Moving Costs in Santa Cruz, CA
Two formulas cover every move out of Santa Cruz. Under about 100 miles you pay for a crew's time: a two-bedroom home is $515 – $859 in our model. Beyond that you pay for weight and distance: $1,539 – $2,052 to Los Angeles, CA. 84 licensed movers are based within 30 miles. Every figure comes from the same published model as the calculator, not from any company.
Carrier counts from the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, snapshot September 24, 2026. No paid placement.
- 2-bed local move
- $515 – $859
- 2 movers × 5–7 h + $75 travel
- 3-bed local move
- $867 – $1,587
- 3 movers × 6–9 h + travel
- 2-bed to Los Angeles
- $1,539 – $2,052
- ≈ 342 miles, transport only
- Movers within 30 mi
- 84
- 19 with interstate authority
In short
A two-bedroom local move in Santa Cruz runs $515 – $859 in our model and a three-bedroom $867 – $1,587, billed by the hour. Long distance, a two-bedroom move to Los Angeles, CA is $1,539 – $2,052. 84 licensed movers are based within 30 miles. The largest Census flow out of Santa Cruz County goes to Santa Clara County, about 2,272 people a year.
What a move from Santa Cruz costs
Local moves are crew × hours × an hourly rate; long-distance moves are weight × distance.
Local moves in Santa Cruz: billed by the hour
A two-bedroom move in Santa Cruz: 2 movers × 5–7 hours × $44–$56 an hour, plus $75 travel, is $515 – $859.
| Home | Crew | Hours | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 2 | 2–3 | $251 – $411 |
| 1 bedroom | 2 | 3–5 | $339 – $635 |
| 2 bedrooms | 2 | 5–7 | $515 – $859 |
| 3 bedrooms | 3 | 6–9 | $867 – $1,587 |
| 4 bedrooms | 4 | 8–10 | $1,483 – $2,315 |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4 | 10–12 | $1,835 – $2,763 |
Hourly rates are scaled to California: hand movers there earn a median $21.50 an hour against $19.35 nationally (BLS, May 2025), so the model's national $40–$50 band becomes $44–$56 per mover per hour.
Long distance from Santa Cruz: priced by weight and miles
Full-service, transport only. From Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, CA is the nearest priced metro (≈ 342 mi) and New York City, NY the farthest (≈ 2,991 mi); ≈ marks estimated miles.
| To | Miles | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 2,991 | $13,460 – $17,946 | $15,478 – $20,638 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 342 | $1,539 – $2,052 | $1,770 – $2,360 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 2,163 | $9,734 – $12,978 | $11,194 – $14,925 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 1,697 | $7,637 – $10,182 | $8,782 – $11,709 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,879 | $8,456 – $11,274 | $9,724 – $12,965 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 2,834 | $12,753 – $17,004 | $14,666 – $19,555 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 2,990 | $13,455 – $17,940 | $15,473 – $20,631 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 2,932 | $13,194 – $17,592 | $15,173 – $20,231 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 2,471 | $11,120 – $14,826 | $12,787 – $17,050 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 714 | $3,213 – $4,284 | $3,695 – $4,927 |
Long-distance lanes from Santa Cruz, by home size
| From Santa Cruz to | Miles | Studio | 1 bedroom | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 2,991 | $10,095 – $13,460 | $12,114 – $16,151 | $15,478 – $20,638 | $17,497 – $23,330 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 342 | $1,154 – $1,539 | $1,385 – $1,847 | $1,770 – $2,360 | $2,001 – $2,668 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 2,163 | $7,300 – $9,734 | $8,760 – $11,680 | $11,194 – $14,925 | $12,654 – $16,871 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 1,697 | $5,727 – $7,637 | $6,873 – $9,164 | $8,782 – $11,709 | $9,927 – $13,237 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,879 | $6,342 – $8,456 | $7,610 – $10,147 | $9,724 – $12,965 | $10,992 – $14,656 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 2,834 | $9,565 – $12,753 | $11,478 – $15,304 | $14,666 – $19,555 | $16,579 – $22,105 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 2,990 | $10,091 – $13,455 | $12,110 – $16,146 | $15,473 – $20,631 | $17,492 – $23,322 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 2,932 | $9,896 – $13,194 | $11,875 – $15,833 | $15,173 – $20,231 | $17,152 – $22,870 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 2,471 | $8,340 – $11,120 | $10,008 – $13,343 | $12,787 – $17,050 | $14,455 – $19,274 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 714 | $2,410 – $3,213 | $2,892 – $3,856 | $3,695 – $4,927 | $4,177 – $5,569 |
Distances marked ≈ are estimated. Full-service movers, transport only.
Licensed movers serving Santa Cruz
84 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Santa Cruz, 19 of them with interstate authority; 34 had a roadside inspection in the past 24 months. The Santa Cruz movers page lists every one with its USDOT number, fleet and inspection record, and its long-distance section keeps only those that can cross a state line.
Who moves to and from Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz sits in Santa Cruz County, CA, home to about 270,702 people aged one and over. In the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 American Community Survey, about 4,360 (±731) people a year moved into the county from another state, about 1,446 (±271) from abroad and about 14,371 (±1,247) from elsewhere in California. Going the other way, the county-to-county estimates add up to roughly 4,596 a year leaving for another state.
| To | People a year | From Santa Cruz | 2-bedroom move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County, CASan Jose moving costs | 2,272 ±673 | ≈ 31 mi to San Jose | $515 – $859 |
| Monterey County, CAPrunedale moving costs | 1,424 ±419 | ≈ 28 mi to Prunedale | $515 – $859 |
| Los Angeles County, CALancaster moving costs | 761 ±226 | ≈ 312 mi to Lancaster | $1,404 – $1,872 |
| Alameda County, CAFremont moving costs | 736 ±214 | ≈ 42 mi to Fremont | $515 – $859 |
| Sacramento County, CASacramento moving costs | 597 ±242 | ≈ 134 mi to Sacramento | $603 – $804 |
The largest groups of newcomers come from Santa Clara County, CA (about 4,402), Los Angeles County, CA (about 1,681) and San Mateo County, CA (about 958). Across state lines, the largest flows out go to Oregon (about 688), Washington (about 606) and Nevada (about 350); the largest flows in come from New York (about 483), Washington (about 369) and Colorado (about 306).
US Census Bureau, ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county migration flows; people a year with a 90% margin of error. Miles are estimated from city coordinates; move prices are full-service, transport only, from the published model.
Nearby cost guides in California
Moving to or from California · Every priced route from California · Los Angeles cost guide
Moving costs in Santa Cruz: questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire movers in Santa Cruz, CA?
A local move (under about 100 miles) is billed by the hour: $44–$56 per mover per hour plus about $75 travel in our model, so a two-bedroom home with two movers for 5–7 hours is $515 – $859 and a three-bedroom home with three movers is $867 – $1,587. Packing, stairs and long carries are extra.
How much is a long-distance move from Santa Cruz?
Priced on weight and distance, about $5.00 per mile for a two-bedroom home in our model. From Santa Cruz to Los Angeles, CA (about 342 miles) that is $1,539 – $2,052, and to New York City, NY (about 2,991 miles) $13,460 – $17,946, transport only.
Are there licensed movers in Santa Cruz?
84 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Santa Cruz, 19 of them with interstate authority. The Santa Cruz movers page lists each one with its USDOT number.
Where do people from Santa Cruz County move?
The largest flows out of the county go to Santa Clara County (about 2,272 a year), Monterey County (about 1,424 a year), Los Angeles County (about 761 a year), and roughly 4,596 people a year leave for another state, by the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 estimates. The table on this page prices a two-bedroom move to each destination.
What is the cheapest way to move out of Santa Cruz?
For the same route and load, a moving container prices 28% below full-service movers and a freight trailer 52% below, because you do the loading. A rental truck is cheaper still on the transport line but adds fuel, lodging and your own days.
Sources. Costs from the published model; carriers from the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (snapshot September 24, 2026) and Safety Measurement System; Census ACS migration flows.