Moving Truck Size Calculator
Find the right moving truck size based on your home size and amount of stuff.
Get recommendations for the right rental truck.
Moving truck size is selected based on the total volume of your belongings in cubic feet (or cubic meters), matched against the truck’s cargo capacity.
Estimating your load volume:
Total Volume = Σ (Item Volume × Quantity)
Furniture volume is approximated as a rectangular bounding box:
Item Volume = Length × Width × Height
Standard truck sizes and typical use:
| Truck Size | Cargo Volume | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo van / 10 ft | 250–300 ft³ | Studio apartment, 1–2 rooms |
| 12–15 ft truck | 400–600 ft³ | 1-bedroom apartment |
| 17–20 ft truck | 700–900 ft³ | 2-bedroom apartment |
| 22–26 ft truck | 1,000–1,800 ft³ | 3–4 bedroom home |
Worked example: You are moving a 2-bedroom apartment. Estimated inventory: sofa (50 ft³), bed frame (40 ft³), mattress queen (30 ft³), dresser (20 ft³), dining table (25 ft³), 40 boxes (each ~2.5 ft³ → 100 ft³). Total ≈ 50+40+30+20+25+100 = 265 ft³ Add 20% packing buffer (odd shapes, air gaps): 265 × 1.2 = 318 ft³ Recommendation: 12–15 ft truck with room to spare.
Cost factors:
Total Cost = Base Rental Rate + (Miles × Per-Mile Rate) + Fuel + Insurance
Money-saving tips:
- Book 2–4 weeks in advance for best rates
- Mid-week (Tuesday–Thursday) moves are often 20–30% cheaper than weekends
- One-way truck rentals cost more than round-trip — factor this in for cross-country moves
- Overestimate slightly — a second trip is far more expensive than one bigger truck
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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