($1,385) Cost of Moving From Tennessee to California
Quick answer: The average cost to move from Tennessee to California ranges from $1,308 to $8,086 and takes six–17 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 Tennessee guide.
Our track record
The best Tennessee to California full-service movers
Moving from Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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
- 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee to California moving truck rentals
Moving truck rentals are the most cost-effective way to move from Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 TN to CA move
How much does it cost to move from Tennessee to California?
The table below lays out average cost ranges to move from Tennessee to California for different moving services depending on the size of your home.
Move size | Moving company | Moving container | Rental truck |
---|---|---|---|
Studio / 1 Bedroom | $1,385 - $5,384 | $1,173 - $2,939 | $1,308 - $2,454 |
2 - 3 bedrooms | $3,589 - $8,086 | $2,087 - $4,354 | $1,308 - $2,951 |
4+ bedrooms | $7,074 - $12,208 | $2,953 - $6,314 | $1,703 - $3,616 |
*These price ranges are a rough estimate based on 2,161 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 Tennessee to California
Cost of moving containers from Tennessee to California
Cost of moving truck rentals from Tennessee to California
Factors affecting the cost of moving from TN to CA
There are many factors that influence Tennessee moving costs. The cost to move from Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 TN to CA
If you’re moving to California from Tennessee, you’ll want to compare what life will be like.
Cost of living: Tennessee vs. California
Tennessee | California | |
---|---|---|
Average rent cost | $1,047 | $1,856 |
Average home cost | $319,208 | $771,057 |
Average income (per capita) | $64,035 | $91,905 |
Cost of Living Index | 0 | 134 |
Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 5.4% |
Average Sales Tax | 9.55% | 8.68% |
State Income Tax | 0.0% | 13.3% |
- Rent is about 77% more expensive in California than in Tennessee.
- Home prices are about 142% higher in California than in Tennessee.
- The average income is about 44% higher in California than in Tennessee.
- Cost of living is inf% lower in California than in Tennessee.
- California has a higher unemployment rate than Tennessee by about 64%.
- Sales taxes are 9% lower in California than in Tennessee.
- Income taxes are 13% higher in California than in Tennessee.
How life is different in California vs. Tennessee
California | Tennessee | |
---|---|---|
Population | 39,029,342 | 7,126,489 |
Political leaning | Democratic 59-41 | Republican 64-36 |
Summer high | 87ºF | 88ºF |
Winter low | 59ºF | 27ºF |
Annual rain | 22" | 53" |
Annual snow | 7" | 5" |
Crime index | 28.43 | 29.24 |
- The population of California is approximately 448% greater than the population of Tennessee.
- In the last presidential election, California voted Democratic and Tennessee voted Republican.
- The average high in the summertime in California is 87ºF and in Tennessee, it’s 88ºF.
- During the coldest part of the year, California reaches the temperature of 59ºF and Tennessee gets down to 27ºF.
- You can expect about 22 inches of annual rainfall in California versus 53 inches of rainfall in Tennessee.
- In California, it snows about 7 inches annually versus 5 inches of snow in Tennessee.
- California has a lower crime rate than Tennessee with a crime index of 28.43 vs. 29.24.
Comparing the pros of Tennessee 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 Tennessee.
Pros of living in Tennessee | Pros of living in California |
---|---|
Abundant recreational opportunities | Ample economic opportunity |
No income taxes | Pleasant weather |
Legendary music scene | Abundant recreational options |
Natural beauty and parks galore | High quality of life |
Delicious southern comfort food | Fresh and healthy foods |
Comparing the cons of living in Tennessee 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 Tennessee for California.
Cons of living in Tennessee | Cons of living in California |
---|---|
Tendency for severe weather | High cost of living |
Oppressive summer heat and humidity | Heavy tax burdens |
Abundant presence of nuclear power plants | Natural disasters |
Traffic congestion | Terrible traffic |
High urban crime rates | Strange laws |