($1,284) Cost of Moving From Pennsylvania to Illinois
Quick answer: The average cost to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois ranges from $717 to $6,570 and takes one–six days. The top cost factors are how much you’re moving, your move date, and whether you hire a company or do the move yourself.
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Moving the reverse route? We’ve got you covered with our moving from Illinois to Pennsylvania guide.
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The best Pennsylvania to Illinois full-service movers
Moving from Pennsylvania to Illinois? With thousands of moving companies in the U.S., hiring the right interstate moving company can be a challenge.
To simplify your search, we've selected the most reliable movers based on our detailed analysis of customer reviews, pricing, and service offerings.
Start with these top long-distance moving companies serving Pennsylvania for your Illinois relocation:
- Safeway Moving: Best overall value
- Mayzlin Relocation: Best for personalized service
- American Van Lines: Most experienced mover
- Allied Van Lines: Best for contents coverage
- North American Van Lines: Best customized plans
- GPS tracking en route
- Veteran-owned
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing
- Donates a portion of moves to charity
- Family-owned, with locations covering the East Coast
- Full refund if you cancel within 7 days of your move
- Hands-on customer service
- 24/7 support
- Price-matching policy
- Experienced & fully trained moving crews
- Specializes in moving art & antiques
- Competitive pricing
- Can handle last-minute moves
- Climate-controlled storage
- Fragile packing
- Storage options
- 24/7 shipment tracking
- Quick & efficient
- Accurate quotes
- Custom crates for electronics & art
- Satellite shipment tracking
- 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states
- Self-packing option
- No deposit required
The best Pennsylvania to Illinois moving container companies
Moving containers allow you to save money without having to go the full DIY route. While you’ll have to handle loading and unloading, the container company has you covered on transportation — they’ll pick up your pod in Pennsylvania and drop it off at your new home in Illinois.
Check out these highly rated moving container companies:
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The best Pennsylvania to Illinois moving truck rentals
Moving truck rentals are the most cost-effective way to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois, although they’re also the most labor-intensive. You’ll save big by doing all the heavy lifting and driving.
We like these rental moving trucks:
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The best Pennsylvania to Illinois labor-only movers
If you need help moving some or all of your items into a container or rental truck, you can hire labor-only movers. They’ll send over a professional crew the right size for your move and you’ll pay only for the amount of time they work.
Consider one of these top-notch moving labor companies for your move from Pennsylvania to Illinois:
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How we chose the best moving companies for your PA to IL move
moveBuddha’s expert team analyzed moving rates from 84 Pennsylvania movers and listed the top movers based on customer satisfaction, reviews, and cost.
Customer satisfaction (40%): The company consistently delivers services in a timely matter with good communication and within the estimated cost.
Dispute resolution (20%): Mistakes cannot be avoided in the moving industry. We look for companies that own their mistakes and make genuine efforts to fix any issues that arise during a move.
Industry reputation (15%): The company is well-regarded within the moving industry and participates in industry conferences and organizations.
Online reputation (15%): The company maintains a professional website with accurate information. The company promptly and professionally responds to online customer inquiries.
Service options (10%): We look for companies with a deep breadth of services including full packing, storage, specialty item handling, and expedited delivery.
Here is our full moving company rating methodology.
How much does it cost to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois?
The table below lays out average cost ranges to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois for different moving services depending on the size of your home.
| Move size | Moving company | Moving container | Rental truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 Bedroom | $1,284 - $4,480 | $896 - $2,063 | $658 - $1,212 |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | $2,743 - $6,570 | $1,614 - $3,260 | $717 - $1,480 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $4,606 - $9,224 | $2,054 - $4,281 | $828 - $1,692 |
*These price ranges are a rough estimate based on 734 miles and historical averages. The actual size of your move, additional services required, truck parking access, market conditions, and availability can greatly affect your final costs.
Cost to hire movers from Pennsylvania to Illinois
Hiring movers for a studio apartment or one-bedroom home from Pennsylvania to Illinois will cost between $1,284 and $4,480. The cost to move a two- to three-bedroom home from PA to IL will range from $2,743 to $6,570, and a large move from Pennsylvania to Illinois will cost from $4,606 to $9,224.
Cost of moving containers from Pennsylvania to Illinois
Moving containers from Pennsylvania to Illinois will cost you $896 to $2,063 for a small move. For a two- to three-bedroom move, moving containers can cost $1,614 to $3,260. A four-bedroom move or bigger will cost $2,054 to $4,281. Learn more about PODS cost.
Here are the cheapest moving container companies when moving out of Pennsylvania.
Cost of moving truck rentals from Pennsylvania to Illinois
A moving rental truck is generally the cheapest option, but it requires you to do all of the driving and labor.
Moving a studio or one-bedroom apartment in a rental truck will cost around
$658 to $1,212.
A two to three-bedroom move will cost
$717 to $1,480,
and moving a home with four or more bedrooms or from Pennsylvania to Illinois costs from
$828 to $1,692.
These estimates include the estimated fuel cost.
Factors affecting the cost of moving from PA to IL
There are many factors that influence Pennsylvania moving costs. The cost to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois will depend on these factors:
- Move size: Moving a large home costs more than moving a studio apartment.
- Time of year: The peak moving season in Pennsylvania is in the summer, so moving companies will likely charge more.
- DIY vs. professional mover: DIY moving services are cheaper but you do all the heavy lifting compared to letting the pros handle your move.
What to know before moving from PA to IL
If you’re moving to Illinois from Pennsylvania, you’ll want to compare what life will be like.
Cost of living: Pennsylvania vs. Illinois
| Pennsylvania | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent cost | $1,110 | $1,179 |
| Average home cost | $268,824 | $249,224 |
| Average income (per capita) | $73,170 | $78,433 |
| Cost of Living Index | 99 | 90 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 5.3% |
| Average Sales Tax | 6.34% | 8.82% |
| State Income Tax | 3.07% | 4.95% |
- Rent is about 6% more expensive in Illinois than in Pennsylvania.
- Home prices are about 7% lower in Illinois than in Pennsylvania.
- The average income is about 7% higher in Illinois than in Pennsylvania.
- Cost of living is 9% lower in Illinois than in Pennsylvania.
- Illinois has a higher unemployment rate than Pennsylvania by about 56%.
- Sales taxes are 39% higher in Illinois than in Pennsylvania.
- Income taxes are 61% higher in Illinois than in Pennsylvania.
How life is different in Illinois vs. Pennsylvania
| Illinois | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,549,689 | 12,961,683 |
| Political leaning | Democratic 55-45 | Republican 51-49 |
| Summer high | 86ºF | 83ºF |
| Winter low | 17ºF | 19ºF |
| Annual rain | 40" | 44" |
| Annual snow | 22" | 38" |
| Crime index | 19.7 | 17.62 |
- The population of Illinois is approximately 3% lower than the population of Pennsylvania.
- In the last presidential election, Illinois voted Democratic and Pennsylvania voted Republican.
- The average high in the summertime in Illinois is 86ºF and in Pennsylvania, it’s 83ºF.
- During the coldest part of the year, Illinois reaches the temperature of 17ºF and Pennsylvania gets down to 19ºF.
- You can expect about 40 inches of annual rainfall in Illinois versus 44 inches of rainfall in Pennsylvania.
- In Illinois, it snows about 22 inches annually versus 38 inches of snow in Pennsylvania.
- Illinois has a higher crime rate than Pennsylvania with a crime index of 19.7 vs. 17.62.
Comparing the pros of Pennsylvania vs. Illinois
Getting a fresh start in a new location is exciting. Here’s a side-by-side look at the perks of living in Illinois compared to Pennsylvania.
| Pros of living in Pennsylvania | Pros of living in Illinois |
|---|---|
| Low cost of living | Home of Chicago |
| Abundant fun and recreational activities | Ample economic opportunity |
| Beautiful landscapes | Bountiful recreational opportunities |
| Ample economic opportunity | Delicious food |
| Excellent education options | World-class sports culture |
Comparing the cons of living in Pennsylvania vs. Illinois
Everything can’t be sunshine and rainbows all the time, no matter where you live. Here are some things to be aware of when leaving Pennsylvania for Illinois.
| Cons of living in Pennsylvania | Cons of living in Illinois |
|---|---|
| Harsh winter weather | Harsh winter weather |
| Bad driving conditions | Bad traffic |
| Nuclear power plants | High crime rate |
| Unpredictable weather | Dull landscape |
| High taxes on gasoline | Strict laws |
Other things to consider for your Pennsylvania to Illinois move
- Weather: Illinois' climate is clearly different in the northern and southern halves of the state. The northern half experiences cold winters and mild summers whereas the southern half experiences mild winters and hot and humid summers. Illinois is a part of "tornado alley"
- HOA rules: Check ahead with any neighborhood or community rules on moving to ensure a smooth move.
- Elevator reservation: One common and important example of something that should be handled ahead of time is reserving the building's elevator and finding out their rules for using the elevator.
- Parking permits: Some cities require parking permits for large vehicles, find out ahead of time with your new local rules.
- State licensing: In Illinois, regulations on in-state moves and local movers are set forth by the Illinois Commerce Commission. To move household goods locally and intrastate, companies need to have a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, so make sure the companies you’re considering have one and that it’s current. Make sure the moving company you use has a license before hiring.
- State regulator: You can verify a Illinois moving license and its status on the state regulator's official website.
- Moving permits: Illinois does not require any moving permits, but it is helpful to check local parking restrictions before moving into the state.
- Change of address: We recommend submitting your change of address form with USPS at least a week prior to your move. You can set an official move date on the form so that all your mail will get properly forwarded to Illinois. Get started here.
- Mover's insurance: Interstate moving companies are required under federal law to provide basic insurance — also called “released value protection” — free of charge to all moving customers. Choose cost-free Released Value Protection from movers for basic coverage at 60 cents per pound. For more extensive protection matching your items' full value, consult your moving company for alternative options or consider a third-party insurance provider.
- Moving checklist: Peace of mind is priceless. Our moving checklist will help you know you’ve got everything covered.
Things to do in Illinois
While you’re in Illinois, you won’t be bored. These are some of the coolest places to visit in your new home state:
- Millennium Park
- Navy Pier
- The Magnificent Mile
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
- Shedd Aquarium
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Starved Rock State Park
- Garden of the Gods - Shawnee National Forest
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Anderson Japanese Gardens
- Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
- Dana-Thomas House
- Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site
- Discovery Center Museum
- Buffalo Rock State Park
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Illinois Beach State Park
- Grand View Drive
- Mississippi Palisades State Park
- Matthiessen State Park
FAQs
What is the cheapest way to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois?
Hiring a full-service Pennsylvania moving company will be on the more expensive side, while a rental truck or a moving container is usually the cheaper way to go, but requires more work. Here’s our guide for the cheapest way to move out of state.
Do movers transport your car from Pennsylvania to Illinois?
Some full-service movers can coordinate auto transport for you as part of your relocation package for an additional fee. But you can also handle vehicle transport from Pennsylvania to Illinois separately through one of the top car shipping companies.
What are the benefits of moving from Pennsylvania to Illinois?
The main reasons people are moving from Pennsylvania to Illinois are the amazing upsides of living in Illinois such as home of Chicago and ample economic opportunity.
Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania or Illinois?
It is generally cheaper to live in Illinois than in Pennsylvania. Housing is more affordable in Illinois, with average rent about 6% less and home prices 7.3% lower than in Pennsylvania. However, taxes are lower in Pennsylvania, most notably income taxes, which are more than 30% less than those paid by Illinois residents.
How much should you make a year to live comfortably in Illinois?
You should make approximately $80,838 as a single adult with no children to live comfortably in Illinois. The cost of living in Illinois is approximately $2,385 per month for an individual and $5,639 for a family of four. The exact amount you’ll need to live comfortably may be more or less depending on where in Illinois you live For example, larger cities like Chicago and Aurora will have higher housing costs than those in smaller towns.
