Santa Barbara, CA → San Antonio, TX · Cross-country move

Movers from Santa Barbara to San Antonio

About 1,517 road miles heading east. Typical two-bedroom cost $6,570–$9,770, delivery in 5–10 days, 27 carriers on the Santa Barbara side and 869 in San Antonio.

1,517 miroad distance
26 hours (3 driving days)driving time
5–10 daysdelivery window
$6,570–$9,7702-bedroom estimate

Photo: Jouaienttoi · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Route summary

From: Santa Barbara, California
To: San Antonio, Texas
Road distance: ≈ 1,517 miles (1,286 straight-line)
Drive time: 26 hours (3 driving days)
Delivery window: 5–10 days
Move type: Interstate – FMCSA authority required
Movers at origin: 27 (9 interstate)
Movers at destination: 869 (274 interstate)

Reverse: San Antonio → Santa Barbara

The route from Santa Barbara, CA to San Antonio, TX covers roughly 1,517 miles by road, a east-bound trip that falls into the cross-country move category for pricing purposes.

At this distance carriers price by shipment weight and mileage rather than by the hour. A two-bedroom home (around 5,000 lb of goods) typically costs $6,570 to $9,770 with a full-service mover, and delivery usually takes 5 to 10 days after pickup because long-haul trucks consolidate several households per trip. Driving it yourself takes about 26 hours (3 driving days).

On the Santa Barbara side there are 27 household-goods carriers registered with the FMCSA in and around the city (9 of them authorized for interstate work), and 869 around San Antonio (274 interstate). For an interstate 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 San Antonio.

Santa Barbara has a population of about 88,000 and San Antonio about 1.5 million. Santa Barbara is considerably denser (4,549 people per square mile versus 2,876), so expect tighter loading conditions, parking permits or elevator reservations at the origin and easier truck access at the destination. Labor and living costs run lower in Texas than in California, which tends to make destination-side services such as unpacking or storage cheaper than the same services back home. Texas levies no state income tax on wages, a frequent reason people make this exact move.

Cost of moving from Santa Barbara to San Antonio

Full-service estimate for 1,517 miles, by home size
Home size	Est. weight	Low	Typical	High
Studio	2,000 lb	$2,630	$3,200	$3,910
1 Bedroom	3,000 lb	$3,940	$4,810	$5,860
2 Bedrooms	5,000 lb	$6,570	$8,010	$9,770
3 Bedrooms	8,000 lb	$10,510	$12,810	$15,630
4+ Bedrooms	11,000 lb	$14,450	$17,620	$21,500

Rental truck (DIY)

$2,160–$3,050

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

Portable container

$2,370–$3,490

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

Full-service mover

$6,570–$9,770

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

Moving cost calculator

Distance is pre-filled for Santa Barbara, CA → San Antonio, TX. Adjust the other options to see your range.

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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 Santa Barbara (origin)

Aussie Moving

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Aussie Moving INC

USDOT: 2424966
MC: 876037
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 2 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2013

Call (805) 456-6498 Route Verify on FMCSA

Twentyfour7 Msi

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Twenty Four 7 Moving Specialists INC

USDOT: 1821147
MC: 661157
Based in: Carpinteria, CA 93013 (12 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 2 trucks, 5 drivers
USDOT registered: 2008

Call (805) 696-9247 Route Verify on FMCSA

Mammoth Van Lines

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Mammoth Moving Holding Corporation

USDOT: 374567
MC: 225136
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (6 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 2 drivers
USDOT registered: 1989

Call (805) 968-8643 Route Verify on FMCSA

All Things Home Services LLC

Interstate carrier

USDOT: 8395520
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (6 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 2026

Call (805) 245-3822 Route Verify on FMCSA

Bushnell Moving

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Kenneth Lee Bushnell

USDOT: 1355626
MC: 608117
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (9 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2005

Call (805) 682-5454 Route Verify on FMCSA

Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center

Intrastate carrier

Legal name: Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center INC

USDOT: 2735884
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Local moves
Fleet: 3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2015

Call (805) 963-7825 Route Verify on FMCSA

Mike'S Deliveries

Intrastate carrier

Legal name: Miguel A Barrios

USDOT: 3008579
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Local moves
Fleet: 3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2017

Call (805) 331-0318 Route Verify on FMCSA

Bright Delivery And Install INC

Intrastate carrier

USDOT: 3544323
Based in: Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (1 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 3 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 2021

Call (805) 679-1020 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 27 movers in Santa Barbara

Near San Antonio (destination)

H-E-B

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

Legal name: H-E-B Lp

USDOT: 351057
MC: 295504
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78204 (4 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 922 trucks, 1,407 drivers
USDOT registered: 1989

Call (210) 938-6559 Route Verify on FMCSA

Convermex USA Corp

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 4540286
MC: 1801683
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78218 (8 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 366 trucks, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 2026

Call (210) 319-2972 Route Verify on FMCSA

Parkway Transport INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 212550
MC: 208278
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78244 (11 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 261 trucks, 256 drivers
USDOT registered: 1982

Call (210) 982-4194 Route Verify on FMCSA

Eljo Express LLC

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 1126734
MC: 459546
Based in: Universal City, TX 78148 (15 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 150 trucks, 160 drivers
USDOT registered: 2003

Call (210) 535-9844 Route Verify on FMCSA

Scobey Moving & Storage LTD

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 1274056
MC: 491928
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78217 (8 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 123 trucks, 63 drivers
USDOT registered: 2004

Call (915) 615-0827 Route Verify on FMCSA

A & W Friends Transportation LLC

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 3112182
MC: 83265
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78251 (9 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 100 trucks, 50 drivers
USDOT registered: 2018

Call (504) 701-9461 Route Verify on FMCSA

Ibr Loading

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Rahimi LLC

USDOT: 4390202
MC: 1722131
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78227 (9 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 73 trucks, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 2025

Call (210) 425-7092 Route Verify on FMCSA

Best Rush Service LLC

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 2087187
MC: 728343
Based in: San Antonio, TX 78249 (9 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 45 trucks, 98 drivers
USDOT registered: 2010

Call (210) 870-6600 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 869 movers in San Antonio

Tips for this move

Ship the car separately if you plan to fly; auto transport is priced by the mile like household goods.
Confirm which items the mover will not carry (plants, perishables, propane, some batteries).
Expect a delivery spread of one to two weeks; plan temporary housing in San Antonio accordingly.
Compare a full-service van line against a container service; for a small household the container often wins.

Near Santa Barbara

Near San Antonio

Related routes

Other destinations from Santa Barbara

Other origins to San Antonio

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to move from Santa Barbara to San Antonio?

Typical full-service estimates for this route are $2,630 to $3,910 for a studio, $3,940 to $5,860 for a one-bedroom, $6,570 to $9,770 for a two-bedroom, $10,510 to $15,630 for a three-bedroom and $14,450 to $21,500 for four or more bedrooms. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items add to these figures.

How far is San Antonio from Santa Barbara?

About 1,517 road miles (1,286 miles in a straight line). Driving without overnight stops takes roughly 26 hours (3 driving days).

How long will the movers take to deliver?

Expect a delivery window of 5 to 10 days after pickup. Carriers give a spread rather than a fixed date because long-distance trucks carry several shipments; a dedicated truck or expedited service shortens the window for an extra fee.

Does my mover need interstate authority for this move?

Yes. Crossing from California into Texas makes this an interstate move, so the carrier must hold active FMCSA operating authority (an MC number) in addition to its USDOT number. The company cards on this page flag which carriers are authorized for interstate work.

Is it cheaper to rent a truck or use a container for Santa Barbara to San Antonio?

A one-way rental truck for this distance typically runs $2,160 to $3,050 including mileage and fuel, and a portable container about $2,370 to $3,490. 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 Santa Barbara–San Antonio corridor.