Quick answer: For trips under about 1,000 miles, driving your car yourself is usually the cheapest way to move it to another state. For a coast-to-coast move, the costs come close: driving 2,800 miles costs about $1,785 in fuel, wear, hotels and meals, while shipping the car on an open carrier typically costs $1,000 to $1,700, plus a flight if you need one. Shipping also saves you around five days on the road.
Moving to a new state comes with a long list of decisions, and what to do with the car is one of the biggest. You can drive it yourself, or ship it and fly. The answer depends on the distance, how much your time is worth and whether you would be flying anyway. This guide puts real numbers on both options, shows where shipping starts to win, and covers the other ways to move a car if neither suits you.
Driving vs Shipping: What It Really Costs
These estimates are for one driver in a typical car, driving about 500 miles a day. They use AAA’s 2026 figures for fuel (17.3 cents a mile) and maintenance, repairs and tires (11.7 cents a mile), and the federal government’s standard travel rates for a night’s lodging ($113) and a day’s meals ($68). Shipping prices are typical open-carrier ranges from our cost guide, and the flight is the average U.S. domestic fare.
| Cost | 500 miles | 1,200 miles | 2,800 miles (coast to coast) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days on the road | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Fuel | $87 | $208 | $484 |
| Wear (maintenance, repairs, tires) | $59 | $140 | $328 |
| Hotels | $0 | $226 (2 nights) | $565 (5 nights) |
| Meals | $68 | $204 | $408 |
| Total to drive | $214 | $778 | $1,785 |
| Ship on an open carrier | $550 to $900 | $700 to $1,100 | $1,000 to $1,700 |
| Ship and buy a flight ($445) | $995 to $1,345 | $1,145 to $1,545 | $1,445 to $2,145 |
Sources: AAA Your Driving Costs 2026, GSA per diem rates for fiscal 2027, and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics average domestic fare for the second quarter of 2026. Your own numbers will differ with your car’s fuel economy, gas prices on your route and where you stay.
What the Table Leaves Out
- Time off work. A coast-to-coast drive takes about six days; flying takes one. If you would lose pay, that alone can decide it.
- Tolls and parking, which vary a lot by route.
- Depreciation. Every mile lowers your car’s value a little, on top of the wear costs above.
- Risk. A breakdown or accident far from home costs money and time, and long days behind the wheel are tiring.
- Passengers. If your family would ride along, driving saves their flights too. If they are flying anyway, the flight cost in the table does not apply.
At What Distance Does Shipping Win?
It depends on whether you need to buy a flight just because you shipped the car.
- If you would fly anyway (for example, the rest of the family is flying, or your employer pays for the flight), compare driving with the shipping price alone. Driving is cheaper under about 1,000 miles, the two are close between about 1,000 and 1,500 miles, and shipping is usually cheaper coast to coast.
- If shipping means buying a flight, driving is cheaper in cash for most moves. Coast to coast, the two overlap, and shipping saves you about five days on the road.
In short, under 1,000 miles driving usually makes sense. Over 2,000 miles, shipping is often the better choice, because the cash difference is small and the time saved is large.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Move a Car to Another State?
- Drive it yourself, for shorter moves where you would have to travel anyway.
- Ship it on an open carrier with flexible dates. A pickup window of a few days, and avoiding the busiest summer weeks, gets the lowest rates.
- Use terminal-to-terminal shipping, which can cost a little less if you live near a terminal.
- Tow it behind a moving truck on a rented tow dolly or car trailer, if you are driving a moving truck anyway.
- Hire a driveaway service, where a driver takes the car for you; it adds miles but avoids a truck.
Our guide to the 6 ways to move a car to another state compares each option in detail, including the Amtrak Auto Train for moves between Virginia and Florida.
The Case for Driving
- Lowest cash cost on short and medium moves.
- You control the timing and arrive with your car.
- Room for luggage, since you can fill the car, which you cannot do when shipping it.
- No flight needed for you or anyone riding with you.
If you drive, get the car serviced first, check the tires and plan your overnight stops so you are not driving tired.
The Case for Shipping
- Time. You fly in a few hours instead of driving for days, and can start a new job or settle in sooner.
- No added miles or wear on your car, which helps a newer car or a lease with a mileage limit.
- Less risk and fatigue than several long days on unfamiliar highways, often in bad weather.
- A fixed price. You know the cost up front, with no surprise hotel nights or repairs on the way.
- Easier logistics when you are also managing movers, a house sale and children.
Driving vs Shipping on Popular Routes
Here is the same comparison on some of the busiest moving routes, using the same driving assumptions and the typical open-carrier prices from our car shipping cost guide:
| Route | Approx. distance | Days to drive | Cost to drive | Cost to ship (open) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Denver | 1,000 miles | 2 | About $539 | $650 to $950 |
| Florida to New York | 1,200 miles | 3 | About $778 | $800 to $1,200 |
| California to Texas | 1,400 miles | 3 | About $836 | $800 to $1,150 |
| California to Florida | 2,650 miles | 6 | About $1,741 | $1,200 to $1,650 |
| California to New York | 2,800 miles | 6 | About $1,785 | $1,300 to $1,700 |
On the shorter routes, driving costs less in cash. On the coast-to-coast routes, shipping costs about the same as driving or less, before you count a flight, and you skip five or six days on the road.
Special Cases
Leased Cars
Most leases have a yearly mileage limit and charge for every mile over it. A coast-to-coast drive uses 2,800 miles of that allowance in one week. Check your lease’s excess-mileage charge before you decide; shipping often wins on a lease even when driving looks cheaper. See how to ship a leased car.
Electric Vehicles
Charging usually costs less per mile than gas, so driving an EV is cheaper on energy. But charging stops add time to every day, especially on routes with fewer fast chargers, and the hotel and meal costs stay the same. If time matters, shipping an EV makes as much sense as shipping a gas car. See how to ship an electric car.
Classic and High-Value Cars
For a classic, exotic or freshly restored car, the miles, stone chips and risk of a breakdown far from home usually outweigh any saving from driving. Enclosed transport keeps the car protected and adds no miles. See our guide to shipping a classic car.
Tips If You Decide to Drive
- Get the car serviced before you leave, including the tires, brakes, fluids and battery.
- Plan overnight stops in advance, and book hotels that allow pets if you are traveling with one.
- Keep to about 500 miles a day, with a break every two hours.
- Avoid mountain passes in winter where you can, and check the weather each morning.
- Keep your registration, insurance card and roadside assistance number in the car.
Ship the Car, Fly Yourself: How to Time It
- Book the car first. Pickup is usually within 1 to 5 business days of your first available date, so set the pickup, then book your flight.
- Plan a few days without a car. Coast-to-coast transit usually takes 7 to 10 days once the car is loaded, so arrange a rental or rideshare for the gap.
- Name someone to hand over or receive the car if you will not be there yourself.
- Pack light in the car. Most carriers allow only about 100 pounds in the trunk, uninsured, so send everything else with your movers.
For the full process, see our guide to shipping a car across the country.
Common Reasons People Ship Instead of Drive
- Moving for work or family, when there is no time for a week-long drive.
- Buying a car online or from a seller far away. See how to ship a car bought at auction.
- Spending winters in the South. Our snowbird auto transport guide covers seasonal timing.
- Sending a car to a college student, so a young driver avoids a long solo trip.
- Moving more than one car. One driver cannot drive two cars, and shipping several on the same truck can earn a multi-car discount.
How to Work Out Your Own Numbers
- Find the road distance between your old and new homes.
- Estimate fuel: miles divided by your car’s miles per gallon, times the gas price.
- Count the days at about 500 miles a day, then add a hotel for every night and meals for every day.
- Add wear at about 12 cents a mile.
- Get a shipping quote, and add a flight only if you would not be flying anyway.
- Put a value on the days you would spend driving instead of working or settling in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to drive or ship a car across the country?
On cash alone, they are close. Driving 2,800 miles costs about $1,785 in fuel, wear, hotels and meals, while shipping typically costs $1,000 to $1,700 plus a flight if you need one. Shipping saves about five days on the road.
What is the cheapest way to move a car to another state?
For moves under about 1,000 miles, driving it yourself. For longer moves, shipping on an open carrier with flexible pickup dates is usually the cheapest shipping option.
How much does it cost to drive a car across the country?
About $1,785 for one driver going 2,800 miles, using AAA’s 2026 fuel and wear costs and federal travel rates for six days of meals and five hotel nights. Tolls, time off work and depreciation are extra.
Is shipping a car worth it for 500 miles?
Usually not on cost. Driving 500 miles costs about $214, while shipping typically costs $550 to $900. It can still make sense if you cannot take the day off, are moving two cars or would rather not add the miles.
Can I drive my car to another state when I move?
Yes. You can drive it on your current registration and insurance, then register it in your new state within that state’s deadline.
How long does it take to ship a car to another state?
Usually 1 to 5 business days for pickup, then 1 to 3 days in transit for nearby states and 7 to 10 days coast to coast. See our transit time guide.
Can I pack belongings in my car when I ship it?
Most carriers allow up to about 100 pounds in the trunk, below the window line, but those items are not insured. See what you can leave in your car.
Compare Your Real Shipping Price
The quickest way to decide is to put a real shipping price next to your driving estimate. ABC Auto Shipping is a licensed broker that matches your car with an insured carrier, door to door. Get a free quote for your route. There is no deposit to book.
