) |
| Small moves | Under ~2,000 lbs57% of local movers | $978 - $2,934 |
| Office / commercial | Workplace relocation | $2,445 - $9,780 |
| Car shipping | Second vehicle | $733 - $1,392 |
| Antiques & fine art | Fragile, high-value items50% of local movers46% nationallyTop pick: Let's Get Moving, Inc. | $978 - $2,445 |
| Piano | Any piano type74% of local movers71% nationallyTop pick: Let's Get Moving, Inc. | $782 - $3,423 |
| Pool table | Disassembly & re-leveling38% of local movers | $293 - $1,467 |
| Hot tub | Heavy, needs disconnect31% of local movers22% nationallyTop pick: Big Man's Moving Company, LLC | $636 - $1,956 |
| Wine collection | Climate-controlled transport | $293 - $14,670+ |
| Pet relocation | Ground, air, or concierge | $293 - $3,423+ |
What are the best full-service movers from St. Petersburg to Lafayette?
If you're vetting a mover on your own instead, membership in Louisiana Motor Transport 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 carriers are typically lower-priced than local moving companies in St. Petersburg, FL. At that distance, local movers often charge 30% - 40% more because they don't spread long-haul costs across multiple shipments the way national carriers do. If a direct route and faster delivery (averaging 2 days) are priorities, a local mover may be worth considering, but that service comes at a higher price.
Moving container costs from St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA
Moving containers from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Lafayette, Louisiana, cost between $1,118 and $3,719. 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 St. Petersburg costs roughly $100/month if you need it.
Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from St. Petersburg to Lafayette:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,118 - $1,975
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,422 - $2,824
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,869 - $3,719
What other costs come with moving containers?
- Storage: Small containers (7 - 8 feet) run about $73 per month after the initial period, while larger units (12 - 16 feet) cost around $147 per month.
- Access: Make sure your container company has a storage facility reasonably close to your new home in Lafayette, LA, if you need to retrieve anything while items are still in storage.
- Moving labor: Since you're responsible for loading the container yourself, many customers bring in hourly help. Based on moveBuddha data, hiring 2 movers for approximately 5 hours costs about $685 in St. Petersburg, FL. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
- Added contents protection: Full-value protection goes beyond the standard minimum and covers repair, replacement, or reimbursement at declared value. Pricing is typically 1% - 2% of your total shipment value, about $500 - $1,000 on a $50,000 move.
Every price below reflects an actual quote from a moveBuddha reader planning a Florida to Louisiana 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 $1,118. Underestimating and needing 1 - 2 additional containers can push your total to $1,422 - $2,824, so getting your count right upfront saves you from a costly surprise.
What are the best moving containers St. Petersburg to Lafayette?
- 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 St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg:
- Big Man's Moving Company, LLC (4.8/5), 9 years in business
- College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving (4.8/5), 9 years in business
- 2 College Brothers Moving and Storage (4.9/5), 11 years in business
Moving truck rental costs from St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA
Truck rentals from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Lafayette, Louisiana, range from $599 - $1,642 for the 790-mile drive. You handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself, plus these extra costs:
- Fuel for the drive: $246 - $281
- Daily insurance: $29/day
- Equipment rentals: $7 - $20
- St. Petersburg daily rental rate: $19 - $39
- Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.99
| 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 St. Petersburg to Lafayette based on home size:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $599 - $1,140
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $617 - $1,238
- 4+ bedrooms: $748 - $1,642
Pro tip: A rental truck from St. Petersburg to Lafayette looks affordable at first glance, with base rates of $599 - $1,642. But once you factor in fuel ($246 - $281) , overnight lodging ($147/night), meals, and equipment rentals, most people end up spending $600 - $1,200 more than the base rate suggests. Building that into your budget upfront saves you from sticker shock at the end of the move.
What other costs come with rental trucks?
- Lodging: Overnight accommodations on longer drives average around $147 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 $64 and $318 to your total.
- Additional insurance: Daily protection upgrades typically add about $30.
- Gas: Plan on spending $246 - $281 in fuel for the 790-mile move, depending on your truck's fuel type.
- Moving labor: Hiring a crew instead of doing the loading yourself typically costs around $685 in St. Petersburg, Florida, for a 2-person crew and 5 hours of labor.
What are the best moving truck rentals from St. Petersburg to Lafayette?
- 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 St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA
If you're moving a larger household from St. Petersburg, Florida, and want to stay in control of the loading process, freight trailers offer a practical middle ground between hiring movers and renting a truck yourself. A 28-foot trailer is delivered to your door, you load what you need, and the carrier handles the drive to Lafayette, Louisiana.
Freight trailers are priced by the linear feet your belongings take up, so you only pay for the space you use. Most moves on this route fall between $1,115 and $2,259.
Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from St. Petersburg to Lafayette:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,046 - $1,796
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,115 - $2,259
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,603 - $2,945
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?
- 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 $73 and $147.
- 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 St. Petersburg, Florida, for roughly five hours typically average $685.
What are the best freight companies from St. Petersburg to Lafayette?
- MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is best for large moves. Best known as a top moving container option thanks to its DIY hybrid model (you load, they drive), MovingYourself also doubles as a strong freight choice with their 53-foot trucks and pay-for-the-space-you-use pricing.
- U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack is the best value freight trailer on this list. In addition to their well-known container service, U-Pack offers freight trailers that follow the same pay-by-the-foot model with no deposits or upfront fees, making them one of the most flexible freight options for budget-conscious moves.
- Quality Carriers (4.42/5 stars): Quality Carriers is the best locally owned freight company on this list. Locally owned and operated facilities give you direct access to support staff who know the area and can coordinate pickups and deliveries with greater flexibility than national carriers.
Pro tip: Freight trailers move fast, making them one of the quickest ways to get your belongings from St. Petersburg to Lafayette. 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: St. Petersburg, FL vs Lafayette, LA
Good news for your budget: Lafayette isn't meaningfully more or less expensive to live in than St. Petersburg. Cost of living index runs 90 there against 103 here, and rent, income, and tax rates all fall in a comparable band. Focus your planning on the move itself rather than a change in monthly expenses. Walkability and safety scores land in a similar range too - 43/100 and 60.46/100 here versus 42/100 and 54.25/100 there.
Moving the reverse route? We've got you covered with our Lafayette, LA to St. Petersburg, FL guide.
Why moveBuddha makes finding a mover easier:
In the past 3 months we've processed 10 quotes from Florida to Louisiana, so our pricing data reflects what movers are actually charging right now. Check our moving cost calculator before you talk to movers, the best way to avoid low-ball or inflated estimates and bad actors. We track 229 movers in Florida, so you have real options to compare for this 790-mile move.
Our take
How you handle your interstate move from St. Petersburg, FL, to Lafayette, LA, 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 $1,499 - $7,460 on the 790-mile route and handle everything. Moving containers from PODS or U-Pack run $1,118 - $3,719 and put you in charge of loading. Rental trucks from Budget or U-Haul are the lowest-cost option at $599 - $1,642 with you handling everything. For full-service moves, Safeway Moving is our top pick, starting around $2,049 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 LHC Group and King-Patin.
FAQs: Moving from St. Petersburg, FL, to Lafayette, LA
What extra costs come with a truck rental on this route?
The base rate only covers the vehicle. Expect to add fuel ($246 - $281), daily insurance ($29/day), and equipment rentals ($7 - $20) on top. Overnight stops can add another $147/night for lodging if your drive spans more than a day.
How long does a move from St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA take?
Full-service movers and container companies typically complete this route in 5 - 7 days, since carriers consolidate shipments heading the same direction. Freight trailers are usually the fastest option outside of driving yourself, with deliveries in 3 - 5 days, though you'll need to be ready to receive your shipment on arrival. Driving a rental truck yourself puts the schedule entirely in your hands.
What is the best time of year to move from St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA?
Aim for a move between October and March, when demand drops and rates tend to be lower across all service types. Peak season runs mid-May through mid-September, and weekends and month-end dates are pricier regardless of season. Louisiana also has a hurricane season running June through November, worth factoring into your timing if you have flexibility. A midweek, mid-month date outside peak season is your best bet for saving money.
What are some tips for saving money on a move from St. Petersburg, FL to Lafayette, LA?
Cutting 500 pounds from your shipment, roughly one bedroom's worth of items, saves approximately $200 - $400 on a full-service move on this route. Beyond that, staying organized matters just as much. A solid moving checklist keeps you on schedule and helps you avoid costly last-minute mistakes.
Is Lafayette a safe place to live?
Lafayette has a safety index of 54.25 out of 100 and a crime index of 45.75, compared to 60.46 and 39.54 in St. Petersburg. Neither figure tells the whole story on its own, so it's worth digging into specific neighborhoods before you commit to an address.
What percentage of St. Petersburg movers handle specialty items like pianos or antiques?
About 74% of movers in St. Petersburg handle piano moves, and 50% handle antiques and fine art, compared to 71% and 46% nationally.
