City guide · New York
Moving to or from New York
Living costs, weather, taxes and the routes we price, with a modelled price for each. Then get written estimates for your own move.
New York at a glance
- Cost of living index
- 168 (US = 100)
- Typical 2-bedroom rent
- $3,600 a month
- Average high (yearly)
- 63°F
- Average low (yearly)
- 48°F
- Precipitation
- 49.9 in a year
- State income tax (top rate)
- 10.9%
- Sales tax (state and local average)
- 8.53%
Weather figures are yearly averages. Sources are listed at the foot of the page.
What a move to or from New York costs
The routes we price from and to New York, each with the modelled price for a 2-bedroom home. Open one for the distance, timing and what changes between the two cities.
Popular routes from New York
- About 500 road miles$1,474–$1,9942-bedroom home, modelled
New York to Raleigh
- About 1,289 road miles$3,692–$4,9952-bedroom home, modelledGuide on Top Cross Country Movers
New York to Miami
- About 1,184 road miles$3,397–$4,5952-bedroom home, modelledGuide on Top Cross Country Movers
New York to Tampa
- About 1,108 road miles$3,183–$4,3062-bedroom home, modelledGuide on Top Cross Country Movers
New York to Orlando
- About 1,783 road miles$5,081–$6,8742-bedroom home, modelledGuide on Top Cross Country Movers
New York to Austin
- About 895 road miles$2,584–$3,4962-bedroom home, modelledGuide on Top Cross Country Movers
New York to Nashville
- About 627 road miles$1,831–$2,4772-bedroom home, modelledGuide on Top Cross Country Movers
New York to Charlotte
Popular routes to New York
A modelled range from our cost model (road distance, typical volume for the home size and a season factor), not a quote. Written estimates come from licensed movers through the 8 Top Movers moving team.
What to plan for in New York
Thinking about moving to or from New York, NY? Here is the practical picture. The cost-of-living index is 168 (100 is the US average), a typical two-bedroom rents for about $3,600 a month, and across the year the average daily high is 63°F with an average low of 48°F. New York's top state income tax rate is 10.9%, and the average combined state and local sales tax is 8.53%. This guide covers living costs, weather and timing, utilities, and the routes we price, each with a modelled price.
Photo location: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York.
Cost of living in New York
New York's cost-of-living index is 168 against a national baseline of 100, and a two-bedroom rental runs roughly $3,600 a month. New York's top state income tax rate is 10.9%, and the average combined state and local sales tax is 8.53%. Build your first-year budget around these figures, not just the cost of the move.
Weather and timing
Across the year, New York's average daily high is 63°F and the average low is 48°F. These are yearly averages, so summer days run hotter and winter nights colder. Expect about 49.9 inches of precipitation a year. This metro sees heavy annual precipitation — target a drier stretch to protect boxes and floors. Our cost model prices May through September, the busy moving season, higher than the rest of the year. If your dates can move, ask the movers to quote an October-to-April date as well and compare the written estimates side by side.
Setting up utilities in New York
Line up your utilities before move day. In the New York–Newark area the main providers include Con Edison, National Grid, NYC DEP. Schedule electricity and gas to start the day before you arrive so you never walk into a dark home.
Leaving New York, or staying in it
A mover that carries your things across a state line must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and have a USDOT number, which you can look up on FMCSA's website before you book. The rules for a move that stays inside New York are set by the state and vary, so ask the mover which state licence or permit, if any, covers your move. Either way, get the estimate in writing and make sure the company name on it matches the registration.
How to check any mover on FMCSA
Before you book, check the mover on the public federal record. It takes a few minutes and works for any company, whoever sent you the estimate.
Ask for the USDOT number
A mover that carries household goods across a state line needs a USDOT number from FMCSA. It belongs on the written estimate.
Look it up on SAFER
Enter the number in FMCSA's SAFER company snapshot. The legal name there should match the company on your estimate.
Check the operating status
The snapshot shows whether the company is authorized to operate. If it is not, or the name does not match, keep looking.
Know your rights
FMCSA's Protect Your Move pages explain estimates, valuation and claims. For a move inside one state, also check that state's mover licence.
Our top choice list
Our top picks and affiliated movers from our network. Each one is listed on 8 Top Movers, whose moving team handles the estimate requests from this site.
- Global Elegance Moving and LogisticsBased in Boca Raton, FL
- TapMoveBased in Sacramento, CA
- LoadRansBased in Vernon, CA
- Bristol Moving and StorageBased in Spotswood, NJ
- Hudson Van LinesBased in Randolph, NJ
- Royal Van LinesBased in West Milford, NJ
- Pacific Moving and StorageBased in Ladera Ranch, CA
- Apex Van LinesBased in Kirkland, WA
Global Elegance Moving and Logistics shares ownership with 8 Top Movers.
We may be compensated by movers in our network. Nobody pays for placement.
Questions about moving to New York
Is New York expensive to live in?
New York has a cost-of-living index of 168 (100 is the US average), with a typical two-bedroom rent around $3,600 a month.
What's the weather like in New York?
Across the year, the average daily high is 63°F and the average low is 48°F, with roughly 49.9 inches of precipitation. Those are yearly averages from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals, so summer days run hotter and winter nights colder.
When is the best time to move to New York?
Our cost model prices May through September, the busy moving season, higher than the rest of the year. If your dates can move, ask the movers to quote an October-to-April date as well and compare the written estimates side by side.
How do I get a real price for a move to or from New York?
Ask for written estimates. When you ask for estimates here, the 8 Top Movers moving team gets rates from the licensed movers in its network and brings back written estimates. You never pay us, and asking is never a booking.
Sources
- MERIC / BestPlaces metro cost index, 2025, retrieved 2026-01-15
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (metro), 2025, retrieved 2026-01-15
- NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals, retrieved 2026-01-15
- State public utility commission service-territory maps, 2025, retrieved 2026-01-15
- Tax Foundation, 2025 State Tax Data, retrieved 2026-01-15
Moving to or from New York?
Tell us about your move once. The 8 Top Movers moving team gets rates from the licensed movers in its network and brings back written estimates. You never pay us, and asking is never a booking.