Moving from Sacramento, CA to San Francisco, CA
At about 86 miles, Sacramento to San Francisco 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 86 miles the drive is on the clock too — about 2 hours 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 Sacramento, CA to San Francisco, CA covers about 86 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 1,545 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 86 miles, crews cover Sacramento to San Francisco in a single day — about 2 hours 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 2 hours
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from Sacramento to San Francisco
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, Sacramento to San Francisco
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $44–$56 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $515 to $859. The 86 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 Sacramento to San Francisco
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 1,545 people a year (±670) moved from Sacramento County, CA, home to Sacramento, to San Francisco County, CA, home to San Francisco. Going the other way: about 1,495 people a year (±402). Movers from Sacramento County make up 3.0% of the 51,400 people a year who moved into San Francisco County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Placer County, CA | 8,313 ±1,114 |
| El Dorado County, CA | 3,786 ±712 |
| Alameda County, CA | 2,933 ±785 |
| Yolo County, CA | 2,904 ±611 |
| San Joaquin County, CA | 2,746 ±653 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Alameda County, CA | 5,296 ±738 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 4,693 ±747 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 4,278 ±657 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 4,003 ±458 |
| San Diego County, CA | 2,649 ±575 |
Licensed movers at each end
78 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Sacramento. 32 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 8.9% of their 135 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Valley MovingUSDOT 786470 | Sacramento · 5 mi | 11 trucks | 21 | 0.0% of 17 |
| Wind Dancer Moving CompanyUSDOT 781304 | Rio Oso · 26 mi | 9 trucks | 0 | — |
| Auburn Moving Co IncUSDOT 2347808 | Roseville · 17 mi | 7 trucks | 3 | 0.0% of 2 |
| Scott Heavy Movers IncUSDOT 2550385 | North Highland · 9 mi | 6 trucks | 11 | 0.0% of 11 |
| Sartain Moving LLCUSDOT 3741383 | Sacramento · 8 mi | 5 trucks | 0 | — |
| Great American MoversUSDOT 397786 | Sacramento · 8 mi | 4 trucks | 6 | 0.0% of 4 |
How these figures are calculated
At the San Francisco end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of San Francisco: Air Container Transfer (Brisbane, 60 trucks), Waters Moving & Storage Inc (Martinez, 35 trucks), Crown Worldwide Moving and Storage LLC (Union City, 25 trucks), Nor-Cal Moving Services (Hayward, 23 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 86-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 Sacramento to San Francisco
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 Francisco
A local move inside San Francisco 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 Francisco are Oakland (about 9 mi), Fremont (about 38 mi), San Jose (about 49 mi).
Other routes from Sacramento
All routes from Sacramento, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento to Roseville, CA | ~19 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Sacramento to Stockton, CA | ~50 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Sacramento to Modesto, CA | ~82 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Sacramento to Fremont, CA | ~92 mi | $515 – $859 |
| Sacramento to San Jose, CA | ~103 mi | $464 – $618 |
| Sacramento to Reno, NV | ~130 mi | $585 – $780 |
| Sacramento to Fresno, CA | ~184 mi | $828 – $1,104 |
| Sacramento to Bakersfield, CA | ~304 mi | $1,368 – $1,824 |
Also moving to San Francisco: from Fremont, CA, from San Jose, CA, from Stockton, CA, from Modesto, CA.
Sacramento to San Francisco moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Sacramento to San Francisco?
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 86 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Sacramento to San Francisco take?
One day. The drive is about 2 hours, 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 Sacramento to San Francisco?
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 86 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Sacramento to San Francisco 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 Sacramento to San Francisco each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 1,545 people a year (margin of error ±670) moved from Sacramento County, which contains Sacramento, to San Francisco County, which contains San Francisco.
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.