Phoenix, Arizona to Chicago, Illinois
Moving from Phoenix to Chicago
Reviewers on this lane paid a median $3,608. It is 1,755 miles, about 32 hours of driving. 6,130 people made the Arizona to Illinois move in 2024.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Drive
1,755 mi
about 32 hours at the wheel
Reviewers paid
$3,608
median, 7 priced reviews, this lane
Moved last year
6,130
Arizona to Illinois, 2024
Cost of living
-0.7%
Illinois vs Arizona, 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
Phoenix to Chicago moving cost
On this lane, reviewers reported a median of $3,608 across 7 priced reviews. The middle half paid $3,165 to $4,130. Those prices mix home sizes; the table below is by size.
Planning ranges for 1,000 to 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 | $2,200 to $4,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $3,000 to $5,200 |
| 2 bedroom | $4,000 to $7,200 |
| 3 bedroom | $5,400 to $9,400 |
| 4+ bedroom | $7,000 to $12,000 |
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.
Recent reviews
People who moved Arizona to Illinois
5 of 5 · 27 Aug 2026 · reported $4,130
“The move itself went great. The crew was on time, professional, and really careful with our stuff. No damage, nothing missing, so I can't complain there. My only issue was the communication beforehand. I had to call a couple of times to get updates on my delivery window, but once I did get through…”
5 of 5 · 1 May 2026 · reported $3,608
“I recently moved from Arizona to Chicago for my residency. I had to move in a hurry, and I had two bedrooms, everyone from the sales person to the actual man in the truck moving me, was really helpful. I got a great rate for a move, the quality was unprecedented. Super happy about the overall…”
5 of 5 · 5 Apr 2026 · reported $7,000
“Our experience with Marco and team was great. They moved us cross country from Arizona to Illinois. All of our belongings were packed carefully, and the team was courteous and professional throughout the experience. The best part was they delivered on time and even on a holiday. I highly recommend…”
What went wrong on this run: of 30 reviews, 40% mention damage and 13% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Loading in Phoenix
Phoenix heat cooks a packed truck.
Heat at the curb. Phoenix heat cooks a packed truck. A leather sofa left on a west-facing driveway at 2pm will tell on the crew before anyone argues about bedrooms. Older central Phoenix streets can deny a 26-foot box the last turn, so the last 40 feet is a long carry.
Codes, insurance, and July. HOAs in the East Valley want a weekday gate code and a certificate of insurance. Monsoon weeks in July slip calendars, so leave slack on the load date. Ask for the USDOT before a deposit. Arizona does not replace FMCSA for interstate work.
The road
The drive is 1,755 miles, about 32 hours at the wheel
More than one day. The drive is 1,755 miles, about 32 hours at the wheel, so this long-distance job is not a same-day shuttle. Delivery sits inside a window written on the order for service. The job is priced by weight and miles.
Paper before the truck. The mover needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority. The order for service should say whether the truck is dedicated or shared. Read the estimate and check the licence on it before you send a deposit.
Delivering in Chicago
Chicago winter is a fee even when nobody names it.
Winter and the alley. 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. Many North Side two-flats unload from the alley. If a garage or a city truck blocks it, the crew walks the long way with your dresser.
What to have ready. 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 reservation, the certificate, and a clear alley plan before the truck arrives.
What goes wrong. Of 30 reviews on this state pair, 40% mention damage and 13% a delay. Damage is the complaint that shows up more often, so photograph the pieces at the truck door. Ask whether the estimate is binding and whether the 110 percent rule applies.
Leaving Phoenix, arriving in Chicago.
| Phoenix | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 100.7 | 100.0 |
| Median home sale price | $469,000 | $397,500 |
| Median days on market | 61 | 46 |
| Months of housing supply | 3.5 | 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 Arizona, the busiest month for home sales over the last year was Apr 2026 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 (Arizona homes sold by month).
Doing it yourself
Driving a rental truck from Phoenix to Chicago
1,755 road miles, about 32 hours at the wheel (4 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 $627 to $940gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $627 to $1,253gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $752 to $847gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $847 to $1,377gas 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 long is the drive from Phoenix to Chicago?
- The drive is 1,755 miles, about 32 hours at the wheel. That is more than one day on the road, and the delivery window is the spread written on the order for service. It is not a same-day shuttle.
- What authority should the mover have?
- This is an interstate household-goods job, so the mover needs an active USDOT number and FMCSA authority. Arizona does not replace FMCSA for interstate work. Illinois ICC household-goods authority covers in-state work, and FMCSA covers the rest, so check both.
- What do reviewers report paying on this lane?
- The reviewer-reported median price on Phoenix to Chicago is $3,608 across 7 priced reviews. The job is priced by weight and miles, and the figure should say whether it is binding.
- What goes wrong most often on delivery?
- Of 30 reviews on this state pair, 40% mention damage and 13% a delay. Damage shows up more often than a delay. Photograph the pieces at the truck door and note any new mark before you sign.
- What should I set up before the truck reaches 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 building is a North Side two-flat, check that the alley is clear, because a blocked garage means a long carry.
Next
Keep going
- Moving to Phoenix: costsLocal ranges and access at the loading end.
- Moving to Chicago: costsLocal ranges and access at the delivery end.
- Movers in PhoenixEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Movers in ChicagoEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Moving in ArizonaWho 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 1,755 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 Phoenix to Chicago quote
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