($1,470) Cost of Moving From South Dakota to California
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: The average cost to move from South Dakota to California ranges from $1,132 to $8,080 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 California to South Dakota guide.
Our track record
The best South Dakota to California full-service movers
Moving from South Dakota to California? 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 South Dakota for your California 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
rating
- 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 South Dakota to California 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 South Dakota and drop it off at your new home in California.
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 South Dakota to California moving truck rentals
Moving truck rentals are the most cost-effective way to move from South Dakota to California, 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 South Dakota to California 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 South Dakota to California:
- 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 SD to CA move
How much does it cost to move from South Dakota to California?
The table below lays out average cost ranges to move from South Dakota to California for different moving services depending on the size of your home.
| Move size | Moving company | Moving container | Rental truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 Bedroom | $1,470 - $5,878 | $1,048 - $2,581 | $956 - $1,836 |
| 2 - 3 bedrooms | $3,719 - $8,080 | $1,850 - $3,771 | $1,132 - $2,230 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $6,386 - $12,194 | $2,600 - $5,311 | $1,385 - $2,839 |
*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 South Dakota to California
Cost of moving containers from South Dakota to California
Cost of moving truck rentals from South Dakota to California
Factors affecting the cost of moving from SD to CA
There are many factors that influence South Dakota moving costs. The cost to move from South Dakota to California 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 South Dakota 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 SD to CA
If you’re moving to California from South Dakota, you’ll want to compare what life will be like.
Cost of living: South Dakota vs. California
| South Dakota | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent cost | $878 | $1,856 |
| Average home cost | $306,944 | $771,057 |
| Average income (per capita) | $69,457 | $91,905 |
| Cost of Living Index | 100 | 134 |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% | 5.4% |
| Average Sales Tax | 6.4% | 8.68% |
| State Income Tax | 0.0% | 13.3% |
- Rent is about 111% more expensive in California than in South Dakota.
- Home prices are about 151% higher in California than in South Dakota.
- The average income is about 32% higher in California than in South Dakota.
- Cost of living is 34% lower in California than in South Dakota.
- California has a higher unemployment rate than South Dakota by about 184%.
- Sales taxes are 36% higher in California than in South Dakota.
- Income taxes are 13% higher in California than in South Dakota.
How life is different in California vs. South Dakota
| California | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,029,342 | 919,318 |
| Political leaning | Democratic 59-41 | Republican 63-37 |
| Summer high | 87ºF | 85ºF |
| Winter low | 59ºF | 7ºF |
| Annual rain | 22" | 23" |
| Annual snow | 7" | 39" |
| Crime index | 28.43 | 21.14 |
- The population of California is approximately 4,145% greater than the population of South Dakota.
- In the last presidential election, California voted Democratic and South Dakota voted Republican.
- The average high in the summertime in California is 87ºF and in South Dakota, it’s 85ºF.
- During the coldest part of the year, California reaches the temperature of 59ºF and South Dakota gets down to 7ºF.
- You can expect about 22 inches of annual rainfall in California versus 23 inches of rainfall in South Dakota.
- In California, it snows about 7 inches annually versus 39 inches of snow in South Dakota.
- California has a higher crime rate than South Dakota with a crime index of 28.43 vs. 21.14.
Comparing the pros of South Dakota vs. California
Getting a fresh start in a new location is exciting. Here’s a side-by-side look at the perks of living in California compared to South Dakota.
| Pros of living in South Dakota | Pros of living in California |
|---|---|
| Outstanding tax benefits | Ample economic opportunity |
| Robust job market | Pleasant weather |
| Low cost of living | Abundant recreational options |
| Beautiful rural landscapes | High quality of life |
| Abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities | Fresh and healthy foods |
Comparing the cons of living in South Dakota vs. California
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 South Dakota for California.
| Cons of living in South Dakota | Cons of living in California |
|---|---|
| Extreme weather | High cost of living |
| Small-town mindset | Heavy tax burdens |
| Sparsely populated | Natural disasters |
| Strange and offensive laws | Terrible traffic |
| Unpredictable weather | Strange laws |
