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How Much Do Movers Cost in Denver, CO? (2026) Hourly Rates, Mountain Moves, and What Adds to the Bill

How much movers cost in Denver, CO in 2026: hourly local rates, mountain and ski-town moves, long-distance prices, add-on fees, and how to vet a licensed company.

How Much Do Movers Cost in Denver, CO? (2026) Hourly Rates, Mountain Moves, and What Adds to the Bill

A local move in Denver, CO with two movers and a truck bills $150 to $220 per hour this year, and a two-bedroom apartment from Capitol Hill to Lakewood typically comes to $700 to $1,300 once travel time and the minimum are counted. A three-bedroom house from Highlands Ranch to Arvada with a three-person crew runs $1,400 to $2,600. Move that same house up I-70 to Evergreen or Breckenridge and the price climbs, because mountain access, altitude, and driveways that fit a pickup but not a 26-foot truck all cost time.

Denver's moving market has grown with the metro, and it now has dozens of licensed local companies, a strong pool of van line agents for interstate work, and a specialty segment that handles mountain and ski-town moves. This guide breaks down what each kind of move costs, the fees that appear after the hourly rate, and how to hire a company that will show up with the right truck.

Local Rates by Crew Size and Home Size

Denver movers bill local moves hourly, and the rate depends on the crew. Two movers and a truck run $150 to $220 per hour, three movers run $200 to $290, and four movers for a large house run $260 to $370. Most companies set a two or three hour minimum, and many bill a flat travel fee of one hour or the real drive time from their yard.

A studio or one-bedroom takes two movers three to five hours, for $500 to $1,000 total. A two-bedroom apartment or townhome takes four to six hours, for $700 to $1,300. A three-bedroom house with a garage and basement takes three movers six to nine hours, for $1,400 to $2,600, and a four-bedroom house with a full basement can run a full day with four movers at $2,800 to $4,500.

Those figures assume reasonable access. A third-floor walkup in a Cap Hill apartment building, a Wash Park bungalow with a detached garage full of gear, or a Stapleton townhome with a tandem garage and a long carry to the alley all add an hour or more.

Denver's suburbs spread far enough that travel time matters. A move from Parker to Broomfield can involve an hour of drive time each way, and companies bill for it. Ask whether the quote includes travel and how it is calculated.

Mountain and Ski-Town Moves

Moving from Denver to Evergreen, Conifer, Bailey, or the foothills communities is usually priced as a local move with extra hours, since the round trip on I-70 or Highway 285 eats time and many mountain driveways cannot fit a large truck. Expect $200 to $600 more than a comparable move within the metro, and confirm that the company has done mountain jobs before.

Moves to ski towns, including Breckenridge, Frisco, Vail, Winter Park, and Steamboat Springs, are often priced as a flat rate or a long-distance intrastate move. A two-bedroom household from Denver to Summit County runs $1,800 to $3,500, and a three-bedroom runs $3,000 to $5,500. Winter moves add risk, and some companies charge a weather premium or refuse a date if a storm closes the pass.

Access is the recurring issue. A mountain home with a steep gravel driveway, a switchback, or a bridge with a weight limit may require a shuttle from a smaller truck, at $300 to $800. Companies that specialize in mountain moves bring the right vehicle from the start, and their quotes are higher for a reason.

Altitude slows crews. Moving furniture at 9,000 feet after loading it at 5,280 is harder work, and experienced companies pace the crew accordingly, which shows up as more billed hours.

Weather Windows

Late spring through early fall is the safe window for mountain moves. A move scheduled for January in Summit County should have a backup date, and the contract should say what happens if the pass closes.

Colorado Intrastate Rules

Moves within Colorado are regulated by the Public Utilities Commission, and movers must hold a household goods mover permit. The PUC requires a written estimate and prohibits holding goods for payment beyond the estimate, which protects you on long intrastate jobs.

Long-Distance Moves From Denver

Interstate moves are priced by weight and mileage. A two-bedroom household weighs 5,000 to 6,000 pounds and a three-bedroom house 8,000 to 10,000 pounds. Here is what common routes out of Denver have been running this year for full-service transport:

• Denver to Salt Lake City (520 miles): $2,500 to $4,500 for a 2-bedroom, $4,500 to $7,500 for a 3-bedroom
• Denver to Phoenix (860 miles): $3,000 to $5,500 for a 2-bedroom, $5,500 to $9,000 for a 3-bedroom
• Denver to Dallas or Austin (800 to 950 miles): $3,000 to $5,500 for a 2-bedroom, $5,500 to $9,500 for a 3-bedroom
• Denver to Seattle or Portland (1,250 to 1,300 miles): $4,000 to $7,000 for a 2-bedroom, $7,000 to $11,500 for a 3-bedroom
• Denver to Chicago (1,000 miles): $3,500 to $6,500 for a 2-bedroom, $6,500 to $10,500 for a 3-bedroom

Consolidated shipping, where your goods share a trailer, is 20% to 30% cheaper than a dedicated truck and comes with a delivery window of several days to two weeks. Container services run $2,000 to $4,500 for most Western routes from Denver and require you to load and unload.

Interstate movers must hold federal USDOT and MC numbers, and every quote should list them. Many companies advertising interstate moves in Denver are brokers that sell the job to a carrier, and you should ask directly whether the company owns the trucks.

Fees Beyond the Hourly Rate

Packing is the largest add-on. Full packing of a two-bedroom apartment runs $450 to $950 in labor plus $150 to $400 in materials, and full packing of a three-bedroom house runs $1,000 to $2,000. Fragile-only packing for the kitchen and artwork runs $300 to $700.

Specialty items carry flat fees. Pianos run $250 to $650, gun safes run $200 to $600, hot tubs run $350 to $900, and the ski and bike collections common in Denver garages sometimes get a per-item charge if they are not boxed. Large TVs and glass tabletops often require crating at $75 to $250 each.

Stairs and long carries add time or a flat charge. Most companies include the first flight, then bill $50 to $100 per additional flight or the extra time. Elevator buildings in LoDo, RiNo, and the Union Station area often require a reserved service elevator and a certificate of insurance from the mover, and a missed reservation can stall the move.

Storage between closings is common in Denver's tight market. Movers charge $100 to $275 per month for a household's worth of goods, plus handling fees to load and unload.

Basic liability coverage at 60 cents per pound is included by law, and full value protection runs about 1% of the declared value of your goods. For more on hiring service companies across the Front Range, take a look at the Colorado home services blog.

Tipping

Tipping in Denver runs $20 to $50 per mover for a local move and more for a full-day or mountain job. Ask whether tips are pooled before handing cash to one person.

Peak Season Pricing

June through September is peak season, with rates 15% to 30% above the winter floor. End-of-month and weekend dates fill first. A mid-month weekday in November or February gets the lowest rate.

Vetting a Denver Moving Company

Ask for the Colorado PUC household goods permit number for local and intrastate work and the USDOT and MC numbers for interstate work, and check them online before booking. Unlicensed movers advertise on classified sites at half the price and carry no cargo insurance, no workers' compensation, and no accountability.

Insist on an in-home or video survey from at least two companies. A quote built from a phone call about "a three-bedroom" will not survive contact with a Denver basement full of camping gear. Compare the estimated hours or weight, not just the price, since a lowball estimate becomes a bigger bill on move day.

Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability, cargo coverage, and workers' compensation. Ask what happens if the move runs long, and expect the answer to be that the quoted hourly rate continues. Licensed local, mountain, and interstate companies are listed in our directory of Denver moving companies.

Prepare the house by packing and labeling every box, disassembling beds, and clearing a path to the door. Movers work faster when they are not waiting, and the hourly rate rewards it. Selling or donating the treadmill and the old sectional before the survey can save an hour and several hundred pounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do movers cost per hour in Denver?

Two movers and a truck run $150 to $220 per hour, three movers run $200 to $290, and four movers run $260 to $370 this year. Most companies have a two or three hour minimum and bill travel time.

How much does it cost to move a two-bedroom apartment in Denver?

A local move of a two-bedroom apartment runs $700 to $1,300 with two movers over four to six hours. Stairs, packing, and specialty items add to that, and a summer or month-end date adds 15% to 30%.

How much does it cost to move from Denver to the mountains?

A move to the foothills communities like Evergreen or Conifer runs $200 to $600 more than a comparable metro move because of drive time and access. A two-bedroom household to Summit County or Vail runs $1,800 to $3,500 as a flat-rate intrastate move.

Do movers in Colorado need a license?

Yes. Local and intrastate movers must hold a household goods permit from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, and interstate movers need federal USDOT and MC numbers. The PUC also requires written estimates and limits what a mover can charge beyond them.

When is the cheapest time to hire movers in Denver?

November through February on a mid-month weekday. Rates fall 15% to 30% from the summer peak, and companies are more willing to discount for flexible dates. Avoid the last three days of any month.