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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 Bale

Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026

Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Reviewers paid

$4,500

median, 99 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), 21 Sept 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route); BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

What it costs

California to Colorado moving cost

Across 99 priced reviews of moves from California to Colorado, the median was $4,500 and the middle half paid $2,000 to $7,600. Home sizes and distances are mixed; the table below is by size.

Planning ranges for 1,000–2,000 miles moves, by home size, as of September 2026. Research fallback, not a first-party median and not a bid.

Home sizeFull-service range
Studio$2,200–$4,000
1 bedroom$3,000–$5,200
2 bedroom$4,000–$7,200
3 bedroom$5,400–$9,400
4+ bedroom$7,000–$12,000

Source: Haulest research bands, September 2026 (band set by the San Diego to Denver drive).

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 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 21 Sept 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.

MoverBasedRecordMatching reviewsAll reviewsMedian reported, this runLast
Beefcake Moving & StorageChatsworth, CACarrierUSDOT 18273265384.3 mean, dated$7,70019 May 2023
Trig Moving and StorageBurbank, CANo FMCSA matchUSDOT 31986613272.0 mean, dated$8,50024 Oct 2021
Valet MoversSan Diego, CANo FMCSA matchUSDOT 19770333183.0 mean, dated$1,8536 Jun 2016
A One Van LinesBrooklyn, NYNo FMCSA matchUSDOT 22762592364.1 mean, dated$12,9001 Jan 2026
Ship Your Car NowBoca Raton, FLNo FMCSA matchUSDOT 22468252292.5 mean, dated$2,50012 Aug 2024
LD Moving and StorageNorth Hollywood, CANo FMCSA matchUSDOT 18804032231.8 mean, dated$5,47320 May 2022
Interstate Moving LLCWilmington, DENo FMCSA matchUSDOT 33629212171.9 mean, dated$4,7801 Dec 2020
Conejo Valley Moving and StorageSimi Valley, CABroker and carrierUSDOT 77949231.3 mean, dated$5,20011 Sept 2023

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 Colorado

  • 5 of 5 · 9 Sept 2026 · reported $3,225

    They were professional, punctual, efficient, and handled all of my belongings with great care. Armando was especially kind, friendly, and made sure everything was done perfectly from start to finish. I highly recommend X Van Lines LLC, and if you have the chance to work with Armando and his team,…

    X Van Lines LLC

  • 5 of 5 · 29 Jul 2026 · reported $3,550

    Everything was very smooth and operated swiftly. They were very enjoyable to work with and handled everything without issue. I would highly, highly recommend them to anyone that I just so happened to come across.

    Northern Moving Systems

  • 5 of 5 · 16 Mar 2026 · reported $1,800

    I recently moved and had a great experience with this moving company. The team was professional, friendly, and handled my belongings with care. Everything went smoothly and arrived safely. I’m very happy with their service and would definitely recommend them

    We Are The Best Moving and Storage LLC

What went wrong on this run: of 99 reviews, 46% mention damage and 22% 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 99 reviews for this run. The median reported price is $4,500 across 99 priced reviews, and the middle half runs from $2,000 to $7,600. Those prices mix home sizes and distances.

Damage and delay show up in the file. Of those reviews, 46% mention damage and 22% 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.

CaliforniaColorado
Cost of living (US = 100)110.7103.1
Median home sale price$887,400$617,000
Median days on market3335
State income tax on wagesTaxes wagesTaxes wages
People who moved in 202415,781 arrived from Colorado19,717 arrived from California

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); 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).

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 99 reviews, and the median reported price is $4,500 across 99 priced reviews. The middle half runs from $2,000 to $7,600, and those prices mix home sizes and distances. 46% mention damage and 22% 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.

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Anthony Bale

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.

All 54 pages by Anthony

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