($437+) Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA Movers

Full-service moving costs from Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA

Full-service movers for the 557-mile relocation from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Des Moines, Iowa, cost between $1,419 and $8,673. 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 $295 - $1,968, 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 Ann Arbor typically charge a base rate around $304 plus $100 per hour, per mover.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,419 - $4,129
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,166 - $5,544
• 4+ bedrooms: $4,221 - $8,673

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 Ann Arbor to Des Moines.

Specialty moving services from Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA

Specialty needs vary by market — 88% of Ann Arbor movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Des Moines, 58% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from Ann Arbor to Des Moines?

All three below meet the standards set by the Iowa Motor Truck Association, the group most Iowa movers are affiliated with.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Moving container costs from Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA

Moving containers from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Des Moines, Iowa, cost between $965 and $3,158. 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 Ann Arbor typically runs around $75/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Ann Arbor to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $965 - $1,791
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,289 - $2,526
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,823 - $3,158

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Storage: Monthly rental charges begin after the first 30 days. Expect roughly $74 per month for smaller containers (7 - 8 feet) and around $148 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 $689 in Ann Arbor, MI, 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 Des Moines, IA, destination exists if you plan to access stored items.

What are the best moving containers Ann Arbor to Des Moines?

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 Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA

Truck rentals from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Des Moines, Iowa, range from $437 - $1,176 for the 557-mile drive. You handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself, plus these extra costs:

• Fuel for the drive: $174 - $199
• Daily insurance: $30/day
• Equipment rentals: $7 - $20
• Ann Arbor daily rental rate: $19 - $29
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.99

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $437 - $881
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $476 - $1,046
• 4+ bedrooms: $606 - $1,176

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Additional insurance: Supplemental coverage typically averages around $30 per day.
• Lodging: Budget around $148 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 Ann Arbor, Michigan, usually costs about $689 for 2 movers and 5 hours of labor.
• Gas: Fuel for the 557-mile drive falls between $174 and $199, 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 $49 and $295 to your total.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Ann Arbor to Des Moines?

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 Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA

For larger DIY moves from Ann Arbor, Michigan, freight trailers give you plenty of room without putting you behind the wheel. Standard trailers are 28 feet long. You load the section you need, and the carrier transports everything to Des Moines, Iowa.

Because freight companies bill by linear footage, your total is based on how much of the trailer you occupy, not the full length. For most medium-to-large moves on this route, pricing typically falls between $1,032 and $2,061.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $878 - $1,645
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,032 - $2,061
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,390 - $2,631

What other costs come with freight trailers?

• Moving labor: Freight trailers don't include loading help. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, hiring 2 movers for about 5 hours typically costs $689.
• More space: You only pay for the trailer footage you use, but underestimating your load can add roughly $74 - $148 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 Ann Arbor to Des Moines?

1. MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is our pick for best for large moves. The company is best known as a top moving container option for its hybrid model where you load and they drive, and that same model translates well to freight thanks to their 53-foot trucks and pay-by-the-foot pricing.
2. U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack offers the best value freight trailer on this route. Beyond their flagship container service, U-Pack also runs freight trailers with the same no-deposit, no-upfront-fee model, charging only for the linear footage you actually fill.
3. XPO Logistics Freight, Inc. (4.66/5 stars): XPO Logistics Freight, Inc. is our pick for best locally owned freight company. Their locally owned and operated facilities mean you work with support staff who know the route and the area, giving you more responsive scheduling than national-only carriers typically offer.

Cost of living: Ann Arbor, MI vs Des Moines, IA

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