Santa Cruz, CA

Palo Alto, CA → Santa Cruz, CA · Local move

Movers from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz

About 35 road miles heading south. Typical two-bedroom cost $1,470–$2,190, delivery in 0–1 days, 233 carriers on the Palo Alto side and 27 in Santa Cruz.

  • 35 miroad distance
  • 1 h 6 mindriving time
  • 0–1 daysdelivery window
  • $1,470–$2,1902-bedroom estimate
Photo: Don DeBold from San Jose, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0

Route summary

Road distance
≈ 35 miles (30 straight-line)
Drive time
1 h 6 min
Delivery window
0–1 days
Move type
In-state (California)
Movers at origin
233 (62 interstate)
Movers at destination
27 (6 interstate)

Reverse: Santa Cruz → Palo Alto

Moving from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz is a local move of roughly 35 road miles, heading south within California.

Because the two cities are close together, most companies quote this move by the hour: a crew of two to four movers plus a truck, with the drive of about 1 h 6 min counted as billable travel time. A typical two-bedroom household lands between $1,470 and $2,190, before packing or storage.

On the Palo Alto side there are 233 household-goods carriers registered with the FMCSA in and around the city (62 of them authorized for interstate work), and 27 around Santa Cruz (6 interstate). For an in-state move you can book from either end; movers near the origin handle loading and are usually the better first call, while a destination-side company can be useful if you need storage or delivery-day help in Santa Cruz.

Palo Alto has a population of about 67,000 and Santa Cruz about 62,000. Santa Cruz is the denser city (4,942 people per square mile versus 2,851 in Palo Alto), which often means shuttle trucks, parking restrictions or building move-in windows on delivery day.

Cost of moving from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz

Full-service estimate for 35 miles, by home size
Home sizeCrewHoursLowTypicalHigh
Studio 2 movers3–5 h $790 $960 $1,170
1 Bedroom 2 movers4–6 h $920 $1,120 $1,370
2 Bedrooms 3 movers5–8 h $1,470 $1,800 $2,190
3 Bedrooms 4 movers7–10 h $2,280 $2,780 $3,390
4+ Bedrooms 5 movers9–13 h $3,400 $4,150 $5,060

Rental truck (DIY)

$190–$260

One-way truck for the distance, mileage and fuel included; you load and drive.

Portable container

$1,050–$1,550

Container delivered, you load, company transports; transit is slower than a mover.

Full-service mover

$1,470–$2,190

Two-bedroom reference; crew loads, hauls and unloads.

Moving cost calculator

Distance is pre-filled for Palo Alto, CA → Santa Cruz, CA. Adjust the other options to see your range.

—to—

Typical full-service range.

Estimates use market baselines described on the cost guide; your quotes will vary by inventory, access and date.

Moving companies for this route

Near Palo Alto (origin)

Piranha Ops LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3389468
MC
1089109
Based in
San Jose, CA 95126 (13 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
49 trucks, 100 drivers
USDOT registered
2020

Kilam INC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3251388
MC
1023623
Based in
Fremont, CA 94538 (13 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
30 trucks, 68 drivers
USDOT registered
2019

Crown Worldwide Moving And Storage LLC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory
USDOT
2970
MC
138953
Based in
Union City, CA 94587 (14 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
25 trucks, 18 drivers
USDOT registered
1974

Lucid USA INC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3488549
MC
1147342
Based in
Newark, CA 94560 (10 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
22 trucks, 38 drivers
USDOT registered
2020

Managed Facility Solutions

Licensed interstate
USDOT
2974713
MC
10809
Based in
San Jose, CA 95131 (14 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
22 trucks, 43 drivers
USDOT registered
2017

Careful Movers

Licensed interstate
USDOT
1464935
MC
553377
Based in
Union City, CA 94587 (14 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
14 trucks, 14 drivers
USDOT registered
2006

Arjak&agnes Sons Trucking

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3247717
MC
1021407
Based in
Santa Clara, CA 95050 (11 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
7 trucks, 6 drivers
USDOT registered
2019

Mav Moving LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
4340425
MC
77787146
Based in
Newark, CA 94560 (10 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
6 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered
2024

All 233 movers in Palo Alto

Near Santa Cruz (destination)

Lambert And Son Moving

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3528657
MC
1220611
Based in
Santa Cruz, CA 95065 (5 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
4 trucks, 7 drivers
USDOT registered
2020

Edward W Grace

Licensed interstate
USDOT
1559365
MC
643222
Based in
Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (3 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
1 truck, 3 drivers
USDOT registered
2006

Denise Hoselton Living Tr

Interstate carrier
USDOT
4197804
MC
1618833
Based in
Brookdale, CA 95007 (10 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered
2024

Delivertron

Interstate carrier
USDOT
3592367
Based in
Boulder Creek, CA 95006 (15 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered
2021

Locatelli Moving And Storage INC

Intrastate carrier
USDOT
1891836
Based in
Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (4 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
7 trucks, 5 drivers
USDOT registered
2009

Coast Paper & Supply

Intrastate carrier
USDOT
2666577
Based in
Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (4 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
4 trucks, 4 drivers
USDOT registered
2015

Rational Moving INC

Intrastate carrier
USDOT
3393511
MC
1565780
Based in
Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (7 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered
2020

Full Load

Intrastate carrier
USDOT
2773290
Based in
Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (4 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
2 trucks, 2 drivers
USDOT registered
2015

All 27 movers in Santa Cruz

Related routes

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to move from Palo Alto to Santa Cruz?

Typical full-service estimates for this route are $790 to $1,170 for a studio, $920 to $1,370 for a one-bedroom, $1,470 to $2,190 for a two-bedroom, $2,280 to $3,390 for a three-bedroom and $3,400 to $5,060 for four or more bedrooms. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items add to these figures.

How far is Santa Cruz from Palo Alto?

About 35 road miles (30 miles in a straight line). Driving without overnight stops takes roughly 1 h 6 min.

How long will the movers take to deliver?

For a move this short, loading and delivery normally happen on the same day. Most crews finish a two-bedroom home in 5 to 8 hours plus the drive.

Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for an in-state move?

No. Because both Palo Alto and Santa Cruz are in California, this is an intrastate move regulated by the state rather than the FMCSA. Still, choosing a carrier with an active USDOT number is the easiest way to confirm the company is a registered motor carrier with insurance on file.

Is it cheaper to rent a truck or use a container for Palo Alto to Santa Cruz?

A one-way rental truck for this distance typically runs $190 to $260 including mileage and fuel, and a portable container about $1,050 to $1,550. Both save money versus a full-service crew but you do the loading, and container transit can take longer than a mover's delivery window.

When is the least expensive time to book this move?

Rates are highest in summer and around the last days of any month, when demand peaks. Mid-month, mid-week and winter dates are usually quoted below the standard rate. Booking four to eight weeks ahead gives you the widest choice of carriers on the Palo Alto–Santa Cruz corridor.