($396+) Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL Movers

Full-service moving costs from Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL

Full-service movers for the 471-mile relocation from Nashville, Tennessee, to Chicago, Illinois, cost between $1,316 and $7,654. 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 $316 - $2,108, 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 Nashville typically charge a base rate around $275 plus $120 per hour, per mover.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,316 - $4,184
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,096 - $5,787
• 4+ bedrooms: $3,512 - $7,654

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 Nashville to Chicago.

Specialty moving services from Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL

Specialty needs vary by market — 81% of Nashville 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 Nashville to Chicago?

Look for Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association membership as a baseline when comparing movers in Illinois beyond this list.

1. Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars): Safeway Moving is our pick for best overall value. Flat-rate pricing, 24/7 support, and 30 days of free storage make Safeway the clearest value on this list.
2. American Van Lines (4.9/5 stars): American Van Lines is the most experienced mover on this list. AVL has been moving customers since 1995 and uses full-time in-house crews trained on high-value items like art and antiques.
3. Allied Van Lines (4.2/5 stars): Allied Van Lines is best for contents coverage. One of the largest van line networks in North America, Allied offers fragile-only packing, 24/7 monitoring, and an optional full-value protection plan against damage, loss, and breakage.

How much do local movers cost in Nashville, TN?

Based on recent quotes for this route, a 2-bedroom move from Nashville to Chicago with a local mover averages $2,179 - $6,018. Working with a local mover based in Nashville, TN often costs less than hiring a national carrier on routes under 500 miles. Shorter routes come with lower fuel overhead and simpler logistics, and local movers can offer more direct communication and quicker booking windows.

The tradeoff is that smaller companies may lack the infrastructure for longer hauls. Verify proper interstate licensing and relevant experience before signing anything.

Moving container costs from Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL

Moving containers from Nashville, Tennessee, to Chicago, Illinois, cost between $962 and $3,097. 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 Nashville costs roughly $100/month if you need it.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $962 - $1,734
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,194 - $2,465
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,602 - $3,097

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 $738 in Nashville, TN. 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 $79 per month for a small 7- to 8-foot container and $158 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 Chicago, IL, destination before booking.

What are the best moving containers Nashville 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 Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL

Renting a moving truck for the 471-mile move from Nashville, Tennessee, to Chicago, Illinois, costs between $396 and $1,108, before these typical add-ons:

• Fuel for the drive: $158 - $181
• Daily insurance: $32/day
• Equipment rentals: $7 - $21
• Nashville daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.89

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $396 - $746
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $448 - $885
• 4+ bedrooms: $558 - $1,108

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Moving labor: Rental trucks don't come with loaders. Hiring 2 movers in Nashville, Tennessee, for roughly 5 hours usually costs about $738.
• Gas: Fuel costs total $158 - $181 for the 471-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 $63 and $343, depending on what you need.
• Additional insurance: Daily coverage upgrades typically add around $30.
• Lodging: Budget around $158 per night for hotel stops on the 471-mile drive. With 2 - 3 overnight stops, total lodging typically costs $316 - $474.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Nashville 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 Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL

Freight trailers are a solid option for larger DIY moves from Nashville, Tennessee, to Chicago, Illinois. Standard trailers run 28 feet long, and you're only charged for the portion you actually fill. The carrier drops the trailer off, you load it at your own pace, and they handle the drive to your new city.

Pricing is based entirely on the linear footage your shipment occupies, not the full trailer length. Most long-distance freight moves land somewhere between $949 and $1,818.

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

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $875 - $1,593
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $955 - $1,818
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,282 - $2,503

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 Nashville, Tennessee, for roughly 5 hours typically costs $738.
• More space: Freight companies bill by linear footage. If your belongings take up more room than anticipated, the extra space adds between $79 and $158 per foot.

What are the best freight companies from Nashville to Chicago?

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. OLD South Freight Service, Inc. (4.62/5 stars): OLD South Freight Service, 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.

Cost of living: Nashville, TN vs Chicago, IL

Day-to-day costs in Chicago are close to what you're used to in Nashville: cost of living index of 106 versus 105, with average rent of $2,045/mo compared to $1,971/mo. Housing, income, and taxes are all in a similar range, so budgeting for this move mostly comes down to the moving costs above rather than a shift in your monthly expenses. Walkability and safety scores are close too, at 96/100 and 50.9/100 in Nashville versus 77/100 and 33.87/100 in Chicago.