($1,107+) Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA Movers

Full-service moving costs from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA

Full-service movers for the 1,795-mile relocation from Des Moines, Iowa, to San Francisco, California, cost between $2,362 and $10,821. 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 $451 - $3,004, 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 Des Moines typically charge a base rate around $737 plus $142 per hour, per mover.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Des Moines to San Francisco:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,362 - $5,617
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $3,219 - $7,878
• 4+ bedrooms: $5,958 - $10,821

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 Des Moines to San Francisco.

Specialty moving services from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA

Specialty needs vary by market — 58% of Des Moines movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In San Francisco, 87% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from Des Moines to San Francisco?

Movers licensed to operate in California are typically members of the California Moving & Storage Association, worth checking for before you book any of the three below.

1. Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars): Safeway Moving is the best overall value on this list. Flat-rate pricing, 24/7 customer support, and 30 days of free storage are included with every move.
2. American Van Lines (4.9/5 stars): American Van Lines is the most experienced mover on this list, with 30+ years in business since 1995. AVL is one of the few national carriers that uses full-time in-house crews instead of contracted labor.
3. Allied Van Lines (4.2/5 stars): Allied Van Lines is best for contents coverage, combining fragile-only packing, 24/7 shipment monitoring, and an optional full-value protection plan that covers damage, loss, and breakage.

Moving container costs from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA

Moving containers from Des Moines, Iowa, to San Francisco, California, cost between $1,538 and $5,464. You load everything on your own schedule (U-Haul gives you 3 days and PODS gives you 30). When you're ready, the company takes care of getting the container from point A to point B. Need more time than that? Extra storage in Des Moines typically runs around $60/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Des Moines to San Francisco:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,538 - $2,994
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,069 - $4,232
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,799 - $5,464

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 $1,051 in Des Moines, IA. 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 $113 per month for a small 7- to 8-foot container and $225 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 San Francisco, CA, destination before booking.

What are the best moving containers Des Moines to San Francisco?

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 Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA

Renting a moving truck for the 1,795-mile move from Des Moines, Iowa, to San Francisco, California, costs between $1,085 and $3,193, before these typical add-ons:

• Fuel for the drive: $858 - $980
• Daily insurance: $45/day
• Equipment rentals: $11 - $30
• Des Moines daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $1.19

These are typical moving truck rental costs from Des Moines to San Francisco based on home size:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,085 - $2,214
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,209 - $2,584
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,554 - $3,193

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Additional insurance: Supplemental coverage typically averages around $30 per day.
• Lodging: Budget around $225 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 Des Moines, Iowa, usually costs about $1,051 for 2 movers and 5 hours of labor.
• Gas: Fuel for the 1,795-mile drive falls between $858 and $980, 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 $75 and $451 to your total.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Des Moines to San Francisco?

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 Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA

Freight trailers are well suited for larger moves from Des Moines, Iowa, to San Francisco, California, when you want to do the loading yourself without having to drive a massive vehicle. The trailer is delivered, you pack it up, and the carrier handles the long haul.

What sets freight trailers apart is the pay-for-what-you-use pricing model. Each additional foot of trailer space you occupy adds to the cost. Overall pricing for a move of this size and distance typically lands around $1,688 and $3,253.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Des Moines to San Francisco:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,356 - $2,775
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,688 - $3,253
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,328 - $4,237

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 $113 and $225.
• 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 Des Moines, Iowa, for roughly five hours typically average $1,051.

What are the best freight companies from Des Moines to San Francisco?

1. MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is the best for large moves pick. While it's a top moving container option for the DIY hybrid setup (you handle the loading, they handle the driving), the same approach makes it a strong freight choice for 3 to 5+ bedroom homes that need 53 feet of trailer capacity with pay-as-you-go pricing.
2. U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack is the best value freight trailer here. In addition to their popular container service, U-Pack delivers a top-tier freight trailer option that uses the same pay-by-the-foot pricing model and skips deposits and upfront fees entirely.
3. Ruan Transportation Management Systems (4.5/5 stars): Ruan Transportation Management Systems is the best locally owned freight company on this list. Local ownership translates to accessible support staff and facilities based in the communities they serve, giving customers more direct communication than they'd typically get from a national-only freight network.

Cost of living: Des Moines, IA vs San Francisco, CA

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