Moving from Norfolk, VA to Virginia Beach, VA
At about 20 miles, Norfolk to Virginia Beach 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.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from Norfolk, VA to Virginia Beach, VA covers about 20 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $465 – $761 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 4,796 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 20 miles, crews cover Norfolk to Virginia Beach in a single day — under 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
- under an hour
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from Norfolk to Virginia Beach
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, Norfolk to Virginia Beach
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $39–$49 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $465 to $761. The 20 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 Norfolk to Virginia Beach
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 4,796 people a year (±895) moved from Norfolk city, VA, home to Norfolk, to Virginia Beach city, VA, home to Virginia Beach. Going the other way: about 4,962 people a year (±856). Movers from Norfolk city make up 13.5% of the 35,589 people a year who moved into Virginia Beach city from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City, VA | 4,796 ±895 |
| Chesapeake City, VA | 3,152 ±786 |
| Hampton City, VA | 1,179 ±627 |
| Portsmouth City, VA | 1,102 ±334 |
| San Diego County, CA | 568 ±333 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Norfolk City, VA | 4,796 ±895 |
| Chesapeake City, VA | 3,754 ±803 |
| San Diego County, CA | 1,215 ±416 |
| Tulare County, CA | 1,160 ±1,069 |
| Portsmouth City, VA | 813 ±312 |
Licensed movers at each end
57 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Norfolk. 12 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 22.7% of their 321 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 · 4 mi | 240 trucks | 426 | 20.2% of 247 |
| Apple MovingUSDOT 163678 | Chesapeake · 12 mi | 44 trucks | 40 | 18.2% of 22 |
| Hampton Roads Moving & StorageUSDOT 1581633 | Suffolk · 10 mi | 43 trucks | 46 | 40.0% of 25 |
| Apple MovingUSDOT 795385 | Norfolk · 1 mi | 21 trucks | 12 | 0.0% of 3 |
| Monroe Transfer & Storage Co IncUSDOT 169188 | Norfolk · 5 mi | 18 trucks | 0 | — |
| Brooks Transfer & Storage CoincUSDOT 120995 | Virginia Beach · 13 mi | 17 trucks | 0 | — |
How these figures are calculated
At the Virginia Beach end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Virginia Beach: Service Transfer Inc (Chesapeake, 240 trucks), Apple Moving (Chesapeake, 44 trucks), Hampton Roads Moving & Storage (Suffolk, 43 trucks), Apple Moving (Norfolk, 21 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in Virginia, so Virginia rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which Virginia 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 Virginia, so your protection on this 20-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 Norfolk to Virginia Beach
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $39 to $49 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 Virginia Beach
A local move inside Virginia Beach later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $465 – $761 for a two-bedroom home and $777 – $1,398 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Virginia Beach are Norfolk (about 20 mi), Chesapeake (about 25 mi), Richmond (about 109 mi).
Other routes from Norfolk
All routes from Norfolk, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk to Chesapeake, VA | ~14 mi | $465 – $761 |
| Norfolk to Richmond, VA | ~92 mi | $465 – $761 |
| Norfolk to Arlington, VA | ~171 mi | $770 – $1,026 |
| Norfolk to Washington, DC | ~172 mi | $774 – $1,032 |
| Norfolk to Chapel Hill, NC | ~193 mi | $869 – $1,158 |
| Norfolk to Charlotte, NC | ~324 mi | $1,458 – $1,944 |
| Norfolk to Albany, NY | ~493 mi | $2,219 – $2,958 |
| Norfolk to Knoxville, TN | ~500 mi | $2,250 – $3,000 |
Also moving to Virginia Beach: from Chesapeake, VA, from Richmond, VA, from Arlington, VA, from Raleigh, NC.
Norfolk to Virginia Beach moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Norfolk to Virginia Beach?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $465 – $761; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $777 – $1,398. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 20 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Norfolk to Virginia Beach take?
One day. The drive is under 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 Norfolk to Virginia Beach?
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 20 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Norfolk to Virginia Beach an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in Virginia, so the move is regulated by Virginia rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever Virginia 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 Norfolk to Virginia Beach each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 4,796 people a year (margin of error ±895) moved from Norfolk city, which contains Norfolk, to Virginia Beach city, which contains Virginia Beach.
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.