Phoenix, Arizona to Denver, Colorado
Moving from Phoenix to Denver
It is 821 miles, about 16 hours of driving. 9,762 people made the Arizona to Colorado move in 2024.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Drive
821 mi
about 16 hours at the wheel
Moved last year
9,762
Arizona to Colorado, 2024
Cost of living
+2.4%
Colorado vs Arizona, US = 100
Sources: OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route), read 1 Oct 2026; US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
What it costs
Phoenix to Denver moving cost
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.
Recent reviews
People who moved Arizona to Colorado
5 of 5 · 29 Sept 2026 · reported $5,447
“On moving day, they arrived right on schedule, worked diligently without unnecessary pauses, and turned what could have been a stressful process into a smooth and hassle-free transition. What really stood out was their attitude—friendly, respectful, and highly experienced. They knew exactly how to…”
5 of 5 · 9 May 2026 · reported $500
“I cannot say enough AMAZING things about this company. Fast and efficient does not do it justice, this was the easiest, quickest and most professional moving service I have ever used. There aren't enough words to say all of the amazing things but I will recommend them to anyone that I know moving…”
1 of 5 · 30 Aug 2024 · reported $8,000
“I absolutely agree with every review, this company is horrible. I have put a complaint in the BBB and with the department of transportation. Stay away from this company, these reviews are true. I really wish I would have done my research, this company is a nightmare!”
Loading in Phoenix
A leather sofa left on a west-facing driveway at 2pm will tell on the crew before anyone argues about bedrooms.
East Valley gate codes are a weekday problem. HOAs in the East Valley want a weekday gate code and a certificate of insurance. Older central Phoenix streets can deny a 26-foot box the last turn, so the last 40 feet is a long carry. Have the code and the certificate at the door before the crew arrives.
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. Monsoon weeks in July slip calendars, so a July load date needs room to move. Load with that heat in mind.
Ask for the USDOT before a deposit. Interstate work out of Phoenix toward Denver or Los Angeles is a real FMCSA job, and Arizona does not replace FMCSA for interstate work. Check the number on the license lookup and read the deposit guide before money leaves your account.
What is the drive like?
Denver altitude does not change the tariff.
821 miles is about 16 hours at the wheel on this lane. This is a several-day job once the truck is loaded in Phoenix and unloaded in Denver. The delivery spread, and whether the truck is dedicated or shared, should be set on the order for service. See how to read a moving estimate before you sign.
July heat, January ice. A July driveway that cooks the truck, then ice on a January Denver stoop, is two climates on one interstate ticket. Arizona heat is a packing problem. Denver altitude does not change the tariff. Ice on a stoop does. Book around ski weekends on this long-distance move, and ask for the USDOT before a deposit.
Delivering in Denver
Thin air does not change the tariff.
Denver crews talk about altitude and ice before they talk about bedrooms. Thin air does not change the tariff. Black ice on a January stoop does. A 26-foot truck on a snow day in Capitol Hill, with no curb cut and a walk-up, is how a $1,600 job becomes overtime and a shuttle van.
Speer, LoDo, and Colfax set the access rules. High-rises along Speer and in LoDo want elevator pads and a COI. Downtown loading zones fill by 8am. Many brick walk-ups between Colfax and 13th have no elevator and a narrow turn for a long sofa. Have the pads and the certificate ready, and plan to be in the loading zone before 8am.
You pay for a shuttle if the destination street cannot take a 26-foot box. Ask whether the estimate includes a shuttle if the destination street cannot take the line-haul trailer. Reviewer-reported median price on is across priced reviews, and the middle half runs from to .
Leaving Phoenix, arriving in Denver.
| Phoenix | Denver | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 100.7 | 103.1 |
| Median home sale price | $469,000 | $610,000 |
| Median days on market | 61 | 21 |
| Months of housing supply | 3.5 | 2.9 |
| 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 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 Denver
821 road miles, about 16 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 $293 to $440gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $293 to $586gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $352 to $396gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $396 to $644gas 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 Denver?
- The driving distance is 821 miles, about 16 hours at the wheel. Plan on several days once loading and unloading are included. The delivery spread is set on the order for service.
- What do movers report charging on this lane?
- Reviewer-reported median price on is across priced reviews. The middle half runs from to . Those are reviewer reports, so match them against your own estimate line by line.
- How many people moved from Arizona to Colorado in 2024?
- In 2024, 9,762 people moved from Arizona to Colorado, according to Census ACS, with a margin of plus or minus 2,707. The count is for the state pair.
- How does the cost of living compare between Arizona and Colorado?
- BEA price parity for 2024 sets the US at 100. Arizona is 100.7 and Colorado is 103.1.
- Do I need a shuttle at delivery?
- You pay for a shuttle if the destination street cannot take a 26-foot box. Ask whether the estimate includes a shuttle if the destination street cannot take the line-haul trailer. High-rises along Speer and in LoDo want elevator pads and a COI.
Next
Keep going
- Moving to Phoenix: costsLocal ranges and access at the loading end.
- Moving to Denver: costsLocal ranges and access at the delivery end.
- Movers in PhoenixEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Movers in DenverEvery mover there with dated reviews.
- Moving in ArizonaWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Moving in ColoradoWho 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 821 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 Denver quote
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