How much money should I save before moving to a new city?

Build the number line by line from real quotes rather than guessing.

• The move: truck rental and fuel, movers or a shipping container, or flights plus shipped boxes.
• Travel: getting yourself, and any car or pets, to the new city.
• Temporary housing: nights or weeks before your lease starts.
• Move-in costs: first month's rent, security deposit, application fees, and in some cities a broker fee or last month's rent.
• Setup: utility and internet deposits or connection fees, and basic furniture and household items.
• Overlap: any rent you still owe at your old place.
• Cushion: living costs until your first paycheck, which can take several weeks after you start a job.

Example: moving to a $1,600 apartment that asks for first month and a one-month deposit already needs $3,200 before anything else on the list. Add a couple of weeks in a furnished rental and a truck, and the total climbs fast.

If your employer offers relocation money, find out whether it is paid upfront or reimbursed later. For a closer look at move-in costs, see rent and applications.