Los Angeles, California to Chicago, Illinois
Moving from Los Angeles to Chicago
Reviewers on this lane paid a median $2,500. It is 2,018 miles, about 35 hours of driving. 15,128 people made the California to Illinois move in 2024.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Drive
2,018 mi
about 35 hours at the wheel
Reviewers paid
$2,500
median, 11 priced reviews, this lane
Moved last year
15,128
California to Illinois, 2024
Cost of living
-9.7%
Illinois vs California, US = 100
Sources: OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route), read 23 Sept 2026; Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 21 Sept 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
What it costs
Los Angeles to Chicago moving cost
On this lane, reviewers reported a median of $2,500 across 11 priced reviews. The middle half paid $2,000 to $5,388. Those prices mix home sizes; the table below is by size.
Planning ranges for 2,000+ 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 | $2,800–$5,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $3,600–$6,400 |
| 2 bedroom | $4,800–$8,600 |
| 3 bedroom | $6,400–$11,200 |
| 4+ bedroom | $8,200–$14,500 |
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 $5.60 per gallon for the week of 2026-08-31 (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 California to Illinois run
How this list was made. Every mover here has at least two reviews in our file for a move from California to Illinois. Sorted by how many matching reviews each mover has, not by rating. Corpus as of 21 Sept 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.
| Mover | Based | Record | Matching reviews | All reviews | Median reported, lane reviews | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seventh Generation Moving snd Storage | Canoga Park, CA | No FMCSA match | 7 | 474.9 mean, dated | $6,954 | 19 Jan 2024 |
| Excellent Van Lines LLC | Los Angeles, CA | CarrierUSDOT 4428044 | 2 | 485.0 mean, dated | $5,388 | 25 Jun 2026 |
| Pacific Coast Moving | Los Angeles, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 3355534 | 2 | 301.4 mean, dated | $9,000 | 18 Feb 2021 |
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 21 Sept 2026; FMCSA Licensing and Insurance, household-goods authority (record column).
Recent reviews
People who moved California to Illinois
5 of 5 · 19 Sept 2026 · reported $2,998
“They worked with me from the beginning. They explained the process and fees clearly. The estimate was super close, so no surprises. The movers really are professional’s. The movers made sure my stuff was protected at all times plus they protect my walk ways, doors, walls etc... They even put red…”
1 of 5 · 13 Jul 2026 · reported $500
“BEWARE: DO NOT USE THEM. A 800.00 Brand New Jackery Solar Generator “disappeared” while there movers were loading a POD. It was shown to the movers to load in the POD, moments later it was gone, assuming it was in the POD, but it never arrived to the new location. FILED a Claim with them, provided…”
5 of 5 · 25 Jun 2026 · reported $5,388
“Movers were right on time and helped figure out how to move an extremely large item that had to be disassembled to fit down a narrow stairwell. Instead of just claiming it couldn't be moved they thought outside the box to get the job done which I really appreciated. They were careful with several…”
What went wrong on this run: of 71 reviews, 32% mention damage and 17% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Loading in Los Angeles
Friday of a holiday weekend is how you donate hours to traffic.
A valley dock and a hillside carry are different jobs. Los Angeles is a collection of loading problems connected by I-10 and the 405. A 2-bed in a valley apartment with a loading dock is one job. A hillside house in Silver Lake or Mount Washington is another: the truck stops two bends below and the crew carries. Street parking in many neighborhoods is the accessorial.
Newer buildings and tight streets change the clock. HOAs in newer buildings want a COI and a weekday window. A truck that cannot climb or turn on a Silver Lake street gets swapped for a shuttle, and you pay for both clocks. Friday of a holiday weekend is how you donate hours to traffic.
Ask for the Cal-T or BHGS number and the USDOT. California household movers are licensed under the Household Movers Act (BHGS). Interstate work still needs FMCSA. Do not hand over a large cash deposit to a crew that only has a van and a verbal number. Check the numbers on a license lookup before the truck arrives.
The road
The delivery spread is written on the order for service.
35 hours at the wheel means several days. Driving distance is 2,018 miles. This is an interstate household-goods job, so the mover needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority. The job is priced by weight and miles. Delivery sits inside a window written on the order for service.
The delivery spread is written on the order for service. Ask whether the truck is dedicated to your shipment or shared. The lane is priced by weight and miles, and the arrival window belongs on that order. Read the estimate for the spread, the weight basis, and what counts as an extra.
Census headcount and BEA price parity sit beside the quote. Census counted 15,128 people who moved from California to Illinois in 2024, with a margin of plus or minus 2,843. BEA price parity for 2024 puts California at 110.7 and Illinois at 100.0, with the US set at 100.
Delivering in Chicago
If a garage blocks the dock, the crew walks the long way with your dresser.
High-rises and two-flats ask for different prep. High-rises in the Loop and along the lake want a reserved freight elevator, pads, and a COI. Permit parking and street-closure rules vary by ward. Many North Side two-flats load from the alley. Have the elevator time, the COI, and a clear alley before the truck is on the block.
A blocked alley is the carry you did not budget. A lot of two-flats load from the alley. If that alley is blocked by a garage or a city truck, you just bought a long carry. If a garage blocks the dock, the crew walks the long way with your dresser.
Winter and the price range both belong on the order. Chicago winter is a fee even when nobody names it. A January walk-up with ice on the rear stair is slower than the same building in June. Reviewers on this city pair (Los Angeles to Chicago) report a median of $2,500 across 11 priced reviews, with the middle half from $2,000 to $5,388. Ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110% rule applies.
Leaving Los Angeles, arriving in Chicago.
| Los Angeles | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 110.7 | 100.0 |
| Median home sale price | $940,000 | $397,500 |
| Median days on market | 42 | 46 |
| Months of housing supply | 3.9 | 2.8 |
| 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 22 Sept 2026; State revenue departments (wage tax, 2026).
When to go: in California, the busiest month for home sales over the last year was Oct 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 (California homes sold by month).
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How long does the truck take from Los Angeles to Chicago?
- Driving distance is 2,018 miles, about 35 hours at the wheel. That much time at the wheel means several days, and delivery sits inside the window written on the order for service.
- What authority does an interstate mover need on this lane?
- The mover needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority. California household movers are licensed under the Household Movers Act (BHGS), so ask for the Cal-T or BHGS number and the USDOT. Illinois ICC household-goods authority covers in-state work, and FMCSA covers the rest.
- What do reviewers pay on this city pair?
- On Los Angeles to Chicago, reviewer-reported median price is $2,500 across 11 priced reviews, and the middle half runs from $2,000 to $5,388. The job is priced by weight and miles. Ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110% rule applies.
- What should I have ready in Chicago?
- High-rises in the Loop and along the lake want a reserved freight elevator, pads, and a COI. Permit parking and street-closure rules vary by ward, and many North Side two-flats load from the alley. If a garage or a city truck blocks that alley, the crew has a long carry.
- Should I give the crew a large cash deposit?
- Do not hand over a large cash deposit to a crew that only has a van and a verbal number. See how a [moving company deposit](/guides/moving-company-deposit) should work and confirm the license numbers first. A shuttle on a Silver Lake street means you pay for both clocks, so that charge should be on the estimate too.
Next
Keep going
- Los Angeles moving costLocal ranges and access at the loading end.
- Chicago moving costLocal ranges and access at the delivery end.
- Long distance moversWeight, miles, and where the bill grows.
- The 110% ruleWhat you can be made to pay on delivery day.
Other lanes from and to these cities
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 Los Angeles to Chicago quote
From, then To. Date and home size after that. A person on the phone is faster if you already know the dates.
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