Moving costs
How Much Do Movers Cost in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley?
A local move in the Coachella Valley is usually priced by the hour for a crew and a truck, plus travel time and a fuel charge. Your total depends mostly on how much you own, how easy the homes are to work in, and whether you want packing. Here is how the price is built, so the estimate you get makes sense.
The short answer
A local move with us costs $180 an hour for two movers and a truck, or $225 an hour for three, plus a $50 fuel charge per move. There is a 4-hour minimum, so the smallest local move with two movers comes to about $770 before any packing materials. The clock runs from the time the crew leaves our Indio warehouse until they are back.
Moves out of the valley and out of state are priced differently: by the weight of what you ship and the distance it travels.
California requires a written estimate before a household move. You will have ours before anything is booked. These are our rates as of October 2026; your estimate shows the rate that applies to your date.
Our local moving rates
| Part of the bill | What we charge |
|---|---|
| Two movers and a truck | $180 an hour |
| Three movers and a truck | $225 an hour |
| Fuel | $50 per move, not per mile |
| Minimum | 4 hours |
| Travel time | Billed from when the crew leaves our warehouse until they return, including the drive between your homes |
| Packing materials | Charged only for what is used on your move |
| Extras | Packing labor, storage between homes and hauling away things you no longer want are priced separately |
How long a local move usually takes
Time is the biggest part of the bill, and it depends on what is in the home more than the number of bedrooms. As a rough guide from the moves our office prices:
- A one-bedroom apartment or condo usually lands close to the 4-hour minimum.
- A two-bedroom home takes around six hours, including the drive.
- A three-bedroom home takes around six to eight hours across the valley, for example Indio to La Quinta.
- A four-bedroom home can take ten to fifteen hours.
A full garage, a lot of stairs or a long carry from the truck can add hours to any of these. That is why we look at the move first, in person or on a video call, before putting the price in writing.
What makes a move cost more, or less
- How much you own. The number of rooms matters less than what is in them. A full garage or a packed spare room adds hours.
- Stairs, elevators and long walks. A second-floor condo, an elevator you have to book, or a long carry from a gated parking area all slow the crew down.
- Heavy or delicate items. Pianos, safes, pool tables and large art need more people, more time or special handling.
- Packing. Packing yourself saves labor. Having the crew pack the kitchen and fragile rooms is a common middle ground.
- Distance between the homes. Palm Springs to Indio is a longer drive than Palm Desert to La Quinta, and the drive is on the clock.
- Getting ready. Boxes packed, sealed and labeled before the crew arrives make the day faster.
Moving out of the valley
A move to another part of California or another state is not billed by the hour. It is usually priced by the weight of your shipment and the distance it travels, with packing, storage and any extra stops added. As an agent for Wheaton World Wide Moving, we handle moves that leave the valley, and the estimate works the same way: we see what is moving first, then put the price in writing.
If your new home is not ready on moving day, your belongings can go into storage in Indio until it is. Storage is priced separately from the move. See long-distance moving for how those moves work.
How to keep the cost down
- Sort and give away what you will not use before the estimate, so you are not paying to move it.
- Pack the easy rooms yourself and leave the fragile ones to the crew.
- Ask your HOA about move-in rules and elevator bookings early, so the crew is not kept waiting.
- Have furniture you want taken apart cleared of drawers and contents.
- Get a walkthrough or video survey, so the estimate matches what is really there.
Questions people ask about moving costs
Do movers charge for travel time?
Yes. For a local move the clock starts when the crew leaves our Indio warehouse and stops when they get back, so the drive to your home, between your homes and back is part of the hourly bill.
Are boxes and packing materials included?
No. Packing materials are charged separately, and only for what is used on your move.
Is there a minimum charge for a small move?
Yes. Local moves have a 4-hour minimum. With two movers that comes to about $770 including the $50 fuel charge, before any packing materials.
Will I get a written estimate?
Yes. California requires a written estimate before a household move, and you will have ours before anything is booked.
Planning a move inside the valley? See local moving, packing and storage, or request a quote.
