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How much does a removalist cost?

Two removalists and a truck cost about $111 to $200 an hour, and a local move usually runs $300 to $650 for a one-bedroom home up to $1,500 to $2,700 for four bedrooms. Interstate moves are often quoted by volume and start around $1,800.

Two movers and a truck, weekday, per hour:$111–$200 per hour

Updated 19 October 2026 · 2 min read · GST basis not confirmed by sources. Check GST on every quote.

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On this page
  1. How a removalist works out the price
  2. What it costs, by scenario
  3. What changes the price
  4. What's usually included, and what isn't
  5. Metro and regional differences
  6. Licensing and compliance
  7. Before you accept a quote, check
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sources and method

How a removalist works out the price

Most local moves are charged by the hour for a crew and a truck, with a minimum booking of two or three hours and billing in 15 or 30 minute blocks after that. Travel from the depot to your home is often charged as time, as a flat call-out fee or built into the hourly rate. Longer and interstate moves are usually quoted by volume in cubic metres and distance. Packing, stairs, long carries, fuel levies and storage are common extras.

  1. Crew size and truck size set the hourly rate
  2. Minimum booking, usually two to three hours, then billed in 15 or 30 minute blocks
  3. Travel time or a call-out fee from the depot, depending on the company
  4. Extras: stairs, long carries, heavy items, packing and materials, fuel levy
  5. Weekend, public holiday or peak-season loading, and GST on the total

Worked example: Local weekday move, two-bedroom home, two movers and a truck (illustrative, not a quote)

Labour and truck, 5 hours at $150 an hour
$750
Travel time from the depot, 1 hour at $150
$150
Stairs, one flight at $65 (the middle of $50 to $80 a flight)
$65
Total
$965 total (illustrative)

What it costs, by scenario

Low, typical and high prices. Built on 19 October 2026 from a marketplace cost guide, two compiled price guides, four removalists' own published rates and a consumer organisation article. Ranges stay inside figures at least two sources share where they overlap; the interstate, storage and packing figures rest on fewer sources, and typical figures are editorial mid-points where no source gives one. Most removalist pages say GST is included and the marketplace does not, so the GST basis is left unconfirmed.

  • Two movers and a truck, weekday, per hour (per hour)

    Airtasker gives $111 to $200 with a median of $116. Removalists' own rates are higher in the middle: $149 (Sydney), $160 to $200 (Sydney and Melbourne, by truck size). An extra mover adds about $50 to $70 an hour on the rate sheets we read.

    Low
    $111
    Typical
    $150
    High
    $200

  • Local move, one-bedroom home or studio (per move)

    A compiled guide gives $300 to $650. One Sydney removalist estimates $450 to $600 on weekdays and another guide gives $250 to $900 for a wider spread.

    Low
    $300
    Typical
    $450
    High
    $650

  • Local move, two-bedroom home (per move)

    A compiled guide gives $500 to $1,300 and another gives $400 to $1,300. One Sydney removalist estimates $600 to $900 on weekdays.

    Low
    $500
    Typical
    $800
    High
    $1,300

  • Local move, three-bedroom home (per move)

    A wide spread. One compiled guide gives $720 to $2,150, Airtasker gives $1,430 to $2,210 for three movers and a truck, and one Sydney removalist estimates $900 to $1,200 on weekdays.

    Low
    $720
    Typical
    $1,200
    High
    $2,150

  • Local move, four-bedroom home (per move)

    One compiled guide gives $1,500 to $3,500, Airtasker gives $1,950 to $2,730 for three movers and a truck, and another guide gives $1,000 to $2,700 or more.

    Low
    $1,500
    Typical
    $2,000
    High
    $2,700

  • Interstate move, one-bedroom home (10 to 15 cubic metres) (per move)

    One compiled guide gives $1,800 to $4,000. A second guide quotes Sydney to Melbourne at $1,650 to $1,900 by volume, which sits at the low end. Larger homes run much higher. Airtasker's overall interstate range is $2,500 to $9,500 or more.

    Low
    $1,800
    Typical
    $2,900
    High
    $4,000

  • Packing service, partial (per job)

    Two compiled guides agree on about $150 to $350 for partial packing. Full packing is $400 to $800 in one of them. One removalist charges $160 an hour for a two-packer crew with materials.

    Low
    $150
    Typical
    $250
    High
    $350

  • Storage (per month)

    One compiled guide only. We found no second source for storage prices, so ask for a firm figure.

    Low
    $200
    Typical
    $300
    High
    $400
Low, typical and high prices by scenario
ScenarioLowTypicalHigh
Two movers and a truck, weekday, per hour (per hour)Airtasker gives $111 to $200 with a median of $116. Removalists' own rates are higher in the middle: $149 (Sydney), $160 to $200 (Sydney and Melbourne, by truck size). An extra mover adds about $50 to $70 an hour on the rate sheets we read.$111$150$200
Local move, one-bedroom home or studio (per move)A compiled guide gives $300 to $650. One Sydney removalist estimates $450 to $600 on weekdays and another guide gives $250 to $900 for a wider spread.$300$450$650
Local move, two-bedroom home (per move)A compiled guide gives $500 to $1,300 and another gives $400 to $1,300. One Sydney removalist estimates $600 to $900 on weekdays.$500$800$1,300
Local move, three-bedroom home (per move)A wide spread. One compiled guide gives $720 to $2,150, Airtasker gives $1,430 to $2,210 for three movers and a truck, and one Sydney removalist estimates $900 to $1,200 on weekdays.$720$1,200$2,150
Local move, four-bedroom home (per move)One compiled guide gives $1,500 to $3,500, Airtasker gives $1,950 to $2,730 for three movers and a truck, and another guide gives $1,000 to $2,700 or more.$1,500$2,000$2,700
Interstate move, one-bedroom home (10 to 15 cubic metres) (per move)One compiled guide gives $1,800 to $4,000. A second guide quotes Sydney to Melbourne at $1,650 to $1,900 by volume, which sits at the low end. Larger homes run much higher. Airtasker's overall interstate range is $2,500 to $9,500 or more.$1,800$2,900$4,000
Packing service, partial (per job)Two compiled guides agree on about $150 to $350 for partial packing. Full packing is $400 to $800 in one of them. One removalist charges $160 an hour for a two-packer crew with materials.$150$250$350
Storage (per month)One compiled guide only. We found no second source for storage prices, so ask for a firm figure.$200$300$400

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What changes the price

  • Crew and truck size. More movers and a bigger truck raise the hourly rate. One Melbourne and Sydney removalist moves from $160 an hour for a 2-tonne van to $290 for a 12-tonne truck with three movers.
  • Time on the job. The house size, how well it is packed, stairs and long carries decide the hours. Most local moves take 3 to 8 hours or more.
  • Minimum hours and travel. A two or three hour minimum is common, and travel from the depot may be charged as time, a $100 to $130 flat fee or built into the rate.
  • Day and season. Weekends, public holidays, end-of-month and peak season can add 20 to 30 per cent in Airtasker's guide. One Sydney removalist charges $30 an hour more at weekends.
  • Distance. Regional moves are charged at $140 to $170 an hour plus travel time in two guides. Interstate moves are priced by cubic metres and distance.
  • Specialist items and extras. Pianos, pool tables, stairs, long carries and fuel levies add to the bill. Check each is listed.

What's usually included, and what isn't

Usually included

  • The movers and the truck for the booked time
  • Loading, driving and unloading
  • Moving blankets and basic wrapping, at some of the removalists whose rate sheets we read
  • Basic liability cover for the move, in some quotes (check what it covers)
  • A written quote or rate sheet, where you ask for one

Often extra

  • Packing and boxes, which are an add-on
  • Travel time or a call-out fee, if not built into the rate
  • Stairs, long carries, heavy or specialist items such as a piano
  • Fuel levy, tolls and peak-date loading
  • Insurance for your goods in transit, which is often separate
  • Storage

Metro and regional differences

Metro: Capital-city rates for two movers and a truck are broadly $103 to $200 an hour on Airtasker's city table, with Sydney at the top. There is more competition, but wages, traffic and parking raise costs.

Regional: Regional moves are charged at about $140 to $170 an hour plus travel time in two guides, because the crew and truck have to drive to you and back. With fewer removalists nearby you may have fewer quotes to compare, and fuel levies climb with the distance.

Licensing and compliance

In the pages we read we did not find a licence that a removalist must hold in any state or territory, so we do not state one.

Removalists must follow the Australian Consumer Law.

Finder says they must perform the service with due care and skill and are not legally required to insure your goods.

Fair trading regulators enforce this: the Queensland Office of Fair Trading, for example, reported in 2024 that a Brisbane removalist and a related company were ordered to pay over $147,000 in fines and compensation after pleading guilty to breaches including misleading consumers about services and prices and damaging goods.

CHOICE names NSW Fair Trading as the place to complain in New South Wales and notes that each state and territory has its own fair trading agency; we did not open those other agencies' pages.

Accreditation by the Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA) is a voluntary industry scheme, not a government licence.

Finder says AFRA-accredited removalists must hold business insurance and can sell transit insurance.

Ask whether the removalist is insured, what the cover includes and what the excess is.

Before you accept a quote, check

  • Is the price hourly or fixed, and what is the minimum booking?
  • How is travel from the depot charged, and is it charged both ways?
  • Which extras apply: stairs, long carries, fuel levy, packing, heavy items?
  • What insurance covers your goods in transit, and what is the excess?
  • Does the quote say whether GST is included?
  • What are the weekend, public holiday or peak-date rates?
  • Is the quote in writing and itemised?

Frequently asked questions

How much do removalists charge per hour?

Airtasker gives $111 to $200 an hour for two removalists and a truck. Removalists' own rate sheets sit at $149 to $200 an hour for that crew, depending on the truck, and each extra mover adds about $50 to $70 an hour.

What is the minimum booking?

Two to three hours is common. One Sydney removalist has a three-hour minimum that includes one hour of travel, and another has a two-hour minimum then bills by the minute. After the minimum, billing is often in 15 or 30 minute blocks.

How much does an interstate move cost?

It depends on volume and distance. One guide gives $1,800 to $4,000 for a one-bedroom home and $3,500 to $8,000 for three bedrooms, and Airtasker gives $2,500 to $9,500 or more overall. Sydney to Perth was quoted around $2,950 to $3,450 by volume in another guide, so quotes vary widely.

Do removalists have to be insured?

Finder says removalists are not legally required to insure your goods. CHOICE says most only insure their vehicle. Ask about transit insurance, the value it covers and the excess before booking.

Is packing included?

Usually not. Two guides give $150 to $350 for partial packing, and one removalist charges $160 an hour for two packers with materials. Many removalists include blankets and basic wrapping.

Is it cheaper to move on a weekday?

Yes, in most quotes. Weekends, public holidays and peak season carry a loading, which Airtasker puts at 20 to 30 per cent, and one Sydney removalist charges $30 an hour more on weekends.

Sources and method

Built on 19 October 2026 from a marketplace cost guide, two compiled price guides, four removalists' own published rates and a consumer organisation article. Ranges stay inside figures at least two sources share where they overlap; the interstate, storage and packing figures rest on fewer sources, and typical figures are editorial mid-points where no source gives one. Most removalist pages say GST is included and the marketplace does not, so the GST basis is left unconfirmed. How we calculate our guides.

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