Moving from Chesapeake, VA to Philadelphia, PA
About 273 miles across a state line, from Virginia into Pennsylvania, so the federal interstate rules apply from the first quote.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from Chesapeake, VA to Philadelphia, PA covers about 273 miles and is an interstate move. Full-service movers cost $1,229 – $1,638 for a two-bedroom home in our model, delivered in 1 to 3 days. About 824 people a year move between the two metro areas (Census).
The route
A short interstate haul: 273 miles, about 5 hours of driving. Long enough to be priced on weight, short enough that most carriers run it on a dedicated truck rather than pooling your goods with other shipments — a two-bedroom home typically runs $1,229 – $1,638. That means a tight delivery date and far less handling.
- Move type
- Interstate move
- Driving
- about 5 hours
- Usually moves on
- a dedicated truck
- Book ahead
- 2 to 4 weeks
Cost of moving from Chesapeake to Philadelphia
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $921 – $1,229 | $663 – $885 | $442 – $590 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,106 – $1,474 | $796 – $1,061 | $531 – $708 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,229 – $1,638 | $885 – $1,179 | $590 – $786 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,413 – $1,884 | $1,017 – $1,356 | $678 – $904 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,597 – $2,129 | $1,150 – $1,533 | $767 – $1,022 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $1,843 – $2,457 | $1,327 – $1,769 | $885 – $1,179 |
Transport only, for an estimated 273 miles, from our published model: distance × home-size factor × service rate, shown as −10% to +20% around the base figure. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items sit on top. How we price it.
Worked example: a two-bedroom home, Chesapeake to Philadelphia
273 miles × 2.0 (two-bedroom size multiplier) × $2.50 (full-service rate) = $1,365. The range runs 10% under that to 20% over: $1,229 to $1,638, transport only. Every parameter is on the methodology page; moving cost per mile explains why the rate falls with distance.
How many people move from Chesapeake to Philadelphia
The county-to-county table of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) has no estimate for Chesapeake city, VA to Philadelphia County, PA, but the wider metro table does: about 824 people a year (±244) moved from the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metro area to the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. The other way: about 1,796 people a year (±491).
At state level, the 2024 survey counts about 8,597 people a year (±2,499) moving from Virginia to Pennsylvania and about 15,246 people a year (±3,605) from Pennsylvania to Virginia — a net gain for Virginia of about 6,649 people a year.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City, VA | 3,754 ±803 |
| Norfolk City, VA | 2,233 ±508 |
| Portsmouth City, VA | 1,476 ±508 |
| Suffolk City, VA | 782 ±242 |
| Bexar County, TX | 529 ±497 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Montgomery County, PA | 6,964 ±711 |
| Delaware County, PA | 5,131 ±857 |
| Bucks County, PA | 4,654 ±928 |
| Camden County, NJ | 3,114 ±777 |
| Kings County, NY | 2,379 ±681 |
Licensed movers at each end
35 household-goods carriers with interstate authority are based within 30 miles of Chesapeake (56 counting those licensed only inside Virginia). 11 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 22.9% of their 319 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Transfer IncUSDOT 139659 | Chesapeake · 8 mi | 240 trucks | 426 | 20.2% of 247 |
| Apple MovingUSDOT 163678 | Chesapeake · 4 mi | 44 trucks | 40 | 18.2% of 22 |
| Hampton Roads Moving & StorageUSDOT 1581633 | Suffolk · 15 mi | 43 trucks | 46 | 40.0% of 25 |
| Apple MovingUSDOT 795385 | Norfolk · 12 mi | 21 trucks | 12 | 0.0% of 3 |
| Monroe Transfer & Storage Co IncUSDOT 169188 | Norfolk · 14 mi | 18 trucks | 0 | — |
| Brooks Transfer & Storage CoincUSDOT 120995 | Virginia Beach · 15 mi | 17 trucks | 0 | — |
How these figures are calculated
At the Philadelphia end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Philadelphia: Flower Transfer Logistics (Sewell, 134 trucks), Wayne Moving and Storage (West Chester, 28 trucks), ABC Pro Movers Inc (Philadelphia, 26 trucks), Hughes Relocation Services Inc (Lansdale, 21 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Because the truck crosses from Virginia into Pennsylvania, 49 CFR Part 375 applies: a written estimate before loading, no more than 110% of a non-binding estimate collected at delivery, and full-value protection unless you choose released value in writing. See binding vs non-binding estimates and valuation explained.
Before you book Chesapeake to Philadelphia
Ask whether it is hourly or flat
At 273 miles some carriers still quote hourly plus mileage rather than by weight. Get both numbers so you can compare like with like — hourly can win on a short haul with easy access at both ends.
Confirm it is a one-day run
Most carriers cover this distance in a single day, which avoids an overnight charge and a second crew. If a quote assumes two days, ask why.
Arriving in Philadelphia
A local move inside Philadelphia later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $495 – $817 for a two-bedroom home and $831 – $1,506 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Philadelphia are Wilmington (about 29 mi), Allentown (about 56 mi), Dover (about 68 mi).
Other routes from Chesapeake
All routes from Chesapeake, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake to Norfolk, VA | ~14 mi | $465 – $761 |
| Chesapeake to Virginia Beach, VA | ~25 mi | $465 – $761 |
| Chesapeake to Richmond, VA | ~100 mi | $465 – $761 |
| Chesapeake to Raleigh, NC | ~168 mi | $756 – $1,008 |
| Chesapeake to Chapel Hill, NC | ~188 mi | $846 – $1,128 |
| Chesapeake to Greensboro, NC | ~232 mi | $1,044 – $1,392 |
| Chesapeake to Winston-Salem, NC | ~261 mi | $1,175 – $1,566 |
| Chesapeake to Greenville, SC | ~425 mi | $1,913 – $2,550 |
Also moving to Philadelphia: from Wilmington, DE, from Allentown, PA, from Dover, DE, from Newark, NJ.
Chesapeake to Philadelphia moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Chesapeake to Philadelphia?
From our published model, full-service movers over about 273 miles cost about $921 – $1,229 for a studio, $1,229 – $1,638 for a two-bedroom home and $1,413 – $1,884 for a three-bedroom home, transport only; packing, storage and specialty items are extra.
How long does a move from Chesapeake to Philadelphia take?
The drive is about 5 hours, but the move usually takes 1 to 3 days because it moves on a dedicated truck, because the corridor is too short to be worth consolidating. Ask for the delivery window in writing. Book ahead: 2 to 4 weeks, 4 to 6 in summer.
What is the cheapest way to move from Chesapeake to Philadelphia?
Loading a freight trailer yourself: about $590 – $786 for a two-bedroom home, against $1,229 – $1,638 with full-service movers; a moving container is $885 – $1,179.
Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for Chesapeake to Philadelphia?
Yes. Chesapeake is in Virginia and Philadelphia is in Pennsylvania, so the carrier needs active FMCSA interstate authority (an MC number) as well as a USDOT number. 35 listed movers within 30 miles of Chesapeake hold it.
How many people move from Chesapeake to Philadelphia each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 824 people a year (margin of error ±244) moved from the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metro area to the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. Its county table has no estimate for this pair, so the metro figure is the finest available.
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.