How much does moving cost?

Whatever reasons motivate you to move, the question of how much your move costs or will cost is certainly going to arise. This article aims to help you better understand this subject. First, you should know that you can move using the cheapest option or the comfort option, which will be more expensive.

1. The cheapest option: moving yourself

No, this is not a mistake: we have indeed put “cheapest” and not “free” because every move has a cost!

If you are looking for a more affordable option for your move, this solution is perfectly suitable. To do this, here is the list of expenses and charges that you will need to budget for to move at your own expense:

• Packing your belongings: you will need newspaper paper to cushion fragile items and boxes to pack everything. If you can find free boxes in large supermarkets, it is highly likely that this will not exactly meet your needs and that you should still buy specific moving boxes. These large boxes cost between one and ten euros.
• Hiring a moving hoist: if you live in a flat, you may need a moving hoist, which costs 100 to 150 euros to hire with a minimum reservation fee of 80 euros.
• Handling: if you want to reduce costs further, you can carry the boxes yourself. Otherwise, budget around 50 euros for a private removal worker.
• Transport: if there are several boxes to transport or you do not have a car, you will need to use a carrier. The average hire price is charged per cubic metre or per day of hire. The most economical option will reach 50 euros and the maximum will be around 100 euros.

2. The “comfort”, but more expensive option: the removal company

Have you decided to pay the price in return for a certain level of comfort and less work? You have well chosen to opt for the removal company option. Removal companies generally offer three options:

• The full option: you would have nothing else to do than pay the bill, which is usually estimated at between 1,000 and 2,000 euros.
• The minimum option: you pack and the removal company transports your boxes from your old home to your new address. Budget around 750 euros for this.
• The standard option: the removal company only packs and unpacks your belongings. In this case, you should budget around 900 to 1,500 euros. This is excluding the cost of packing materials.

You should not only go by the price, but carefully examine the service offers that come with it. Generally speaking, be aware that the fee is calculated according to the distance of the move or the floor area to be moved (some companies charge per square metre or cubic metre). Do not hesitate to use a price comparison tool before deciding on the solution to take.