How to Set Up Utilities in Arizona

Moving to Arizona? We’ve got all the info you need to set up your utilities. Apartments in Arizona often come with utilities, but you still must set up the services in your name. Homeowners usually have to take a few extra steps to restart utilities (or set them up for the first time). From water and electricity to gas and cable, all it usually takes is a few clicks to get things started. We’ve also put together some helpful resources if you’re looking for a top-notch moving company.

• Water
• Electricity
• Gas
• Internet
• Cable TV

• Full-service movers
• Moving containers
• Rental trucks

Arizona has more than 350 water providers to choose from. While that sounds overwhelming, all you need to do is search for your city. For example, if you’re moving to Flagstaff, type some basic info into your friendly neighborhood search engine, such as “How to set up water in Flagstaff.”

Set-up fees and required paperwork vary by location. In most cases, you must initiate your request in person or on the phone (most cities don’t have online options). For your convenience, we’ve compiled contact info to set up your water in Arizona’s 10 largest cities.

Three companies provide the vast majority of Arizona’s electricity (although there are more than a dozen potential options if you’re moving to a rural area). Arizona Public Service Company is the state’s largest provider and services more than one million customers in northern and central Arizona.

Meanwhile, Tucson Electric Power Company provides power to more than 400,000 residents in southern Arizona. UNS Electric serves about 240,000 residents in northwest Arizona. All three companies will typically let you set up your service online.

The vast majority of Arizona’s gas supply comes from two companies. The state's northern half is served primarily by UNS Gas, and the southern part mostly gets its supply from Southwest Gas Corporation. You can sign up for gas service online or call each company’s customer service number with questions.

Arizona has seven internet providers, but the state’s best internet companies boil down to three main options: Xfinity, Spectrum, and Cox. That’s because they’re widely available and score well when it comes to speed and reliability:

• Xfinity is widely available and easy to install on your own.
• Spectrum is our go-to pick if you need to break your contract without paying cancellation fees.
• Cox is your best bet if you plan to be in Arizona for only a short time (it has plans that don’t require long-term contracts).

Cable providers vary so much from city to city that it’s tough to make a straight-up recommendation. Instead, we recommend you enter your zip code here to find a list of options, and then follow some tips to select the best TV provider:

• Read reviews. See if the company’s strengths and weaknesses line up with your needs. For example, you may want to look for companies with friendly customer service and quick repair times. To narrow down your options, you can read our reviews of companies like Cox, DIRECTV, and Verizon.
• Ask your neighbors. No one knows the nuts and bolts of local cable companies better than the people who live next door. Talk to a few of your neighbors and ask them what they think about their cable company.
• Review channel lineups. Don’t get stuck with a cable company that doesn’t have your favorite sports games or TV shows. Make a list of your top networks, and then check the channel lineups to see if they’re included.
• Find a good price. You usually get what you pay for when it comes to cable. You can often get up to 190 channels for about $60 per month—or 300 channels for $75. If you’re willing to pay top dollar, top-tier cable plans give you more than 400 channels for about $100 per month.

Finding the right moving company can increase your odds of arriving in Arizona on your scheduled move-in date. You can often save money by using high-quality moving services and then put the savings towards your utility costs. We’ve created a list of the most popular resources for moving to Arizona:

• Full-service movers. These companies cost the most but do all the heavy lifting and transporting for you.
• Moving containers. Load your belongings into a portable container and then pay the moving company to transport them to your new home.
• Rental trucks. Packing all your stuff, loading it into a rental truck, and driving that truck to your new home is your cheapest option but also requires the most effort on your part.

Professional movers are the most expensive moving option, but they also do everything for you, ranging from packing and loading to transportation and furniture assembly. The best long-distance moving companies make your life easier with guaranteed quotes, moving insurance, and perks like moving labor and car shipping.

Our favorite long-distance mover is International Van Lines. It has transparent pricing, works with thousands of partners, and has an exhaustive list of services ranging from car shipping to home cleaning. Because full-service moving encompasses everything you own, you’ll need to call the company for a price estimate. It will take a close look at your home to come up with pricing to pack your belongings, load them into the truck, and transport them to your new home.

Here are a few of our other favorite full-service moving companies we recommend:

The best moving container companies are a hybrid between full-service movers and rental trucks. For example, you do some work like loading and unloading yourself. It takes some extra effort but can trim thousands of dollars off your cost. We recommend finding a company with wide availability, low prices, and positive reviews.

U-Pack is our favorite moving container company. Not only are its prices about $400 lower than the competition, but it also gets excellent customer reviews and has a simple online quote process. 1-800-PACK-RAT, PODS, Zippy Shell, and SMARTBOX are a few other container moving container companies we like to recommend.

There’s no cheaper way to move than using one of the best truck rental companies. However, rental trucks also require you to do most of the work. We recommend this option primarily for those on a budget. Look for a company with low prices, wide availability, several truck sizes, and positive customer reviews.

Our top pick is Penske Truck Rental. It has the best prices for long-distance moves, includes unlimited mileage for one-way trips, and even has discounts to boot. Penske may not have as many locations as U-Haul, but it scores higher in a head-to-head comparison. Here is how Penske and U-Haul stack up with the best truck rental companies:

There are hundreds of companies that offer utility services in Arizona. However, it’s not as overwhelming as you might think. You can usually narrow down your options to a small handful of companies. All you need is the name of your city to find the best service providers in your area. In most cases, you can set up your utilities online.

It’s also easy to track down the best moving companies for your relocation to Arizona. We’ve identified the three companies most likely to fit your needs:

1. International Van Lines. Pricey but convenient. Full-service movers do all the work so you can sit back and relax.
2. U-Pack. The lowest-cost, high-quality moving container company on the market. It’s a hybrid between expensive professional movers and DIY rental trucks.
3. Penske. It may not have U-Haul’s name recognition, but we haven’t found a better truck rental company. There isn’t a better option than Penske if you need to move on the cheap.

Utilities aren’t cheap. Renters can expect to pay about $240 per month, while homeowners often face monthly bills upward of $400.

Tucson, Arizona, has the state’s lowest cost of living. Tucson residents pay a monthly average of approximately $1,330 for utilities, rent, food, and fuel—or less than half as much as the nation’s most expensive cities.

Arizona requires you to stop at a weigh station if your rental truck and all of your belongings weigh more than 10,000 pounds. If you’re not sure how much everything weighs, play it safe and pull into the first weigh station you see.

You can find military housing on or near one of Arizona’s seven military installations by browsing the free Automated Housing Referral Network database.

• Best Long-Distance Moving Companies
• Best Moving Container Companies
• Best Truck Rental Companies
• Best Car Shipping Companies
• Best Storage Unit Companies

●     How Much Do Utilities Cost?

●     Do I Need Moving Insurance?

●     How Much Do Moving Containers Cost?

●     What are the Best Storage Unit Locks?

●     Where Can I Find Free Moving Boxes?