New York City, New York to Chicago, Illinois
Moving from New York City to Chicago
Reviewers on this lane paid a median $3,500. It is 791 miles, about 15 hours of driving. 11,082 people made the New York to Illinois move in 2024.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Drive
791 mi
about 15 hours at the wheel
Reviewers paid
$3,500
median, 6 priced reviews, this lane
Moved last year
11,082
New York to Illinois, 2024
Cost of living
-7.4%
Illinois vs New York, US = 100
Sources: OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route), read 1 Oct 2026; Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
What it costs
New York City to Chicago moving cost
On this lane, reviewers reported a median of $3,500 across 6 priced reviews. The middle half paid $2,500 to $3,600. 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 $6.29 per gallon for the week of 2026-11-02 (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.
Recent reviews
People who moved New York to Illinois
5 of 5 · 18 Sept 2026 · reported $4,654
“A big round of applause to the Customer Support team. I've had questions on the upside of being nervous during the week right before moving—ones about insurance coverage, box sizes, or arrival times—that I would get a clear answer right away from the REAL person on the phone, where you wouldn't…”
5 of 5 · 31 Mar 2026 · reported $4,235
“We encountered a last-minute change in delivery order, which could have caused confusion. The crew reorganized the truck layout to match the new sequence. They communicated clearly so everyone stayed aligned. Their flexibility kept the workflow smooth. Nothing felt rushed or chaotic. The result was STRONG execution.”
5 of 5 · 2 Feb 2026 · reported $4,860
“Moving from Syracuse, NY to Chicago, IL turned out to be less stressful than expected. The movers worked efficiently and stayed polite. Boxes were placed in the correct rooms. Nothing went missing or broken. A solid moving experience.”
What went wrong on this run: of 31 reviews, 29% mention damage and 19% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Loading in New York City
That block is a long-carry fee.
Walk-ups set the price. 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. Buildings that want a COI 72 hours ahead will not let the crew on the service elevator if the email landed at 4pm the day before.
The curb is a permit problem. Alternate Side rules and street-closure permits decide whether the truck sits in front of the stoop or a block away. That block is a long-carry fee. Brooklyn brownstones often need a smaller truck plus a shuttle from a wider avenue. Crossing a borough or leaving for another state adds tolls and a possible waiting-time clock if the next building is late.
Check the paperwork before load day. This is an interstate household-goods job. NYSDOT household-goods authority covers in-state work. The mover still needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority. Confirm both with a license lookup before you book a long-distance move. Photograph the inventory and the truck doors before anyone rolls.
What is the drive like?
The drive is about 15 hours at the wheel, so this is not a same-day haul.
791 miles is more than one day. The drive is about 15 hours at the wheel, so this is not a same-day haul. The job is priced by weight and miles and delivered inside a window written on the order for service. Ask whether the truck is dedicated to your load or shared with other stops, and read that answer on the estimate before you sign.
Tolls start when you leave. Crossing a borough or leaving for another state adds tolls and a possible waiting-time clock if the next building is late. The mover needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority on this interstate household-goods job. Read the delivery spread on the order for service before the truck leaves the curb. A moving estimate should show weight, miles, and that window in writing.
State numbers, then the bill. In 2024, 11,082 people moved from New York to Illinois, margin plus or minus 3,600. BEA price parity for 2024 puts New York at 107.9 and Illinois at 100.0, with the US at 100. Weight, miles, and the delivery window on the order for service set the moving bill.
Delivering in Chicago
If a garage blocks the dock, the crew walks the long way with your dresser.
High-rises want the elevator booked. 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. Have the certificate, the time window, and the pads confirmed before the truck arrives. 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.
The alley is where delivery slips. 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. Many North Side two-flats load from the alley. If a garage blocks the dock, the crew walks the long way with your dresser. On New York City to Chicago, reviewer-reported median price is $3,500 across 6 priced reviews, with the middle half from $2,500 to $3,600.
Ask if the price can move. Ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110% rule applies. Illinois ICC household-goods authority covers in-state work. FMCSA covers the rest. Check both. Interstate out of Chicago is a major lane, and the job is priced by weight and miles.
Leaving New York City, arriving in Chicago.
| New York City | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 107.9 | 100.0 |
| Median home sale price | $814,250 | $397,500 |
| Median days on market | 54 | 46 |
| Months of housing supply | 5.9 | 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 1 Oct 2026; State revenue departments (wage tax, 2026).
When to go: in New York, the busiest month for home sales over the last year was Aug 2025 and the quietest was Feb 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 (New York homes sold by month).
Doing it yourself
Driving a rental truck from New York City to Chicago
791 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 $281 to $422gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $281 to $563gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $338 to $386gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $386 to $628gas 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 26 Oct 2026); OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (road miles).
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How long is the drive from New York City to Chicago?
- The drive is about 15 hours at the wheel and covers 791 miles. That is not a same-day haul. Delivery sits inside a window written on the order for service.
- What is the median price on this lane?
- On New York City to Chicago, the reviewer-reported median is $3,500 across 6 priced reviews. The middle half runs from $2,500 to $3,600. The shipment is still priced by weight and miles.
- What will the crew need at a New York City building?
- Co-ops and many rentals ask for a certificate of insurance, elevator pads, and a time window. A building that wants a COI 72 hours ahead will not let the crew on the service elevator if the email landed at 4pm the day before. Alternate Side rules and street-closure permits decide whether the truck sits in front of the stoop or a block away.
- What should I line up before delivery 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. If the alley is blocked, plan on a long carry, and a January walk-up with ice on the rear stair is slower than the same building in June.
- What should I ask about the price?
- Ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110% rule applies. The job is priced by weight and miles. Delivery falls inside a window written on the order for service.
Next
Keep going
- Chicago to New York CityThe same lane the other way.
- Moving to New York City: costsLocal ranges and access at the loading end.
- Moving to Chicago: costsLocal ranges and access at the delivery end.
- Movers in New York CityEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Movers in ChicagoEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Moving in New YorkWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Moving in IllinoisWho 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 791 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 New York City 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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