How much do moving boxes cost?

by Ethan Greenfieldon May 23, 2023.

You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that a house move is practically unthinkable without the use of moving boxes of various sizes. In fact, those well-known boxes made of corrugated cardboard (or plastic in some cases) have become synonymous with the process of moving from one place to another.

And if you yourself are about to move to another home, then you can be sure that you’re going to need a bunch of moving boxes as well. That is, of course, unless you’ve decided to pay professional packers to take care of the house-packing task for you.

OK, one thing is clear – you’re going to have to secure a lot of moving boxes when you’re packing up your things by yourself. And here are the next three follow-up questions whose answers you will need to find in quick succession:

How many boxes do you need?
How much do moving boxes cost?
Where to buy moving boxes?

And now that we’ve covered in detail the topic of the number of boxes you will need to complete the packing job on your own (follow the link above), it’s time to turn your attention to the cost of those moving containers.

So, how much are moving boxes?

Read on to find out.

The importance of understanding moving box costs

You may wonder why you need to know the cost of moving boxes in advance – after all, you will learn their price when you buy them, right?

It all comes down to proper budgeting and planning. By knowing the prices of the different types of containers and the approximate quantity of boxes that are required for your packing needs, you will be able to create a preliminary budget for the task of packing alone.

Knowing the rough cost of your packing supplies – moving boxes, in particular, will help you have a smoother moving experience. How?

The estimated cost of the moving boxes may exceed your expectations by a lot, meaning that the calculations may force you to choose one of the following options:

Use professional packing services. A moving company may offer you a good deal for the extra service of packing. In most cases, the cost of the packing materials is included in the quoted price.
Look for free moving boxes. Yes, you should be able to find perfectly usable second-hand cardboard boxes as long as you have enough time to hunt them down.
Postpone the move for later. Unfortunately, it may turn out that you don’t have enough money to cover the inevitable packing costs. In such case, you may have to postpone the house move for a later date, if possible, when you will have saved enough money.

Factors that affect the cost of moving boxes

It’s good to keep in mind that how much moving boxes cost will depend on a number of important factors such as the size of the boxes, their overall quality, the quantity, and of course – where you buy them from.

Size of the box. Needless to say, larger boxes tend to cost more than smaller ones simply because more cardboard has been used in the manufacturing process. As a result, a wardrobe box is more expensive than a large standard box, and a large box is costlier than a small one.
Material quality. It’s easy to deduce that not all cardboard boxes have the same quality. The ones that are made from thicker corrugated cardboard will provide a better level of protection for the fragile items stored inside them. But they will also cost more because of the better quantity of raw material used in their production.
Brand. Branded moving boxes will generally cost more than non-branded generic containers simply because established manufacturers stand behind the quality of their products. So, purchasing boxes of a brand you recognize will cost you more but the extra expense may well be worth it, especially when moving tons of valuable items that happen to be delicate as well.
Quantity of the purchase. The more boxes you need to pack up your things, the more money you should be ready to pay. However, some stores will give you a discount if you buy a larger quantity of containers from them – buying boxes in bulk. Always keep an eye out for extra discounts when purchasing moving boxes in larger quantities.
Where you buy them. You should be aware that the same type of boxes can cost differently at different stores. Even the same brand and quality of containers are likely to have differences in pricing due to a wide range of factors. So, it’s always best to do a bit of research before you go on and purchase the boxes you will need to get the job done.

Different types of moving boxes and their costs

Each different type of moving box will have its own price, and the price will also depend on the place that sells the containers. In other words, the best way to answer the How much do moving boxes cost? question is to take a look at each type of container in particular.

Small moving boxes

How much do small moving boxes cost?

The Home Depot: Small moving box with handles: $1.38; Heavy-duty small moving box with handles: $2.48; Small moving box with handles (20-pack): $22.98
Lowe’s: Small cardboard moving box with handle holes: $1.38; Small heavy-duty cardboard moving box with handle holes: $2.48
Walmart: Small recycled moving box: $1.00; Small recycled moving box (25 count): $25.00
Uboxes.com: Small moving boxes (15-pack): $32.81;
U-Haul: Small moving box: $1.35; Small moving box, bundle of 25: $27.25

What to pack in small moving boxes

Medium moving boxes

How much do medium moving boxes cost?

The Home Depot: Medium moving box with handles: $1.98; Heavy-duty medium moving box with handles: $3.48; Small moving box with handles (20-pack): $33.98
Lowe’s: Medium cardboard moving box with handle holes: $1.98; Medium heavy-duty cardboard moving box with handle holes: $3.48
Walmart: Medium extra-strength recycled moving box: $2.64; Medium recycled moving box (25 count): $38.74
Uboxes.com: Medium moving boxes (10-pack): $32.81; Medium moving boxes (20-pack): $46.75;
U-Haul: Medium moving box: $1.55; Medium moving box, bundle of 20: $32.60

Large moving boxes

How much do large moving boxes cost?

The Home Depot: Large moving box with handles: $2.48; Heavy-duty small moving box with handles: $4.98; Small moving box with handles (10-pack): $19.98
Lowe’s: Large cardboard moving box with handle holes: $2.48; Large heavy-duty cardboard moving box with handle holes: $4.98
Walmart: Large recycled moving box: $2.10; Large recycled moving box (25 count): $51.50
Uboxes.com: Large moving boxes (6-pack): $32.81; Large moving boxes (12-pack): $46.75;
U-Haul: Large moving box: $2.35; Large moving box, bundle of 15: $29.55

What to pack in large moving boxes

Wardrobe moving boxes

How much do wardrobe boxes cost?

The Home Depot: Wardrobe moving box with metal hanging bar and handles: $17.98; Heavy-duty wardrobe moving box with metal hanging bar and handles: $23.48;
Lowe’s: Large cardboard wardrobe moving box with handle holes: $17.98; X-large cardboard wardrobe moving box with handle holes: $23.48
Walmart: Small recycled wardrobe packing moving box (4 count): $35.92
Uboxes.com: Shorty wardrobe box (1 pack): $19.97; Larger wardrobe boxes (bundle of 3): $46.75
U-Haul: Small wardrobe moving box: $13.95; Large wardrobe moving box: $13.95

How to make a wardrobe box for moving

Dish Packs

How much do dish boxes cost?

The Home Depot: A dish packing kit (8 packs): $16.98; A dish packing kit (8 packs) + glass divider kit (30 glasses): $20.31;
Lowe’s:
Walmart: Dish and glass moving kit, 16 pouches and 12 corrugate dividers (Box not included): $21.08
Uboxes.com: Kitchen moving boxes (4 pack): $46.75
U-Haul: Dish saver packing kit with box: $12.95

Picture and mirror boxes

How much do picture boxes and mirror boxes cost?

The Home Depot: Heavy-duty medium adjustable TV and picture moving box with handles: $19.98; Heavy-duty large adjustable TV and picture moving box with handles: $29.98
Lowe’s: Medium cardboard television and picture moving box with handle holes: $20.98; Large cardboard television and picture moving box with handle holes: $39.98
Uboxes.com: Picture boxes, 5 sets: $42.50
U-Haul: Mirror and picture moving box: $6.95

Ways to save on moving boxes

Individual standard moving boxes may not seem too expensive for you. However, taking into account the fact that the average number of boxes needed to pack up the content of an entire home is roughly 60, you’ll quickly notice how quickly packing expenses can get out of control.

Luckily, there are several good ways you can save money on moving boxes so that your budget doesn’t get too big of a hit.

Buy in bulk. In most cases, buying boxes in bulk will be cheaper than purchasing boxes individually since retailers tend to make discounts for bulk purchases. You’re going to need those cardboard containers anyway so why not buy them in bulk to save some hard-earned dollars?
Find free moving boxes. Provided that you have enough time to hunt down free boxes for moving, there are numerous ways you can secure the required number of containers without paying for them. It sounds too good to be true, right? Where to get free moving boxes
Reuse boxes. If you have any boxes lying around the house from a previous move or from various purchases over the years, just use those cardboard containers during the packing process. Should you buy new moving boxes?
Rent boxes. Another way to save money on moving boxes is to rent plastic boxes for your packing and moving needs and then return them after the move is complete. There are various companies that offer this type of service so see if this idea can actually work out great in your case. Benefits of plastic moving boxes
Buy used boxes. Check out Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for cheap used boxes in your area. As long as those second-hand cardboard boxes are in good condition, there isn’t any good reason why you shouldn’t use them as a way to keep packing costs to a minimum.

Must-read: 5 major risks when using free moving boxes