Labor-Only vs Full-Service Movers: A Real Cost Comparison
What you actually get — and pay — with labor-only moving help versus a full-service moving company, with 2026 numbers for a local 1-bedroom and 3-bedroom move.
The single biggest lever on your moving bill is whether you rent the truck or the company does. Here is the honest comparison.
What labor-only includes
A trained crew, pads, straps, and dollies, and all the loading, unloading, and heavy lifting. You supply the truck, container, or POD. Rates run $89/hr for two movers, $129/hr for three, and $169/hr for four, with a 2-hour minimum.
What full-service includes
The truck, fuel, insurance, crew, and often packing materials, priced as one number that carries the company's overhead. For a local 1-bedroom that is typically $800–$1,600.
Local 1-bedroom: the numbers
- Labor-only: $89/hr × 3 hours = $267, plus about $80 for a rental truck = ~$350
- Full-service: $800–$1,600
- Savings: roughly 55–75%
Local 3-bedroom house: the numbers
- Labor-only: $169/hr × 6 hours = $1,014, plus about $150 for a 26' truck = ~$1,165
- Full-service: $2,200–$3,800
- Savings: roughly 45–65%
When full-service is genuinely worth it
- Long-distance or interstate moves
- You cannot or will not drive a 20–26 foot truck
- High-value contents that need full-value protection door to door
- Corporate relocations where someone else is paying
When labor-only wins
Local moves, POD and container loads, storage pack-outs, apartment turnovers, in-home rearranging, and anything where you already have a vehicle. If you are in Lehigh County PA, North or Central NJ, or the NY metro, Majestic Mover handles all of those by the hour — and can drive your rental for about $0.50 a mile if you would rather not.
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