Moving to
Moving to or from San Francisco, CA
Haulest is not a carrier, and the file holds 190 reviews of moves into or out of San Francisco from 2017 to 21 Sept 2026. Priced reviews put the median at $3,962 on the way in and $4,500 on the way out.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-24
Moving to San Francisco
The most common origins in these reviews are Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; New York, NY.
People arrive from a short list of big cities. The most common origins in these reviews are Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; New York, NY. Across 87 priced reviews, the median cost of a move into San Francisco is $3,962. A move that stays inside California is cheaper in this file, with a median of $1,600 across 19 priced reviews. If you want a ballpark before you call anyone, start with the moving cost guide.
The metro sits above the national price baseline. BEA price parity for 2024 puts San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at 115.6 and California at 110.7, with the United States as the baseline. A higher index means everyday prices in the metro run above the country. Pair that with the inbound median before you decide the move is worth it. Try the cost calculator if you want a range of your own.
What reviewers paid, San Francisco. A median needs 10 priced reviews. Reviews dated 2017 to 21 Sept 2026.
| Move | Median paid | Priced reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Into San Francisco from elsewhere | $3,962 | 87 |
| Out of San Francisco | $4,500 | 95 |
| From San Francisco within the state | $1,600 | 19 |
| Price level, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (US = 100) | 115.6 | BEA 2024 |
Sources: Haulest review file, 21 Sept 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices); US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, read 2024.
Moving out of San Francisco
The destinations named most often are Seattle, WA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY.
Departures head to a few familiar cities. The destinations named most often are Seattle, WA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY. Across 95 priced reviews, the median cost of a move out of San Francisco is $4,500. That is higher than the inbound median of $3,962 in this file. Interstate moves fall under federal rules from USDOT and FMCSA, while a move that stays in California follows state rules on the state page.
Reviews mark the busy and quiet months. They cluster in Sep, May, Oct and thin out in Mar, Dec, Nov. The date is when the review was posted, usually a few weeks after the move, so book with that lag in mind. See the peak calculator before you lock a date. A thin month in the file is a lighter review count, not a guaranteed open truck.
Where reviewers came from and went, San Francisco.
| Moved in from | Reviews | Moved out to | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 5 | Seattle, WA | 6 |
| Miami, FL | 4 | Los Angeles, CA | 4 |
| New York, NY | 4 | New York, NY | 4 |
| Denver, CO | 4 | Chicago, IL | 3 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 3 | Portland, OR | 3 |
Source: Haulest review file, 21 Sept 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices).
What makes a San Francisco move harder
The issues these reviews name most are tight streets and driveways, stairs and walk-ups, elevators.
Access problems dominate the writeups. The issues these reviews name most are tight streets and driveways, stairs and walk-ups, elevators. Stairs, elevators, and a truck that cannot reach the door all change the time on site. Tell the mover about every flight of stairs, any elevator, and where the truck can stop before they price the job. Read how to read a moving estimate so the line items match what you described.
Damage shows up often enough to plan for it. 38.4% of these reviews mention damage, and the mean rating sits at 2.94. The rating is for the move as a whole. Photograph furniture and note existing marks in writing before the crew loads. Ask the carrier what happens if something breaks, and keep that answer with the estimate.
Access problems named in San Francisco reviews
Tight streets and driveways · 14 reviews
“I must warn you to be very aware of this Delivery shuttle they charge for that they tell you "will be refunded" if not used.”
Stairs and walk-ups · 10 reviews
“They had LOADS of stairs to go up and down which was tough and still absolutely no damage to anything.”
Elevators · 6 reviews
“Speedee Movers damaged the wooden ceiling of the building elevator and refused to pay.”
Parking and truck access · 2 reviews
“It took me reaching out to Sirva customer service to get the simplest answer of whether I needed to obtain metered parking on my own or whether Allied would do it.”
Most-reviewed movers based in San Francisco
Sorted by review count, not rating. A listing is not an endorsement.
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 MoveLegal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookupWalk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover110% 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 21 Sept 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 it cost to move to San Francisco?
- Moves into San Francisco show a median of $3,962 across 87 priced reviews. Moves that stay inside California show a median of $1,600 across 19 priced reviews. The most common origins in the file are Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; New York, NY.
- How much does it cost to move out of San Francisco?
- Moves out of San Francisco show a median of $4,500 across 95 priced reviews. The destinations named most often are Seattle, WA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY. A move that leaves California is interstate and falls under USDOT and FMCSA, while a move inside California follows the state page.
- When should I book a San Francisco move?
- Reviews cluster in Sep, May, Oct and thin out in Mar, Dec, Nov. The date on a review is when it was posted, usually a few weeks after the move. If your date lands in a busy cluster, book earlier.
- What should I tell the mover before the quote?
- The access problems reviews name most are tight streets and driveways, stairs and walk-ups, elevators. 38.4% of these reviews mention damage, and the mean rating is 2.94. Tell the mover about stairs, elevators, and where the truck can stop before they write the quote.
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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.
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