wiil they charge $$ at the apple store to transfer data to my new macbook

Last time I needed to do something like this at my large-ish suburban Boston USA store, they directed me to a table in the back corner, where several other users were hard at work in various stages of transferring their data between devices. A wide variety of cables was available for borrowing to make the transfer easier, and an Apple representative, like a teacher or camp counselor, was available to help you get started or to answer questions if you got stuck.

Ample support was the item on offer. This was not a completed process 'done-for-you'. There was no charge for anything. Apple wants you to be happy customer, if possible.

Hello arnold151,

Thank you for reaching out to Apple Support Communities, and we'll be happy to help in any way we can. We understand you have questions about transferring data at an Apple Store. We recommend calling the location that you choose to make sure they're open and can assist you. You can find an Apple Authorized Service Provider closest to you to make a reservation, and have the transfer done if you go to this link: Find Locations - Apple

We hope this helps.

Cheers!