How much does a move to Charleston cost?

The median for moves into Charleston is $5,100 across 33 priced reviews. A move out has a median of $5,500 across 13 priced reviews. Moves that stay inside South Carolina do not have enough priced reviews for a median.

Where are people moving from and to?

The most common origins in this file are Denver, CO; New York, NY; Akron, OH. The most common destinations are Jupiter, FL; Chicago, IL; Park City, UT.

When do Charleston move reviews pile up?

Reviews cluster in Jul, Oct, Jun and thin out in May, Sep, Mar. That timing is the review post date, usually a few weeks after the move.

Who regulates a move to or from Charleston?

A move inside South Carolina follows the state rules on the state page. A move that leaves South Carolina is interstate, and federal rules from USDOT and FMCSA apply.

Moving day in Charleston: two movers in plain navy T-shirts, work trousers and sturdy shoes carry a manageable wooden dining table toward an open porch.

Moving to

Moving to or from Charleston, SC

Across 48 reviews dated 2018 to 3 Nov 2026, a priced move into Charleston has a median of $5,100 and a priced move out has a median of $5,500. Haulest is not a carrier, and these figures describe what reviewers paid, not a rate you can book here.

Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-24

Moving to Charleston

The median for moves into Charleston is $5,100 across 33 priced reviews.

Inbound origins. The places people move from most often are Denver, CO; New York, NY; Akron, OH. Those cities sit outside South Carolina, so an arrival from the names in that list is an interstate move under USDOT and FMCSA, while a move that stays in state is covered on the South Carolina page.

Price of the trip in. The median for moves into Charleston is $5,100 across 33 priced reviews. BEA price parity for 2024 is 101.0 in the Charleston-North Charleston metro and 93.7 for South Carolina, with the US set at 100. Run your own numbers in the cost calculator.

What reviewers paid, Charleston. A median needs 10 priced reviews. Reviews dated 2018 to 3 Nov 2026.

Move	Median paid	Priced reviews
Into Charleston from elsewhere	$5,100	33
Out of Charleston	$5,500	13
From Charleston within the state	not published	3
Price level, Charleston-North Charleston, SC (US = 100)	101.0	BEA 2024

Sources: Haulest review file, 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices); US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, read 2024.

Top-rated movers in and near Charleston

Each has 5+ reviews and 4.0+ stars (a few, to fill the list, 3+ reviews and 3.5+). Movers reviewed in the last 3 years come first, then by rating weighted by how many reviews back it. Few Charleston movers qualify, so the list goes on with the best elsewhere in the state; each card says where the mover is based. No mover pays to be on this list.

Get free quotes from Charleston movers See all 8 movers in Charleston

Moving out of Charleston

The median across 13 priced reviews is $5,500.

Outbound destinations. People leaving Charleston most often head to Jupiter, FL; Chicago, IL; Park City, UT. The median across 13 priced reviews is $5,500. Priced reviews of moves that stay inside South Carolina are too few for a median, and a move that leaves the state is interstate.

Booking window. Reviews cluster in Jul, Oct, Jun and thin out in May, Sep, Mar. The date on a review is usually a few weeks after the move, so the busy months are a late echo of when trucks were actually booked. Check the peak calendar if your date sits near that cluster.

Where reviewers came from and went, Charleston.

Moved in from	Reviews	Moved out to	Reviews
Denver, CO	3	Jupiter, FL	1
New York, NY	2	Chicago, IL	1
Akron, OH	2	Park City, UT	1
Yorba Linda, CA	1	Houston, TX	1
Manhattan Beach, CA	1	Delray Beach, FL	1

Source: Haulest review file, 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices).

Reviews of Charleston moves by the month they were posted.

3Jan

2Feb

2Mar

4Apr

0May

6Jun

9Jul

4Aug

2Sep

7Oct

5Nov

4Dec

What makes a Charleston move harder

43.8% of these reviews mention damage, and the mean rating sits at 2.17.

The access snag. The access problem these reviews name most is tight streets and driveways. Tell the mover about that limit before the quote, in writing, so the price matches the real stop and not a wide open approach. The estimate guide shows how those notes should appear on the quote.

Damage and the rating. 43.8% of these reviews mention damage, and the mean rating sits at 2.17. List fragile goods and anything already worn before the quote, and keep that list with the estimate you accept. A broader look at prices is on the moving cost page.

Access problems named in Charleston reviews

Tight streets and driveways · 2 reviews
“They said it was $75 if the distance from the truck was more than 100 feet from the door during delivery - we were forced to pay $400 for a "shuttle." Do NOT use this company.”

Route pages from and to Charleston

What a moving crew earns around Charleston

Half of the hand movers in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC area earn less than $18.31 an hour (US: $19.35); truck drivers, $26.52. An hourly quote for a crew pays two or three of them, plus the truck, fuel, insurance, and the company's margin, so the rate per mover is usually two to three times the wage. A rate near the wage itself means someone is not insured or not paid.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: 53-7062 Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (8,100 jobs in the area); 53-3032 Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. The occupation includes warehouse work, not only moving crews. BLS wage data

Doing it yourself

Renting a truck in Charleston

Which truck fits your home, and what to check before you book one here.

Studio10 to 12 ft truck380 to 450 cu ft. The smallest box truck. No ramp at any brand.
1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truck658 to 800 cu ft. The most rented size and the smallest with a ramp.
3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truck1,016 to 1,200 cu ft. U-Haul and Penske only; Budget skips from 16 to 26 ft.
4 bedroom26 ft truck1,682 to 1,700 cu ft. The largest you can drive on a regular licence.

Fuel is only part of a DIY move: add the rental, mileage or days, coverage, equipment, tolls, and your time.

All truck sizes U-Haul vs Penske vs Budget DIY or movers calculator

Sources: Brand spec pages (U-Haul, Penske, Budget) (mpg and fuel type); US EIA weekly retail prices (week of 26 Oct 2026).

Before you hire

Four checks before a deposit

Written estimate after a look
Interstate movers must give the booklet and a written estimate after a survey or a full description. A $499 ad is not an estimate.
FMCSA Protect Your Move
Legal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookup
Walk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover
110% on a COD non-binding job
Pay up to 110% plus agreed extras and they must hand over the load. Not a cap on extras you signed.
US interstate rules

Reviewed by Anthony Bale, 24 Sep 2026. Corpus as of 3 Nov 2026. Drafted with grok-4.7-medium via cursor-agent on 2026-09-24, then edited. Haulest is not a carrier.

Ask out loud

Questions people ask

How much does a move to Charleston cost?: The median for moves into Charleston is $5,100 across 33 priced reviews. A move out has a median of $5,500 across 13 priced reviews. Moves that stay inside South Carolina do not have enough priced reviews for a median.
Where are people moving from and to?: The most common origins in this file are Denver, CO; New York, NY; Akron, OH. The most common destinations are Jupiter, FL; Chicago, IL; Park City, UT.
When do Charleston move reviews pile up?: Reviews cluster in Jul, Oct, Jun and thin out in May, Sep, Mar. That timing is the review post date, usually a few weeks after the move.
Who regulates a move to or from Charleston?: A move inside South Carolina follows the state rules on the state page. A move that leaves South Carolina is interstate, and federal rules from USDOT and FMCSA apply.

About Anthony Bale

A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.

At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.

All 61 pages by Anthony

Call for a free quote

From, then To. Date and home size after that. A person on the phone is faster if you already know the dates.

+1 (866) 961-9682Free moving quote

Haulest is not a carrier. We connect you to movers.

Haulest is a research desk and quote line. We are not a carrier.

Haulest desk(866) 961-9682