California to Colorado
Moving from California to Colorado
Reviewers who moved from California to Colorado paid a median $4,500. 19,717 people made the move in 2024, and 15,781 went the other way. San Diego to Denver, the most common run in our file, is 1,078 miles.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Reviewers paid
$4,500
median, 103 priced reviews
Moved last year
19,717
CA to CO, 2024
Typical drive
1,078 mi
San Diego to Denver
Cost of living
-6.9%
CO vs CA, US = 100
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route); BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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California to Colorado · median paid
$4,650
100 reviewed moves
1,078 road miles
Median and middle half of what 100 reviewers paid on this lane. A mover's written estimate is what counts.
What it costs
California to Colorado moving cost
Across 103 priced reviews of moves from California to Colorado, the median was $4,500 and the middle half paid $2,200 to $7,500. Home sizes and distances are mixed; 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 (band set by the San Diego to Denver drive).
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.
From the review file
Movers with reviews on the California to Colorado run
How this list was made. Every mover here has at least two reviews in our file for a move from California to Colorado. Sorted by how many matching reviews each mover has, not by rating. Corpus as of 3 Nov 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.
| Mover | Based | Record | Matching reviews | All reviews | Median reported, this run | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beefcake Moving & Storage | Chatsworth, CA | CarrierUSDOT 1827326 | 5 | 384.0 mean, dated | $7,700 | 19 May 2023 |
| Trig Moving and Storage | Burbank, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 3198661 | 3 | 272.0 mean, dated | $8,500 | 24 Oct 2021 |
| Valet Movers | San Diego, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 1977033 | 3 | 183.0 mean, dated | $1,853 | 6 Jun 2016 |
| X Van Lines LLC | Dallas, TX | CarrierUSDOT 3391195 | 2 | 3125.0 mean, dated | $3,120 | 26 Oct 2026 |
| Cross Country Movers | Philadelphia, PA | Broker and carrierUSDOT 2780116 | 2 | 2685.0 mean, dated | $4,685 | 16 Oct 2026 |
| A One Van Lines | Brooklyn, NY | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2276259 | 2 | 364.0 mean, dated | $12,900 | 1 Jan 2026 |
| Ship Your Car Now | Boca Raton, FL | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2246825 | 2 | 293.0 mean, dated | $2,500 | 12 Aug 2024 |
| LD Moving and Storage | North Hollywood, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 1880403 | 2 | 232.0 mean, dated | $5,473 | 20 May 2022 |
| Interstate Moving LLC | Wilmington, DE | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 3362921 | 2 | 172.0 mean, dated | $4,780 | 1 Dec 2020 |
| Conejo Valley Moving and Storage | Simi Valley, CA | Broker and carrierUSDOT 77949 | 2 | 31.0 mean, dated | $5,200 | 11 Sept 2023 |
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 3 Nov 2026; FMCSA Licensing and Insurance, household-goods authority (record column).
Recent reviews
People who moved California to Colorado
5 of 5 · 26 Oct 2026 · reported $3,120
“very conscientious and polite, and they had the muscle to make moving king-size mattresses seem easy. Moved out the old, brought in the new with no problem. Very nice young men that I'm happy to give the highest rating possible.”
5 of 5 · 16 Oct 2026 · reported $4,680
“I was extremely pleased with the professionalism of the three member team led by Felipe. They packed and moved our condo goods as though what they were packing and moving was their own goods. They used blankets and shrink wrap on the furniture. They were very careful about the furniture legs.”
5 of 5 · 2 Oct 2026 · reported $5,468
“They were all extremely professional, nice, and efficient. I essentially moved/stopped across 4 locations (one being a detached garage) and they were great. Everything was moved with care, including a lot of heavy books and a large safe. Price was very reasonable considering all of that.”
What went wrong on this run: of 103 reviews, 45% mention damage and 21% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Who makes this move
Those are headcounts of movers, not a reason anyone packed a truck.
Census puts the flow at 19,717. In the 2024 ACS, 19,717 people moved from California to Colorado, with a margin of plus or minus 3,479. The reverse count is 15,781 people who moved from Colorado to California. Those are headcounts of movers, not a reason anyone packed a truck.
Living costs sit above the national mark. BEA price parity for 2024 uses 100 as the United States figure. California reads 110.7 and Colorado reads 103.1, so both sit above that mark. Both states tax wages. Rates and filing dates are outside this page.
What the job looks like
Those prices mix home sizes and distances.
The common run is San Diego to Denver. That lane is 1,078 miles, about 19 hours of driving, which means days on the road between pickup and delivery. Long-distance household goods are priced by weight and miles, so the same city pair can land at very different bills.
Reviews in our file show a wide spread. We have 103 reviews for this run. The median reported price is $4,500 across 103 priced reviews, and the middle half runs from $2,200 to $7,500. Those prices mix home sizes and distances.
Damage and delay show up in the file. Of those reviews, 45% mention damage and 21% mention a delay or a no-show. Delivery is a window set on the order for service, not a clock time you can circle. Plan the handoff around that window.
Before you book
On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate.
Check the carrier before you pay anyone. An interstate household move needs a mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. Haulest is not a carrier and does not book the truck for you. Confirm both numbers in the license lookup before a deposit leaves your account.
Get the price form in writing. Ask whether the estimate is binding or not to exceed. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate. Read the 110 percent rule and how to read an estimate before you sign.
Put the delivery window and the deposit terms on the order. The window is set on the order for service, so ask for those dates in writing. Deposit terms belong in the same paperwork: how much, when it is due, and what happens if you cancel. The deposit guide covers the questions worth asking.
Leaving California, arriving in Colorado.
| California | Colorado | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 110.7 | 103.1 |
| Median home sale price | $887,400 | $617,000 |
| Median days on market | 33 | 35 |
| State income tax on wages | Taxes wages | Taxes wages |
| People who moved in 2024 | 15,781 arrived from Colorado | 19,717 arrived from California |
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); US Census Bureau, ACS, 2024.
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. Check your date.
Source: Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage (California homes sold by month).
Doing it yourself
Driving a rental truck from California to Colorado
1,078 road miles, about 19 hours at the wheel (3 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 $383 to $575gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $383 to $767gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $460 to $527gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $527 to $856gas or diesel, by brand
For comparison: reviewers who hired full-service movers on California to Colorado moves paid a median $4,500 (103 priced reviews). The truck line above is fuel only: add the rental, mileage or days, coverage, equipment, tolls, a night on the road, 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 many people moved from California to Colorado?
- Census ACS 2024 counts 19,717 people who moved from California to Colorado, with a margin of plus or minus 3,479. The reverse flow is 15,781 people who moved from Colorado to California. The counts do not say why anyone moved.
- What is the most common California to Colorado run?
- In our file the most common run is San Diego to Denver. That trip is 1,078 miles, about 19 hours of driving. Household-goods pricing on a run like this is by weight and miles.
- What prices and problems show up in reviews?
- We have 103 reviews, and the median reported price is $4,500 across 103 priced reviews. The middle half runs from $2,200 to $7,500, and those prices mix home sizes and distances. 45% mention damage and 21% mention a delay or a no-show.
- How do cost of living and wage taxes compare?
- BEA price parity for 2024 is 110.7 in California and 103.1 in Colorado, with the United States at 100. Both states tax wages. This page does not give a rate.
- What rules matter before you book?
- Book a mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate. Get the delivery window and the deposit terms in writing on the order.
Next
Keep going
- Colorado to CaliforniaThe same run the other way.
- Moving in CaliforniaWho 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 costNational medians by year and lane.
- The 110% ruleWhat you can be made to pay on delivery day.
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 California to Colorado 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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