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Full-Service Movers vs Containers vs Truck Rental: What the Same Move Costs
Our sample two-bedroom, 1,000-mile move quoted eight ways, with the hours of your own labour each one takes.
September 4, 2026 · 3 min read
The quotes
- U-Haul 20 ft truck, one way: $1,400 plus about $350 fuel — and two days of driving plus loading and unloading.
- U-Pack ReloCube/trailer: $2,650 — you load and unload; delivery in 2–5 days.
- PODS 16 ft container: $3,400 — you load over days; storage available.
- Two Men and a Truck (Value Flex): $4,900.
- North American Van Lines: $5,100. Allied: $5,400. Atlas: $5,500. United: $5,800 — they load, drive and unload; packing extra.
Your labour
Loading a two-bedroom takes two people roughly six hours; unloading four. Hired loaders cost $150–$300 per end through U-Haul Moving Help or U-Pack's partners, which still leaves a self-load move $2,000 under a van line.
Rule
Under about 2,000 lb, or fit and young: truck rental. A full apartment, no time: U-Pack. A house, or no wish to lift anything: a van line with a binding estimate.