UNITED STATES—
Key Takeaways
- Los Angeles is the origin of four of the nation’s 10 busiest long-distance relocation corridors, more than any other city. Together, these four routes account for 188,660 annual movers, or 43% of the total volume across the top 10 national corridors.
- Shipping a vehicle out of L.A. saves an average of $1,528, or 50.0%, compared to driving. On the two cross-country routes (L.A. to Miami and L.A. to NYC), savings exceed $2,300 per move.
- The L.A. to NYC corridor ($3,887) and L.A. to Miami corridor ($3,866) are the two most expensive routes to drive in the entire national study. Gas accounts for less than 10% of total driving cost on every L.A. route.
No city in America sends more long-distance movers down the highway than Los Angeles. Four of the nation’s 10 busiest relocation corridors originate in L.A., spanning destinations from Dallas to New York City. But a new route-level analysis reveals that Angelenos who drive their vehicles to new cities are dramatically overpaying. Across L.A.’s four highest-volume outbound corridors, driving a vehicle costs an average of $2,853, while shipping that same vehicle averages just $1,326. That’s a gap of $1,528 per move.
With 188,660 people making these moves annually, the collective overspend from driving tops $247 million every year.
The study, conducted by RoadRunner Auto Transport, isolates every Los Angeles–origin corridor from a broader national analysis of the 10 highest-volume U.S. relocation routes (500+ miles), identified by the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. Driving costs include fuel, depreciation, maintenance, lodging, meals, and lost wages. Shipping costs are based on Kelley Blue Book data (January 2026) reflecting average quotes from eight transport companies.
Ship It or Drive It: Los Angeles Route-by-Route Breakdown
| # | City Pair | Miles | Total Drive | Ship Cost | You Save | Days | % Saved |
| 1 | Los Angeles → Dallas | 1,435 | $1,909 | $1,132 | $777 | 3 | 40.7% |
| 2 | Los Angeles → Seattle | 1,135 | $1,751 | $1,055 | $696 | 3 | 39.7% |
| 3 | Los Angeles → Miami | 2,750 | $3,866 | $1,547 | $2,319 | 6 | 60.0% |
| 4 | Los Angeles → NYC | 2,790 | $3,887 | $1,569 | $2,318 | 6 | 59.6% |
| AVERAGE / TOTAL | 2,028 | $2,853 | $1,326 | $1,528 | 4.5 | 50.0% |
Shipping saves money on every single L.A. outbound corridor. The average L.A. mover stands to save $1,528, with savings percentages ranging from 39.7% on L.A. to Seattle (1,135 miles) to 60.0% on L.A. to Miami (2,750 miles). The two cross-country routes, to Miami and NYC, each save more than $2,300, while the two mid-range routes to Dallas and Seattle each save approximately $700. Across all four corridors, more than 188,660 Angelenos relocate each year, meaning the collective overspend from driving could exceed $247 million annually.
Where Shipping Saves the Most: L.A. Routes by Dollar Savings
| # | City Pair | Miles | Total Drive | Ship Cost | You Save by Shipping |
| 1 | Los Angeles → Miami | 2,750 | $3,866 | $1,547 | $2,319 |
| 2 | Los Angeles → NYC | 2,790 | $3,887 | $1,569 | $2,318 |
| 3 | Los Angeles → Dallas | 1,435 | $1,909 | $1,132 | $777 |
| 4 | Los Angeles → Seattle | 1,135 | $1,751 | $1,055 | $696 |
The two cross-country routes dominate the savings chart. L.A. to Miami tops the list at $2,319, the highest savings of any corridor in the entire national study, followed by L.A. to NYC at $2,318, just one dollar behind. L.A. to Dallas delivers $777 in savings, and L.A. to Seattle saves $696. The data is clear: the longer the drive out of Los Angeles, the wider the cost gap between driving and shipping.
The Gas Illusion: Why L.A. Movers Underestimate the True Cost of Driving
| City Pair | Gas Cost | Total Drive Cost | Gas % of Total | Depreciation |
| Los Angeles → Dallas | $184 | $1,909 | 9.6% | $415 |
| Los Angeles → Seattle | $146 | $1,751 | 8.3% | $328 |
| Los Angeles → Miami | $353 | $3,866 | 9.1% | $794 |
| Los Angeles → NYC | $358 | $3,887 | 9.2% | $806 |
Across all four L.A. corridors, gas accounts for less than 10% of the total cost of driving. On the L.A. to Dallas route, fuel costs $184 out of a $1,909 total, only 9.6%. On the cross-country L.A. to NYC route, gas is $358 out of $3,887, just 9.2%. Meanwhile, depreciation consistently costs 2.25× more than fuel on every route. For L.A. movers, who already pay some of the highest gas prices in the nation, the instinct to fixate on fuel costs is understandable, but misguided.
What Driving Out of L.A. Really Costs: A Six-Component Breakdown
| City Pair | Gas | Depreciation | Maintenance | Hotels & Meals | Lost Wages | Total Drive |
| Los Angeles → Dallas | $184 | $415 | $158 | $424 | $728 | $1,909 |
| Los Angeles → Seattle | $146 | $328 | $125 | $424 | $728 | $1,751 |
| Los Angeles → Miami | $353 | $794 | $304 | $958 | $1,457 | $3,866 |
| Los Angeles → NYC | $358 | $806 | $308 | $958 | $1,457 | $3,887 |
The most expensive route to drive out of Los Angeles is L.A. to NYC at $3,887, followed by L.A. to Miami at $3,866. On both routes, lost wages ($1,457) represent the single largest cost component, six days of driving at the national median wage. Hotels and meals ($958) add another major expense. Together, these time-related costs total $2,415 on each cross-country route, more than the entire shipping quote plus $846. Even on the shorter L.A. to Dallas route ($1,909 total), lost wages ($728) and hotels ($424) combine for $1,152, more than the $1,132 shipping cost by itself.
Los Angeles’s Busiest Outbound Corridors: Where the Most People Move
| # | City Pair | Annual Movers | Total Drive | Ship Cost | You Save |
| 1 | Los Angeles → Dallas | 77,161 | $1,909 | $1,132 | $777 |
| 2 | Los Angeles → Seattle | 43,938 | $1,751 | $1,055 | $696 |
| 3 | Los Angeles → Miami | 36,194 | $3,866 | $1,547 | $2,319 |
| 4 | Los Angeles → NYC | 31,367 | $3,887 | $1,569 | $2,318 |
L.A. to Dallas leads with 77,161 annual movers, the single busiest long-distance relocation corridor in the entire country, reflecting the ongoing California-to-Texas migration trend. L.A. to Seattle follows with 43,938 movers, driven by the Pacific Northwest’s growing tech sector and lower cost of living. L.A. to Miami (36,194) and L.A. to NYC (31,367) represent cross-country moves to the nation’s two largest East Coast metros. Together, these four corridors account for 188,660 relocations annually, 43% of the total volume across the nation’s top 10 routes, with combined potential savings of more than $247 million if every mover chose to ship.
Complete Los Angeles Corridor Data: Full Driving Cost Breakdown
| # | City Pair | Annual Movers | Miles | Gas | Deprec. | Maint. | Hotels & Meals | Lost Wages | Total Drive | Ship Cost | You Save | Days | % Saved |
| 1 | Los Angeles → Dallas | 77,161 | 1,435 | $184 | $415 | $158 | $424 | $728 | $1,909 | $1,132 | $777 | 3 | 40.7% |
| 2 | Los Angeles → Seattle | 43,938 | 1,135 | $146 | $328 | $125 | $424 | $728 | $1,751 | $1,055 | $696 | 3 | 39.7% |
| 3 | Los Angeles → Miami | 36,194 | 2,750 | $353 | $794 | $304 | $958 | $1,457 | $3,866 | $1,547 | $2,319 | 6 | 60.0% |
| 4 | Los Angeles → NYC | 31,367 | 2,790 | $358 | $806 | $308 | $958 | $1,457 | $3,887 | $1,569 | $2,318 | 6 | 59.6% |
| AVG / TOTAL | 188,660 | 2,028 | $260 | $586 | $224 | $691 | $1,093 | $2,853 | $1,326 | $1,528 | 4.5 | 50.0% |
The table above presents every available data point for the four Los Angeles–origin corridors, including the full six-component driving cost breakdown (gas, depreciation, maintenance, hotels and meals, and lost wages), annual mover volume, shipping costs, dollar savings, drive days, and percentage saved. All figures are derived from the underlying national dataset.
Methodology
This analysis isolates all Los Angeles–origin corridors from a broader study comparing the full cost of driving versus shipping a vehicle across the 10 highest-volume U.S. relocation corridors (500+ miles), identified from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. Driving costs include six components: fuel (AAA national average, March 3, 2026: $3.109/gal; 24.24 MPG), depreciation (28.89¢/mile, AAA 2025), maintenance (11.04¢/mile, AAA 2025), lodging ($110/night, GSA FY2026), meals ($68/day, GSA FY2026), and lost wages ($242.80/day, BLS Q3 2025 median). Shipping costs reflect Kelley Blue Book averages (January 2026) from eight transport companies.
Data Sources
AAA Your Driving Costs (2025)
https://newsroom.aaa.com/auto/your-driving-costs/
EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices
https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/
Research Dataset:
Study By:
https://www.roadrunnerautotransport.com/
About RoadRunner Auto Transport
RoadRunner Auto Transport is a leading nationwide vehicle shipping provider, connecting customers with a network of over 25,000 certified carriers. Specializing in safe, reliable transport for cars, SUVs, and trucks, RoadRunner leverages data-driven logistics to navigate complex routes, including severe winter conditions, to ensure every vehicle arrives safely.
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