Moving from Boise to Illinois: Costs, Movers & What to Expect
If you're moving from Boise to Illinois, you're already dealing with one of the longer routes in the Mountain West–to–Midwest corridor — roughly 1,636 miles, depending on where in Illinois you're landing. The good news is that Illinois is meaningfully cheaper to live in than Boise, so the move tends to pay for itself over time. The catch is that getting there costs real money, and on a haul this long, who you hire matters more than it does on a local move.
Below I've laid out the best Boise movers for this route, what the move actually costs, and what to know about life on the other end.
Local moving companies in Boise for the Illinois route
Out of 11 Boise movers capable of handling state-to-state moves, these five came out on top for the Boise-to-Illinois run:
- TWO MEN AND A TRUCK — 4.5 / 5
- College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving — 4.5 / 5
- 208 Moving Company — 4.48 / 5
- All My Sons Moving & Storage — 4.44 / 5
- Merchant Moving & Storage, LLC — 4.44 / 5
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
5414 W Franklin Rd, Meridian, ID 83642 4.5 / 5 | Yelp (31 reviews) | Google (406 reviews) | BBB: Grade A+
96% positive across 247 analyzed reviews — and the consistency behind that number is what stands out. Customers specifically call out crews that show up on time, work efficiently, and protect both their belongings and the walls of the properties they're moving through. Communication gets high marks from estimate to delivery, which is relatively rare. The complaints that do surface — damaged items, billing disputes, slow post-move follow-up — are genuinely infrequent compared to most movers in the region.
A 95%-plus satisfaction rate across a large review sample on a market with this many alternatives tells me something real. For a long-distance move where you have limited recourse if something goes wrong, that track record is worth paying for.
Years in business: 40 | DOT #: 2527384 | Phone: (208) 649-9631
Services: Local, interstate, packing, unpacking, piano moves, storage, safes, credit cards accepted
College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving
2163 Centurion Pl, Boise, ID 83709 4.5 / 5 | Yelp (66 reviews) | Google (1,227 reviews) | BBB: Grade A
90% positive across a large review pool. The praise is consistent: professional crews, fast turnarounds, and careful handling of items that actually require care — antiques, large appliances, things that can go wrong in a hurry. The 10% of negative reviews cluster around billing surprises and post-move claims that didn't get resolved cleanly. That's a pattern worth knowing before you book, especially on a longer haul where the billing math can get complicated. For most customers, though, this is a solid option.
State license #: 2990717 | Years in business: 6 | DOT #: 2378173 | Phone: (336) 810-1801
Services: Local, packing, unpacking, office moves, storage, credit cards accepted
208 Moving Company
6052 West Corporal Lane, Boise, ID 83704 4.48 / 5 | Yelp (59 reviews) | Google (891 reviews) | BBB: Grade A+
98% positive out of 302 reviews — the strongest satisfaction rate of any Boise mover I track. Customers highlight the mix of speed, fair pricing, and crew professionalism even on difficult moves or in bad weather. Complaints are rare and tend to involve one-off cost overruns or fragile items that could've used more careful packing. If you want a locally rooted company with a genuine reputation in the Boise market, 208 belongs near the top of your list.
Years in business: 12 | Phone: (208) 841-5993
Services: Local, interstate, packing, unpacking, office moves, piano moves, crating, storage, credit cards accepted
All My Sons Moving & Storage
3987 West Chinden Boulevard, Boise, ID 83714 4.44 / 5 | Yelp (102 reviews) | Google (2,014 reviews) | BBB: Grade A
Good crews, but watch the contract carefully. Almost three-quarters of the 329 reviews are positive — customers genuinely praise the movers themselves for being fast, careful, and willing to work hard. The issue is billing: more than a quarter of reviewers reported final charges significantly above the original estimate, with several citing fees that appeared without warning. That's a pattern, not an outlier. If you book All My Sons, push for a binding estimate and read everything before your move date.
Years in business: 26 | DOT #: 902281 | Phone: (208) 494-9819
Services: Local, interstate, international, packing, unpacking, office moves, piano moves, antiques, crating, storage, safes, credit cards accepted (deposit required)
Merchant Moving & Storage, LLC
11345 W Executive Dr, Boise, ID 83713 4.44 / 5 | Yelp (23 reviews) | Google (145 reviews) | BBB: Grade A+
81 years in business. That kind of longevity in the moving industry doesn't survive on luck. 91% of 173 reviewers describe polite crews, careful handling, and proactive communication that actually cuts down on the usual moving-day anxiety. Office staff gets called out specifically for keeping coordination tight. The rare complaints involve damaged or missing items and the occasional quote that didn't match final billing. For specialty items — pianos, antiques, original artwork — this is the Boise mover I'd call first.
Years in business: 81 | DOT #: 1530842 | Phone: (208) 376-8990
Services: Local, interstate, international, packing, office moves, pianos, art, antiques, crating, shipment tracking, full-valuation coverage, storage, cash and credit cards accepted (deposit required)
Local moving services in Boise, ID
Here's how specialty service availability shakes out across the 11 Boise movers handling interstate moves:
| Service | # of movers | % offering |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate | 9 | 81.82% |
| Small moves | 5 | 45.45% |
| Antiques | 3 | 27.27% |
| Art | 3 | 27.27% |
| Pianos | 10 | 90.91% |
| Fragile-only packing | 0 | 0% |
If you have a piano, you're in good shape in Boise. If you need fragile-only packing as a standalone service, you'll need to negotiate that directly with a mover.
Cost to move from Boise, ID to Illinois
Use these ranges as a baseline when you estimate your move with our cost calculator before talking to individual companies. Prices vary based on home size, timing, and service level.
| Move size | Moving company | Moving container | Rental truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1 bedroom | $1,423 – $5,531 | $948 – $2,361 | $962 – $1,812 |
| 2–3 bedrooms | $3,613 – $8,108 | $1,693 – $3,412 | $952 – $2,114 |
| 4+ bedrooms | $6,074 – $10,504 | $2,356 – $5,051 | $1,236 – $2,456 |
Estimates reflect a ~1,636-mile move from Boise, ID to Illinois, based on pricing data as of January 2026. Final costs shift with home size, add-ons, access conditions, fuel, and time of year. Get at least three quotes before committing.
Cost to hire movers from Boise to Illinois
For a studio or one-bedroom, the range is $1,423–$5,531. That spread is wide because it captures everything from basic loading/transport to full-pack service with specialty items. Two- to three-bedroom moves typically run $3,613–$8,108. Four bedrooms or more pushes to $6,074–$10,504.
The upper end of those ranges isn't worst-case — it's what full-service jobs with packing actually cost on a 1,600-mile haul. If you're packing yourself and moving a mid-sized home, expect to land in the lower half of your size bracket.
Cost of moving containers from Boise to Illinois
Moving containers offer a reasonable middle path — you load at your own pace, the company handles the long-distance transport. For a studio or one-bedroom, expect $948–$2,361. Two to three bedrooms runs $1,693–$3,412. Larger households land between $2,356 and $5,051.
Containers make particular sense on a route this long when you're not locked to a hard delivery date and want to avoid the stress of a cross-country truck rental drive.
Cost of moving truck rentals from Boise to Illinois
The cheapest option, with a real trade-off attached. Rental trucks on this route run $962–$1,812 for a studio or one-bedroom, $952–$2,114 for two to three bedrooms, and $1,236–$2,456 for larger households. Fuel is already factored into those estimates.
What's not factored in: driving 1,636 miles yourself, handling all the loading and unloading, and accepting full liability if something gets damaged en route. For the right person, it makes sense. Just be clear-eyed about the full picture before you commit.
Factors influencing moving costs from Boise to IL
Three things do most of the work on price:
- Home size: More stuff means more truck space, more labor, or a larger container. Costs scale up steadily as home size increases.
- Time of year: Summer is peak season. Rates go up and availability tightens. If you have any flexibility, a fall or early spring move will likely cost less.
- DIY vs. professional: Renting a truck is almost always cheaper than hiring movers. The question is whether the savings are worth the effort and risk on a nearly 1,700-mile haul.
What you should know before moving from Boise to IL
Compare cost of living: Boise vs. Illinois
The financial case for moving to Illinois is straightforward once you look at the numbers.
| Boise, ID | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent | $1,495 | $1,179 |
| Average home cost | $481,661 | $249,224 |
| Average income (per capita) | $76,468 | $78,433 |
| Cost of living index | 119 | 90 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.3% |
| State income tax | 5.8% | 4.95% |
Sources: World Population Review, Zillow, US Census Bureau, US BLS, Tax Foundation, Zumper, Numbeo
Here's what those numbers translate to day-to-day:
- Rent runs about 21% cheaper in Illinois than in Boise — real money back in your monthly budget.
- Home values are roughly 48% lower in Illinois. If you're planning to buy, that's a significant shift in what's accessible.
- Income is essentially flat. Illinois per-capita income is close enough to Boise's that your earning power shouldn't take a meaningful hit.
- Cost of living is about 24% lower overall. If you're leaving Idaho partly to reduce expenses, this move delivers on that.
- Unemployment is 47% higher in Illinois. Worth factoring in if you're job-hunting post-move rather than arriving with a job lined up.
- Income tax is about 15% lower in Illinois (4.95% vs. Idaho's 5.8%), which adds up meaningfully over years.
How life is different in Boise vs. Illinois
| Boise, ID | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 235,684 | 12,549,689 |
| Political leaning | Republican (49.8–48.3) | Democratic (55–45) |
| Summer high | 92°F | 86°F |
| Winter low | 24°F | 17°F |
| Annual rainfall | 13″ | 40″ |
| Annual snowfall | 18″ | 22″ |
| Crime index | 34.99 | 19.7 |
Sources: US Census Bureau, 270TOWIN, NeighborhoodScout, BestPlaces, Wikipedia, AirNow
A few things worth noting:
- Scale: You're going from a city of 235,000 to a state of 12.5 million. Illinois largely means Chicago, and Chicago is a fundamentally different environment from Boise — more opportunity in some ways, more friction in others.
- Climate: Summers are a few degrees cooler in Illinois (86°F vs. 92°F in Boise), but winters are colder (17°F vs. 24°F) and far wetter — 40 inches of annual rain versus Boise's 13. If you're used to high-desert sun, the Midwest adjustment is real.
- Snow is similar in both places (22 inches vs. 18), so no surprise there.
- Crime index is lower in Illinois (19.7 vs. Boise's 34.99), which generally reflects safer neighborhoods across most of the state.
Other considerations when moving to Illinois
A few practical items that tend to catch people off guard:
- HOA rules: Check your new community's policies before you schedule the move. Some restrict move-in hours or require advance approval for large vehicles.
- Elevator reservation: Moving into a multi-story building? Book the elevator before your move date — not after.
- Truck parking permits: Some Illinois cities require permits for moving trucks on residential streets. Check with your city or municipality in advance.
- State licensing: Illinois in-state movers are regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Movers handling household goods need a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Verify your mover has a current license before you book.
- Moving permits: There's no state-level moving permit required in Illinois, but local parking rules vary — confirm with your specific city.
- Change of address: File your USPS change of address at least a week before your move date.
- Moving insurance: Every mover must offer Released Value Protection at a minimum — but 60 cents per pound isn't real coverage for furniture or electronics. Ask about Full Value Protection, or look into a third-party policy if you're moving anything expensive.
- Moving checklist: Our moving checklist walks you through the full timeline, from eight weeks out to move-in day.
Things to do in Illinois
If your picture of Illinois starts and ends with Chicago, you're underestimating the state. There's a lot here.
Museums in Illinois
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
- Caterpillar Visitors Center
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site
- Museum of Hummels
Parks in Illinois
- Starved Rock State Park
- Matthiessen State Park
- Illinois Beach State Park
- Pere Marquette State Park
- Kankakee River State Park
Sports teams in Illinois
- Chicago Cubs (MLB)
- Chicago White Sox (MLB)
- Chicago Bulls (NBA)
- Chicago Sky (WNBA)
- Chicago Bears (NFL)
Universities in Illinois
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Northwestern University
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Northern Illinois University
FAQ
How long does a move from Boise to Illinois take?
Expect four to fifteen days, depending on the service type and time of year. Summer moves tend to push that window longer. Before you book, ask your mover for a specific delivery window — get it in writing. A vague "four to fifteen days" is fine for planning; it's not acceptable in your contract.
What's the availability of custom crating among Boise movers?
Seven Boise movers offer custom crating for art, antiques, and sensitive electronics. Confirm the materials and dimensions match your specific items — don't assume standard crating will cover unusual pieces.
What's the best way to ship a car from Boise to Illinois?
For auto transport on a route this long, you want a licensed carrier with a verifiable review history. Don't default to the lowest quote — check the carrier's FMCSA record and read recent reviews on Google and BBB. You can get a baseline estimate with our car shipping calculator.
Why are people moving from Boise to Illinois?
Most commonly: Chicago. The job market, the urban infrastructure, and the cultural scale of a major metro draw people from smaller western cities. For others, it's family or housing costs — Boise real estate has gotten expensive, and Illinois offers substantially more for the money.
Where can I find long-distance movers for this route?
Our long-distance movers page covers vetted interstate options. You can also compare quotes from Boise-area companies directly using our moving cost calculator.
Can I pay a mover in cash in Boise?
One of the eleven Boise movers we track accepts cash. Most prefer credit cards or certified payment — especially on an interstate move where deposits and final payments need documentation. Expect to pay a deposit upfront to lock your date, with the balance due at pickup or delivery. Confirm the exact payment schedule with your mover before signing anything.