($546+) Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL Movers

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Background image of a moving truck moving from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

Moving from Durham, NC, to St. Petersburg, FL, runs anywhere from $510 for a DIY rental-truck move of a small home up to $7,713 for full-service movers handling a larger 4 - 5 bedroom household. The two cities sit about 697 miles apart, and a move on this route usually takes 1 to 6 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 $1,505, while larger 4 - 5 bedroom relocations can reach $7,713 or more.
  • Moving containers run $1,116 - $3,318, and renting a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul is the cheapest route at $510 - $1,457.
  • Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars) is our top recommendation for a move from Durham, NC, to St. Petersburg, FL. They're known for transparent pricing, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $2,161 on this route. They also throw in 30 days of free storage and have 24/7 customer support.

Compare moving options from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

Moving options from Durham to St. Petersburg fall into 3 main service types: full-service movers, moving containers, and rental trucks. A 2-3 bedroom full-service move costs $2,161 - $5,694 on this route, with movers handling all labor and transportation. Moving containers come in around 30% less for the same home size, and rental trucks are around 60% less, though both require you to handle the loading. This 697-mile route typically takes 1 to 6 days door to door.

Here is how full-service movers, moving containers, rental trucks, and freight trailers compare on the 697-mile route from Durham to St. Petersburg, broken down by home size:

  • A studio or 1-bedroom move runs $1,505 - $4,152 with full-service movers, $1,116 - $1,846 with a container, $510 - $973 with a rental truck, or $927 - $1,767 by freight.
  • A 2 - 3 bedroom home costs $2,161 - $5,694 full-service, $1,308 - $2,584 by container, $561 - $1,133 by rental truck, or $1,069 - $2,110 by freight.
  • A larger 4+ bedroom household runs $3,852 - $7,713 full-service, $1,934 - $3,318 by container, $736 - $1,457 by rental truck, or $1,503 - $2,767 by freight.

Pricing reflects moveBuddha's monthly dataset of 1,500+ live quotes across our vetted mover network. Last updated September 16, 2026.

Professional
Safeway Moving
star star star star star 4.9 / 5
Read our full Safeway review
Best overall value
Portion to charity
Veteran-owned
Container
Unlimited storage
3 container sizes
10% discount
Rental Truck
Budget Truck Rental
star star star star star 4.3 / 5
Read our full Budget review
Affordable pricing
Online estimates
Several discounts
Freight
MovingYourself
star star star star star 4.5 / 5
Read our full MovingYourself review
Fast delivery
Nationwide
100+ miles moves

Full-service moving costs from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

A full-service interstate moving company handles everything on the 697-mile move from Durham, North Carolina, to St. Petersburg, Florida, with prices running from $1,505 - $7,713. Professional packing of all your boxes adds $302 - $2,012 if you want a fully hands-off experience. Shipment weight and the distance between Durham and St. Petersburg are the two biggest drivers of your final price. Locally, Durham movers tend to run around $240 as a base rate plus $122/hour per mover, for comparison.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Durham to St. Petersburg:

  • Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,505 - $4,152
  • 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,161 - $5,694
  • 4+ bedrooms: $3,852 - $7,713

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 Durham to St. Petersburg.

The following are real quotes requested by moveBuddha readers in the past 90 days for moves from North Carolina to Florida. Prices are based on 1,500+ monthly pricing data points collected across our network of vetted movers and updated monthly.

Pro tip: Peak moving season (May - September) limits truck availability and pushes up full-service moving costs. Booking during slower months can give you more scheduling room and a lower final price.

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Specialty moving services from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

Specialty needs vary by market — 86% of Durham movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In St. Petersburg, 93% of movers offer the same service.

Service When you need it Typical cost
Full packingFull crew packing100% of local movers$503 - $5,030
Storage in transitNew place not ready86% of local movers85% nationallyTop pick: TWO MEN AND A TRUCK$201 - $1,207/mo
Shuttle feeTruck can't reach door$302 - $2,414
Full-value protectionMore than $0.60/lb coverage18% of local movers$300 - $600 (1% - 2% of value)
Small movesUnder ~2,000 lbs57% of local movers$1,006 - $3,018
Office / commercialWorkplace relocation$2,515 - $10,060
Car shippingSecond vehicle$753 - $1,432
Antiques & fine artFragile, high-value items25% of local movers46% nationallyTop pick: Truckin' Movers Corporation$1,006 - $2,515
PianoAny piano type64% of local movers71% nationallyTop pick: TWO MEN AND A TRUCK$805 - $3,521
Pool tableDisassembly & re-leveling29% of local movers$302 - $1,509
Hot tubHeavy, needs disconnect21% of local movers22% nationallyTop pick: Athens Moving Experts$654 - $2,012
Wine collectionClimate-controlled transport$302 - $15,090+
Pet relocationGround, air, or concierge$302 - $3,521+

What are the best full-service movers from Durham to St. Petersburg?

Professional Movers Association of Florida membership is a quick way to confirm a mover is legitimate in Florida, on top of the picks below.

  1. Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars): Safeway Moving is the best overall value on this route. Flat-rate pricing means no surprise charges on moving day, and their support team is consistently rated among the most responsive in the industry.
  2. American Van Lines (4.9/5 stars): American Van Lines is the most experienced mover here, 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, with fragile-only packing, 24/7 shipment monitoring, and an optional full-value protection plan that covers damage, loss, and breakage.

Good to know: For moves over 500 miles, national full-service movers are almost always better priced than local movers in Durham, NC. Local companies typically run 30% - 40% more at longer distances because they aren't set up to consolidate shipments the way national carriers do. The one case where a local mover might be worth the premium is if you want a dedicated direct-route truck, which averages a 2-day delivery time, but expect to pay more for that convenience.

Moving container costs from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

Moving containers from Durham, North Carolina, to St. Petersburg, Florida, cost between $1,116 and $3,318. 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 Durham runs about $100/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Durham to St. Petersburg:

  • Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,116 - $1,846
  • 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,308 - $2,584
  • 4+ bedrooms: $1,934 - $3,318

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 $704 in Durham, NC. 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 $75 per month for a small 7- to 8-foot container and $151 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 St. Petersburg, FL, destination before booking.

Every price below reflects an actual quote from a moveBuddha reader planning a North Carolina to Florida 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 $1,116. Underestimating and needing 1 - 2 additional containers can push your total to $1,308 - $2,584, so getting your count right upfront saves you from a costly surprise.

What are the best moving containers Durham to St. Petersburg?

  1. Units Moving and Portable Storage (4.3/5 stars)
  2. U-Pack (5.0/5 stars)
  3. 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 Durham 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 Durham:

  • TWO MEN AND A TRUCK (4.7/5), 28 years in business
  • Truckin' Movers Corporation (4.9/5), 49 years in business
  • Bellhop Moving (4.1/5), 15 years in business

Moving truck rental costs from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

Plan on $510 - $1,457 for a rental moving truck on the 697-mile route from Durham, North Carolina, to St. Petersburg, Florida. The rental company provides nothing beyond the vehicle, so add:

  • Fuel for the drive: $223 - $255
  • Daily insurance: $30/day
  • Equipment rentals: $7 - $20
  • Durham daily rental rate: $19 - $39
  • Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.59 - $0.89
Home sizeTypical truck size
Studio / 1 bedroom10 - 12 ft
2 - 3 bedrooms15 - 17 ft
4+ bedrooms20 - 26 ft (typically requires diesel)

These are typical moving truck rental costs from Durham to St. Petersburg based on home size:

  • Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $510 - $973
  • 2 - 3 bedrooms: $561 - $1,133
  • 4+ bedrooms: $736 - $1,457

Pro tip: The base rate of $510 - $1,457 is just the starting point for a rental truck move from Durham to St. Petersburg. Fuel ($223 - $255) , lodging at around $151/night, meals, and equipment rentals are all on top of that. Factor in an extra $600 - $1,200 to get a realistic picture of what the move will actually cost.

What other costs come with rental trucks?

  • Moving labor: Rental trucks don't come with loaders. Hiring 2 movers in Durham, North Carolina, for roughly 5 hours usually costs about $704.
  • Gas: Fuel costs total $223 - $255 for the 697-mile drive, depending on whether your truck takes gas or diesel.
  • Equipment: Appliance dollies, auto transport trailers, and furniture pads are separate rentals. Expect to spend between $60 and $327, depending on what you need.
  • Additional insurance: Daily coverage upgrades typically add around $30.
  • Lodging: Budget around $151 per night for hotel stops on the 697-mile drive. With 2 - 3 overnight stops, total lodging typically costs $302 - $453.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Durham to St. Petersburg?

  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 Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL

For larger DIY moves from Durham, North Carolina, 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 St. Petersburg, Florida.

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 $1,069 and $2,110.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Durham to St. Petersburg:

  • Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $927 - $1,767
  • 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,069 - $2,110
  • 4+ bedrooms: $1,503 - $2,767

Pro tip: Freight trailers offer generous space but reward good packing strategy. The 4-foot ramp can be challenging for large or heavy pieces, and using the full 8-foot height takes careful stacking. Because you're billed by the linear foot, maximizing vertical space keeps your costs lower.

What other costs come with freight trailers?

  • Demand cycles: Trailer costs climb during peak moving season, especially from mid-May through mid-September when demand is at its highest.
  • More space: You're billed only for the linear feet you use, but underestimating your inventory means paying for extra space, typically around $75 - $151 more per foot.
  • Moving labor: Freight trailers don't include loading crews. Two movers in Durham, North Carolina, for about five hours typically runs $704.

What are the best freight companies from Durham to St. Petersburg?

  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. Darrell Andrews Trucking, Inc. (4.5/5 stars): Darrell Andrews Trucking, Inc. 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.

Pro tip: If speed matters on your move from Durham to St. Petersburg, freight trailers are one of the fastest interstate options available, second only to renting a truck and driving it yourself. The tradeoff is that freight works best when you're ready to receive your belongings on the other end. If your timeline is tight on the receiving side or you need a short storage buffer, a moving container might be a better fit.

Cost of living: Durham, NC vs St. Petersburg, FL

Good news for your budget: St. Petersburg isn't meaningfully more or less expensive to live in than Durham. Cost of living index runs 103 there against 99 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 - 30/100 and 45.28/100 here versus 43/100 and 60.46/100 there.

Moving the reverse route? We've got you covered with our St. Petersburg, FL to Durham, NC guide.

Why you should use moveBuddha to find a mover:

In the past 3 months, we've processed 10 real quotes from North Carolina to Florida, so our pricing data stays current. Use our moving cost calculator before you talk to movers to avoid low-ball or inflated estimates and spot bad actors early. We track 117 movers licensed in North Carolina, useful context for sizing up this 697-mile move.

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Our take

Full-service movers on the 697-mile route from Durham, NC, to St. Petersburg, FL, run $1,505 - $7,713 depending on home size. Moving containers from PODS or U-Pack are a middle-ground option at $1,116 - $3,318, and rental trucks from Budget or U-Haul start as low as $510 for the most budget-conscious movers. Safeway Moving is our top overall pick for full-service moves, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $2,161, 30 days of free storage, and a 24/7 support team you can actually reach.

Worth knowing beyond the move itself: Major employers in the area include Jabil and FADV Holdings.

FAQs: Moving from Durham, NC, to St. Petersburg, FL

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 3 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 Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL?

Costs on this route range from around $1,505 to $7,713, depending on your home size and which service you choose. Full-service movers typically fall between $1,505 and $7,713, 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 Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL?

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 $561 - $1,133. 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 ($223 - $255), daily insurance ($30/day), and equipment rentals ($7 - $20) on top. Overnight stops can add another $151/night for lodging if your drive spans more than a day.

How long does a move from Durham, NC to St. Petersburg, FL 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 percentage of Durham movers handle specialty items like pianos or antiques?

About 64% of movers in Durham handle piano moves, and 25% handle antiques and fine art, compared to 71% and 46% nationally.