Your company just offered you a lump sum to relocate, and the question you actually want answered isn't "what's a typical relocation package" — it's "does this specific number work for the specific move I'm making." Generic relocation calculators will hand you a moving-cost estimate and stop there. That's half the answer. The other half is what happens to your budget every month after you arrive, and for how long.
Here's a real, worked example using our Relocation Package Calculator, for one of the most common moves we see: Louisville, KY to Nashville, TN.
The Scenario
- Moving from: Louisville, KY
- Moving to: Nashville, TN
- Household: Studio/1BR
- Move type: DIY
- Salary: $65,000
- Relocation package offered: $12,000
The Verdict
The one-time moving cost for this move estimates at $700–$2,000, depending on exactly how much you're moving and how you're moving it. Even at the high end of that range, your $12,000 package covers the move itself with roughly $10,000+ left over.
That leftover amount matters because moving to Nashville from Louisville comes with a real, ongoing monthly cost increase — the tool computes this from actual cost-of-living and tax differences between the two cities, not a guess. If you're renting, that increase is modest enough that the remaining balance of your package covers about 68 months — nearly six years — before you're absorbing the difference yourself out of pocket. If you're buying, the mortgage-driven cost increase is larger, so the same leftover balance covers about 21 months — just under two years.
That's not a value judgment on Louisville-to-Nashville as a move. It's what the actual numbers say about this specific package size, for this specific move, and it's genuinely useful information whether you're deciding whether to accept the offer or deciding whether to ask for more.
Why the Renting vs. Buying Gap Is So Big
The difference between 68 months and 21 months isn't a rounding error — it's the entire logic of the calculator working correctly. Rent and property taxes/mortgage costs move at very different rates between markets, and a package that comfortably absorbs one can barely dent the other. If you're planning to rent for a year or two before buying, that 68-month runway is the more relevant number for your near-term budget. If you're buying immediately, plan around the 21-month number instead.
Try It With Your Own Numbers
Every move is different — your salary, your household size, your origin city, and your destination all change the math. Run your own scenario and see exactly what your package covers.
Is Your Relocation Package Enough?
Enter your own move and package amount. We'll show you what it covers, what's left over, and for how long.
Try the Calculator →