How Much Do Movers Cost in Los Angeles in 2026?

November 4, 2026

A Prime Moving mover reassembling a wooden furniture frame with a drill

By Tom Alten, Owner

A local move in Los Angeles with Prime Moving costs about $360–$480 for a studio or one-bedroom, $600–$900 for two to three bedrooms, and $1,200–$1,600 for four bedrooms or more, paying cash, Zelle or Venmo. Those are Tom’s own ballpark figures for moves of about 10–15 miles. Your real total depends on how much you own, traffic, stairs and access, plus a one-time service fee.

The formula behind every number is simple: the crew’s hourly rate times the hours worked, with a 3-hour minimum. This guide walks through each piece, what’s already included, what adds to the bill and how to keep it down.

Key numbers at a glance

$119 an hour for 2 movers and a truck, $149 for 3 movers and $199 for 4 movers (cash, Zelle or Venmo), with tax and the truck included.
3 hours is the minimum on every move. After that, time is billed in 15-minute increments.
$49 to $69 is the one-time service fee within 30 miles of the truck’s starting point.
$1,489 was the average cost of a local move in the United States, from a 2025 survey of 1,000 moving customers by This Old House.
100 miles is where California’s rules change: moves under 100 miles can be charged by the hour, and longer ones by weight and mileage, according to the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services.

How much does a local move in Los Angeles cost?

A local move of about 10–15 miles with Prime Moving runs between $360 and $1,600 in labor, depending on the size of the home. Here is how the ballpark works out by home size:

Home	Usual crew	Usual hours	Cash, Zelle or Venmo	Card
Studio or 1 bedroom	2 movers	3–4 hours	about $360–$480	about $360–$480
2–3 bedrooms	3 movers	4–6 hours	about $600–$900	about $640–$950
4+ bedrooms	4 movers	6–8 hours	about $1,200–$1,600	about $1,250–$1,670

Ballpark cost of a local Los Angeles move. Studio or 1 bedroom: $360–$480; 2–3 bedrooms: $600–$900; 4+ bedrooms: $1,200–$1,600

Ballpark labor cost by home size, paying cash, Zelle or Venmo, before the service fee and drive time.

On top of the ballpark come the one-time service fee and the drive time between your two addresses. Heavy items and packing materials are extra too. Longer local moves take more time for the drive, so a move across the county will sit at the top of the range or above it.

For comparison, the national average for a local move was $1,489 in the This Old House survey. A national average mixes very different homes and cities, so the table above is a better guide for a move inside Los Angeles.

What does the hourly rate include?

The hourly rate covers the crew, the truck and tax, along with the materials and equipment to move your furniture safely. Included in the rate:

The truck and tax. There’s no separate truck rental line.
Furniture protection: blankets, plastic wrap and tape.
Furniture disassembly and reassembly.
Loaner wardrobe boxes for clothing, free to use during the move.
Moving equipment: dollies, rollers, straps and tools.

Packing, unpacking, loading and unloading can all be part of the move, billed by the hour like the rest. If you’d rather not pack yourself, see how our packing and unpacking service works. Basic protection of $0.60 per pound per item is included in the quoted price at no extra charge.

How does the payment method change the rate?

For 3- and 4-mover crews, paying by cash, Zelle or Venmo is $10 an hour less than paying by card. For 2 movers, the rate is the same either way.

Hourly rate by crew size and payment. 2 movers and a truck: Cash, Zelle or Venmo $119, Credit or debit card $119; 3 movers and a truck: Cash, Zelle or Venmo $149, Credit or debit card $159; 4 movers and a truck: Cash, Zelle or Venmo $199, Credit or debit card $209

Prime Moving’s 2026 Los Angeles hourly rates, with tax and the truck included.

Need a bigger crew or a second truck? Each additional mover adds $40 an hour, and each additional truck adds $50 an hour. A 5-mover crew with one truck, for example, is $239 an hour cash or $249 by card. Payment is due at the end of the move, or at the end of each day if a move takes several days. Checks aren’t accepted.

What can add to the bill?

Five things can raise a Los Angeles moving bill: the service fee, drive time, heavy items, packing materials and long days.

What can add to the bill. One-time service fee within 30 miles: $49–$69; each item of 300 lb or more: $150; the regular rate, after 8 hours: 1.5 times; per box used, small to large: $4–$6

The extras to ask about when you compare quotes.

Service fee. It’s a one-time charge based on the distance from the truck’s starting point to your move: $49 within 10 miles, $59 up to 20 miles and $69 up to 30 miles. Beyond 30 miles, we quote it for your addresses.
Double drive time. On local moves, the drive from pickup to delivery is counted twice. A 15-minute drive is billed as 30 minutes. Our guide to double drive time explains why California moves are billed this way.
Heavy items. Anything of 300 pounds or more, such as a piano, a pool table, a marble table, a large safe or a double-door refrigerator, has a $150 fee each.
Packing materials. You pay only for what’s used: $4 for a small box, $5 for a medium and $6 for a large, $50 a roll for bubble wrap or kitchen paper. Blankets and wardrobe boxes are $25 each only if you want to keep them.
Long days. After 8 hours, the rate is 1.5 times the regular rate. On the other side, moves longer than 8 hours get a $40 discount.

Timing matters too. Prices may be higher on holidays, for after-hours moves and on other busy dates, and we confirm the rate with you before the move.

Watch out: Parking tickets received during loading or unloading when no spot is available are the customer’s to pay. Reserve parking near the entrance before moving day.

What should a quote include?

A good quote shows the crew size, the hourly rate, the minimum, the service fee and how drive time is billed, in writing. Prime Moving sends written quotes by email or text, whichever you prefer. On the phone, the cities and ZIP codes are enough for a ballpark; after the call, we send a short form for the exact addresses and details.

If you’d rather have one fixed number, a flat-rate quote is available after an in-person or video estimate of your things and both locations. California also gives you protection on paper: at least three days before your move, the company must give you a moving agreement, which should include a “Not to Exceed” price, according to the Bureau of Household Goods and Services. If you ask for extra or different services on moving day, that may need a written change order and can cost more.

For local moves, no deposit is charged. Rescheduling at least 24 hours before the original date costs nothing extra; the new date depends on availability.

How can you keep the cost down?

Since the clock drives the bill, most savings come from making every hour count:

Pick the right crew. A bigger crew costs more per hour but can finish sooner. Our usual crews for each home size are in the table above.
Pack before the crew arrives. Boxes that are packed, taped and stacked near the door save crew time.
Reserve parking and the elevator. If your building has an elevator, reserve it. If it requires a certificate of insurance, ask us for one ahead of time and have the building’s requirements ready.
Pay cash, Zelle or Venmo on a 3- or 4-mover crew to save $10 an hour.
Avoid busy dates when you can. Holidays and other busy dates may cost more.
Tell us about heavy or unusual items early, so the quote includes them and the right crew comes.

Moving farther than a local move? Long-distance moves always start with an in-person or video estimate. See our long distance moving page for how they work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum charge for movers in Los Angeles?

Prime Moving has a 3-hour minimum on every move. With 2 movers and a truck at $119 an hour, the smallest move is about $360 in labor, plus the one-time service fee.

Is it cheaper to pay movers in cash?

For 3- and 4-mover crews, yes: cash, Zelle or Venmo is $10 an hour less than a credit or debit card. For 2 movers, the rate is $119 an hour either way.

Is tax included in the hourly rate?

Yes. The hourly rate includes tax and the truck, as well as blankets, plastic wrap, tape, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and moving equipment.

Can I get a flat rate instead of an hourly rate?

Yes, after an in-person or video estimate of your things and both locations. Otherwise, local moves are billed by the hour.

Do movers charge more on holidays?

They can. Prime Moving works every day, holidays included, but prices on holidays, after hours and other busy dates may be higher. We confirm the rate before the move.

Get your own number

The ballpark is a starting point, but your move has its own addresses, stairs and things. Share your cities, your move date and what’s moving, and Prime Moving LLC will send a written quote by email or text. The full rate card is on our pricing page.