The 25 most expensive cities in the U.S. to move

From Europeans heading west in the 19th century to immigrants searching for a fresh start, leaving home in pursuit of opportunity has long been a central part of the American dream. Today, cities and local areas across the United States are actually competing for new residents. Just 11.2% of Americans moved in the past year — an all-time low.

Of course, just as different cities are more or less expensive places to live, moving costs within different U.S. cities vary significantly.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed the total cost to move within major U.S. metro areas and ranked the top 25 most expensive cities to move. The ranking is based on calculations by real estate data company Moving Inc. that reflect the costs of moving within the principal city of large metropolitan regions. We also considered the median price of one month’s rent plus a deposit for a three bedroom housing unit.

1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Average total moving cost: $5,798 1st month’s rent and deposit: $4,496 Cost of living: 24.1% greater than nation Median household income: $101,980 Population change from migration: 3.0%

2. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Average total moving cost: $5,302 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,996 Cost of living: 21.9% greater than nation Median household income: $88,518 Population change from migration: 4.8%

3. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

Average total moving cost: $5,190 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,884 Cost of living: 16.1% greater than nation Median household income: $80,032 Population change from migration:

4. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

-0.7% Average total moving cost: $5,098 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,778 Cost of living: 16.6% greater than nation Median household income: $67,320 Population change from migration: 2.4%

5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Average total moving cost: $4,962 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,658 Cost of living: 17.6% greater than nation Median household income: $62,544 Population change from migration:

10. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

-0.4%

6. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DCVA-MD-WV

Average total moving cost: $4,926 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,636 Cost of living: 19.1% greater than nation Median household income: $93,294 Population change from migration: 3.5%

7. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT

Average total moving cost: $4,921 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,510 Cost of living: 20.1% greater than nation Median household income: $86,414 Population change from migration: 0.7%

8. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Average total moving cost: $4,631 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,130 Cost of living: 21.9% greater than nation Median household income: $68,743 Population change from migration:

-0.3%

9. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Average total moving cost: $4,450 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,144 Cost of living: 10.3% greater than nation Median household income: $78,800 Population change from migration: 3.2% Average total moving cost: $4,395 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,110 Cost of living: 9.4% greater than nation Median household income: $75,331 Population change from migration: 6.4%

11. Miami-Fort Palm Beach, FL

Lauderdale-West

Average total moving cost: $4,357 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,100 Cost of nation Median $50,441 Population change from migration: 6.7%

living: 6.8%

household

15. Austin-Round Rock, TX

greater

13. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

14. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden, CA

than

income:

12. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

Average total moving cost: $4,288 1st month’s rent and deposit: $3,016 Cost of living: 6.0% greater than nation Median household income: $70,283 Population change from migration: 7.5% Average total moving cost: $4,158 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,888 Cost of living: 7.5% greater than nation Median household income: $72,520 Population change from migration: 1.0% Average total moving cost: $4,120 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,858 Cost of living: 2.6% greater than nation Median household income: $62,813 Population change from migration: 3.5% Average total moving cost: $4,098 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,860 Cost of living: 0.5% less than nation Median household income: $67,195 Population change from migration: 13.4%

16. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Average total moving cost: $4,027 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,734 Cost of living: 1.8% greater than nation Median household income: $63,850 Population change from migration: 5.6%

17. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Average total moving cost: $3,977 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,728 Cost of living: 6.7% greater than nation Median household income: $56,087 Population change from migration: 2.2%

18. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Average total moving cost: $3,942 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,666 Cost of living: 2.4% greater than nation Median household income: $71,008 Population change from migration: 1.7%

19. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

Average total moving cost: $3,912 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,678 Cost of living: 2.0% less than nation Median household income: $60,093 Population change from migration:

20. Colorado Springs, CO

21. New Haven-Milford, CT

22. Stockton-Lodi, CA

-0.5% Average total moving cost: $3,909 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,670 Cost of living: 0.2% greater than nation Median household income: $60,458 Population change from migration: 5.1% Average total moving cost: $3,868 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,610 Cost of living: 12.1% greater than nation Median household income: $61,760 Population change from migration:

-1.5% Average total moving cost: $3,820 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,558 Cost of living: 0.4% greater than nation Median household income: $53,705 Population change from migration: 2.5%

23. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

Average total moving cost: $3,748 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,446 Cost of living: 4.6% greater than nation Median household income: $63,153 Population change from migration:

-2.8%

24. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MO

Average total moving cost: $3,744 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,462 Cost of living: 6.3% greater than nation Median household income: $65,123 Population change from migration: -0.1%

25. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Average total moving cost: $3,715 1st month’s rent and deposit: $2,482 Cost of living: 1.3% less than nation Median household income: $51,552 Population change from migration: 6.4%