How much does it cost to hire movers in San Diego? Updated October 2026
$139 an hour. Two movers and a truck.
The short version: Hiring movers in San Diego with One Stop Moving & Storage costs $139 an hour for 2 movers and a truck, with a 4-hour minimum ($556) and 15-minute billing after that. Each extra mover adds $50 an hour. Fuel is $1 a mile ($50 minimum), and the drive between your two addresses is billed at double time, as California’s Max 4 tariff sets it. No stair fees, and 50 free boxes with every move.
- A studio is $556 in labor, a 2-bedroom $556–$1,323, a 3-bedroom $756–$1,951
- Long distance on a dedicated truck: Las Vegas $4,000, Phoenix $4,200, Dallas $10,600
- Licensed CAL-190616 and USDOT 1956864, moving San Diego since 2008
- Updated October 2026 from One Stop’s current rate card
Since 2008
Moving San Diego
CAL-190616
California mover license
USDOT 1956864
Interstate, MC 694565
BBB A+
Better Business Bureau
98%
Of our customers come back (company records)
7 days
7 AM–7 PM, phone open 24 hours
What it costs
How much do movers cost per hour in San Diego?
One Stop charges $139 an hour for two movers and a truck, $189 for three, $239 for four, $289 for five and $339 for six. The rate is the same every day, weekends and summer included. San Diego County moves have a 4-hour minimum, so the smallest bill for two movers is $556 in labor.
Fuel ($1 a mile, $50 minimum) and the drive between your addresses at double time are added to the labor. Everything else on the list below is $0.
Crew rates and the 4-hour minimum
| Crew | Hourly rate | 4-hour minimum | Per mover-hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 movers + truck | $139/hr | $556 | $69.50 |
| 3 movers + truck | $189/hr | $756 | $63.00 |
| 4 movers + truck | $239/hr | $956 | $59.75 |
| 5 movers + truck | $289/hr | $1,156 | $57.80 |
| 6 movers + truck | $339/hr | $1,356 | $56.50 |
The rest of the rate card
By home size
How much does a San Diego move cost by home size?
From One Stop’s crew planning table: a studio is $556 in labor, a 1-bedroom $556–$945, a 2-bedroom $556–$1,323, a 3-bedroom $756–$1,951, a 4-bedroom $756–$2,562 and a 5-bedroom $956–$3,890. Square footage sets the crew size and hours. Fuel and drive time are added on top.
| Home | Size (sq ft) | Movers | Hours | Trucks | Labor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | – | 2 | 4 (minimum) | 1 | $556 |
| 1 bedroom | 0–800 | 2 | 4 | 1 | $556 |
| 1 bedroom | 800–1,200 | 2 | 4–5 | 1 | $556–$695 |
| 1 bedroom | 1,200+ | 3 | 4–5 | 1 | $756–$945 |
| 2 bedrooms | 0–700 | 2 | 4–5 | 1 | $556–$695 |
| 2 bedrooms | 700–900 | 3 | 4–6 | 1 | $756–$1,134 |
| 2 bedrooms | 900–1,100 | 3 | 4–7 | 1 | $756–$1,323 |
| 2 bedrooms | 1,100+ | 3 | 5–7 | 1 | $945–$1,323 |
| 3 bedrooms | 900–1,200 | 3 | 4–6 | 1 | $756–$1,134 |
| 3 bedrooms | 1,200–1,600 | 3 | 5–7 | 1 | $945–$1,323 |
| 3 bedrooms | 1,600–2,000 | 3 | 6–8 | 1 | $1,134–$1,512 |
| 3 bedrooms | 2,000+ | 3 | 7–9 | 2 | $1,573–$1,951 |
| 4 bedrooms | 1,000–1,500 | 3 | 4–6 | 1 | $756–$1,134 |
| 4 bedrooms | 1,500–1,800 | 3 | 5–7 | 1 | $945–$1,323 |
| 4 bedrooms | 1,800–2,200 | 4 | 6–7 | 1–2 | $1,434–$1,923 |
| 4 bedrooms | 2,200+ | 5 | 6–8 | 2 | $1,984–$2,562 |
| 5 bedrooms | Up to 1,600 | 4 | 4–6 | 1 | $956–$1,434 |
| 5 bedrooms | 1,600–2,000 | 4 | 5–8 | 2 | $1,445–$2,162 |
| 5 bedrooms | 2,000–2,500 | 5 | 7–8 | 2 | $2,273–$2,562 |
| 5 bedrooms | 2,500–3,000 | 5 | 7–9 | 2 | $2,273–$2,851 |
| 5 bedrooms | 3,000–4,000 | 6 | 7–9 | 2 | $2,623–$3,301 |
| 5 bedrooms | 4,000+ | 6 | 8–10 | 2–3 | $2,962–$3,890 |
Labor at One Stop’s San Diego County crew rates ($139–$339 an hour), including any extra truck at $250. Hours and crew sizes come from One Stop’s move-planning table (October 2026). Fuel ($1 a mile, $50 minimum), drive time and packing are not included. Your written estimate, after an in-home or virtual walkthrough, sets your number.
Minimums
Do San Diego movers have a 2-hour minimum?
Some San Diego movers advertise a 2- or 3-hour minimum; One Stop doesn’t. Our minimum on a local household move is 4 hours, which is $556 for two movers and a truck. After 4 hours, billing runs in 15-minute steps, so a 5 hour 15 minute job is billed for exactly that.
Most studios and small 1-bedrooms finish inside the 4 hours. If yours finishes early, use the time you’re already paying for: have the crew pack the kitchen, take a bed apart or carry boxes to the garage.
Outside San Diego County, the 4-hour minimum covers loading and unloading only, not the drive.
What the minimum costs
Labor only. Fuel ($1 a mile, $50 minimum) and drive time between addresses are added.
A real bill, line by line
How is a San Diego moving bill calculated?
Labor (crew rate × hours, 4-hour minimum, then 15-minute steps) plus the drive between addresses at double time, plus fuel at $1 a mile ($50 minimum), plus packing time and materials if you book them. A 3-bedroom with three movers, 6 hours and a 20-minute drive comes to about $1,310.
Before move day you get a written Not-to-Exceed price, which California requires for every household move (BHGS), after an in-home or virtual walkthrough. You pay the actual time, never more than that number unless you add services in writing.
Sample bill: 3 bedrooms, 3 movers
Example built from the rate card. Your estimate covers your addresses and inventory.
What moves the number
What affects the cost of hiring movers in San Diego?
Crew size and hours decide most of the bill. After that come the drive between addresses (billed at double time), fuel at $1 a mile, any packing you book, and whether a second truck is needed ($250 in San Diego County). Stairs, weekends and summer dates don’t change the hourly rate.
Crew size and hours
A bigger crew costs more per hour but often finishes a large home sooner. A third mover pays off when it cuts the job by more than about a quarter.
Drive time
Billed at double time between your two addresses. A 20-minute drive is billed as 40 minutes: about $93 with two movers.
Fuel
$1 a mile, with a $50 minimum.
Stairs and long carries
No stair fee. Stairs, elevators and long walks to the truck add crew time only.
Packing
Billed at the crew rate, from $139 an hour for two people. Boxes and materials are sold by the piece.
Packing servicesSecond truck
Bigger homes sometimes need one: $250 in San Diego County, $350 in Orange or Riverside County, $425 in Los Angeles County.
Packing
Is packing included in a moving quote in San Diego?
At One Stop, packing is listed separately, not hidden in the hourly rate. Our crew packs at the same rate as the move, from $139 an hour for two people, and boxes and materials are sold by the piece. Every move includes 50 free boxes and wardrobe boxes to use on moving day.
You can book packing for the whole home or just the kitchen and fragile items. Unpacking, including taking away the empty boxes and paper, is available too.
Packing materials, by the piece
Prices from One Stop’s tariff, October 2026. The first 50 boxes are free with every move.
Beyond the county
Does the price change outside San Diego County?
The hourly rate doesn’t: Orange County moves are also $139 an hour for two movers and a truck. What changes is the minimum: outside San Diego County the 4 hours cover loading and unloading, not the drive. An extra truck is $350 in Orange or Riverside County and $425 in Los Angeles County.
Riverside County is served for long-distance moves only. Moves to Los Angeles are billed by the hour at the same rates, and the Bay Area is $4,800–$5,200. See Orange County movers.
| Where | 2 movers + truck | Minimum | Extra truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego County | $139/hr | 4 hours, drive included | $250 |
| Orange County | $139/hr | 4 hours of loading and unloading | $350 |
| Riverside County | Long-distance moves only | Quoted in writing | $350 |
| Los Angeles | $139/hr | 4 hours of loading and unloading | $425 (LA County) |
Long distance
How much do long-distance moves from San Diego cost?
Moves out of state have one price per city on a truck dedicated to your move. Las Vegas is $4,000, Phoenix $4,200, Salt Lake City $6,500 and Dallas $10,600. Los Angeles is billed by the hour, from $139 an hour, and the Bay Area is $4,800–$5,200.
| San Diego to | Dedicated truck | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas, NV | $4,000 | 1–2 days |
| Phoenix, AZ | $4,200 | 1–2 days |
| Tucson, AZ | $4,500 | In your quote |
| St. George, UT | $4,700 | 2–3 days |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $5,000 | In your quote |
| Carson City, NV | $5,200 | 1–2 days |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $6,500 | 2–3 days |
| Austin, TX | $10,200 | 3–4 days |
| Dallas, TX | $10,600 | 3–4 days |
| Houston, TX | $11,950 | 3–4 days |
| Los Angeles, CA | By the hour, from $139/hr | 1–2 days |
| Bay Area, CA | $4,800–$5,200 | In your quote |
Prices are for a dedicated truck that carries only your household, in writing before you book. Days are transit time on a dedicated truck. Any other city: call (858) 633-8600 for today’s price. Smaller loads can go on a shared truck at $11 per cubic foot (400 cu ft minimum, delivery within up to 21 days); on the routes above, a dedicated truck is usually the better deal.
No surprises
What is included when you hire One Stop?
Two or more full-time movers and a lift-gate truck, 50 free moving boxes, wardrobe boxes to use on moving day, blankets, shrink wrap, and floor and door protection, with no stair fees. Basic protection at 60 cents per pound per article is included, as California’s tariff sets it.
Included at $0
- 50 moving boxes$0
- Wardrobe boxes on moving day$0
- Blankets and shrink wrap$0
- Floor and door protection$0
- Stairs, any number of flights$0
- Basic protection, 60¢/lb per article$0
Who you’re hiring
Questions
Moving cost questions
Short answers. Prices, booking, packing, storage and your rights are covered in full in our FAQ.
All moving questionsHow much does it cost to hire 2 movers and a truck in San Diego?
$139 an hour with One Stop, with a 4-hour minimum ($556), then 15-minute increments. Fuel is $1 a mile ($50 minimum) and the drive between addresses is billed at double time.
Do San Diego movers have a 2-hour minimum?
Some do. One Stop’s minimum for a local household move is 4 hours, $556 for two movers and a truck. Most studios and small 1-bedrooms finish inside it.
How much do movers cost for a 1-bedroom apartment in San Diego?
Usually $556 to $945 in labor: two or three movers for 4 to 5 hours at $139 or $189 an hour. Fuel ($1 a mile, $50 minimum) and drive time are added.
How much do movers cost for a 2-bedroom in San Diego?
Usually $556 to $1,323 in labor: two or three movers for 4 to 7 hours, depending on square footage. Fuel and drive time are added.
How much does a 3-bedroom move cost in San Diego?
Usually $756 to $1,951 in labor: three movers for 4 to 9 hours, with a second truck ($250) on homes over 2,000 sq ft. Fuel and drive time are added.
Do you charge extra for stairs?
No. There is no stair or elevator fee. Stairs only add crew time.
Is packing included in the moving price?
No, it’s listed separately. Packing is billed at the crew rate, from $139 an hour for two people, and materials are sold by the piece. 50 boxes are free with every move.
How is drive time billed?
The drive between your two addresses is billed at double the actual time, as California’s Max 4 tariff sets it. A 20-minute drive with two movers is billed as 40 minutes, about $93.
What deposit do you need to book a local move?
$100 for a small move, or 10% of the estimate for a larger one. It’s applied to your bill.
Do movers charge more on weekends or in summer?
Not at One Stop. The hourly rate is the same every day. Month-end and summer Saturdays book first, so book at least 10 days ahead, and about 3 weeks ahead from May to September.
How much does it cost to move from San Diego to Phoenix or Las Vegas?
On a dedicated truck, Phoenix is $4,200 and Las Vegas is $4,000, each 1–2 days in transit.
Do you give a written price before the move?
Yes. After an in-home or virtual walkthrough you get a written Not-to-Exceed price, as California requires for household moves. You pay the actual time, never more than that number unless you add services.
Talk to a person
Get your exact number
Tell us what’s moving and where. You get the crew size, the hours and a Not-to-Exceed price in writing, free, usually within hours. The phone line is open 24 hours.