Chicago, Illinois to New York City, New York
Moving from Chicago to New York City
Reviewers on this lane paid a median $4,000. It is 790 miles, about 15 hours of driving. 7,781 people made the Illinois to New York move in 2024.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Drive
790 mi
about 15 hours at the wheel
Reviewers paid
$4,000
median, 6 priced reviews, this lane
Moved last year
7,781
Illinois to New York, 2024
Cost of living
+8.0%
New York vs Illinois, US = 100
Sources: OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route), read 1 Oct 2026; Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 29 Oct 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
What it costs
Chicago to New York City moving cost
On this lane, reviewers reported a median of $4,000 across 6 priced reviews. The middle half paid $1,900 to $5,500. Those prices mix home sizes; the table below is by size.
Planning ranges for 400 to 1,000 miles moves, by home size, as of September 2026. Research fallback, not a first-party median and not a bid.
| Home size | Full-service range |
|---|---|
| Studio | $1,800 to $3,400 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,400 to $4,300 |
| 2 bedroom | $3,200 to $5,600 |
| 3 bedroom | $4,300 to $7,600 |
| 4+ bedroom | $5,600 to $9,800 |
Source: Haulest research bands, September 2026 (chosen by the driving distance above).
We do not print container or rental-truck prices for this lane: nobody publishes them with a source. Ask for them in writing if you are comparing.
Live numbers: US on-highway diesel $6.35 per gallon for the week of 2026-10-26 (EIA weekly US on-highway diesel via FRED GASDESW). A fuel surcharge on a long lane follows the diesel line; ask how the mover sets it.
From the review file
Movers with reviews on the Illinois to New York run
How this list was made. Every mover here has at least two reviews in our file for a move from Illinois to New York. Sorted by how many matching reviews each mover has, not by rating. Corpus as of 29 Oct 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.
| Mover | Based | Record | Matching reviews | All reviews | Median reported, lane reviews | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Moving & Storage LLC | New York, NY | No FMCSA match | 2 | 162.7 mean, dated | $4,500 | 19 Aug 2021 |
| In and Out Moving & Storage, Inc. | Chicago, IL | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 662633 | 2 | 131.3 mean, dated | $4,000 | 29 Jul 2015 |
| Moving Depot | Shelton, CT | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 942730 | 2 | 101.0 mean, dated | $8,000 | 27 Sept 2021 |
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 29 Oct 2026; FMCSA Licensing and Insurance, household-goods authority (record column).
Recent reviews
People who moved Illinois to New York
5 of 5 · 30 Apr 2026 · reported $4,700
“They took great care in packing my electronic devices, books, and other miscellaneous stuff in the dorm. They labeled the boxes correctly, and everything was in perfect condition when they finished. Their attitude was also wonderful.”
1 of 5 · 18 Apr 2026 · reported $8,821
“If I could give a lower score I would. I used them 3 years ago and it still pisses me off. They jacked up the price last minute leaving us with nothing to do but start dumping our belongings to keep it in a reasonable budget still thousands more than we anticipated. Then when our stuff arrived we…”
5 of 5 · 11 Feb 2026 · reported $1,000
“Their service totally over exceeded my expectations. The staff was great all the way around from the secretary to the movers. We will definitely utilize them again in the future to move our family again.”
What went wrong on this run: of 29 reviews, 34% mention damage and 17% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Loading in Chicago
A January walk-up with ice on the rear stair is slower than the same building in June.
Winter is a fee. A January walk-up with ice on the rear stair is slower than the same building in June. High-rises in the Loop and along the lake want a reserved freight elevator, pads, and a certificate of insurance. Permit parking and street-closure rules vary by ward, so the curb the truck wants may not be the curb the ward allows.
Two-flats load from the alley. A lot of North Side buildings send the crew out back. If a garage or a city truck blocks that alley, you just bought a long carry. The dresser walks the long way. Interstate out of Chicago is a major lane, so ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110% rule applies.
Check both authorities. Illinois ICC household-goods authority covers in-state work. FMCSA covers the rest, and the mover needs an active USDOT number for this long-distance job. Run the licence check before you treat a quote as the number you will pay.
The road
790 miles is about 15 hours at the wheel
Not a same-day unload. 790 miles is about 15 hours at the wheel, so a full household sits on the truck across more than one day. The job is priced by weight and miles. Delivery happens inside a window written on the order for service, on a dedicated truck or a shared one.
The order for service sets the spread. An interstate household-goods job needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority. Illinois and New York state authority cover in-state work only, so they do not replace the federal record on this lane. Read that window before you book the first night at the other end.
Delivering in New York City
A 1-bed on a fifth floor with no elevator can cost more than a 2-bed with a reserved freight car.
NYC prices walk-ups, not floor plans. A 1-bed on a fifth floor with no elevator can cost more than a 2-bed with a reserved freight car. Co-ops and many rentals ask for a certificate of insurance, elevator pads, and a time window. Alternate Side rules and street-closure permits decide if the truck sits at the stoop or a block away, and that block is a long-carry fee.
Send the certificate early. Buildings that want a certificate of insurance 72 hours ahead will not let the crew on the service elevator if the email landed at 4pm the day before. Brooklyn brownstones often need a smaller truck plus a shuttle from a wider avenue. Crossing a borough adds tolls, and a late next building can start a waiting-time clock.
Damage shows up more than delay. Of 29 reviews on this state pair, 34% mention damage and 17% a delay. Photograph the inventory and the truck doors before anyone rolls. Those pictures are what you have if a box arrives short or the window on the order for service slips.
Leaving Chicago, arriving in New York City.
| Chicago | New York City | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 100.0 | 107.9 |
| Median home sale price | $397,500 | $814,250 |
| Median days on market | 46 | 54 |
| Months of housing supply | 2.8 | 5.9 |
| State income tax on wages | Taxes wages | Taxes wages |
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage, read 1 Oct 2026; State revenue departments (wage tax, 2026).
When to go: in Illinois, the busiest month for home sales over the last year was Jun 2025 and the quietest was Jan 2026. Movers fill up on the same calendar; a mid-month weekday outside May to August is the cheaper slot. Check your date.
Source: Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage (Illinois homes sold by month).
Doing it yourself
Driving a rental truck from Chicago to New York City
790 road miles, about 15 hours at the wheel (2 driving days at nine hours a day). Fuel below uses this week's EIA price and the low end of each brand's mpg, because a loaded truck does worse than the brochure.
- Studio10 to 12 ft truckFuel $282 to $423gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $282 to $564gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $338 to $381gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $381 to $620gas or diesel, by brand
Fuel is only part of a DIY move: add the rental, mileage or days, coverage, equipment, tolls, and your time.
Sources: Brand spec pages (U-Haul, Penske, Budget) (mpg and fuel type); US EIA weekly retail prices (week of 19 Oct 2026); OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (road miles).
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How far is the drive from Chicago to New York City?
- The driving distance is 790 miles, about 15 hours at the wheel. That length is why the delivery is a window on the order for service, not a same-day handoff. Ask whether your truck is dedicated or shared, because other stops change when the crew reaches the building.
- What authority does the mover need on this lane?
- The mover needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority for an interstate household-goods job. Illinois ICC authority covers in-state work, and NYSDOT covers in-state work in New York. Check both state records and the federal one.
- Should the estimate be binding?
- Ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110% rule applies. Those two answers change what you can be asked to pay at delivery. The [estimate guide](/guides/how-to-read-a-moving-estimate) walks through the lines that matter.
- What should I have ready at the New York building?
- Have the certificate of insurance, elevator pads, and a time window ready if the co-op or rental asks for them. If the building wants the COI 72 hours ahead, send it then, not at 4pm the day before. Alternate Side rules and a street permit decide if the truck can sit at the stoop.
- What do reviews on this lane mention most?
- Of 29 reviews on this state pair, 34% mention damage and 17% a delay. Photograph the inventory and the truck doors before the truck rolls. A blocked Chicago alley or a New York walk-up can also add a long carry that was not obvious on a floor plan.
Next
Keep going
- New York City to ChicagoThe same lane the other way.
- Moving to Chicago: costsLocal ranges and access at the loading end.
- Moving to New York City: costsLocal ranges and access at the delivery end.
- Movers in ChicagoEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Movers in New York CityEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Moving in IllinoisWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Moving in New YorkWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Long distance moversWeight, miles, and where the bill grows.
- What movers costWhat reviewers across the country reported paying.
- Truck fuel for 790 milesRoad miles and this week's EIA gas and diesel prices at each end.
- The 110% ruleWhat you can be made to pay on delivery day.
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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.
Call for a written Chicago to New York City quote
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