Moving Cost Calculator
Moving cost by home size and distance, including the return leg that most quotes bury and the floor charges that surprise people on moving day. Transit insurance at one and a half percent of declared value is the cheapest part of the bill and the most often declined.
Also called: packers and movers cost, relocation cost calculator.
$50,000.00 to move 350 km, of which $24,500.00 is transport and $18,000.00 packing. Packing and loading scales with volume rather than floor area, so the two bedroom band sets 18000 of the bill before anything moves. There are no floor charges, which is worth confirming in writing before the day. Transit insurance of 7500 is 15% of the bill and the only cover against the one risk a move carries. Transport includes the vehicle returning empty, which is why 350 km costs 24500 rather than 12250.
The estimate
| Item | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Packing and loading | $18,000 | 36% |
| Transport | $24,500 | 49% |
| Floor charges | $0 | 0% |
| Transit insurance | $7,500 | 15% |
How this is calculated
Packing and loading scales with the volume of a home rather than its floor area, so the size band does most of the work. Distance is charged per kilometre and usually includes the vehicle returning empty, which effectively doubles the rate on a one-way move and is the line most often misread in a quote. Floor charges apply where there is no lift and are per floor per trip, which adds up quickly on a third floor walk-up. Insurance is the item to buy: at one and a half percent of declared value it is a small fraction of the bill, and it is the only protection against the one risk a move actually carries.
a base charge scaled by home size, plus a distance charge that usually includes the return leg- b
- Base charge
- m
- Size multiplier
- k
- Return factor
Method and limits
What it assumes
- A single vehicle load, since a second vehicle changes the structure of the quote.
What it deliberately does not model
- Storage between dates, dismantling of large furniture and specialist packing are charged separately.
- Peak season and month-end demand raise rates substantially in most cities.
Formula version 1.0.0 · definition 1.0.0 · United States · Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
- Why does the quote include the return journey?
- Because the vehicle has to get back and the operator prices for it. On a one-way move that effectively doubles the per-kilometre rate, and it is the line most often misread when comparing quotes.
- Is transit insurance worth it?
- Almost always. At around one and a half percent of declared value it is a small part of the bill and the only cover against the single risk a move carries.