Unpack Property
Costs - Tool 04

Moving Costs Calculator

Removalists, cleaning, connections, furniture, admin. Everyone forgets about these. Total your moving-day budget in under a minute.

  • About 2 minutes
  • Prices verified April 2026
  • Free, no sign-up

About your move

Move type

Local (under 50km).

Property type

Townhouses count as houses, units as apartments.

Added on top for surprises. Many people allow about 10%.

Line items

Toggle items in or out and fine-tune the numbers to match your situation. Defaults use 2026 Australian averages.

Moving day$2,010

Pro movers including truck, insurance, 2-4 crew.

20-40 moving boxes, tape, bubble wrap, markers.

Bond-back professional clean including carpets & oven.

Rekey 3-4 doors on settlement day for peace of mind.

Setup & connections$310

Combined connection fees across energy retailers + water.

New connection fee plus first month plan (~$70-90/mo).

$36.95 for 1 mo, $79.95 for 3 mo, $154.95 for 12 mo.

National avg ~$660/yr contents-only. Postcode swings a lot.

Admin & updates$395

Online address change is free in every state. Reissuing a card is ~$30-50.

ABS average full-time day rate is ~$395. Opportunity cost if unpaid.

Optional extras$0

Mattress, couch, dining, white goods for a sparse fitout.

Crate hire or short drive with carrier.

Usually only for apartments - toggle on if relevant.

Total moving-day budget

$2,987

A 2 bed local (under 50km) move with the items you've ticked comes to about $2,987, including a 10% contingency buffer.

Subtotal
$2,715
Buffer (10%)
$272
Line items
9

Furniture top-up toggled off

You saved roughly $7,500 by assuming you already have the essentials. Mattresses, couches, and white goods are the big-ticket hidden buys if you don't.

Moving day is your biggest bucket

$2,010 across this group - about 74% of your pre-buffer spend. Worth getting competing quotes on the biggest line item here.

Where the money goes

Your budget by group, before and after the contingency buffer.

Moving day (74%)
$2,010
Setup & connections (11%)
$310
Admin & updates (15%)
$395
Contingency buffer (10%)
$272
Total
$2,987

Your budget, line by line

Every line counted in the total. Change or untick any of them in step 2, Line items.

Moving day

Removalists
$1,100
Boxes & packing supplies
$180
End-of-lease / move-out clean
$450
Locksmith / rekey locks
$280

Setup & connections

Utility connections (electricity, gas, water)
$75
Internet / NBN setup
$100
Australia Post mail redirection (3 months)
$80
Contents insurance (first month)
$55

Admin & updates

Time off work (1 unpaid day)
$395

Not included: New driver's licence card, Furniture essentials top-up, Pet transport, Strata / lift booking fee.

Share your moving budget

Copies every included line, the subtotal, buffer and total as plain text.

Defaults verified April 2026 - Australian mid-point figures sourced from Muval, Finder, AusPost, MoneySmart and ABS. Adjust each line to your own quotes.

Keep going

Tools people usually open when they budget for the move.

True Cost CalculatorHidden costs of house and land: site works, landscaping, fencing, coverings.3 minFirst-Year Cost SimulatorSee month-by-month what the first year of ownership actually costs - mortgage plus every other line that nobody mentions.3 minSettlement Adjustment CalculatorAt settlement you reimburse the seller for prepaid council rates, water, and strata. Compute it line by line.2 minStamp Duty CalculatorPer-state estimate with FHB concessions auto-applied, foreign surcharges, total upfront.1 min

Moving day, explained

Most people budget for the removalist and maybe the cleaner. Utility connections, internet setup, mail redirection, contents insurance, lock changes, and a furniture top-up quickly add another $2,000-$8,000. Grouping them all upfront avoids credit-card surprises in the first 60 days.
Data verified April 2026

For illustration only. This tool does not constitute personal financial advice. Grant amounts, caps, and eligibility rules may change. Federal scheme caps shown are for capital city/regional centres and may differ for other areas. Always verify with your state revenue office and Housing Australia, and consider seeking independent financial advice before making decisions.