Moving from Modesto, CA to San Jose, CA
At about 62 miles, Modesto to San Jose is a local move. Movers bill it by the hour — crew size × hourly rate × hours on site, plus a travel fee — so the bill depends on how long loading and unloading take more than on the miles. At 62 miles the drive is on the clock too — about an hour each way — so expect travel time billed above the flat fee.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from Modesto, CA to San Jose, CA covers about 62 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $515 – $859 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 606 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 62 miles, crews cover Modesto to San Jose in a single day — about an hour on the road — so there is no delivery window to negotiate. What matters is access at both ends — stairs, elevators, how far the truck can park from the door — because every extra hour is billed.
- Move type
- Local move
- Driving
- about an hour
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from Modesto to San Jose
Priced by the hour; the container and freight columns show what the same hours cost with a lower-rate crew.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $235 – $375 | $195 – $315 | $175 – $285 |
| 1 bedroom | $315 – $575 | $255 – $475 | $225 – $425 |
| 2 bedrooms | $475 – $775 | $375 – $635 | $325 – $565 |
| 3 bedrooms | $795 – $1,425 | $615 – $1,155 | $525 – $1,020 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,355 – $2,075 | $1,035 – $1,675 | $875 – $1,475 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $1,675 – $2,475 | $1,275 – $1,995 | $1,075 – $1,755 |
Inside the 100-mile local band, so these are hourly figures: crew size × hourly rate × hours on site, plus a travel fee. Container and freight columns show the same job done by a lower-cost crew. How we price it.
Worked example: a two-bedroom home, Modesto to San Jose
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $44–$56 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $515 to $859. The 62 miles only enter through the travel fee and drive time. Every parameter is on the methodology page; moving cost per mile explains why the rate falls with distance.
How many people move from Modesto to San Jose
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 606 people a year (±235) moved from Stanislaus County, CA, home to Modesto, to Santa Clara County, CA, home to San Jose. Going the other way: about 1,041 people a year (±396). Movers from Stanislaus County make up 0.8% of the 78,912 people a year who moved into Santa Clara County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Merced County, CA | 2,559 ±884 |
| San Joaquin County, CA | 2,276 ±533 |
| Sacramento County, CA | 1,262 ±381 |
| San Diego County, CA | 893 ±445 |
| Alameda County, CA | 873 ±288 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Alameda County, CA | 8,231 ±986 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 6,043 ±854 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 5,413 ±752 |
| San Francisco County, CA | 3,735 ±605 |
| Santa Cruz County, CA | 2,272 ±673 |
Licensed movers at each end
29 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Modesto. 14 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 7.9% of their 38 vehicle inspections ended with a truck put out of service. The largest by registered fleet:
| Carrier | Based in | Size | Inspections, 24 mo | Vehicle out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Moving Company LLCUSDOT 2806730 | Modesto · 1 mi | 10 trucks | 4 | 0.0% of 3 |
| Mid Cal Moving & Storage CompanyUSDOT 2778166 | Stockton · 28 mi | 8 trucks | 0 | — |
| Modesto Transfer and Storage IncUSDOT 2125459 | Modesto · 2 mi | 5 trucks | 0 | — |
| Encore Piano MovingUSDOT 3597595 | Stockton · 28 mi | 5 trucks | 7 | 0.0% of 7 |
| Motivated MoversUSDOT 3314910 | Salida · 7 mi | 4 trucks | 0 | — |
| Golden State Moving Pros LLCUSDOT 4545596 | Turlock · 13 mi | 3 trucks | 0 | — |
How these figures are calculated
At the San Jose end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of San Jose: Crown Worldwide Moving and Storage LLC (Union City, 25 trucks), Nor-Cal Moving Services (Hayward, 23 trucks), Ontrack Moving LLC (Hayward, 20 trucks), Moving Solutions Inc (Newark, 18 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in California, so California rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which California licence or registration it holds and check it with the state. The federal 110% cap on non-binding estimates does not reach a move inside California, so your protection on this 62-mile job is the estimate you sign, which on an hourly job means the rate, the minimum hours and the travel fee in writing. More in binding vs non-binding estimates.
Before you book Modesto to San Jose
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $44 to $56 for a full-service crew), a minimum number of hours, and a travel or "truck" fee of around $75. Ask for all three before you compare two movers.
Describe the access honestly
A third-floor walk-up, a long carry from the truck, an elevator that needs booking — each adds an hour or more, and on an hourly job that is the whole bill. Tell the mover before they quote, not on the day.
Arriving in San Jose
A local move inside San Jose later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $515 – $859 for a two-bedroom home and $867 – $1,587 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from San Jose are Fremont (about 13 mi), Oakland (about 45 mi), San Francisco (about 49 mi).
Other routes from Modesto
All routes from Modesto, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Modesto to Stockton, CA | ~34 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Modesto to Fremont, CA | ~61 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Modesto to Sacramento, CA | ~82 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Modesto to San Francisco, CA | ~90 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Modesto to Roseville, CA | ~93 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Modesto to Fresno, CA | ~107 mi | $482 – $642 |
| Modesto to Bakersfield, CA | ~224 mi | $1,008 – $1,344 |
| Modesto to Oxnard, CA | ~301 mi | $1,355 – $1,806 |
Also moving to San Jose: from Fremont, CA, from San Francisco, CA, from Stockton, CA, from Sacramento, CA.
Modesto to San Jose moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Modesto to San Jose?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $515 – $859; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $867 – $1,587. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 62 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Modesto to San Jose take?
One day. The drive is about an hour, and a local crew loads, drives and unloads in a single shift. Book ahead: 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 in summer or at a month-end.
What is the cheapest way to move from Modesto to San Jose?
Do the packing yourself and hire the crew only for loading, driving and unloading. On an hourly job every hour you save is money off the bill, and packing is the slowest part. A container is rarely worth it under 62 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Modesto to San Jose an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in California, so the move is regulated by California rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever California requires of household-goods movers; interstate authority (an MC number) is not required for this job. The federal 110% rule on non-binding estimates does not apply either, which is a good reason to ask for a binding estimate.
How many people move from Modesto to San Jose each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 606 people a year (margin of error ±235) moved from Stanislaus County, which contains Modesto, to Santa Clara County, which contains San Jose.
Sources for this page
The published cost model; US Census Bureau ACS migration flows (± is the 90% margin of error); the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census and Safety Measurement System; 49 CFR Part 375. Data last refreshed September 24, 2026.