($1,302+) Portland, OR to Chicago, IL Movers

Full-service moving costs from Portland, OR to Chicago, IL

Hiring full-service movers from Portland, Oregon, to Chicago, Illinois, costs between $2,808 and $13,168. A full-service interstate moving company handles loading, transportation, and unloading across the 2,121-mile route, with optional professional packing available for an additional $358 - $2,384, 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 Portland and Chicago. For a rough baseline, movers based in Portland tend to start around $278 plus $130/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 Portland to Chicago:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,808 - $6,558
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $4,039 - $8,700
• 4+ bedrooms: $7,726 - $13,168

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 Portland to Chicago.

Specialty moving services from Portland, OR to Chicago, IL

Specialty needs vary by market — 83% of Portland 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 Portland 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 Portland, OR to Chicago, IL

Moving containers from Portland, Oregon, to Chicago, Illinois, cost between $1,767 and $6,438. With a moving container, you load on your own schedule. U-Haul gives you 3 days to fill yours, while PODS gives you up to 30. Once you're ready, the company transports it straight to your new place. Need more time first? Storage in Portland typically costs about $100/month.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,767 - $3,169
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,242 - $4,719
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,137 - $6,438

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Storage: Small containers (7 - 8 feet) run about $89 per month after the initial period, while larger units (12 - 16 feet) cost around $179 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 $834 in Portland, OR. 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 Portland 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 Portland, OR to Chicago, IL

Renting a moving truck for the 2,121-mile move from Portland, Oregon, to Chicago, Illinois, costs between $1,265 and $3,416, before these typical add-ons:

• Fuel for the drive: $804 - $919
• Daily insurance: $36/day
• Equipment rentals: $8 - $24
• Portland daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.89 - $1.19

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,265 - $2,318
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,382 - $2,818
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,779 - $3,416

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Additional insurance: Supplemental coverage typically averages around $30 per day.
• Lodging: Budget around $179 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 Portland, Oregon, usually costs about $834 for 2 movers and 5 hours of labor.
• Gas: Fuel for the 2,121-mile drive falls between $804 and $919, 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 $60 and $358 to your total.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Portland 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 Portland, OR 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 Portland, Oregon, 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 $1,759 and $3,811.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,498 - $2,910
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,759 - $3,811
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,510 - $5,200

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 $89 - $179 more per foot.
• Moving labor: Freight trailers don't include loading crews. Two movers in Portland, Oregon, for about five hours typically runs $834.

What are the best freight companies from Portland to Chicago?

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. Inland Company (4.76/5 stars): Inland Company 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: Portland, OR 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 Portland 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.