How Much Does it Cost to Move to Brooklyn?

NYC is one of the most expensive cities in the world so it should come at no surprise how expensive moving to Brooklyn can be. Whether  you’re moving locally or long-distance, cost is always a concern and moving costs in particular are easy to overlook and/or underestimate. If you’re moving to Brooklyn and want to set your budget, the guide below can help you plan accordingly.

Moving to Brooklyn

Brooklyn has become one of the most popular boroughs in NYC and each neighborhood has its own vibe, so it’s important to know what you want beforehand. Are you a young professional who wants a decent nightlife? Then you might want to move to Williamsburg or Bushwick. Or perhaps you’re a young family who wants access to family-friendly activities. Then places like Park Slope or Brooklyn Heights might be more your speed. 

When choosing a neighborhood, list out all your requirements first. That includes things like access to trains, amenities, distance to your job and/or Manhattan, and so on. From there, do a bit of research to find a place that matches your needs and see if you can get a short-term lease in a Brooklyn neighborhood you like. Go for a furnished place and stay for at least a month. In that time, really get a feel for the place and see if it’s practical for your lifestyle. A 30 minute commute on paper might not sound so bad, but you might feel differently when you have to actually experience it every day.

If you don’t have the option to do a short-term rental then work with a broker or real estate agent. Not only can help find good deals, they can also provide insight into the neighborhoods and amenities. Just remember that when you go through this professional service that you might need to pay additional money on top of all the other moving costs. We’ll talk more about that later!

Move-in Costs for Brooklyn

Brooklyn isn’t cheap, but you can find places for under $2,000 if you’re willing to commute a bit further. When looking for an apartment, many landlords and building owners require you to make an annual income of 40x the monthly rent.. That means if you find a place that is $2,000 you should make at least $80,000. Of course, you can offset them with roommates or you can get a guarantor, though the guarantors usually will need to have an annual income of 60x the monthly rent. Of course, having a good income is just one part of the application process. You’ll need to be able to pay:

• Application fee – usually $50 for a background check and screening
• Security deposit – this is usually the same amount as one month’s rent
• Broker’s fee – not applicable to all apartments, but if you rent through a broker, you will need to pay a fee. How much you pay depends on the company, but most charge around 15% of the annual rent. That means a $2,000 apartment will cost you $3,600 for the broker fee.

And don’t forget you’ll also need to put down the first month’s rent once you have been approved. In total, you could spend around $7,650 just for your move-in costs! If you have pets, you might have to pay a pet deposit as well as an extra charge in your monthly rent.

Moving Costs for Brooklyn

Now that you have your apartment, you’ll need to relocate all of your stuff from your old place to your new one. While you can save money going the DIY route, many people opt to hire professional movers to reduce stress and potential injuries and save time. If you’re moving within NYC, hiring professional movers could cost as little as $200. You can easily get a quote from any reputable moving company to figure out how much it will cost you. Just make sure you provide as much detail as possible for the most accurate estimate. In general, your custom quote is based on the following:

• Size of your move – how much you’re moving will affect your overall moving costs. Moving only a handful of boxes will always be cheaper than moving an entire three bedroom apartment. It’s in your best interest to reduce your belongings as much as possible. Plus, if you only end up with a few boxes, you might not even have to hire professional movers!
• Additional services – do you need to store your belongings for a few weeks or months before you can move into your new place? Would you like help with the packing and/or unpacking process? Many moving companies offer these services but it will cost you more money.
• Travel time – when looking for a moving company, try to find ones that are local to you. Movers will start the clock the second they leave their headquarters and only stop the clock once the truck has returned back to headquarters so the closer your homes are to the moving company’s location, the better
• Extra fees – do the movers have to go up any flights of stairs in your new or old apartment? Will you require a certificate of insurance in order to let the movers into your building (call your landlord or management company to find out)? Mention it! Many movers do charge an extra fee for these items. And always ask what else they might charge for like long-carry, bulky furniture, etc.
• Tip – while this is optional, it’s still good practice to set aside some money to tip the moving crew. For local moves, you can either tip 10-15% of the final bill or $10 per person per hour.

Additional Moving Costs

Whether you hire professional Brooklyn movers or not, there are certain moving costs you won’t be able to completely avoid, most notably the cost of moving supplies. Luckily, you can find ways to reduce how much out-of-pocket money you need to spend, but you will need to plan ahead. If not, you might run into a surprise bill of hundreds of dollars, which can throw off your moving budget by a lot: 

• Boxes – avoid buying new as much as possible. If you know you’re moving, start saving boxes from your online orders. Ask friends, neighbors, or family members for any extra boxes. Or ask the office mailroom if they have any boxes they are getting rid of. The less you need to buy, the better.
• Tape – packing tape isn’t super expensive, but it’s also an easy item to forget. You can get either plastic tape or use the paper packing ones. Either work!
• Packing paper – while a huge roll of packing paper isn’t expensive, you might have enough loose paper lying around to use. Save things like junkmail, newspaper, magazines, etc. as box stuffers
• Bubble wrap – this might be the one supply you should buy new. Popped bubble wrap won’t do you any good and most people have several fragile items that need to be wrapped. 
• Tools – it might sound weird to buy stuff for a move, but if you don’t already have a toolbox, it’s time to get one. You’ll want it to disassemble and reassemble your furniture as well as fix up any holes or issues in your old apartment. 

Ready to Move to Brooklyn?

A move to Brooklyn might not be cheap, but it also doesn’t have to break the bank. So long as you set realistic expectations on what you can afford, you can find a place in Brooklyn that suits your needs. Once you’re ready to move, give NYC Great Movers a call! We have thousands of satisfied customers who have moved to Brooklyn and we can walk you through our process.

FAQ