Best San Diego to Des Moines Movers

How Much Do San Diego to Des Moines Movers Cost?

Moving 1,801 miles from San Diego, CA to Des Moines, IA will typically cost between $3,500 and $8,000 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 Des Moines that already have a booked job heading from Des Moines to San Diego. Their moving truck would be making the trip back to Des Moines from San Diego entirely empty. If you can find a Des Moines moving company willing to move your stuff on the return leg, you'll score a real deal!

Moving Containers: A cheaper San Diego to Des Moines moving option

Hire local San Diego 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 Des Moines movers to unpack the container and move you into your new home. You'll have to piece this San Diego to Des Moines 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 Diego to Des Moines 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 Diego, CA to Des Moines, IA long distance movers.

Rating Methodology

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

Our original review-based ranking algorithm

We started with a total of 21 companies that offer interstate moving services in both the San Diego and Des Moines areas.

From these 21 companies, we analyzed a total of 7,111 reviews dating all the way back to February 2009.

We also reviewed a total of 10 state and federal moving licenses from these 21 companies and 92 different 3rd party review and social profiles.

Each of the ~7,000 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 2,858 San Diego to Des Moines 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 Coast 2 Coast Moving, Inc.) vs older more established companies (like Atlas Transfer & Storage Co.).

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The Great Guys Moving 11-Point Rating Breakdown

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

Quality

Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.

8.79/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 4,451 reviews

Punctuality

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

8.41/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 1,607 reviews

Affordability

How affordable was the moving service?

7.76/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 918 reviews

Communication

Responsiveness before, during, and after the move.

8.29/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 1,966 reviews

Stick to Prices

Was the final price consistent with the original quote?

6.87/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 628 reviews

Speed

Efficiency without taking unnecessary time to increase costs.

8.85/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 2,000 reviews

Friendliness

Was the moving crew cordial and friendly on moving day?

9.30/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 2,511 reviews

Will Hire Again

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

8.59/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 4,466 reviews

Professionalism

Did the moving crew behave professionally on moving day?

8.74/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 2,717 reviews

Conflict Handling

How well the company responds to accidents and issues.

5.08/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 571 reviews

Precision & Care

Were walls scratched? Did furniture get damaged or lost?

8.38/10 avg (San Diego & Des Moines combined) from 2,411 reviews

From San Diego to Des Moines: Comparable Neighborhoods at a Glance

• Pacific Beach in San Diego & East Village in Des Moines are both known for their local eateries & bustling nightlife
• San Diego's North Park neighborhood & Des Moines' East Village both share an arts district & craft breweries
• If you're moving from Hillcrest, check out Roosevelt in the Des Moines area for a walkable & LGBTQ+ friendly scene
• Do you enjoy Downtown's urban core with high-rise apartments? You're sure to love Downtown Des Moines
• Move from Mission Hills to Sherman Hill and continue to enjoy these neighborhood qualities: historic architecture & charming streets
• University Heights & Drake are both known for their college-town feel & bungalow-style homes

Pros and Cons of Moving from San Diego to Des Moines

ConsSan Diego, CA

• Higher cost of living
• Dense traffic
• Fewer seasonal changes

ProsDes Moines, IA

• Lower cost of living
• Less traffic
• Distinct seasons

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Des Moines, IA

• No beaches
• Quieter nightlife
• Less culinary variety

San Diego, CA

• Warm beaches
• Vibrant nightlife
• Diverse cuisine

Pros of moving from San Diego to Des Moines

• Say goodbye to the higher cost of living and hello to the lower cost of living
• Look forward to moving away from dense traffic and moving to Des Moines with less traffic
• Swap the fewer seasonal changes of San Diego for distinct seasons in Des Moines

Cons of moving from San Diego to Des Moines

• Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the warm beaches in San Diego to live with no beaches in Des Moines
• You'll lose out on the pro of vibrant nightlife and have to settle for the con of quieter nightlife
• Time to bid farewell to diverse cuisine and get used to less culinary variety in Des Moines

San Diego vs. Des Moines: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene

If you're moving from San Diego to Des Moines, you will be trading the iconic Fish Tacos of San Diego for the equally delicious Pork Tenderloin Sandwich of Des Moines. And while the locals in San Diego rave about their flavorful Carne Asada and sumptuous California Burrito, Des Moines residents know they have tasty Smoked Pork and Corn Dogs to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegan Tacos they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Vegan Chili of Des Moines. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic San Diego eateries like George's at the Cove, El Indio Mexican Restaurant, and Phil's BBQ. After the boxes are unpacked in Des Moines, don't wait too long before making your way to Des Moines' acclaimed eateries like Zombie Burger + Drink Lab, Fong's Pizza, and Centro.

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

Discover Des Moines Restaurants You'll Love

Moving to Des Moines is an opportunity to try lots of new restaurants. Sure, you'll miss your old San Diego favorites, but we've got you covered. If you loved Juniper & Ivy, Mister A's, and Phil's BBQ in San Diego, we're sure you'll love Harbinger, Django, and Smoky D's BBQ in Des Moines. See our Des Moines restaurant discovery table below to find the closest comparison restaurant to all of your cherished San Diego hotspots. For example, if you enjoyed dining at George's at the Cove, head to Centro on your first Friday night after the boxes are unpacked.

Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between San Diego and Des Moines

• The Spanish Colonial architecture that San Diego is known for will be replaced with the Craftsman architecture typical of Des Moines.
• Compared to San Diego's real estate listings that commonly reference ocean views and outdoor living, Des Moines real estate listings often highlight features like community and family-friendly environments.
• You can keep your walking shoes packed away because Des Moines is less walkable than San Diego.
• Make sure the movers take care of your bike because Des Moines is more bike-friendly than San Diego.
• Des Moines has less of an urban feel than San Diego.
• Des Moines housing costs are 80% less expensive than they are in San Diego, with a median home price of $199,739 compared to San Diego’s $1,021,655.
• Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Des Moines have increased by 38% compared to a 57% increase in San Diego.
• Rent in Des Moines is 64.23% more affordable than in San Diego.

Pet-friendly Neighborhoods in Des Moines, IA

1. Beaverdale: You’ll love the abundance of parks and walking trails that make it easy to keep your furry friends active and happy.
2. Ingersoll Park: With pet-friendly cafes and easy access to local dog parks, you and your pet can enjoy everything the community has to offer.
3. Waveland Park: You’re never far from open spaces and trails, making it convenient for daily walks and outdoor pet activities.

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

• The shades won't be used as much for your move from San Diego to Des Moines. Des Moines gets 23% fewer sunshine days than San Diego.
• Des Moines has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to San Diego.
• Say goodbye to the possible earthquakes and wildfires in San Diego, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and floods in Des Moines.
• Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Des Moines is 11 degrees warmer than in San Diego.
• The average winter lows are 33 degrees colder than they are in San Diego.
• Your umbrella might be more overworked in Des Moines. Des Moines receives 24 more inches of rain compared to San Diego.

Financial & Community Snapshot: San Diego and Des Moines

• When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Des Moines tend to earn about 35% less than in San Diego
• The COLI in Des Moines is 31% lower than what you are used to living in San Diego
• The state income tax in IA is 0.33 to 8.53 compared to 1 to 13.3 in CA
• The affluence in Des Moines is moderate to high compared to moderate in San Diego
• The poverty level is low to moderate in Des Moines compared to low in San Diego
• In terms of homelessness, it is high in San Diego and low in Des Moines

Political and Religious Climate in San Diego vs. Des Moines

• San Diego tends to lean Liberal in its political climate
• Des Moines, on the other hand, is often described as having more Mixed Political Views
• Des Moines' religious environment can be described as having a strong Christian Presence
• San Diego's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a diverse Religious Community

San Diego vs. Des Moines Traffic and Public Transit Considerations

• Woohoo! Expect to spend about 24% less time stuck in traffic commuting to work in Des Moines compared to your daily drive in San Diego. That's an annual savings of 3,120 minutes freely earned!
• You can expect traffic in Des Moines to be better than it is in San Diego.
• Public transit is less readily available in Des Moines.