- Moving to a new rental can be expensive, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, including bond, cleaning, and furniture costs.
- The rental bond is a major upfront expense but can usually be reclaimed if the property is left in good condition.
- Careful planning - comparing movers, cleaners, and utility providers - can significantly reduce moving costs.
- Even with moving expenses, relocating to a cheaper rental can lead to long-term savings.
Australia’s rental market in 2025 remains brutally tough for tenants. Vacancy rates are stuck near record lows at about 1.5% nationally - well under the 2% level that signals an extremely tight market.
Even in these conditions, some renters are still finding room to make strategic moves, whether that means shifting to a more affordable suburb or relocating to an area that better suits remote work.
But while a move can offer a fresh start, it also comes with hidden expenses. Anyone preparing to change addresses, whether by choice or because their landlord has forced their hand, probably knows there are costs involved, but the true price of moving can be more surprising than expected.
How much does it cost to move homes when renting?
The cost of moving rentals can vary widely, ranging from as little as around $300 for a simple move to upwards of $10,000 for larger or more complex relocations.
There are some well-known costs of moving, like paying your new bond, moving furniture and cleaning the place, but there are also some lesser-known hidden costs like switching energy bills, stocking up on new food, and even the cost of petrol to go to all those irritating inspections.
The bond
Your bond is the security deposit held by the landlord to be used for any repairs at the conclusion of the lease. It’s an upfront cost paid to the landlord or agent at the beginning of a lease, and is between four to six weeks, depending on the state/territory you live in (usually four).
Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that the median weekly rent in NSW is $650, which would be a median bond payment of $2,600
This can be a big expense to pay to sign a lease on a new place, especially since you’ll often have to pay two weeks’ rent as well to get started. In this case, you’d have to pay $2,600 + an extra $1,300 to move in. Yikes!
Fortunately, you can get your original bond payment back, so this isn’t a lost cost. But it’s a lot to pay before this happens, so you need to have the money set aside.
ASIC’s MoneySmart lists some resources struggling renters can access to get help paying their bond, including rental bond loans.
What if you don’t get your bond back?
Getting your bond back isn’t a guarantee either. Tenants’ Union NSW CEO Leo Patterson Ross says many tenants give up their bonds too easily because they’re worried about references or their future housing options being limited.
“Of course, accidents happen, and there are valid claims on the bond, but there isn't always good data on the reasons for the claims. In our experience the bigger claims that take the whole bond are often rent arrears or break fees, as well as occasional property damage,” he told Savings.com.au.
“Everyone should know that if it’s not clear that the landlord or agent is agreeing to the release of the bond, the tenant can and should claim their bond as soon as they move out of the premises.
“This ensures that the landlord or agent considers the claim they are going to make and gets the evidence together first rather than making a claim and never having to back it up unless you pay for the tribunal (a further cost).”
Each state and territory in Australia has its own tenancy bond authority responsible for holding and managing rental bonds. Below is a quick overview of the relevant authorities in each region:
State | Relevant tenancy bond authorities |
|---|---|
ACT | Office of Rental Bonds |
NSW | Office of Fair Trading |
NT | Department of Justice |
QLD | Residential Tenancies Authority |
SA | Residential Tenancies Fund |
TAS | Rental Deposit Authority |
VIC | Residential Tenancies Bond Authority |
WA | Department of Commerce's Bond Administration Section |
Cleaning the property
You need to leave the property clean and tidy when you hand the keys back, in line with what’s specified in your lease. Your landlord can claim part or all of your bond if it isn’t left “reasonably clean.” Tenants’ Union NSW says most bond claims arise from cleaning issues.
“That's why it's crucial renters take the time to fill in and check the accuracy of the condition report at the start of the tenancy, and to list any issues and the general state of the property (including cleanliness),” Policy and campaigns officer Jemima Mowbray told Savings.com.au.
The bigger the house, the bigger the cost (usually), and you should generally look for a cleaner who charges a flat fee rather than an hourly rate, as there’s often no telling how long a thorough clean could take.
Do you need a professional cleaner?
You might want to at least consider getting a professional cleaner in, as you have to completely clean the property from top to bottom, barring any general wear and tear. This means cleaning pretty much everything - doing all of this yourself is manageable, it just requires a lot of time and grunt work, often taking a full-day depending on how many people you have. Your lease might specify you need a professional clean done, but there’s no legal requirement to do so. You can choose to do it yourself or hire someone at your own discretion.
“Some costs are avoidable…one clear example of this is landlords and agents trying to get the outgoing tenant to do more than the required clean - there is routinely a gap between the tenants' obligations for cleanliness and maintenance and the pristine condition a landlord may want to attain for showings and potentially to meet their own obligations to the next tenant,” Mr Patterson Ross said.
Moving your furniture (out and in)
One of the most painstaking parts of moving to a new place is the furniture: your fridges, bed frames, mattresses and dining tables can’t just magically appear at your new address. The cheap way to move your furniture in and out is to either recruit friends and family to help you if they have a suitable vehicle (like a ute or trailer) for a case of beers or a carton of wine, or to hire out a van from a business like GoGet, which can cost around $10 per hour plus 40 cents per kilometre.
But the most hassle-free way to move bulky furniture is to hire removalists, who can not only cart your stuff around in a big truck, but can also move it out of your old home, into the new one, and destroying or dismantling certain items to make it easier. Removalist comparison service Muval CEO James Morrell told Savings.com.au it can definitely be worth asking professionals to help.
“For the number of horror stories we’ve seen and heard from people who regretted asking friends and family to help them move, absolutely it’s better to hire a professional Removalist,” Mr Morrell said.
How much does a removalist cost?
For a single person moving, most removalists will charge around $100-$150 an hour, although the true cost varies based on what you’re moving and how far you’re going.
Data from Hipages breaks down how much a Sydney-based removalist would charge depending on house size:
| Type of Move | Estimated Hourly Rate | Typical Time Required |
|---|---|---|
| Small-item move | ~$110 per hour | 2–3 hours |
| 1-bedroom apartment | ~$125 per hour | 3–5 hours |
| 3-bedroom apartment | ~$175 per hour | 4–6 hours |
| 3-bedroom house | ~$245 per hour | 6–8 hours |
| 4+ bedroom home (with 5 movers) | ~$315 per hour | 7–9 hours |
“Most removalists will quote in per half-hour increments to allow you to allow for more precise costings, and you can expect to see prices as low as $50 per half hour/ $100 per hour to get two Removalists and a well-equipped truck with blankets and straps to be able to do your job,” Mr Morrell said.
“Higher-priced removalists will ensure very attentive service dedicated to your move. You may also find they will add more people to the job to get it done more quickly for you.”
Buying new furniture
Do you have any old furniture you need to get rid of? Or maybe your old place came with a washing machine, but the new one doesn’t? You might need to factor in the cost of buying new furniture as well, and essentials like dryers, washing machines, fridges and tables can cost hundreds of dollars when bought new.
“The sharing economy and ongoing push for sustainability are alive and well for people moving house. We see our most popular websites visited both pre and post getting quotes as places like Gumtree or Facebook marketplace,” Mr Morrell said.
“Many people also use removalists to buy second-hand items and have them shipped between locations where they are too heavy to do it themselves.”
So if you need to buy new furniture to go with your new place, good ways to save money include:
- Getting them second-hand from charities, garage sales, curbside pickups and op-shops
- Asking friends and family if they have any free furniture or appliances to give away
- Consulting online sources like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree
- Keeping an eye out for clearance sales at major brands, which can include major discounts (think 60-70%)
- Buying the essentials first, and biding your time for other purchases
Cancelling and switching your utilities
Although some places will already have utilities included, there’s a good chance you’ll also have to not only cancel your utilities at your current home (electricity, gas bills, and internet), but also start a new policy when you move. This can have several costs: there might be set-up fees involved, and there might be break fees if you’re on a fixed contract.
While not every provider will charge these fees, you can potentially be charged the following when switching, cancelling or applying for new energy bills, based on data from the likes of Energy Australia and Origin Australia:
Connection fees: $10-$100 (a typical fee for moving in)
Dishonour fees: $10-$20 (this fee is when you don’t have money in your account to pay a direct debit)
Disconnection fees: Up to $200 (the cost of disconnecting your home from the grid)
Exit fees: Often $20-$150 (for breaking a contract, but these fees aren’t as common)
Check the terms and conditions of your energy contract to see what you could be charged for these.
Is there an easy way to switch your utility bills over?
If you want to keep your current energy or internet plans, switching them to your new address is usually straightforward. Utility-connection services like Compare and Connect, Direct Connect and On The Move can handle the transfer or set you up with new plans, though they may not always offer the best deals due to provider partnerships.
Independent tools can help you set up utilities and compare cheaper options. However, it’s often just as simple to contact your providers directly before moving (having a recent bill handy makes verification easier) or to arrange a new plan when you arrive.
See also: How regular reminders could save you thousands on your household bills
How to compare energy and telco plans
If you aren’t careful, you could end up paying more than you were previously for your new energy bills. The same goes for phone and internet bills.
Arguably the best way to save money on these bills is to look around a multitude of different providers and find one that’s cheaper - such as ones offering discounts to new customers, more internet data (or unlimited) for fewer dollars per month, lower supply and usage charges for gas and electricity - and then get in touch with your existing provider and asking them to beat that offer.
Paying for food and more essentials
Hooray! You’ve finally moved all your bulky furniture in and the lights are on! But wait, the fridge is empty! And you don’t have any laundry powder, garbage bags, spray 'n wipe, toilet paper or paper towels!
While the big stuff is easy to think about, it’s much easier to forget about your food and the essentials of living. After all, you’re probably going to throw out any old food in your fridge before you move, and you might have used up all your cleaning gear when you tidied the old place up.
This means you now have to buy most or all of this stuff again. This is why you also need to leave a couple of hundred between you aside to stock up your new home.
See also:
Savings.com.au's two cents
Moving to a new rental is a big decision and it’s never free. You’re almost guaranteed to spend at least a few hundred dollars.
That’s why it pays to do your homework and keep costs as low as possible. Compare movers, bond cleaners, and energy providers, check your lease for obligations, and set a realistic moving budget. If it looks too high, trim costs with some smart strategies. And if you’re sharing the place, save all receipts and split the bills - suddenly a $300 expense drops to $100 each, making it much easier to manage.
Finding a new place to live costs time as well
You probably already know this if you’re already renting, but it bears repeating: finding a new rental property can be a pain in the lower back, and it’s extremely unlikely you’re going to successfully apply for the first property you find. You need to attend inspections and search for properties, and sometimes, get ready to go to at least a dozen of them.
The time cost of going to inspections means you need to potentially take time out of your weekend or your work, as many inspections take place during the week. It can be a grueling process, so be prepared to set time aside in your regular schedule to travel to a number of different places.
You need to physically get yourself to these inspections most of the time unless there’s a virtual inspection. That means spending money on fuel, public transport or even ride-sharing if needed.
How to minimise your moving costs
The bottom line: moving isn’t cheap - it can easily cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. While you shouldn’t look to cut corners necessarily, it’s absolutely worth putting the effort into saving cash on moving costs.
There are two major ways you can do this: by minimising the costs on your end of lease clean and the furniture removal.
“People should consider what they can do themselves, and what might be worth paying someone else to do, but keep in mind that not all costs are financial - and not everyone has the same options. I know many people who've never had the funds to be able to pay for removalists,” Mr Patterson Ross said.
You can minimise any potential cleaning costs by keeping the property as well-maintained as you can when living there. You can also clean as you go when you first start de-cluttering - wipe down those cupboards and draws after you’ve packed away all the cups and plates for example, and take a mop to the laundry floor and a vacuum to the underside of your bed. This will give a cleaner (if you use one) less to do, reducing what they charge you.
When hiring removalists, Mr Morrell says you can save several hundred dollars simply by doing the following:
- Disassemble the beds yourself before moving day (and reassemble them): Save up $120
- Bring as much stuff to the entrance as you can beforehand: Save up to $120
- Leave a clear space for removalists to park the truck (especially if they charge based on time)
- Have stuff labelled so they know where to put it upon arrival: Save up to $60
- Turn air conditioning or fans on in the house to reduce removalist fatigue: Save around 30 mins and $30
- Sell or throw away unwanted items: Save up to $60
- Keep boxes and storage from previous moves
- Choose removalists near you: Save up to $200 on call-out fees
Finding a cheaper place can offset these costs
Moving can still cost a lot even after you’ve minimised some of the costs as we discussed above, so bouncing around from place to place really isn’t sustainable long-term. But these costs can be worth it if you managed to save on rent. Even paying $10 per week less can save you more than $500 per year in rental costs, which might be enough to make up for the costs of moving. The bigger the rent decrease, the bigger the savings.
“Like most of life, everything is relative. It does depend on how much cheaper the place is,” Mr Patterson Ross said.
“Of course, if you are moving anyway, then the cheaper the rent for similar quality homes, the better off you are.”
See also: How much should you be spending on rent?