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What will moving actually cost?
Build a moving budget for buying, renting or just transporting your belongings. Separate money tied up, quoted one-off spend and ongoing housing bills. The calculation stays in this browser and uses only your entries.
Transparent arithmetic
Cash needed is not the same as money spent.
The upfront cash total adds deposit or equity, any rent due before moving, entered one-off costs and the contingency on those costs. Monthly housing bills are shown separately; they are not multiplied into the moving total. The removals-only route excludes housing deposits, purchase fees and monthly payments, even if you previously entered them in another route.
Illustrative renting example: £1,000 tenancy deposit + £900 upfront rent + £500 moving costs + £50 contingency = £2,450 to budget from those entries. That is not a market average, a quote or a legal deposit calculation. The £900 monthly rent remains an ongoing bill, not another £900 added to the upfront cash total.
Use the balance still payable after agreed credits, and keep emergency savings outside this figure. Do not assume an old deposit refund or a future sale completes before the new payment is due. Where a bill or packing service is already included, leave its separate entry blank.
Use current official figures
Check the rules, not a guessed fee.
Purchase tax and tenancy rules differ by nation and circumstances. This calculator does not apply tax rates, validate rent-in-advance requests or guarantee a deposit refund. Source links were reviewed on 3 October 2026.
Optional moving supplies
Price the kit after deciding what you need.
Use boxes and equipment you already have, or what your mover includes. These optional Amazon UK searches are starting points, not product endorsements or live price claims. The budget works without buying anything.
Amazon UK search · affiliatePacking boxesCompare options →Amazon UK search · affiliateTape and labelsCompare options →Amazon UK search · affiliateProtective coversCompare options →Amazon UK search · affiliateFurniture slidersCompare options →Amazon UK search · affiliateBasic tool kitCompare options →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through a marked link may earn Local Area Check a commission at no extra cost to you. Product suitability, price and availability must be checked with the retailer.
Moving budget questions
What does this moving cost calculator include?
Choose buying a home, renting a home or removals only. The tool adds the relevant entered costs and your editable contingency, keeps deposits and upfront rent separate, and shows ongoing housing bills only for buying or renting. Blank entries add nothing.
Is a deposit the same as a moving expense?
No. A purchase deposit or equity contributes to the property; a tenancy deposit is money tied up and may be returned subject to the agreement and lawful deductions. Both can affect the cash you need now, but they are not treated as a spent removals fee.
Will the rental budget count the first rent payment twice?
Upfront rent is included in the cash total. Monthly rent appears separately as an ongoing budget and is not added again to that total. When planning payment dates, do not add a second charge for the period already paid.
What is the contingency applied to?
It is applied only to entered one-off costs, not purchase equity, tenancy deposits, upfront rent or ongoing monthly bills. Ten per cent is an editable starting setting, not a quoted price or required allowance. Money is rounded to the nearest penny.
Does the planner calculate stamp duty or decide affordability?
No. Use the current official SDLT, LTT or LBTT calculator when buying. Check current tenancy guidance when renting. The tool cannot validate a landlord charge, assess a mortgage, allow for all living costs or decide whether a home is affordable.
Are my budget figures uploaded or saved?
Budget entries remain in this page in your browser and are cleared on refresh. They are not uploaded or stored in an account. If analytics are permitted, fixed tool-use and link-placement events can be recorded, not the amounts or selected housing circumstances.