What affects moving costs? 7 factors and ways to save

In short: time, vehicle and help

The price of a move mostly comes from working time, the number of movers and the vehicle, plus any extra services. Anything that makes carrying take longer or needs more hands shows up in the price. That is why accurate details are the basis of a good quote.

Your belongings matter more than square metres

Two homes of the same size can be very different to move. A bookcase full of books, a full storage room or lots of large furniture adds more work than floor area alone.

List your largest furniture and an estimate of boxes in your quote request. Our box calculator helps with the estimate. Remember the cellar, attic and balcony too.

Stairs, lifts and carrying distances

A floor without a lift means every box and piece of furniture is carried up or down the stairs. A small lift helps with boxes, but large furniture often still goes by the stairs. A long walk from the door to the van is repeated on every trip.

Give the floors and lift sizes for both addresses. Plan where the moving van can stop, and read our tips for moving without a lift.

Travel distance and timing

For moves within the capital region, driving is usually a smaller share of the total than carrying. On longer moves, driving time grows.

Timing affects how easily you find a suitable date. August was Finland’s busiest moving month in 2025, so book early for summer and early autumn. A flexible date makes scheduling easier.

Statistics Finland (in Finnish)

Heavy items and extra services

Pianos, safes and other unusually heavy items need an individual assessment and often more movers. A packing service and furniture disassembly and assembly are agreed separately.

You can’t get the household tax credit for the moving work itself. Moving cleaning and assembly of new furniture can qualify when they are invoiced separately. Read more in the household tax credit and moving.

Price estimate or fixed price?

A fixed price binds the company. If the quote gives a price estimate, the final price of a consumer service may exceed it by at most 15 per cent. If no price was agreed at all, the price must be reasonable.

What a quote should include

A good quote shows what is included in the price and what isn’t.

• Scope of work: what is carried, transported, packed and taken apart
• Pricing basis: fixed price or hourly rate, and any minimum charge
• Extra charges, such as floors, long carrying distances or heavy items
• Total price including VAT (the general rate is 25.5%)
• Payment and cancellation terms

KKV: agreeing on the price of services

How to keep the price reasonable

Preparation reduces the work on moving day, and with it the cost.

• Pack everything into boxes before the movers arrive.
• Declutter in advance: donate, sell or recycle.
• Take furniture apart in advance if you know how.
• Make sure the van can park close to the door at both addresses.
• Book the lift if your housing company requires it.
• If your date is flexible, give us options.

Situations that add working time

These often make a move take longer, so mention them in advance:

• Things aren’t packed when the movers arrive.
• A large piece of furniture won’t fit through a door or lift and has to be taken apart on site.
• The van can’t get close to the door, so the carrying distance grows.
• The storage room or cellar is in another building.
• The new home can’t be accessed at the agreed time.

Your total moving budget: what do you pay for?

Besides the moving service, a move often comes with other costs. Listing them in advance keeps your budget on track, with no surprises.

Hourly or fixed price: which suits you?

A fixed price suits a move where your belongings and access are well known. You know the total in advance, and the company carries the risk if the work takes longer. An hourly rate suits small, quick jobs and situations where your belongings are hard to estimate. Then your own preparation affects the price directly.

With an hourly rate, always ask when the clock starts, whether travel counts as working time and whether there is a minimum charge.

Example: why moves of the same size differ

Two one-bedroom flats of the same size can be very different to move. The table shows what changes the work. It is not a price comparison.

Save wisely, not at the cost of safety

The cheapest price is no saving if things break or the move drags on. Save on what you control: pack in advance, declutter and keep the routes clear. Don’t cut furniture protection or the number of movers needed for heavy items.

Compare quotes as a whole and check how damage is compensated. Read more in how to choose a reliable moving company.

Special items and awkward furniture

Some things need more time, hands or equipment. Always mention these in your quote request:

• A piano, grand piano or safe
• A large aquarium or glass table
• A solid bookcase or wardrobe that can’t be taken apart
• Fitness equipment such as a treadmill
• Large mirrors and paintings

Moving a house or terraced house

In house and terraced-house moves there is often more to move than you expect. The garage, sheds, garden furniture and yard items add to the load. Carrying distances can be short, but the volume increases the work. Go through outdoor storage too and mention it in your quote request.

The price of a small move

Moving a single piece of furniture or a few boxes is a job of its own. The price depends on the same things as a big move: floors, carrying distance and driving distance. A photo of the item and exact addresses are often enough for a price. See small moves and transport.

Moving costs for renters

If you rent, a move often means overlapping rent, when the old lease is still running and the new one has started. Plan your moving day so the overlap is only as long as you need for cleaning and handing over the keys.

Example: other costs of a one-bedroom move

Besides the moving service, a one-bedroom move might involve these costs. The figures are public 2026 prices.

When a move is delayed

Sometimes a move runs late for reasons neither side controls: the keys aren’t ready, the lift is broken or there is unexpected work on the street. Check in the quote how waiting time is charged, and confirm the keys and the lift booking the day before.

Check the invoice against the quote

When you get the invoice, compare it with the quote. A fixed price must be the same, and a price estimate may be exceeded by at most 15 per cent. If the invoice has extra charges the quote didn’t mention, ask about them before paying.

KKV: agreeing on the price of services

Why do quotes for the same move vary?

The same move can produce very different quotes. One company adds extra time to be safe, another offers a fixed price that includes the risk of longer work. A third gives a low hourly rate but expects the job to take longer. Differences also come from how many movers and what size of van each quote assumes.

That is why accurate details and comparing line by line matter more than the bottom line.

Price, risk and insurance

The price of a move also shows who carries the risk. With a fixed price the company carries the risk of longer work; with an hourly rate, you do. For damage, the law limits the carrier’s liability, so check your own home insurance and ask the company how it handles damage.

Long-distance moves

When you move to another town, driving time adds to the cost. A long distance may mean the move takes two days. Give both addresses precisely in your quote request and ask how driving time is charged.

Example: preparation shortens moving day

Imagine two similar moves. In the first, everything is packed, the beds are taken apart and the lift is booked when the movers arrive. Work starts at once, and the van is loaded quickly.

In the second, part of the kitchen isn’t packed, the sofa won’t fit through the door until its legs come off, and the lift is booked by someone else. The movers wait, help pack and carry everything down the stairs. With hourly pricing the difference shows directly on the invoice; with a fixed price it may show next time as a higher estimate.

Which photos to include with your quote request

Photos sharpen a quote and reduce the safety margin in the price. Take a photo of every room showing the large furniture, plus the stairwell, lift and front door. Photograph the storage room and any special items, such as a piano or a large wardrobe. The better the company can see the work, the more accurate the price.

Moving cost FAQ

Short answers:

• Is VAT included in the price? Prices quoted to consumers must include tax.
• Does a quote cost anything? No. A quote request is free and doesn’t commit you to anything.
• Can the price go up on moving day? A fixed price is binding. A price estimate may be exceeded by at most 15 per cent.

Moving costs in a nutshell

The price is made of working time, the number of movers, the van and extra services. Your belongings, floors, carrying distance and parking affect it most. Ask for a quote with accurate details and photos, compare quotes line by line and prepare the move well. That way you get a price that matches the real work.

Ask if the price puzzles you

If it’s hard to tell from a quote what the price is made of, ask. A good company is happy to explain how the working time was estimated and how you could lower the price through preparation.

Get a price for your move

Send us your moving details and you will get a quote that itemises the work and the price. See also our pricing page and tips for comparing quotes.