($734+) Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL Movers
Moving from Philadelphia, PA, to St. Petersburg, FL, runs anywhere from $698 for a DIY rental-truck move of a small home up to $8,388 for full-service movers handling a larger 4 - 5 bedroom household. The two cities sit about 1,069 miles apart, and a move on this route usually takes 2 to 8 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 $2,156, while larger 4 - 5 bedroom relocations can reach $8,388 or more.
- Moving containers run $1,305 - $4,287, and renting a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul is the cheapest route at $698 - $1,978.
- Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars) is our top recommendation for a move from Philadelphia, PA, to St. Petersburg, FL. They're known for transparent pricing, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $2,558 on this route. They also throw in 30 days of free storage and have 24/7 customer support.
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Compare moving options from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL
There are 3 main ways to move from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg: full-service movers, moving containers, and rental trucks. Full-service handles labor and transportation for you, with a 2-3 bedroom move on this route costing $2,558 - $6,164. Moving containers run about 30% less than full-service for the same home size, while rental trucks come in around 60% less, though both put loading on your shoulders. Plan on 2 to 8 days for this 1,069-mile route, depending on which option you go with.
Here is how full-service movers, moving containers, rental trucks, and freight trailers compare on the 1,069-mile route from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg, broken down by home size:
- Studio / 1 bedroom: full-service $2,156 - $4,949, container $1,305 - $2,246, rental truck $698 - $1,408, freight trailer $1,118 - $2,104.
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: full-service $2,558 - $6,164, container $1,566 - $3,093, rental truck $816 - $1,560, freight trailer $1,292 - $2,551.
- 4+ bedrooms: full-service $4,104 - $8,388, container $2,159 - $4,287, rental truck $977 - $1,978, freight trailer $1,641 - $3,531.
Pricing reflects moveBuddha's monthly dataset of 1,500+ live quotes across our vetted mover network. Last updated September 16, 2026.
Full-service moving costs from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL
Full-service movers for the 1,069-mile relocation from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to St. Petersburg, Florida, cost between $2,156 and $8,388. 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 $311 - $2,072, 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 Philadelphia typically charge a base rate around $282 plus $130 per hour, per mover.
Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,156 - $4,949
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,558 - $6,164
- 4+ bedrooms: $4,104 - $8,388
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 Philadelphia to St. Petersburg.
The following are real quotes requested by moveBuddha readers in the past 90 days for moves from Pennsylvania to Florida. Prices are based on 1,500+ monthly pricing data points collected across our network of vetted movers and updated monthly.
Pro tip: The summer months (May - September) are the busiest time of year for movers during peak moving season, which drives up prices and limits scheduling options. If you can move in the fall or winter, you'll likely find better rates and more flexibility.
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Specialty moving services from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL
Specialty needs vary by market — 90% of Philadelphia 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 packing | Full crew packing97% of local movers | $518 - $5,180 |
| Storage in transit | New place not ready90% of local movers85% nationallyTop pick: Gentle Giant Moving Company | $207 - $1,243/mo |
| Shuttle fee | Truck can't reach door | $311 - $2,486 |
| Full-value protection | More than $0.60/lb coverage36% of local movers | $300 - $600 (1% - 2% of value) |
| Small moves | Under ~2,000 lbs39% of local movers | $1,036 - $3,108 |
| Office / commercial | Workplace relocation | $2,590 - $10,360 |
| Car shipping | Second vehicle | $776 - $1,474 |
| Antiques & fine art | Fragile, high-value items59% of local movers46% nationallyTop pick: Nicky's Moving & Storage | $1,036 - $2,590 |
| Piano | Any piano type75% of local movers71% nationallyTop pick: Gentle Giant Moving Company | $829 - $3,626 |
| Pool table | Disassembly & re-leveling38% of local movers | $311 - $1,554 |
| Hot tub | Heavy, needs disconnect22% of local movers22% nationallyTop pick: Keep It Moving, LLC | $673 - $2,072 |
| Wine collection | Climate-controlled transport | $311 - $15,540+ |
| Pet relocation | Ground, air, or concierge | $311 - $3,626+ |
What are the best full-service movers from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg?
Movers licensed to operate in Florida are typically members of the Professional Movers Association of Florida, worth checking for before you book any of the three below.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Good to know: For moves over 500 miles, national carriers are typically lower-priced than local moving companies in Philadelphia, PA. At that distance, local movers often charge 30% - 40% more because they don't spread long-haul costs across multiple shipments the way national carriers do. If a direct route and faster delivery (averaging 2 days) are priorities, a local mover may be worth considering, but that service comes at a higher price.
Moving container costs from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL
Moving containers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to St. Petersburg, Florida, cost between $1,305 and $4,287. You're in charge of loading, and the timeline is yours to set. U-Haul allows 3 days while PODS gives you a full 30. After that, the company picks it up and delivers it to your new address. Running behind schedule? Storage in Philadelphia costs roughly $80/month if you need it.
Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,305 - $2,246
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,566 - $3,093
- 4+ bedrooms: $2,159 - $4,287
What other costs come with moving containers?
- Moving labor: Because loading is on you with a container move, hourly labor help is a popular add-on. In Philadelphia, PA, two movers for roughly five hours costs around $725, according to moveBuddha data. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
- Storage: After the first month, ongoing rental fees kick in. A small container (7 - 8 feet) averages about $78 per month, while a 12- to 16-foot unit runs around $155 per month.
- Access: Most major container companies serve both Philadelphia, PA, and St. Petersburg, FL, but confirm a facility is within reasonable distance if you need to retrieve items while in storage.
- Added contents protection: Full-value protection provides broader coverage than the standard liability in your contract. It typically costs 1% - 2% of your declared shipment value, about $500 - $1,000 on $50,000 worth of belongings.
Every price below reflects an actual quote from a moveBuddha reader planning a Pennsylvania 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 $1,305. Underestimating and needing 1 - 2 additional containers can push your total to $1,566 - $3,093, so getting your count right upfront saves you from a costly surprise.
What are the best moving containers Philadelphia to St. Petersburg?
- Units Moving and Portable Storage (4.3/5 stars)
- U-Pack (5.0/5 stars)
- 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia:
- Transtar Moving Systems (4.9/5), 64 years in business
- Keep It Moving, LLC (4.2/5), 20 years in business
- Superior Moving & Storage (4.3/5), 45 years in business
Moving truck rental costs from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL
A rental truck is the cheapest way to cover the 1,069 miles from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to St. Petersburg, Florida, running $698 - $1,978. It's also the most hands-on option, and the base rate doesn't include:
- Fuel for the drive: $352 - $403
- Daily insurance: $31/day
- Equipment rentals: $7 - $21
- Philadelphia daily rental rate: $19 - $39
- Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.89 - $0.99
| Home size | Typical truck size |
|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | 10 - 12 ft |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | 15 - 17 ft |
| 4+ bedrooms | 20 - 26 ft (typically requires diesel) |
These are typical moving truck rental costs from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg based on home size:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $698 - $1,408
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $816 - $1,560
- 4+ bedrooms: $977 - $1,978
Pro tip: Budget beyond the advertised rate of $698 - $1,978 when pricing out a rental truck from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg. Fuel alone runs ($352 - $403) , and overnight lodging ($155/night), meals, and equipment rentals add up quickly. Most people spend an additional $600 - $1,200 beyond the base rate by the time the move is done.
What other costs come with rental trucks?
- Moving labor: Rental trucks don't come with loaders. Hiring 2 movers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for roughly 5 hours usually costs about $725.
- Gas: Fuel costs total $352 - $403 for the 1,069-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 $62 and $337, depending on what you need.
- Additional insurance: Daily coverage upgrades typically add around $30.
- Lodging: Budget around $155 per night for hotel stops on the 1,069-mile drive. With 2 - 3 overnight stops, total lodging typically costs $311 - $466.
What are the best moving truck rentals from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg?
- Budget Truck Rental (4.3/5 stars)
- Penske Truck Rental (4.0/5 stars)
- 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 Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL
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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to St. Petersburg, Florida. 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 $1,292 and $2,551.
Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,118 - $2,104
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,292 - $2,551
- 4+ bedrooms: $1,641 - $3,531
Pro tip: Loading a freight trailer is a bit different from filling a container. The 4-foot ramp can be steep with large items, and getting the most out of 8 feet of vertical clearance takes planning. Since pricing is based on linear feet used, every inch of wasted space has a cost.
What other costs come with freight trailers?
- Seasonal demand: Pricing tends to rise during peak moving season, particularly between mid-May and mid-September.
- Moving labor: Most customers hire loading help since freight is self-loaded. Two movers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for roughly 5 hours typically costs $725.
- More space: Freight companies bill by linear footage. If your belongings take up more room than anticipated, the extra space adds between $78 and $155 per foot.
What are the best freight companies from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg?
- MovingYourself (5/5 stars): MovingYourself is the pick for best for large moves. The company is well-regarded as a top moving container option for its load-it-yourself, we-drive-it model, and that same model makes it a strong freight option for larger homes that benefit from the company's 53-foot trucks and footage-based pricing.
- U-Pack (5/5 stars): U-Pack offers the best value freight trailer on this route. Alongside their flagship container service, U-Pack provides a top-notch freight trailer option that follows the same model: no deposits, no upfront fees, and pricing based on the linear footage you actually use.
- Pipco Transportation, Inc. (4.66/5 stars): Pipco Transportation, Inc. is the best locally owned freight company on this list. Locally owned and based facilities mean accessible support staff and area-specific scheduling flexibility that national-only freight carriers typically don't match.
Pro tip: Freight trailers move fast, making them one of the quickest ways to get your belongings from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg. If you have a hard move-in date and want your stuff there as soon as possible, freight is hard to beat. It's worth noting that freight works best when you're ready to receive your delivery, so if your move-in date is still up in the air or you'll need short-term storage, a moving container is likely the more practical choice.
Cost of living: Philadelphia, PA vs St. Petersburg, FL
Good news for your budget: St. Petersburg isn't meaningfully more or less expensive to live in than Philadelphia. Cost of living index runs 103 there against 104 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 - 75/100 and 33.91/100 here versus 43/100 and 60.46/100 there.
Moving the reverse route? We've got you covered with our St. Petersburg, FL to Philadelphia, PA guide.
Why moveBuddha is the smarter way to find a mover:
Over the last 3 months, moveBuddha has processed 10 real quotes from Pennsylvania to Florida, so we know current pricing better than most. Checking our moving cost calculator before you talk to movers helps you avoid low-ball or inflated estimates. Pennsylvania alone has 106 movers in our database, worth knowing for a 1,069-mile move like this one.
Our take
How you handle your interstate move from Philadelphia, PA, to St. Petersburg, FL, comes down to your budget and how much time and work you're able to put into it. Hands-off relocations handled by full-service movers range from $2,156 - $8,388 on the 1,069-mile route and handle everything. Moving containers from PODS or U-Pack run $1,305 - $4,287 and put you in charge of loading. Rental trucks from Budget or U-Haul are the lowest-cost option at $698 - $1,978 with you handling everything. For full-service moves, Safeway Moving is our top pick, starting around $2,558 for a 2-bedroom move with 30 days of free storage and 24/7 live support.
Worth knowing beyond the move itself: Major employers in the area include Jabil and FADV Holdings.
FAQs: Moving from Philadelphia, PA, to St. Petersburg, FL
What are the best neighborhoods in St. Petersburg?
For families, Crescent Heights, Holiday Park, and Euclid-St. Paul are worth a look in St. Petersburg. If you're moving solo or without kids, North Downtown, North Shore, and Crescent Lake tend to be popular picks instead.
How walkable is St. Petersburg?
St. Petersburg has a walkability score of 43 out of 100 and a bike-friendliness score of 59, compared to 75 and 67 in Philadelphia. If you're used to getting around on foot or by bike, this is worth factoring into which neighborhood you pick.
Is St. Petersburg a safe place to live?
St. Petersburg has a safety index of 60.46 out of 100 and a crime index of 39.54, compared to 33.91 and 66.09 in Philadelphia. Neither figure tells the whole story on its own, so it's worth digging into specific neighborhoods before you commit to an address.
What are some tips for saving money on a move from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL?
Cutting 500 pounds from your shipment, roughly one bedroom's worth of items, saves approximately $200 - $400 on a full-service move on this route. Beyond that, staying organized matters just as much. A solid moving checklist keeps you on schedule and helps you avoid costly last-minute mistakes.
What is the best time of year to move from Philadelphia, PA to St. Petersburg, FL?
Aim for a move between October and March, when demand drops and rates tend to be lower across all service types. Peak season runs mid-May through mid-September, and weekends and month-end dates are pricier regardless of season. Florida also has a hurricane season running June through November, worth factoring into your timing if you have flexibility. A midweek, mid-month date outside peak season is your best bet for saving money.
What percentage of Philadelphia movers handle specialty items like pianos or antiques?
About 75% of movers in Philadelphia handle piano moves, and 59% handle antiques and fine art, compared to 71% and 46% nationally.
