($1,403+) Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA Movers
Moving from Arlington, VA, to Irvine, CA, runs anywhere from $1,403 for a DIY rental-truck move of a small home up to $10,643 for full-service movers handling a larger 4+ bedroom household. The two cities sit about 2,661 miles apart, and a move on this route usually takes 7 to 21 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 $2,267, while larger 4+ bedroom relocations can reach $10,643 or more.
- Moving containers run $1,946 - $7,161, and renting a moving truck from Budget or U-Haul is the cheapest route at $1,403 - $4,179.
- Safeway Moving (4.9/5 stars) is our top recommendation for a move from Arlington, VA, to Irvine, CA. They're known for transparent pricing, with 2-bedroom quotes starting around $3,422 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 Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA
There are 3 main ways to move from Arlington to Irvine: 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 $3,422 - $7,594. Moving containers run about 29% less than full-service for the same home size, while rental trucks come in around 53% less, though both put loading on your shoulders. Plan on 7 to 21 days for this 2,661-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 2,661-mile route from Arlington to Irvine, broken down by home size:
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Rental truck | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | $2,267 - $5,695 | $1,946 - $3,740 | $1,403 - $2,833 | $1,684 - $3,045 |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | $3,422 - $7,594 | $2,426 - $4,857 | $1,599 - $3,271 | $1,903 - $4,127 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $6,502 - $10,643 | $3,145 - $7,161 | $2,060 - $4,179 | $2,543 - $5,728 |
Pricing reflects moveBuddha's monthly dataset of 1,500+ live quotes across our vetted mover network. Last updated November 2, 2026.
Full-service moving costs from Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA
Full-service movers for the 2,661-mile relocation from Arlington, Virginia, to Irvine, California, cost between $2,267 and $10,643. 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 $493 - $3,288, 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 Arlington typically charge a base rate around $200 plus $110 per hour, per mover.
Here's a breakdown of full-service moving costs by home size from Arlington to Irvine:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $2,267 - $5,695
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $3,422 - $7,594
- 4+ bedrooms: $6,502 - $10,643
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 Arlington to Irvine.
The following are real quotes requested by moveBuddha readers in the past 90 days for moves from Virginia to California. Prices are based on 1,500+ monthly pricing data points collected across our network of vetted movers and updated monthly.
Pro tip: Avoiding peak moving season dates (May - September) is one of the easiest ways to reduce costs. Off-season moves typically come with lower pricing and more room to negotiate since movers have fewer bookings.
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Specialty moving services from Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA
Specialty needs vary by market: 70% of Arlington movers offer storage-in-transit, compared to 60% nationally. In Irvine, 56% of movers offer the same service.
| Service | When you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Full packing | Full crew packing80% of local movers | $822 - $8,220 |
| Storage in transit | New place not ready70% of local movers60% nationallyTop pick: 495 Movers, Inc | $329 - $1,973/mo |
| Shuttle fee | Truck can't reach door | $493 - $3,946 |
| Full-value protection | More than $0.60/lb coverage13% of local movers | $300 - $600 (1% - 2% of value) |
| Small moves | Under ~2,000 lbs54% of local movers | $1,644 - $4,932 |
| Office / commercial | Workplace relocation | $4,110 - $16,440 |
| Car shipping | Second vehicle | $1,231 - $2,339 |
| Antiques & fine art | Fragile, high-value items34% of local movers26% nationallyTop pick: 495 Movers, Inc | $1,644 - $4,110 |
| Piano | Any piano type42% of local movers41% nationallyTop pick: 495 Movers, Inc | $1,315 - $5,754 |
| Pool table | Disassembly & re-leveling9% of local movers | $493 - $2,466 |
| Hot tub | Heavy, needs disconnect8% of local movers9% nationallyTop pick: Olympia Moving & Storage | $1,069 - $3,288 |
| Wine collection | Climate-controlled transport | $493 - $24,660+ |
| Pet relocation | Ground, air, or concierge | $493 - $5,754+ |
What are the best full-service movers from Arlington to Irvine?
Movers licensed to operate in California are typically members of the California Moving & Storage Association, 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 Arlington, VA. 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 Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA
Moving containers from Arlington, Virginia, to Irvine, California, cost between $1,946 and $7,161. 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 Arlington costs roughly $100/month if you need it.
Take a look at moving container pricing by home size from Arlington to Irvine:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,946 - $3,740
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $2,426 - $4,857
- 4+ bedrooms: $3,145 - $7,161
What other costs come with moving containers?
- Storage: Monthly rental charges begin after the first 30 days. Expect roughly $123 per month for smaller containers (7 - 8 feet) and around $247 per month for larger units (12 - 16 feet).
- Moving labor: Containers don't come with loading help, so many customers hire hourly movers for the job. Two movers for about 5 hours will run you around $1,151 in Arlington, VA, per moveBuddha data. Compare the best labor-only movers nationwide
- Added contents protection: Standard coverage only reimburses by weight. Full-value protection gives you more complete coverage for higher-value items and typically costs 1% - 2% of your total declared value, around $500 - $1,000 on a $50,000 shipment.
- Access: National providers generally operate in both cities, but verify that a facility near your Irvine, CA, destination exists if you plan to access stored items.
Every price below reflects an actual quote from a moveBuddha reader planning a Virginia to California 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 $1,946. Underestimating how much you have and needing an extra container means paying for another one, so getting your count right upfront saves you from a costly surprise. For reference, a 2 - 3 bedroom home typically runs $2,426 - $4,857.
What are the best moving containers Arlington to Irvine?
- 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 Arlington 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 Arlington:
- College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving (4.9/5), 0 years in business
- BoxStar Movers (5.0/5), 5 years in business
- Zip Moving And Storage, Inc. (4.9/5), 11 years in business
Moving truck rental costs from Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA
A rental truck for this 2,661-mile move from Arlington, Virginia, to Irvine, California, costs between $1,403 and $4,179. The base rate covers the vehicle only; budget for:
- Fuel for the drive: $1,392 - $1,591
- Daily insurance: $49/day
- Equipment rentals: $12 - $33
- Arlington daily rental rate: $19 - $39
- Per-mile fee beyond your free allowance: $0.99 - $1.19
| 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 Arlington to Irvine based on home size:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,403 - $2,833
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,599 - $3,271
- 4+ bedrooms: $2,060 - $4,179
Pro tip: Truck rental pricing for a move from Arlington to Irvine starts at $1,403 - $4,179, but that number does not tell the whole story. Fuel ($1,392 - $1,591), overnight lodging ($247/night), meals, and equipment rentals are all separate. Plan for roughly $600 - $1,200 more on top of fuel and lodging to cover meals, equipment, and other extras.
What other costs come with rental trucks?
- Moving labor: Rental trucks don't come with loaders. Hiring 2 movers in Arlington, Virginia, for roughly 5 hours usually costs about $1,151.
- Gas: Fuel costs total $1,392 - $1,591 for the 2,661-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 $99 and $534, depending on what you need.
- Additional insurance: Daily coverage upgrades typically add around $30.
- Lodging: Budget around $247 per night for hotel stops on the 2,661-mile drive. With 2 - 3 overnight stops, total lodging typically costs $493 - $740.
What are the best moving truck rentals from Arlington to Irvine?
- 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 Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA
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 Arlington, Virginia, to Irvine, California. 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. A 2 - 3 bedroom long-distance move using this method runs roughly between $1,903 and $4,127.
Take a look at freight trailer costs based on home size for moves from Arlington to Irvine:
- Studio apartment / 1 bedroom: $1,684 - $3,045
- 2 - 3 bedrooms: $1,903 - $4,127
- 4+ bedrooms: $2,543 - $5,728
Pro tip: Freight pricing rewards efficient packing. Trailers are 8 feet tall and accessed via a 4-foot ramp, so technique matters, especially for heavy pieces. Since each additional linear foot adds to your quote, packing strategically is one of the easiest ways to control costs.
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 Arlington, Virginia, for roughly 5 hours typically costs $1,151.
- More space: Freight companies bill by linear footage. If your belongings take up more room than anticipated, the extra space adds between $123 and $247 per foot.
What are the best freight companies from Arlington to Irvine?
- 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.
Pro tip: Freight trailers move fast, making them one of the quickest ways to get your belongings from Arlington to Irvine. 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: Arlington, VA vs Irvine, CA
Arlington and Irvine land in a similar range on everyday costs. The cost of living index sits at 164 in Arlington and 165 in Irvine, and average rent is $2,718/mo vs. $4,000/mo. With an index gap that small, you likely won't need to rework your monthly budget much after this move. For reference, walkability is 71 vs 43 and safety scores are 79.15 vs 68.99.
Moving the reverse route? We've got you covered with our Irvine, CA to Arlington, VA guide.
Why moveBuddha makes finding a mover easier:
In the past 3 months we've processed 10 quotes from Virginia to California, so our pricing data reflects what movers are actually charging right now. Check our moving cost calculator before you talk to movers, the best way to avoid low-ball or inflated estimates and bad actors. We track 304 movers in Virginia, so you have real options to compare for this 2,661-mile move.
Our take
For a move from Arlington, VA, to Irvine, CA, full-service movers are the most hands-off option, with costs ranging from $2,267 for a studio to $10,643 for a 4+ bedroom home on the 2,661-mile route. If you want to cut costs without doing everything yourself, moving containers from PODS or U-Pack run $1,946 - $7,161. A rental truck from Budget or U-Haul is the lowest-cost option at $1,403 - $4,179, though you'll be handling the driving and loading yourself. Safeway Moving is our top overall pick for full-service moves, with quotes starting around $3,422 for a 2-bedroom move, 30 days of free storage included, and 24/7 live customer support.
Worth knowing beyond the move itself: Major employers in the area include Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America and Taco Bell.
FAQs: Moving from Arlington, VA, to Irvine, CA
What do local movers charge in Arlington?
Local movers based in Arlington typically start around $200 as a base rate, plus $110/hour per mover. That's a useful baseline if you're hiring help just to load a rental truck or container rather than booking a full long-distance move. Rates in Irvine run similarly and are worth checking if you need help unloading on the other end.
What size moving truck do I need for this route?
Rental trucks generally range from 10 to 26 feet. A 15- to 17-foot truck covers most 2-bedroom moves, while a smaller 10- to 12-foot truck works for a studio or 1-bedroom. Homes with 4 or more bedrooms usually need a 20- to 26-foot truck, and anything that size typically runs on diesel rather than gas.
How much does it cost to move from Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA?
Costs on this route range from around $1,403 to $10,643, depending on your home size and which service you choose. Full-service movers typically fall between $2,267 and $10,643, while DIY options like rental trucks and containers come in lower. Moving during peak season (May - September) tends to push prices higher across the board.
What is the cheapest way to move from Arlington, VA to Irvine, CA?
Renting a moving truck is almost always the most affordable option, since you handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself. A 2-bedroom rental truck move on this route averages $1,599 - $3,271. See our cheapest truck rental recommendations for the lowest available rates on your DIY move.
What extra costs come with a truck rental on this route?
The base rate only covers the vehicle. Expect to add fuel ($1,392 - $1,591), daily insurance ($49/day), and equipment rentals ($12 - $33) on top. Overnight stops can add another $247/night for lodging if your drive spans more than a day.
What percentage of Arlington movers handle specialty items like pianos or antiques?
About 42% of movers in Arlington handle piano moves, and 34% handle antiques and fine art, compared to 41% and 26% nationally.