There’s a lot that goes into planning an interstate move from one Midwestern state to another. Of course, you’ll have to find a new home in your new state, pack up your current home, and find new doctors, dentists, and other services. Additionally, you’ll have to research the cost to move across the Midwest and find a reliable moving company that you can trust to get the job done right.
Accurately budgeting for a long-distance move involves a number of factors. To help you understand how much you’ll spend, you should familiarize yourself with how Midwest interstate movers estimate their services. Then, you can dive into average costs to relocate from Chicago to cities around the region.
Factors that Affect the Cost to Move Across the Midwest
Chicago-based Midwest interstate movers look at a number of factors when they estimate long-distance relocations for their customers. Here are a few costs you’ll likely see on their estimates:
- Rate per cubic foot of your home’s inventory
- Estimated cubic footage your items will require on their moving trucks
- Fuel surcharge, which will depend on the mileage between Chicago and your new city
- Materials such as moving blankets, shrink wrap, and tape
Many moving companies will base their initial estimates on how many bedrooms your home has. For example, one-bedroom homes generally average about 500 cubic feet when packed onto a moving truck. Two-bedroom homes average around 1,000 cubic feet, and larger three-bedroom homes are usually estimated to require 1,800 cubic feet, which means you’ll need a second moving truck.
Your estimated cost to move across the Midwest covers three main aspects of your move:
- Loading your belongings into the moving truck
- Transporting your inventory to your new city and state
- Unloading your items from the truck into your new home
Packing service will not be included in your moving estimate. If you’d like help wrapping and boxing up your kitchenware, books, clothing, décor, and other items throughout your home, ask your movers if they can provide professional packing service prior to your move date.
So, how much does it cost to move across the Midwest, anyway? Let’s start with average rates for moving from Chicago to Wisconsin, one of the most popular destination states.
Moving From Illinois to Wisconsin
Some of the most common moves within the Midwest are between Illinois and Wisconsin. After all, many residents of each state are pretty familiar with the other’s hotspots and attractions due to southern Wisconsin’s proximity to the City of Chicago, and sometimes Chicagoans fall in love with a city to the north.
Despite the rivalries between the two states’ sports teams (particularly when baseball and football seasons roll around), two of the most popular Midwestern interstate moves are between Chicago and either Milwaukee or Madison.
Cost to Move from Chicago to Milwaukee
Milwaukee lies about 90 miles from Chicago. Because it’s one of the closest Midwestern cities to Chicagoland, it’s also one of the least expensive places to move to. This is because the moving crew can usually complete the load, transportation, unload, and drive home in one day.
Here’s a look at the average cost to move from Chicago to Milwaukee:
- One-bedroom home: $1,800 – $2,200
- Two-bedroom home: $3,700 – $4,200
- Three-bedroom home: $6,800 – $7,400
Remember: these are only estimates for your labor, transportation, and basic materials. Be sure to provide your Midwest interstate movers with a detailed and precise inventory of your home and any special material needs so you’ll get the most accurate estimate possible.
Cost to Move from Chicago to Madison
Madison is much more than a college town. It’s a thriving state capital that’s packed with gorgeous lakes and fun things to do. If you’re heading to the Home of the Badgers, you can expect your costs to be in the neighborhood of $2,500 for a one-bedroom home, $4,700 for a two-bedroom place, and $7,800 for a three-bedroom dwelling.
Relocating from Illinois to Indiana
Northwest Indiana is widely accepted as part of the Chicagoland Area. This means that if you’re moving from Chicago to a city like Hammond, Munster, Gary, or Merrillville, your relocation might be considered local as opposed to long-distance.
If you’re moving deeper into the Hoosier State, though, you’ll be planning a long-distance interstate move. Residents heading to Indiana’s capital of Indianapolis, for example, should budget between $2,600 and $8,400 (basically, between $2,600 and $2,800 per bedroom).
Budgeting for a Move from Illinois to Michigan
Michigan has always been a favorite vacation destination for Illinoisians. Some Chicagoans, in fact, choose Michigan as their adopted home. Two of the more popular interstate moving destinations from the Windy City are Grand Rapids and Detroit.
Cost to Move from Chicago to Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is only about 185 miles from Chicago (of course, it’d be a lot less if we could just drive across Lake Michigan!). If you’re budgeting the cost to move across the Midwest from Illinois to this lovely 200,000-resident city, you can anticipate about $2,800 for a one-bedroom home, $5,000 for two bedrooms, and $8,400 for a three-bedroom, two-truck interstate move.
Cost to Move from Chicago to Detroit
Although it’s true that Chicago and Detroit have a love-hate relationship largely due to their favorite sports teams, The Motor City is becoming a popular destination for residents leaving Illinois.
Since Detroit is about 300 miles from Chicago, the average moving costs are a bit higher than moving to Grand Rapids. Midwest interstate movers will likely charge approximately:
- $3,300 – $3,800 for a one-bedroom dwelling
- $5,400 – $5,900 for a two-bedroom home
- $8,600 – $9,100 for a three-bedroom house
Depending on where you’re moving within Chicagoland to exactly where your new home is in or around Detroit, your moving crew will probably need a minimum of six hours to drive from one city to the other. Due to the distance and drive time, this is one of the many interstate moves that you can expect to span across two days.
Hiring Midwest Interstate Movers from Illinois to Iowa
If you’re making the 330-mile move from Chicago to Des Moines, Iowa, your average moving cost for a one-bedroom apartment or condo will be in the neighborhood of $4,000. Two-bedroom homes tend to cost a little over $6,000, and larger three-bedroom homes will cost upwards of $9,200 to move.
The Cost to Move Across the Midwest from Illinois to Minnesota
It’s no secret that Chicagoans love our Lake Michigan. Some residents love the water so much that they pack up and move to the Land of 10,000 Lakes: the great state of Minnesota.
People moving to either one of the Twin Cities (that is, Minneapolis or St. Paul) should anticipate at least a two-day move since the area is about 400 miles away from Chicago. The cost to move across the Midwest to Minnesota’s biggest towns generally starts around $4,400 for a one-bedroom. Two-bedroom homes increase to about $7,100, and three-bedroom dwellings will likely cost upwards of $10,000.
Estimating a Move from Illinois to Tennessee
Nashville, TN has so much to offer. Music City is the state capital, the most populous city in Tennessee, and is home to the Grand Ole Opry House, Vanderbilt University, and so much more.
If you’re looking for a full-service interstate move to relocate from Chicago to Nashville, you can expect roughly the same costs as a move to the Twin Cities: $4,400 for a one-bedroom, $7,100 for a two-bedroom, and $10,000 for a three-bedroom home.
Moving from Chicago to Ohio
The Buckeye State has a number of metropolises and college towns that Chicagoans move to. Residents who’ve opted to relocate to Cleveland and live on the shores of Lake Erie can expect their average cost to move across the Midwest to be:
- $4,000 – $4,400 for a one-bedroom home
- $6,000 – $6,500 for a two-bedroom home
- $9,200 – $9,800 for a three-bedroom home
Both Cleveland and Columbus, OH are roughly 350 miles from Chicago, so you can expect those costs to be about the same. If you’re heading to the Queen City of Cincinnati (which is closer to 300 miles from Chicago), your moving expenses will be a little lower.
How Much Will it Cost to Move Across the Midwest? Get Your Custom Estimate Today.
The cost to move across the Midwest depends mostly on what you’re moving and how far you’re moving it. We are Chicago’s go-to Midwest interstate movers, and our hospitality-inspired service starts with working with you to provide the most accurate estimate possible.
Tell us about your long-distance move, and we’ll get started on your custom estimate!