Cost to Move Across Canada

Service Overview (Intro)

Cost to Move Across Canada: A Deep Dive into Routes, Weight & Logistics

If you are researching how much it costs to move across Canada, you are already beyond the basics. Cross-country moves are not priced by the hour like local moves. Instead, they depend heavily on distance, shipment weight or volume, route demand, and delivery method.

This guide focuses specifically on the cost to move across Canada, including shipping belongings across the country, route-based pricing from Vancouver, and the logistics that most general moving articles do not explain.

Pricing Fundamentals

How Cross-Country Moving Costs Are Calculated

Long-distance and cross-country moves in Canada are priced very differently from local move pricing. Hourly rates do not apply. Instead, pricing is based on the size of your shipment and how far it travels.

Weight-Based Pricing

Weight-based pricing is common for large household moves. Your shipment is weighed on certified truck scales, and the total cost is calculated based on:

• Total shipment weight
• Total distance traveled
• Fuel and highway costs
• Handling and loading requirements

This method is transparent but requires accurate inventory estimates, and you won't know the exact cost of your move before your belongings go over scale on a moving truck. Underestimating weight can result in adjustments once the shipment is weighed.

Cubic-Foot (Volume) Pricing

Smaller long-distance moves are often priced by volume rather than weight. Movers calculate how many cubic feet your belongings occupy inside the truck. This pricing model is common for apartment moves and partial shipments.

Unlike local moves, cubic-foot pricing only applies to long-distance relocations and is not used for hourly jobs.

Shipping Methods

Consolidated Shipping vs Dedicated Truck

One of the biggest factors in shipping belongings across the country is whether your items share a truck or travel alone.

Consolidated (Shared) Shipping

With consolidated shipping, your belongings share space with other shipments moving along the same route. This is a popular option for budget-conscious movers.

• Lower overall cost
• Flexible delivery window
• Typical delivery time: 10–14 days or longer

Dedicated Truck Service

A dedicated truck means your belongings travel alone from origin to destination. This option costs more but offers faster delivery and tighter scheduling.

• Direct route with no sharing
• Faster delivery timeline
• Better control for time-sensitive moves

Eco Van Move offers this option for our clients, with exact pricing for your long-distance moves on certain routes across Western Canada. 

Route Specific Pricing

Route-Specific Cross-Country Moving Costs

Pricing below reflects common long-distance routes starting from Metro Vancouver. Final costs depend on volume, access conditions, elevators, stairs, and delivery timing.

Major Cross-Country Routes

• Vancouver → Calgary: from approx. $2,800
• Vancouver → Toronto: from approx. $5,500–$7,500
• Vancouver → Montreal: from approx. $6,000–$8,000

These routes are typically handled through long-distance moving services or consolidated freight-style transport.

We also serve Western Canada routes starting from Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. Typical starting ranges include:

Vancouver Island Routes

• Vancouver → Victoria (from approx. $1,200)
• Vancouver → Nanaimo (from approx. $1,300)
• Vancouver → Courtenay (from approx. $1,600)
• Vancouver → Comox (from approx. $1,650)

BC Interior Routes

• Vancouver → Kelowna (from approx. $1,700)
• Vancouver → Vernon (from approx. $1,750)
• Vancouver → Penticton (from approx. $1,800)
• Vancouver → Kamloops (from approx. $1,500)
• Vancouver → Salmon Arm (from approx. $1,650)

Northern BC & Alberta Routes

• Vancouver → Prince George (from approx. $2,400)
• Vancouver → Quesnel (from approx. $2,300)
• Vancouver → Williams Lake (from approx. $2,100)
• Vancouver → Calgary (from approx. $2,800)
• Vancouver → Red Deer (from approx. $3,000)
• Vancouver → Edmonton (from approx. $3,200)

Extra Costs & Planning

Additional Costs in Cross-Country Moves

When calculating the full cost to move across Canada, many people forget these common add-ons:

• Vehicle shipping: $1,200–$2,500, depending on distance (at this moment, we don't offer vehicle shipping)
• Long-distance insurance coverage
• Certified weigh scale fees
• Storage between pickup and delivery (our moves are from pickup to dropoff, done by us; you won't pay for storage)

Important note: Decluttering before a long move can reduce weight and cost. Junk removal services are often used before cross-country relocations.

How to Reduce Cross-Country Moving Costs

• Reduce shipment size before booking
• Be flexible with delivery dates
• Choose consolidated shipping when time allows
• Rent reusable moving boxes to speed loading (for items that you can unpack at the time of arriving, so our movers can return them)

Helpful planning resources include:

• Long-distance moving tips
• The ultimate moving checklist
• Cardboard vs plastic boxes

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts: How Much Does It Cost to Move Across Canada?

The cost to move across Canada depends less on time and more on distance, weight, volume, and logistics. Cross-country moves typically range from a few thousand dollars for western routes to significantly more for coast-to-coast relocations.

For accurate pricing, start with a long-distance moving estimate, or if you have any unanswered questions before requesting a moving quote, reach out through our contact page.