Cost guide How much movers cost in Charleston

Charleston moving costs by home size

moveBuddha's Charleston page (last updated Nov 10, 2026) gives typical totals for local moves under 100 miles. It bases them on its own customer data and 29 local full-service movers.

The movers moveBuddha tracks in Charleston average $134 an hour, with a 2-hour minimum of $268.

HireAHelper's Charleston page (updated October 2026) gives a local full-service average of $1,157.79. That compares with $1,107.30 for South Carolina and $1,010.33 for the U.S. Its two-mover hourly average for Charleston is about $140.93, and its 2-hour minimum job is about $281.86.

What Charleston movers publish

Some Charleston moving companies post their own rates. These are each company's own figures, not quotes for your move.

Two Men and a Truck in North Charleston prices by the hour, but its Charleston page shows no dollar figures. Coleman Worldwide Moving, an Allied Van Lines agent with a Charleston service page, gives free written in-home quotes.

College HUNKS moving prices

College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving publishes no moving prices. Its moving pricing page says rates depend on location and points you to a free estimate. The Charleston location, at 3337 Business Circle in North Charleston, lists local, long-distance, residential, commercial and apartment moves, plus hourly labor and packing supplies.

Labor-only help, when you drive the truck

If you rent the truck or container yourself and hire people only to load and unload, you pay for labor alone.

• HireAHelper Charleston (October 2026): labor-only whole-move averages run from $369.37 for a 1-bedroom apartment to $665.11 for a 5-bedroom house. The Charleston average is $472.67, compared with $516.51 for South Carolina and $494.95 for the U.S.
• U-Haul Moving Help: a marketplace that lists separate local helper businesses. For Charleston ZIP 29412 on Nov 11, 2026, first-page rates for a 2-person crew ran $85 to $165 an hour. Quick estimates for newer providers (2 people, 2 hours) were $180 to $360.
• Low Country Moving Specialists: labor-only crews cost $115 to $195 an hour, by crew size.
• Undergrads Moving (no date shown): 2 movers at $112 an hour for labor only, with the truck separate.

If you're hauling leftovers to the dump in your rental truck, read our guide to taking a moving truck to a Charleston-area dump first, since some sites need an appointment for vans and box trucks.

Packing costs

• Charleston: moveBuddha (Nov 10, 2026) says packing adds $560 for a 1-bedroom to $5,600 for a 4 to 5 bedroom home. Low Country Moving Specialists books packing as a separate labor-only crew at its labor-only rates.
• National: HomeAdvisor (2024 figures) says packing services average $1,000, with a range of $280 to $2,200 and about $25 per packer per hour. By size it gives 1 bedroom $280 to $650, 2 bedrooms $530 to $1,000 and 3 bedrooms $1,030 to $2,200. Unpacking costs $100 to $1,400. HireAHelper's national guide (Jul 13, 2026) also puts packing at $280 to $2,200.

Long-distance moves

• From Charleston: moveBuddha says moves of 100 miles or more cost $1,680 to $9,520 or more, and 2 to 3 bedroom homes average $3,808 to $5,040 (Nov 10, 2026).
• National: HireAHelper (Jul 13, 2026) gives full-service long-distance ranges of $2,339 to $3,249 for a studio or 1 bedroom, $3,367 to $4,676 for 2,000 sq ft, and $4,478 to $6,219 for 4 bedrooms or 4,000 sq ft.
• National: Angi (2024 data) says moves over 100 miles cost $2,700 to $10,000.

What changes the price

• Home size and crew size. More rooms mean more movers and more hours, as the moveBuddha table shows.
• Stairs. moveBuddha's Charleston page says stairs add $50 to $75 per flight.
• Peak season. moveBuddha says peak-season rates run 20% to 30% higher. Charleston summers are also the hottest and wettest months, which our guide to moving in hurricane season covers.
• Minimums. Low Country Moving Specialists has a 2-hour minimum, and moveBuddha and HireAHelper both quote 2-hour minimum jobs.
• Packing. Having a crew pack adds its own line, as shown above.
• Downtown street permits. In the City of Charleston, a moving truck or container that blocks the street needs a permit from the City's Traffic & Transportation Department (843-724-7378). Check the current fee with the City.

Pro tip since most movers charge by the hour, every item you get rid of before moving day is time you don't pay for. Residents can drop furniture and junk for free at the Charleston County convenience centers, the Berkeley County centers or the Dorchester County sites. For what hauling costs instead, see our junk removal cost guide.

National figures for comparison

These are national figures, not Charleston prices.

• HireAHelper (national, Jul 13, 2026): a local full-service move averages $1,167 and a labor-only move $451. Full-service crews cost $100 to $150 an hour for 2 movers, and labor-only costs $40 to $75 per mover per hour. Local full-service ranges by size are $791 to $1,099 for a studio or 1 bedroom, $1,463 to $2,031 for 2,000 sq ft and $2,363 to $3,281 for 4 bedrooms or 4,000 sq ft.
• Angi (national, 2024 data): the national average is $1,714. Local totals with 2 to 3 movers are about $400 for 1 bedroom, $900 for 2 bedrooms, $1,400 for 3 bedrooms, $1,800 for 4 bedrooms and $3,000 for 5 bedrooms. Hourly rates are $75 to $150 for 3 movers and $100 to $200 for 4 or more.
• HomeAdvisor (2025, no area stated): local movers charge $30 to $80 per mover per hour. Moves average $1,697, and most local moves cost $876 to $2,550.

New to the area? Our new-resident checklist for moving to Charleston covers the license, car tax and utility steps, and service members can start with our PCS guide for Joint Base Lindsey Graham.

Frequently asked questions