Illinois · Cook County
Moving companies in Chicago, IL.
Browse {count} movers serving Chicago and the 9.5-million-person metro. Local crews know the freight-elevator dance in River North, the 3-flat walkup math in Logan Square and Wicker Park, and which suburbs need HOA paperwork two weeks out.
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Top movers in Chicago
Chicago movers worth a look.
A few of Chicago’s top movers. Want a tailored recommendation? Use the Get quotes form below.
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Trusted movers in Chicago.
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Find your mover→All Chicago movers
60 movers serving Chicago.
A and R Moving
Chicago, IL
A Better Way Movers And Cleaning
Chicago, IL
A Plus Chicago Movers
Chicago, IL
A-Available Moving Company, Inc.
Chicago, IL
A. Best Movers, Inc.
Chicago, IL
A-American Moving Company
Chicago, IL
2 Guys and a Van Movers Chicago
Chicago, IL
A Plus Moving Group. Midwest Hub
Chicago, IL
A 1 MOVERS inc.
Chicago, IL
Moving Places
Chicago, IL
U.S. Movers and Relocation
Chicago, IL
Indiana Moving Services
Chicago, IL
Hollander International Storage & Moving
Chicago, IL
U-Pack Moving
Chicago, IL
Windy City Movers
Chicago, IL
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Estimated Chicago moving costs
These ranges reflect what Chicago-area crews actually quote for full-service moves. Walkup surcharges, freight-elevator fees, and city moving permits are not included in the base ranges below.
| Home size | Local (under 50 mi) | Regional (50-500 mi) | Cross-country (500+ mi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR | $600-$1,200 | $1,400-$2,600 | $2,800-$4,800 |
| 2BR | $1,000-$1,800 | $2,000-$3,400 | $3,800-$6,400 |
| 3BR | $1,600-$2,800 | $3,000-$4,800 | $5,000-$8,400 |
| 4BR+ | $2,400-$4,400 | $4,400-$7,000 | $7,000-$12,000 |
Neighborhood guide
Moving to a specific Chicago neighborhood?
River North / Streeterville
high-rise downtown
Median 2BR rent: $2,900/mo
Freight elevator and loading dock booking needs 3 weeks lead time.
Lincoln Park
upscale walkable
Median 2BR rent: $2,600/mo
Permit-required parking; vintage walkups with narrow stairs and tight landings.
Wicker Park / Bucktown
gentrifying arts
Median 2BR rent: $2,300/mo
Tight residential streets; 3-flat walkups are the default housing type.
Logan Square
gentrifying multicultural
Median 2BR rent: $2,100/mo
Vintage 2-3 flats with steep interior stairs and original banisters.
Lakeview / Wrigleyville
urban residential
Median 2BR rent: $2,500/mo
Cubs home games close surrounding streets; check the schedule before booking.
Hyde Park
university-adjacent
Median 2BR rent: $2,000/mo
UChicago move-in mid-to-late September spikes capacity in this neighborhood specifically.
Evanston
inner-ring suburb / Northwestern
Median 2BR rent: $2,300/mo
Northwestern move-in week (Sep 8-15) is brutal for crew availability.
Naperville / Schaumburg
affluent suburbs
Median 2BR rent: $2,200/mo
HOA paperwork in newer developments; mostly easy single-family access.
Common routes
Most-booked Chicago routes
Chicago → Indianapolis, IN
~185 mi southeast
$1,800-$2,800
I-65 corridor; common corporate-relocation lane and the shortest popular outbound move.
Chicago → Detroit, MI
~285 mi east
$2,400-$3,800
I-94 corridor; the auto-industry transfer route, also common for people moving toward family.
Chicago → Minneapolis, MN
~410 mi northwest
$2,800-$4,400
I-94 corridor; both metros share Midwest corporate movement.
Chicago → Nashville, TN
~470 mi south
$2,800-$4,400
I-65 south; the most popular outbound lane for younger movers leaving Chicago.
Chicago → Atlanta, GA
~720 mi southeast
$4,000-$6,200
I-65/I-24; corporate-relocation lane, especially for finance and logistics roles.
Chicago → New York, NY
~790 mi east
$4,200-$6,400
I-80 long-haul; high-end coastal-relocation route, often consolidated loads.
Cost of living
Chicago compared to where you're coming from
Chicago's cost-of-living index sits at 107, slightly above the national average but well below the coastal markets that send most inbound transplants. Median 2BR rent is around $2,200; median home price about $320,000. Illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax — important for people coming from progressive-tax states like New York or California. The math punishes anyone moving from the Midwest, where pretty much everything else is cheaper, but rewards arrivals from the coasts.
| Moving from | COL Index | vs. Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 187 | A 2BR rent of $4,200 there rents for ~$2,200 here. |
| San Francisco, CA | 192 | Equivalent 2BR rents drop roughly 45-55% in most Chicago neighborhoods. |
| Los Angeles, CA | 152 | Renters save $1,200-$1,800/mo on equivalent space; tax savings depend on income level. |
| Boston, MA | 162 | Roughly a 30-40% cut in housing costs; Illinois flat tax helps higher earners vs MA's progressive rate. |
| Indianapolis, IN | 88 | Chicago is ~20% more expensive overall; the route still makes sense for career reasons but not cost. |
| Minneapolis, MN | 105 | Roughly flat overall; Illinois flat tax is friendlier than MN's 9.85% top bracket. |
When to move
Chicago moves by month
Jan
off
Off-season pricing but real polar-vortex risk; build a snow-date clause and a 1-2 day buffer.
Feb
off
Coldest stretch of the year; cheapest pricing but expect the most weather cancellations.
Mar
off
Quiet until late month when leases start turning; weather still volatile, snow possible through April.
Apr
shoulder
Spring leases churn; decent availability and the first reliable above-freezing stretches.
May
peak
Peak season begins; corporate transfers from suburbs into the city accelerate.
Jun
peak
Summer demand fully on; book 4-6 weeks ahead for weekend slots in the neighborhoods.
Jul
peak
Hot and humid; crews start at 7am to beat the afternoon heat in non-AC walkups.
Aug
peak
UIC move-in (Aug 18-25) starts the college wave; book 6+ weeks ahead for any Aug Saturday.
Sep
peak
DePaul (Sep 1-8), Northwestern (Sep 8-15), and UChicago (Sep 18-25) hit back-to-back; absolute capacity peak.
Oct
shoulder
Demand drops sharply after the universities settle; best price-to-weather window of the year.
Nov
shoulder
Quiet month; first snow risk arrives mid-to-late month but pricing remains soft.
Dec
off
Off-season pricing returns; real winter starts and so does delivery-window uncertainty.
Permits + local rules
Chicago parking, building, and HOA rules
Residential moving permits (city)
Chicago requires a temporary no-parking permit for moves on most residential streets in the neighborhoods. Apply through the City Clerk's office (in person or online) for the day of the move. The permit reserves curb space for the truck and posts no-parking signs the morning of. Without it, you're competing with neighborhood residents for street spots, especially in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, and Logan Square.
Permit cost ~$30-$50 per address, 3-5 business days lead time.
High-rise freight elevator booking
Downtown high-rises (River North, Streeterville, the South Loop, Gold Coast) require freight-elevator booking and a Certificate of Insurance on file before move day. Most buildings book elevators in 2-4 hour windows and charge a move-in/move-out fee. Booking 3 weeks ahead is standard; popular weekends fill earlier. Some buildings restrict moves to weekdays only or specific business hours (8am-5pm).
Building fees $200-$500; book 3+ weeks ahead.
Cubs / Bears / Sox game-day closures
If you're moving anywhere near Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, or Guaranteed Rate Field on a game day, expect street closures, parking restrictions, and crew delays. Wrigleyville and Lakeview East are functionally impassable for trucks during weekday afternoon games and any weekend home game. Check the schedule before locking in your date — the difference between a 4-hour and an 8-hour job can be one bad afternoon home stand.
No permit needed; check schedule 4+ weeks ahead.
Suburban HOA paperwork
Naperville, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, and other newer suburban developments often require HOA pre-approval of the moving company, COI documentation, and weekday-only move windows. Some HOAs also require a refundable damage deposit ($250-$500) for common-area use. Get the HOA's specific rules in writing before signing the moving contract — companies that don't have a COI ready can be denied entry at the gate.
Deposits $250-$500; 1-2 weeks notice typical.
About moving to Chicago
What you should know before you book.
Chicago is the third-largest metro in the country and the largest mover market between the coasts, which means the local industry is unusually deep but also stratified: a small number of regional carriers run the bulk of corporate relocations, and several hundred smaller crews handle the 3-flat walkup work that defines most of the city's residential housing stock. Most inbound moves are coming from the Midwest, but a meaningful slice are coastal arrivals correcting for cost — and Chicago's defining mover challenge isn't access or pricing, it's winter. December through March can flip a routine job into a contingency-planning exercise.
Walkup city, freight-elevator suburbs
Chicago's housing stock splits cleanly: pre-war 2- and 3-flat walkups in the neighborhoods (Logan Square, Wicker Park, Lakeview, Bucktown) and high-rise glass downtown. The walkup crews are specialists at stair runs with vintage banisters; the high-rise crews live and die by freight-elevator booking. Many companies do both, but their pricing math is different — a 4th-floor walkup with no elevator can cost more in labor than a 28th-floor River North move that books a freight slot.
Winter is a real variable
From December through March, Chicago averages 30+ inches of snow and at least one polar-vortex stretch where temperatures stay below zero for 3-5 days. Local movers wrap shrink-wrap differently in deep cold (it cracks), use heated trucks for upholstered furniture and electronics, and write snow-date clauses into contracts. National companies hauling long-haul loads frequently miss delivery windows in January and February when I-80 or I-94 closes. Build a buffer day if your closing falls in winter.
Suburbs versus the city are different markets
The Loop, the North Side, and Hyde Park are one mover market. Naperville, Schaumburg, Evanston, and the rest of the collar suburbs are functionally a different one. Suburban movers run bigger trucks, deal with HOA paperwork, and quote by long-distance pricing rules even on intra-metro moves over 50 miles. If you're moving from Lincoln Park to Naperville, expect different companies to quote competitively than for a Lincoln-Park-to-Wicker-Park job.
Deep mover market, real price variance
Because Chicago has hundreds of licensed movers, pricing spread is wider than in most metros. Three quotes for the same 2BR Lincoln Park move can range from $1,400 to $3,200 depending on whether you get a small owner-operator, a mid-sized neighborhood crew, or a regional carrier. The cheapest quote isn't always a red flag, but verify Illinois Commerce Commission registration and check whether they actually have insurance on file before signing.
Chicago moving FAQ
Common questions, locally-answered.
How much does a typical Chicago move cost?
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For a 2BR move within the city on a weekday in shoulder season, expect $1,000-$1,800 from a reputable local crew. Walkup origin or destination pushes it toward the high end; high-rise moves with proper freight access often run lower than 4th-floor walkups because the crew works faster. Weekend dates in peak season (May-September) add 25-40%. The cheapest quote isn't always a red flag, but verify the company is registered with the Illinois Commerce Commission and has insurance on file before booking.
Do I need a moving permit in Chicago?
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For most residential street moves in the neighborhoods (Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Logan Square, etc.), yes. The City Clerk's office issues temporary no-parking permits that reserve curb space for the truck and post signs the morning of the move. Cost is $30-$50 per address with 3-5 business days lead time. High-rise destinations don't usually need a city permit but require freight-elevator booking and a Certificate of Insurance with the building. Out-of-state movers often won't pull the city permit for you — confirm during booking.
What's the worst time of year to move in Chicago?
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Late August through late September is the universities stacked: UIC (Aug 18-25), DePaul (Sep 1-8), Northwestern (Sep 8-15), and UChicago (Sep 18-25) bring 94,000+ students moving in across roughly five weeks. Crew capacity in the affected neighborhoods (Hyde Park, Evanston, Lincoln Park) gets fully consumed. Book 6-8 weeks ahead if your dates overlap. The other danger zone is January-February: pricing is cheap but polar-vortex weather can close highways and force delivery delays of 1-3 days.
Can a winter move actually go wrong in Chicago?
+
Yes, and routinely. Chicago averages 30+ inches of snow per winter and at least one cold stretch where temperatures stay below zero for 3-5 days. Real risks: shrink-wrap cracks below 10°F, upholstered furniture absorbs moisture if it sits on a wet truck, and electronics shouldn't be left in unheated trucks overnight. Local crews use heated trucks and write snow-date clauses; out-of-state long-haul carriers often don't. Build a 1-2 day buffer for any closing between December and March, and confirm who covers storage costs if delivery slips.
Are walkups really more expensive than high-rises?
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Often, yes. A 4th-floor Logan Square 3-flat walkup with no elevator can cost more in crew labor than a 28th-floor River North move with a booked freight elevator. The high-rise crew works in 2-4 hour windows with a dedicated elevator and elevator pad; the walkup crew climbs stairs with every piece. Most local quotes account for this with a flight-of-stairs surcharge ($25-$75 per flight after the second), but the variance between walkup and elevator buildings is the single biggest factor in Chicago pricing after distance.
How does Chicago-to-suburb pricing work?
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The Loop or Lincoln Park to Naperville (~30 miles) is technically a local move under Illinois Commerce Commission rules but priced like a regional job because of distance, time, and HOA paperwork. Expect $1,400-$2,400 for a 2BR. Suburban crews and city crews quote it differently: city crews charge more for the highway time, suburban crews charge less for distance but more for downtown access. Get quotes from both sides — the difference can be $500-$800.
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