($681+) Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA Movers

Full-service moving costs from Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA

Full-service movers handle loading, transportation, and unloading on the 935-mile move from Houston, Texas, to Des Moines, Iowa, with costs ranging from $2,131 - $8,472. You can have movers pack your boxes for an additional $279 - $1,860. Like most long-distance moves, your price is determined by the total weight of your belongings and the distance between Houston and Des Moines. Local movers in Houston typically start around $175 as a base rate plus $75/hour per mover.

Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Houston to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,131 - $5,109
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,440 - $6,534
• 4+ bedrooms: $4,139 - $8,472

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 Houston to Des Moines.

Specialty moving services from Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA

Specialty needs vary by market — 66% of Houston movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 85% nationally. In Des Moines, 58% of movers offer the same service.

What are the best full-service movers from Houston to Des Moines?

Look for Iowa Motor Truck Association membership as a baseline when comparing movers in Iowa 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.

Moving container costs from Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA

Moving containers from Houston, Texas, to Des Moines, Iowa, cost between $1,197 and $4,124. You load everything on your own schedule (U-Haul gives you 3 days and PODS gives you 30). When you're ready, the company takes care of getting the container from point A to point B. Need more time than that? Extra storage in Houston typically runs around $70/month.

Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Houston to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,197 - $2,285
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,601 - $2,932
• 4+ bedrooms: $2,012 - $4,124

What other costs come with moving containers?

• Access: Most major container brands operate in both Houston, TX and Des Moines, IA. Still, double-check that a nearby facility is available if you need to access your belongings before delivery.
• Moving labor: Because containers are self-loaded, many customers hire hourly help. Two movers for about 5 hours typically cost around $651 in Houston, TX, according to moveBuddha data. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
• Storage: Monthly container rental after the first 30 days averages $70 for small units (7 - 8 feet) and about $140 for larger ones (12 - 16 feet).
• Added contents protection: For more coverage beyond the standard minimum, full-value protection is the typical upgrade, generally 1% - 2% of your declared shipment value. On a $50,000 household, that's roughly $500 - $1,000 as a one-time fee.

What are the best moving containers Houston to Des Moines?

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 Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA

Renting a moving truck for the 935-mile move from Houston, Texas, to Des Moines, Iowa, costs between $642 and $1,718, before these typical add-ons:

• Fuel for the drive: $277 - $316
• Daily insurance: $28/day
• Equipment rentals: $7 - $19
• Houston daily rental rate: $19 - $39
• Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.69 - $0.99

These are typical moving truck rental costs from Houston to Des Moines based on home size:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $642 - $1,227
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $742 - $1,473
• 4+ bedrooms: $887 - $1,718

What other costs come with rental trucks?

• Gas: Fuel adds $277 - $316 for the 935-mile drive, depending on whether your rental truck runs on gas or diesel.
• Moving labor: You'll handle the heavy lifting unless you bring in help. Two movers in Houston, Texas, for about 5 hours typically costs around $651.
• Additional insurance: Supplemental damage protection adds roughly $30 per day to your rental cost.
• Lodging: The 935-mile drive typically calls for 2 - 3 overnight stops at around $140 per night, adding $279 - $419 in hotel costs total.
• Equipment: Dollies, furniture pads, and vehicle tow gear are almost always billed separately. These extras typically add between $47 and $279.

What are the best moving truck rentals from Houston to Des Moines?

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 Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA

For larger DIY moves from Houston, Texas, freight trailers give you plenty of room without putting you behind the wheel. Standard trailers are 28 feet long. You load the section you need, and the carrier transports everything to Des Moines, Iowa.

Because freight companies bill by linear footage, your total is based on how much of the trailer you occupy, not the full length. For most medium-to-large moves on this route, pricing typically falls between $1,171 and $2,516.

Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Houston to Des Moines:

• Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,121 - $1,938
• 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,171 - $2,516
• 4+ bedrooms: $1,708 - $3,110

What other costs come with freight trailers?

• More space: Freight pricing is based on exactly how much of the trailer you fill. If your items take up more than expected, the added footage can increase your cost by between $70 and $140.
• Peak season impact: Moving during peak season (mid-May to mid-September) often means higher trailer rates as demand increases across the board.
• Moving labor: Unless you plan to load everything yourself, factor in labor costs. Two movers in Houston, Texas, for roughly five hours typically average $651.

What are the best freight companies from Houston to Des Moines?

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. W W Rowland Trucking Company, LLC (4.58/5 stars): W W Rowland Trucking Company, LLC 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: Houston, TX vs Des Moines, IA

Day-to-day costs in Des Moines are close to what you're used to in Houston: cost of living index of 87 versus 97, with average rent of $1,150/mo compared to $1,549/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 47/100 and 36.5/100 in Houston versus 45/100 and 57.8/100 in Des Moines.