There are a lot of costs to factor in when moving house, many costs you may not have thought of. I mean, how much could it really cost to move a bunch of stuff from A to B? 

Unfortunately, moving isn’t cheap and it’s also something that many people don’t budget for which is one of the reasons it can be so stressful for families to move.

How much your move will cost depends on several factors including the distance, the time of move and how much you are moving.

Best Rated Transport’s moving cost calculators can help you find an estimate and budget for your move ahead.

House Move Costs

Moving Costs Calculator

When using a removalist to move interstate, you will be quoted on cost per cubic metre. Cubic metre is the volume of a metre-long cube and is the main unit of measurement in the moving industry.

Essentially, it means how much space your contents will take up in the truck.

Cubic Metre Calculator 

To calculate cubic metres (CBM), multiply the length, width, and height of an object or space (measured in metres) to obtain the total volume.

Cubic Metre Calculator Formula:

CBM = length (m) × width (m) × height (m). 

For example, a small office desk measures 1.2 metre, or 120cm (length), 50cm (width) and 1 metre, or 100cm (height). 

This means the cubic metre of this desk is: 1.2 x .5 x 1 = 0.6

It’s important to get your total cubic metre as close as possible as this will ensure you are not paying for more space than you need or that you aren’t underestimating the amount of space you’ll need. This can become a problem if you have booked 20m3 but you actually need 25m3 or 30m3. 

How Can I Be Sure?

Your best bet is to use Best Rated Transport’s Inventory Guide which automatically calculates your cubic metres based on the items you select that you need moved. This is all part of the instant quote process.

Calculating Boxes

In addition to furniture you will also need to factor in the number of boxes you will be moving. As a general rule, here are what we estimate: 

Studio - 15 boxes 

1 - 2 Bedroom: 25 - 35 boxes

3-4 Bedroom: 35 - 70  boxes

5-7 Bedroom: 70 - 100 boxes

An average of 8 boxes take up 1 cubic metre, so if you are moving 48 boxes, you will need to add 6 cubic metres to your inventory. 

Cubic Metre Box Calculator

Number of Boxes /  8 =  Cubic Metres

Average Cubic Metres by Size of House

Remember, this is only a general guideline. It’s important to do an inventory of your entire house, including your outdoor items, to determine your average cubic metres. 

Studio apartment - 10m3

One bedroom apartment - 12m3 to 17m

2 bedroom house or apartment - 20m3

3 bedroom home - 25m3 to 40m3 

4 bedroom house - 41m3 to 65m3

Transport Calculator 

How Much Does it Cost to Transport Your Goods? 

This will depend on what type of service you are using - a full-service removalist or  self-pack container transport.

Get a quote for BOTH through our Free Comparison Platform. 

Interstate Removals Calculator

As a rough guide, you can expect to pay anywhere from $120 to $250 per cubic metre when moving interstate in Australia. 

This is the only cost you will pay - there is no hourly rate to load and unload your items. The loading, uploading, fuel and insurance is all included in the cost per cubic metre price.

Full-Service Removal Cost Calculator

Cubic Metres x $200* = Cost of Move

*This is just an estimate

Typical Interstate Removals Costs:

10m3 - $1,200 to $2,500

20m3 - $2,400 to $5,000

30m3 - $3,600 to $7,500

40m3 - $4,800 to $10,000

Container Transport Calculator

Self-pack or budget moves are another option and involve using a shipping container to transport your goods. You will be responsible for packing the container yourself but transport, including fuel and insurance is included in your price. 

How much you pay will depend on several things including whether you hire a container or own (buy) one and where you are moving to/from. Containers can hold A LOT of stuff which is why they are ideal for larger moves. 

A standard 40-foot container has an internal cubic capacity of around 67 cubic metres while a standard 20-foot container has an internal cubic capacity of around 33 cubic metres. 

The cost to move a shipping container in Australia typically ranges from $1.50 to $4.00 per kilometer. 

Shipping Container Transport Costs Calculator

Kms x $2.50* = Price to Transport Container

*This is just an estimate.

How to Get the Best Rate on Your Move

We always recommend accessing your free instant quotes via Best Rated Transport. 

Log in as a guest or use your email and no credit card details are required to access free quotes.

Compare both container transport (budget moves) and full-service removalists in one place.