Moving cost
Moving from Portland to Seattle: modeled cost
A 3-bedroom move from Portland to Seattle, 180 mi, models at $2,250 to $2,950, midpoint $2,550. Crew time is the largest component at 46%. These figures are produced by our published pricing model from stated assumptions; only a carrier survey can turn them into a quote.
This page prices one specific shipment — 8,150 lb travelling 180 mi — and then explains the part that is particular to this pair: crew time at the two ends, not mileage, decides what this move costs.
Estimated full-service moving cost · 3 bedroom
$2,250–$2,950
Estimated range. Our model’s midpoint for this profile is $2,550.
- Distance
- 180 mi est.
- Transit
- 1 to 3 days
- Shipment
- 6,800–9,500 lbs
- Method
- Full service
What the model produces for Portland → Seattle
| Measure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Modeled range, 3-bedroom | $2,250–$2,950 | Full service, off-peak, no packing |
| Midpoint | $2,550 | 180 mi, 8,150 lb assumed |
| Cost per mile | $14.17 | Cohort median $10.64 |
| Transit window | 1 to 3 days | Shared-trailer scheduling assumption |
Components, not the headline
The split is not the band norm: 46% labor against a 33% median, a 13 percentage points difference worth $100 between the two largest lines. Budget attention to an accurate access description at both addresses accordingly.
- Line haul
- $1,100
- Crew time, both ends
- $1,200
- Transport and handling
- $300
42% of the total
46% of the total
12% of the total
Crew time at the two ends, not mileage, decides what this move costs
The two big lines are $100 apart: $1,100 of line haul against $1,200 of crew time at the two ends.
That puts the labor share at 46% where the median short interstate move in the model sits at 33% — 13 percentage points heavier on labor than the band.
So the survey questions that decide this price are about access — stairs, elevator reservations, long carries, whether a full trailer can reach the door — and not about the mileage, which is already fixed.
Against the distance band
Set against 56 modeled routes of similar length, this one sits $700 below the $3,250 median — the 1st percentile. Mileage is controlled for in that comparison, so the discount is coming from the two metro labor assumptions rather than from the haul.
What each bedroom adds
The curve spans $3,000 from studio to five bedrooms, and the single 3-to-4 step is $750 of it. Compared with the $300 peak-season adjustment on this route, shipment size is the input with the larger consequence — which is why an honest inventory at survey matters more than the date.
| Home size | Modeled midpoint | Step from previous |
|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,350 | — |
| 2 BR | $1,850 | +$500 |
| 3 BR | $2,550 | +$700 |
| 4 BR | $3,300 | +$750 |
| 5+ BR | $4,350 | +$1,050 |
What your own labour is worth here
| Method | Modeled midpoint | Against full service | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full service | $2,550 | — | Carrier loads, drives, unloads |
| Container | $1,700 | −$850 | You load; carrier drives |
| Rental truck | $1,050 | −$1,500 | You load and drive |
The two labour markets
The two ends do not price alike: 1.08 in Portland against 1.15 in Seattle. Seattle is the dearer crew market by 6.0%, which is where an extra hour of access trouble costs the most.
Price your own Portland to Seattle move
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What this corridor raises
Which end of this move is the expensive one?
Seattle in our model: it carries a labor index of 1.15 against 1.08 at the other end. Because the model weights the loading end at 60%, that gap is partly diluted, since the dearer market is the delivery end.
What could push this move above the $2,950 top of the range?
The service component, $1,200 at the midpoint, is the part that moves. A long carry from the parking spot, stairs without a working elevator, a street a full trailer cannot enter, or a shuttle transfer at either end all add crew hours. We hold no street-level data for these addresses, so the range assumes straightforward access at both.
Why does this route model lower than other moves of the same distance?
The midpoint sits near the 1st percentile of 56 comparable short interstate move models, roughly 21.5% under the $3,250 median. The inputs that differ are the metro labor assumptions at the two ends, not the distance.
Is a moving container cheaper than a full-service move on this route?
Yes in dollars: $1,700 against $2,550, a modeled saving of $850 or 33%. You take on the loading and unloading at both ends in exchange, which our home-size profile puts at roughly 18 person-hours for a 3-bedroom shipment.
Is doing the loading yourself worth it on this route?
It saves a modeled $850 against full service. Spread across the roughly 18 person-hours our profile assumes for loading and unloading a 3-bedroom shipment, that values your labor at about $47 an hour. Whether that clears your own bar is the actual question.
What this estimate cannot see
Our model does not know your stairs, your elevator reservation, your real inventory, or a carrier's capacity on your date. Use the range as the figure to check written quotes against, and read the method behind it in our pricing methodology.
Modeled with pricing pricing-v1.0. Reviewed 2026-08-31.