cost to move cross country​:Here’s What It Actually Cost Me (From a Gamer Who’d Rather Be Playing) 2025

introduction to cost to move cross country​

Let me set the scene: I was halfway through a lazy Sunday morning, clicking away at my Cookie Clicker empire, one hand on my mouse and the other cradling a mug of overpriced cold brew. Bliss. Then I got the reminder ping from my calendar: “Move cross country in two weeks.” Suddenly, my virtual cookies didn’t seem so important. cost to move cross country​

Yep—I recently packed up my life and moved across the entire freaking country. And you know what? The cost to move cross country isn’t exactly beginner-level. It’s more like a boss fight you weren’t prepared for, and you forgot to stock up on healing potions.

So if you’re about to make the leap—or just curious what the damage looks like—grcost to move cross country​ab your coffee, maybe a browser game in the background, and let me break it down for you. Spoiler: It cost way more than I thought, and I have a lot of thoughts. cost to move cross country​

The Fast-Travel Price Tag (A Quick Look)

Before we dive into the story, here’s a quick cheat sheet of what I learned: cost to move cross country​

DIY Truck Move: $2,000–$4,000

Full-Service Movers: $4,000–$10,000+

Hybrid (Container Services like U-Pack): $3,000–$6,000

Shipping a Car: $1,000–$1,800

Flights (for you or your cat): $100–$500

Extra stuff (gas, hotels, food, mental breakdowns): $500–$2,000

It adds up fast. Like “accidentally-spent-real-money-on-a-free-game” fast. cost to move cross country​

Inventory Management IRL: Packing Costs

Let’s talk packing. You’d think after years of playing inventory-based games (Stardew Valley, Runescape, literally any RPG), I’d be good at this. I was not. cost to move cross country​

I started hoarding boxes like a raccoon with a cardboard obsession. Hit up Craigslist, grocery stores, even begged neighbors. Still ended up spending around $200–$250 on boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and those weird plastic covers for my mattress. Totally worth it, though—especially if you’ve got electronics or collectibles you care about. cost to move cross country​

Pro tip: Save your best boxes for your PC, monitors, or consoles. Wrap ‘em like you’re shipping them to the moon.

Picking Your Class: DIY vs. Full-Service vs. Container Magic

Moving cross country is like choosing your character class in an RPG. Each comes with perks, drawbacks, and some painful trade-offs.

Tank Class: DIY Truck Rental (U-Haul, Penske)

I chose the tank. Rented a 20-foot U-Haul and drove it myself, because apparently I enjoy suffering.

Base cost: $2,300 for the truck

Gas: $700 (trucks guzzle like a dragon)

Tolls & parking: Don’t even ask

Would I do it again? Eh. Driving that behemoth across mountain passes and through tight city streets was… not the cozy road trip I envisioned. But hey, I got to listen to The Adventure Zone podcast for 20 hours straight, so silver lining?

Mage Class: Full-Service Movers

This is the premium, pay-to-win route. My friend went this way and paid about $7,000 for movers to pack, drive, and unpack everything. He didn’t even break a sweat.

If you’ve got the cash or a job covering the cost, it’s a lifesaver. No stress, no heavy lifting, and your back will thank you.

Rogue Class: Container Moves (U-Pack, PODS, etc.)

I tried this once before when I moved a few states over. It cost me around $3,800 and was actually pretty smooth. You pack your stuff in a giant metal cube, and they ship it across the country. Kind of like sending your loot chest to your new home base. cost to move cross country​

The downside? Delivery windows can be vague, and you will panic at least once wondering if it’s been stolen by container pirates. cost to move cross country​

Surprise Side Quests (aka Hidden Costs)

Moving isn’t just about trucks and boxes. Oh no. There are so many side quests. cost to move cross country​

Car Shipping

I shipped my Honda Civic instead of towing it, and it cost $1,250. Totally worth it, though. I didn’t want to spend 30 hours driving a U-Haul with my Civic bouncing behind like a lost NPC.

Hotel Stops & Gas Station Snacks

I did a 4-day drive and stayed in budget motels. Total for hotels and road food: about $600. Not including the emergency energy drinks I downed to stay awake somewhere in Kansas.

Time Off Work

Unless you’re remote or have vacation days stacked like Bookstalls, plan for missed income. I lost about a week’s worth of pay, which stung more than stepping on a LEGO barefoot. cost to move cross country​

Bonus Level: Moving Your Gaming Setup

Let me just say—my PC got more attention than anything else I own. I wrapped it in memory foam, padded it with blankets, then boxed that box inside another box. Like a Russian nesting doll of nerd paranoia. cost to move cross country​

Shipping a gaming setup or even consoles? Set aside $100–$300 depending on insurance and size. Or, do what I did: personally carry it like a newborn child across the country. cost to move cross country​

Budgeting Like a Pro (or At Least a Dungeon Master)

Here’s how my final tally broke down:

Yikes, right?

Still cheaper than full-service movers, but not exactly cheap. It’s like I unlocked the “Deluxe Move Pack” in real life without realizing I clicked “Buy Now.”

Gold Coin Saver Tips (You’ll Thank Me Later)

Here’s some stuff I wish I’d done sooner:

Book early: Prices rise fast, especially in summer.

Move off-season: Winter moves are cheaper (but colder).

Declutter before you go: Less stuff = less cost.

Use discount codes: AAA, military, and student discounts exist for truck rentals and containers. cost to move cross country​

Track everything: I used Notion like a quest tracker. Highly recommend.

And Then… You Land

There’s this weird moment when everything’s finally moved, the WiFi is hooked up, and you sit on the floor (because your couch is still in transit) with takeout in one hand and your phone in the other. You’re exhausted—but it’s done. cost to move cross country​

Setting up the new place cost me another $800 on things I forgot I needed: curtains, a shower rod, a trash can, lightbulbs… IYKYK. cost to move cross country​ cost to move cross country​

But once I plugged in my PC and booted up Slay the Spire, it started to feel like home.

Final Thoughts: Worth It? Yep. Barely.

So, how much does it cost to move cross country? The real answer is: a lot. Like $2,000 if you’re super minimal and lucky, or $10K+ if you go all-in with help. Most of us land somewhere in the $5,000–$7,000 range. cost to move cross country​

And yeah, it’s stressful, expensive, and mildly soul-crushing at times. But it’s also an adventure. A full-on, life-changing, “new map unlocked” kind of adventure. cost to move cross country​

If you’re thinking about making the jump, just treat it like the biggest side quest of your life. Prep like it’s a raid boss. Pack like it’s loot sorting. Budget like it’s real-world currency (because… well, it is). cost to move cross country​

cost to move cross country​