($565+) New York City, NY to Chicago, IL Movers

Full-service moving costs from NYC to Chicago, IL

Hiring full-service movers from NYC, New York, to Chicago, Illinois, costs between $1,562 and $7,679. A full-service interstate moving company handles loading, transportation, and unloading across the 790-mile route, with optional professional packing available for an additional $437 - $2,912, depending on the size of your home. Your final cost comes down to two things: the total weight of your shipment and the distance between NYC and Chicago. For a rough baseline, movers based in NYC tend to start around $239 plus $110/hour per mover on local jobs, before long-distance pricing takes over for a move this size.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from NYC to Chicago:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,562 - $4,249
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,028 - $5,382
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,797 - $7,679

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 NYC to Chicago.

Specialty moving services from NYC to Chicago, IL

Specialty needs vary by market — 93% of New York City movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Chicago, 93% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from NYC to Chicago?

Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association membership is a quick way to confirm a mover is legitimate in Illinois, 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.

Moving container costs from NYC to Chicago, IL

Moving containers from NYC, New York, to Chicago, Illinois, cost between $1,118 and $3,866. 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 NYC runs about $190/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from NYC to Chicago:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,118 - $1,955
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,407 - $2,767
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,023 - $3,866

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Storage: Small containers (7 - 8 feet) run about $109 per month after the initial period, while larger units (12 - 16 feet) cost around $218 per month.
• Access: Make sure your container company has a storage facility reasonably close to your new home in Chicago, IL, 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 $1,019 in NYC. 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.

What are the best moving containers NYC to Chicago?

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 NYC to Chicago, IL

A rental truck for this 790-mile move from NYC, New York, to Chicago, Illinois, costs between $576 and $1,548. The base rate covers the vehicle only; budget for:

• Fuel for the drive: $366 - $418
• Daily insurance: $44/day
• Equipment rentals: $10 - $29
• NYC daily rental rate: $19 - $50
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $1.99 - $2.29

These are typical moving truck rental costs from NYC to Chicago based on home size:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $576 - $1,108
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $611 - $1,238
• 4+ bedrooms: $780 - $1,548

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Lodging: Overnight accommodations on longer drives average around $218 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 $95 and $473 to your total.
• Additional insurance: Daily protection upgrades typically add about $30.
• Gas: Plan on spending $366 - $418 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 $1,019 in NYC, New York, for a 2-person crew and 5 hours of labor.

What are the best moving truck rentals from NYC to Chicago?

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 NYC to Chicago, IL

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 NYC, New York, to Chicago, Illinois. 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. Most long-distance moves using this method run roughly between $1,115 and $2,372.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from NYC to Chicago:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $966 - $1,796
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,115 - $2,372
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,603 - $2,886

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 $109 - $218 more per foot.
• Moving labor: Freight trailers don't include loading crews. Two movers in NYC, New York, for about five hours typically runs $1,019.

What are the best freight companies from NYC to Chicago?

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. Freehold Cartage, Inc. (4.84/5 stars): Freehold Cartage, Inc. 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: NYC vs Chicago, IL

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