Moving house prices, route by route
Removalist prices by bedrooms, city and interstate route, plus what regulators say. Every figure links to its source.
- Sydney to Melbourne, 3-bedroom home: $2,500-$5,000 with a dedicated truck, $1,400-$3,000 by backloading.
- Sydney to Brisbane, 3-bedroom home: $2,800-$5,500 with a dedicated truck, $1,600-$3,200 by backloading.
- Sydney to Adelaide, 3-bedroom home: $3,000-$6,500 with a dedicated truck, $1,800-$4,000 by backloading.
- Sydney to Perth, 3-bedroom home: $4,000-$9,000 with a dedicated truck, $2,500-$5,500 by backloading.
- Melbourne to Adelaide, 3-bedroom home: $2,000-$4,500 with a dedicated truck, $1,200-$2,800 by backloading.
- Melbourne to Brisbane, 3-bedroom home: $3,000-$6,500 with a dedicated truck, $1,800-$4,000 by backloading.
- Melbourne to Perth, 3-bedroom home: $4,500-$9,500 with a dedicated truck, $2,500-$5,500 by backloading.
- Brisbane to Adelaide, 3-bedroom home: $3,500-$7,500 with a dedicated truck, $2,000-$4,500 by backloading.
- Brisbane to Perth, 3-bedroom home: $5,000-$11,000 with a dedicated truck, $3,000-$6,500 by backloading.
- Adelaide to Perth, 3-bedroom home: $3,500-$8,000 with a dedicated truck, $2,000-$5,000 by backloading.
How many bedrooms are moving?
Totals for a local move, from three 2026 price guides. Pick a size.
1-bedroom home
2-bedroom home
3-bedroom home
Interstate departures
A 3-bedroom home on 10 routes. Backloading shares the truck with other households, so it costs less and takes longer: 4-10 days↗ from Sydney to Melbourne, against 2-4 days↗ with a truck of your own.
| Route | Distance | Dedicated truck | Backloading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney to Melbourne | 872 km | $2,500-$5,000↗ | $1,400-$3,000↗ |
| Sydney to Brisbane | 918 km | $2,800-$5,500↗ | $1,600-$3,200↗ |
| Sydney to Adelaide | 1,376 km | $3,000-$6,500↗ | $1,800-$4,000↗ |
| Sydney to Perth | 3,930 km | $4,000-$9,000↗ | $2,500-$5,500↗ |
| Melbourne to Adelaide | 730 km | $2,000-$4,500↗ | $1,200-$2,800↗ |
| Melbourne to Brisbane | 1,750 km | $3,000-$6,500↗ | $1,800-$4,000↗ |
| Melbourne to Perth | 3,420 km | $4,500-$9,500↗ | $2,500-$5,500↗ |
| Brisbane to Adelaide | 2,040 km | $3,500-$7,500↗ | $2,000-$4,500↗ |
| Brisbane to Perth | 4,310 km | $5,000-$11,000↗ | $3,000-$6,500↗ |
| Adelaide to Perth | 2,700 km | $3,500-$8,000↗ | $2,000-$5,000↗ |
What regulators say before you book
Five plain rules from the NSW, Queensland and Western Australian governments. Each links to the page it came from.
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Your goods may not be insured
Removalists are not required by law↗ to insure your belongings during a move.
NSW Government
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Most insure the truck only
Most removalist companies hold insurance covering their vehicle only↗ in an accident.
NSW Government
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Bring your own cover
You will probably need your own insurance↗ for damage or loss.
Queensland Government
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Keep the last payment
Do not pay upfront, and accept no final payment halfway through↗.
Consumer Protection WA
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Ask for proof, then a quote
Request a Certificate of Currency↗, and get a written, itemised quote↗.
Consumer Protection WA and NSW Government
Run a removal business? Every ad click has a price.
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For removalistsWork out what your move costs
- By size
Moving house cost by bedrooms
Local move totals for 1 to 4 bedrooms, Australia-wide, in Sydney and in Melbourne.
3-bed local move $800-$2,000 - SYD
Removalist cost in Sydney
Hourly rates by crew tier, totals by home size and the extra charges Sydney movers add.
Budget crew $110-$145/hr - MEL
Removalist cost in Melbourne
Rates for two and three movers, totals by bedrooms, and what Consumer Affairs Victoria warns about.
Typical rate $147 an hour - Interstate
Interstate removalist costs
10 routes, dedicated truck against backloading, and two guides that disagree on Sydney to Melbourne.
SYD to MEL backload $1,400-$3,000 - Storage
Storage unit costs
Median monthly prices by unit size and city, and how stored goods are insured.
Medium unit $210/mo - Backload
Backloading, explained
How sharing a truck cuts the price of an interstate move, and what it costs you in time.
Delivery window 4-10 days - Insurance
Removalist insurance: what is covered
What transit insurance covers, what a removalist usually insures, and what to ask for.
Insuring your goods not required by law - Scams
How to avoid removalist scams
The tactics regulators describe, the licence question, and where to complain.
ACCC penalty $30,600 - Quotes
How to compare removalist quotes
A checklist built from five state consumer agencies: what every quote should say.
WA advice three written quotes
Moving soon? Ask removalists who cover your route for a written, itemised quote.
Get quotes