Best San Francisco to San Diego Movers

How Much Do San Francisco to San Diego Movers Cost?

Moving 502 miles from San Francisco, CA to San Diego, CA will typically cost between $2,000 and $5,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.

Pro tip for the cheapest long distance move

Find long distance movers in San Diego that already have a booked job heading from San Diego to San Francisco. Their moving truck would be making the trip back to San Diego from San Francisco entirely empty. If you can find a San Diego moving company willing to move your stuff on the return leg, you'll score a real deal!

Moving Containers: A cheaper San Francisco to San Diego moving option

Hire local San Francisco movers for the pickup location at an hourly rate. They can quickly load your moving container. When your container is dropped off at your new home, hire San Diego movers to unpack the container and move you into your new home. You'll have to piece this San Francisco to San Diego move together yourself with at least 3 different companies. Taking on this scheduling responsibility will save you a little money by moving with this strategy.

How we ranked the top San Francisco to San Diego movers

Why you should trust us

We take reviews seriously to protect people just like you! Our team has been crunching data on moving companies since 2010. Our math-based ranking system uses data, manual review, and statistical analysis to help you hire the best San Francisco, CA to San Diego, CA long distance movers.

Rating Methodology

Here's the methodology we used to come up with the best movers for the San Francisco to San Diego moving route:

Our original review-based ranking algorithm

We started with a total of 167 companies that offer interstate moving services in both the San Francisco and San Diego areas.

From these 167 companies, we analyzed a total of 55,136 reviews dating all the way back to August 2005.

We also reviewed a total of 40 state and federal moving licenses from these 167 companies and 611 different 3rd party review and social profiles.

Each of the ~55,000 reviews was scored according to our detailed 11-point rating criteria

Reviews are time-weighted so that more recent reviews carry more weight. This helps you understand how a mover is doing today... not 5 years ago. We have 17,145 San Francisco to San Diego moving company data points from the past 2 years that carry more weight.

Bayesian averages calculated to fairly account for the differences between companies that are newer(like Little Guy Big Truck Moving) vs older more established companies (like Pure Moving Company).

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The Great Guys Moving 11-Point Rating Breakdown

Our 11-point rating criteria scores every San Francisco to San Diego moving company across 11 of the most important criteria for a succesful moving experience.

Quality

Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.

8.67/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 38,380 reviews

Punctuality

Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?

8.51/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 15,525 reviews

Affordability

How affordable was the moving service?

8.08/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 9,797 reviews

Communication

Responsiveness before, during, and after the move.

8.05/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 15,846 reviews

Stick to Prices

Was the final price consistent with the original quote?

6.99/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 5,933 reviews

Speed

Efficiency without taking unnecessary time to increase costs.

8.83/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 19,666 reviews

Friendliness

Was the moving crew cordial and friendly on moving day?

9.07/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 20,793 reviews

Will Hire Again

How likely a customer is to hire the same movers again.

8.49/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 38,289 reviews

Professionalism

Did the moving crew behave professionally on moving day?

8.58/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 21,003 reviews

Conflict Handling

How well the company responds to accidents and issues.

5.05/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 3,929 reviews

Precision & Care

Were walls scratched? Did furniture get damaged or lost?

8.40/10 avg (San Francisco & San Diego combined) from 20,086 reviews

From San Francisco to San Diego: Comparable Neighborhoods at a Glance

• Mission District in San Francisco & North Park in San Diego are both known for their artsy vibe with breweries & street murals
• San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood & San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter both share downtown tech hubs & bustling nightlife
• If you're moving from Pacific Heights, check out La Jolla in the San Diego area for the upscale coastal area with ocean views
• Do you enjoy Noe Valley's family-friendly suburban atmosphere? You're sure to love Carmel Valley
• Move from Haight-Ashbury to Ocean Beach and continue to enjoy these neighborhood qualities: bohemian spirit & eclectic local shops
• Marina District & Pacific Beach are both known for their beachside bars & young crowd
• San Francisco's Castro neighborhood & San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood both have LGBTQ+-friendly neighborhoods with festivals

Pros and Cons of Moving from San Francisco to San Diego

ConsSan Francisco, CA

• Higher living costs
• Foggy weather
• Steep hills
• Dense traffic
• Tight parking

ProsSan Diego, CA

• More affordable
• Sunnier climate
• Flat terrain
• Less congestion
• Easier parking

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San Diego, CA

• Smaller cultural scene
• Fewer tech opportunities
• Less iconic sights
• Quieter nightlife
• Fewer high-end eateries

San Francisco, CA

• Rich culture
• Tech hub
• Iconic landmarks
• Vibrant nightlife
• World-class dining

Pros of moving from San Francisco to San Diego

• Say goodbye to higher living costs and hello to more affordable options
• Look forward to moving away from foggy weather and moving to San Diego with a sunnier climate
• Swap the steep hills of San Francisco for flat terrain in San Diego
• Get ready for less congestion in San Diego

Cons of moving from San Francisco to San Diego

• Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from a rich culture in San Francisco to live with a smaller cultural scene in San Diego
• You'll lose out on the pro of being a tech hub and have to settle for the con of fewer tech opportunities
• Time to bid farewell to iconic landmarks and get used to less iconic sights in San Diego
• Swap vibrant nightlife for a quieter nightlife

San Francisco vs. San Diego: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene

If you're moving from San Francisco to San Diego, you will be trading the iconic Sourdough Bread of San Francisco for the equally delicious Fish Tacos of San Diego. And while the locals in San Francisco rave about their flavorful Roast Dungeness Crab and sumptuous Mission Burrito, San Diego residents know they have tasty Carne Asada and California Burrito to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Avocado Toast they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Jackfruit Tacos of San Diego. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic San Francisco eateries like Zuni Café, Tartine Bakery, and Gary Danko. After the boxes are unpacked in San Diego, don't wait too long before making your way to San Diego's acclaimed eateries like Phil's BBQ, Hodad's, and Juniper & Ivy.

When comparing lifestyles, San Diego shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than San Francisco. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in San Diego compared to what you are used to in San Francisco. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in San Diego.

Discover San Diego Restaurants You'll Love

Moving to San Diego is an opportunity to try lots of new restaurants. Sure, you'll miss your old San Francisco favorites, but we've got you covered. If you loved Gary Danko, Tartine Bakery, and La Taqueria in San Francisco, we're sure you'll love Addison, Bread & Cie Bakery & Café, and Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop in San Diego. See our San Diego restaurant discovery table below to find the closest comparison restaurant to all of your cherished San Francisco hotspots. For example, if you enjoyed dining at Zuni Café, head to Urban Solace on your first Friday night after the boxes are unpacked.

Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between San Francisco and San Diego

• The Victorian and Edwardian architecture that San Francisco is known for will be replaced with the Spanish Revival architecture typical of San Diego.
• Compared to San Francisco's real estate listings that commonly reference bay views and tech-ready features, San Diego real estate listings often highlight outdoor living and proximity to beaches.
• You can keep your walking shoes packed away because San Diego is less walkable than San Francisco.
• You might want to think twice before moving your bike since San Diego is less bike-friendly than San Francisco.
• San Diego has less of an urban feel compared to San Francisco.
• San Diego housing costs are 21% less expensive than they are in San Francisco, with a median home price of $1,021,655 compared to San Francisco’s $1,290,678.
• Over the prior 5 years, home prices in San Diego have increased by 57% compared to a 4% decrease in San Francisco.
• Rent in San Diego is 8.76% more affordable than in San Francisco.

Pet-friendly Neighborhoods in San Diego, CA

1. Ocean Beach : You'll love the dog-friendly atmosphere with a dedicated dog beach where your furry friend can splash and play off-leash.
2. North Park : This hip neighborhood offers many pet-welcoming cafes and parks, making it easy for you to enjoy outings with your pets.
3. Hillcrest : Known for its inclusive culture, you'll find numerous pet-friendly restaurants and bars, along with a welcoming community for your pets.

Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between San Francisco and San Diego

• Break out the sunglasses for your move from San Francisco to San Diego. San Diego gets 3% more sunshine days than San Francisco.
• San Diego has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to San Francisco.
• Say goodbye to the possible earthquakes and fog in San Francisco, but be on the lookout for potential earthquakes and wildfires in San Diego.
• Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in San Diego is 10 degrees warmer than in San Francisco.
• The average winter lows are 3 degrees warmer than they are in San Francisco.
• Your umbrella might be neglected in San Diego. San Diego receives 13.3 inches less rain compared to San Francisco.

Financial & Community Snapshot: San Francisco and San Diego

• When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in San Diego tend to earn about 24% less than in San Francisco
• The COLI in San Diego is 19% lower than what you are used to living in San Francisco
• There's no change in state income tax between San Francisco and San Diego
• The affluence in San Diego is high compared to very high in San Francisco
• The poverty level is moderate in San Diego compared to moderate in San Francisco
• In terms of homelessness, it is high in San Francisco and significant in San Diego

Political and Religious Climate in San Francisco vs. San Diego

• San Francisco tends to lean heavily Democratic in its political climate
• San Diego, on the other hand, is often described as moderately Democratic
• San Diego's religious environment can be described as a large Christian community with growing Muslim and Hindu populations
• San Francisco's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as diverse religious communities including Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism

San Francisco vs. San Diego Traffic and Public Transit Considerations

• Woohoo! Expect to spend about 26% less time stuck in traffic commuting to work in San Diego compared to your San Francisco daily drive. That's an annual savings of 4,680 minutes freely earned!
• You can expect traffic in San Diego to be better than it is in San Francisco.
• Public transit is less readily available in San Diego.