($1,262) Cost of Moving From California to South Dakota
Quick answer: The average cost to move from California to South Dakota ranges from $1,045 to $7,288 and takes four–15 days. The top cost factors are how much you’re moving, your move date, and whether you hire a company or do the move yourself.
Moving the reverse route? We’ve got you covered with our moving from South Dakota to California guide.
Our track record
The best California to South Dakota full-service movers
Moving from California to South Dakota? With thousands of moving companies in the U.S., hiring the right interstate moving company can be a challenge.
To simplify your search, we've selected the most reliable movers based on our detailed analysis of customer reviews, pricing, and service offerings.
Start with these top long-distance moving companies serving California for your South Dakota relocation:
- Safeway Moving: Best overall value
- Mayzlin Relocation: Best for personalized service
- American Van Lines: Most experienced mover
- PODS: Best nationwide coverage
- North American Van Lines: Best customized plans
- GPS tracking en route
- Veteran-owned
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing
- Donates a portion of moves to charity
- Family-owned, with locations covering the East Coast
- Full refund if you cancel within 7 days of your move
- Hands-on customer service
- 24/7 support
- Price-matching policy
- Experienced & fully trained moving crews
- Specializes in moving art & antiques
- Competitive pricing
- Can handle last-minute moves
- Climate-controlled storage
- 30 days storage included
- Local and long distance moving options
- Unlimited loading/unloading time
- Store on property or at a facility
- Custom crates for electronics & art
- Satellite shipment tracking
- 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states
- Self-packing option
- No deposit required
The best California to South Dakota moving container companies
Moving containers allow you to save money without having to go the full DIY route. While you’ll have to handle loading and unloading, the container company has you covered on transportation — they’ll pick up your pod in California and drop it off at your new home in South Dakota.
Check out these highly rated moving container companies:
- 30 days storage included
- Local and long distance moving options
- Unlimited loading/unloading time
- Store on property or at a facility
- Long distance moves only
- Only pay for the space you use
- No deposit or initial fees
- Fast delivery time frames
- Combines affordability of DIY moving with convenience of a truck and driver
- Only pay for the truck space you use
- Offers vehicle shipping
The best California to South Dakota moving truck rentals
Moving truck rentals are the most cost-effective way to move from California to South Dakota, although they’re also the most labor-intensive. You’ll save big by doing all the heavy lifting and driving.
We like these rental moving trucks:
- Competitive base prices with specialized discounts
- Round-trip and one-way moves available
- User-friendly website makes it easy to book the right truck
- More than 20,000 locations with prominent pricing
- Rental options include everything from pick-up trucks to 26-foot moving trucks
- Gentle-Ride Suspension add protection to avoid damaging your items during transit
- U-Box moving containers available if you don't want to drive
The best California to South Dakota labor-only movers
If you need help moving some or all of your items into a container or rental truck, you can hire labor-only movers. They’ll send over a professional crew the right size for your move and you’ll pay only for the amount of time they work.
Consider one of these top-notch moving labor companies for your move from California to South Dakota:
- First call quoting, get a quote in just a couple of minutes
- Rates are typically 20-40% lower than the industry averages
- $1,000 money-back service guarantee
- Fast and accurate delivery times
- Free damage coverage with additional coverage options
- Quick and easy booking process
- National 4.75/5 star rating (these guys are good at what they do)
- Dedicated move concierge specialist
- Pay as you go service. 2-hour minimum and then prorated down to the minute
- The time clock starts when the movers arrive and ends when you tell them
How we chose the best moving companies for your CA to SD move
How much does it cost to move from California to South Dakota?
The table below lays out average cost ranges to move from California to South Dakota for different moving services depending on the size of your home.
Move size | Moving company | Moving container | Rental truck |
---|---|---|---|
Studio / 1 Bedroom | $1,262 - $5,046 | $1,027 - $2,607 | $1,006 - $1,836 |
2 - 3 bedrooms | $2,973 - $7,288 | $1,831 - $3,809 | $1,045 - $2,344 |
4+ bedrooms | $5,824 - $9,862 | $2,549 - $5,259 | $1,317 - $2,755 |
*These price ranges are a rough estimate based on 1,657 miles and historical averages. The actual size of your move, additional services required, truck parking access, market conditions, and availability can greatly affect your final costs.
Cost to hire movers from California to South Dakota
Cost of moving containers from California to South Dakota
Cost of moving truck rentals from California to South Dakota
Factors affecting the cost of moving from CA to SD
There are many factors that influence California moving costs. The cost to move from California to South Dakota will depend on these factors:
- Move size: Moving a large home costs more than moving a studio apartment.
- Time of year: The peak moving season in California is in the summer, so moving companies will likely charge more.
- DIY vs. professional mover: DIY moving services are cheaper but you do all the heavy lifting compared to letting the pros handle your move.
What to know before moving from CA to SD
If you’re moving to South Dakota from California, you’ll want to compare what life will be like.
Cost of living: California vs. South Dakota
California | South Dakota | |
---|---|---|
Average rent cost | $1,856 | $878 |
Average home cost | $771,057 | $306,944 |
Average income (per capita) | $91,905 | $69,457 |
Cost of Living Index | 134 | 100 |
Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 1.9% |
Average Sales Tax | 8.68% | 6.4% |
State Income Tax | 13.3% | 0.0% |
- Rent is about 53% less expensive in South Dakota than in California.
- Home prices are about 60% lower in South Dakota than in California.
- The average income is about 24% lower in South Dakota than in California.
- Cost of living is 25% lower in South Dakota than in California.
- South Dakota has a lower unemployment rate than California by about 65%.
- Sales taxes are 26% lower in South Dakota than in California.
- South Dakota has no income tax.
How life is different in South Dakota vs. California
South Dakota | California | |
---|---|---|
Population | 919,318 | 39,029,342 |
Political leaning | Republican 63-37 | Democratic 59-41 |
Summer high | 85ºF | 87ºF |
Winter low | 7ºF | 59ºF |
Annual rain | 23" | 22" |
Annual snow | 39" | 7" |
Crime index | 21.14 | 28.43 |
- The population of South Dakota is approximately 98% lower than the population of California.
- In the last presidential election, South Dakota voted Republican and California voted Democratic.
- The average high in the summertime in South Dakota is 85ºF and in California, it’s 87ºF.
- During the coldest part of the year, South Dakota reaches the temperature of 7ºF and California gets down to 59ºF.
- You can expect about 23 inches of annual rainfall in South Dakota versus 22 inches of rainfall in California.
- In South Dakota, it snows about 39 inches annually versus 7 inches of snow in California.
- South Dakota has a lower crime rate than California with a crime index of 21.14 vs. 28.43.
Comparing the pros of California vs. South Dakota
Getting a fresh start in a new location is exciting. Here’s a side-by-side look at the perks of living in South Dakota compared to California.
Pros of living in California | Pros of living in South Dakota |
---|---|
Ample economic opportunity | Outstanding tax benefits |
Pleasant weather | Robust job market |
Abundant recreational options | Low cost of living |
High quality of life | Beautiful rural landscapes |
Fresh and healthy foods | Abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities |
Comparing the cons of living in California vs. South Dakota
Everything can’t be sunshine and rainbows all the time, no matter where you live. Here are some things to be aware of when leaving California for South Dakota.
Cons of living in California | Cons of living in South Dakota |
---|---|
High cost of living | Extreme weather |
Heavy tax burdens | Small-town mindset |
Natural disasters | Sparsely populated |
Terrible traffic | Strange and offensive laws |
Strange laws | Unpredictable weather |