Santa Cruz Movers, in Town and Over the Hill
Santa Cruz movers for cottages, Victorians and student moves, in town or over Highway 17 to San Jose. 3 movers $175/hr. Call 1-877-417-6060.
Pricing for Santa Cruz moves
Hourly rates are the same seven days a week: 2 movers $145, 3 movers $175, 4 movers $235, with a 3-hour minimum and 15-minute billing after that. A studio or small one-bedroom across town can be a two-mover job. Most other homes take our standard three.
We do not charge to drive to Santa Cruz from San Jose, or back. On a move between two Santa Cruz addresses that are close together, there is no double drive time. On a move over Highway 17, the addresses are well over 10 minutes apart, so California rules apply double drive time to that drive. Blankets, tape, wardrobe boxes and floor protection are included. Packing boxes and supplies are charged as used, and our crew carries extra on the truck.
How long a Santa Cruz move takes, and what it costs
These ranges come from the hours on the final bill of our recent local moves, converted to dollars at our crew rates. A quarter of those jobs ran shorter and a quarter ran longer. We bill only the hours your move takes, with a 3-hour minimum.
| Home size | Crew | Typical hours | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 3 movers, $175/hr | 3.5 to 4 hours | $613 to $700 |
| 1 bedroom | 3 movers, $175/hr | 3 to 4.5 hours | $525 to $788 |
| 2 bedrooms | 3 movers, $175/hr | 4.5 to 7.75 hours | $788 to $1,356 |
| 3 bedrooms, under about 1,800 sq ft | 3 movers, $175/hr | 7 to 12.5 hours | $1,225 to $2,188 |
| 3 bedrooms over about 1,800 sq ft, or 4+ bedrooms | 4 movers, $235/hr | 7 to 12.5 hours | $1,645 to $2,938 |
Hours are the middle half of billed hours on our recent local moves for direct customers, July to October 2026, including the drive between homes; account and partner-billed jobs and jobs with our full packing service are left out. Packing materials are extra, and every job has a 3-hour minimum ($525 with 3 movers).
In-town Santa Cruz moves with good access tend to sit in the lower part of these ranges. Over-the-hill moves add the Highway 17 drive on top.
Two kinds of Santa Cruz move
Every Santa Cruz move falls into one of two groups. The first stays on this side of the Santa Cruz Mountains: a cottage on the Westside to a house near Seabright, an apartment downtown to a duplex closer to the university. The second goes over the hill on Highway 17 to Los Gatos, San Jose and the rest of the valley, or comes the other way.
We plan them differently. An in-town move is about stairs, narrow streets and small rooms. An over-the-hill move adds a winding mountain highway with a loaded truck, and that drive between your homes is billed as double drive time.
Our two most recent completed Santa Cruz jobs, in August and September 2026, were both moves within the city, and both fit a two-mover crew.
Housing near the coast
- Beach cottages and bungalows on narrow lots. Low ceilings, tight hallways and front steps. Big sofas sometimes leave through a window or a back door, so tell us about anything oversized.
- Victorians and older homes near downtown and the hills above it. Steep interior stairs and original doorways that are narrower than modern ones.
- Apartments and student rentals near the university and downtown. Shared driveways, limited parking and outside stairways. Short moves, sometimes small enough for two movers.
- Hillside homes with long walks from the street. We look at the access before we size the crew.
Planning an over-the-hill move
- Expect Highway 17 to be slower on busy days; the drive between your homes is billed as time.
- Pack heavy items in small boxes. Winding roads are hard on overloaded cartons.
- If either home has a long walk or a steep driveway, mention it. We may suggest an extra mover rather than lose time to a long carry.
- If your new place is not ready, we store at a flat monthly fee and deliver when you are.
Over the hill and nearby
Highway 17 connects Santa Cruz to Scotts Valley, Los Gatos, Campbell and San Jose. Up the coast, see Half Moon Bay.
Questions and answers
- Do you charge extra to come over Highway 17?
No. We do not charge for travel to your home or back. If your move itself goes over the hill, the drive between your two addresses is billed as double drive time under California rules.
- Can two movers handle my Santa Cruz apartment?
For a studio or small one-bedroom with easy access, often yes, at $145 per hour. Our recent in-town Santa Cruz moves were two-mover jobs. Larger homes usually need three.
- Do you move students near the university?
Yes. Small apartment and room moves are common in Santa Cruz. The 3-hour minimum applies.
- Our sofa may not fit through the door. What happens?
Tell us the dimensions and the doorways when you book. The crew takes off legs and other removable parts where possible and plans the route before lifting.
- Do you offer full value protection?
Basic valuation of $0.60 per pound per article is included at no charge. Full value protection can be bought separately from Baker International at bakerintl.com.
- Do you do moves from Santa Cruz to another state?
Yes. See our long-distance moving page; interstate moves are priced by weight.