The cost of moving in England has reached a record high and is putting greater financial pressure on buyers and sellers than ever before, a new report has found.
The ‘realmoving’ annual Cost of Moving Report shows that people now have to spend an average of £17,831 to move – this is 27% – or £3,786 – more than in 2024.
For first time buyers on the property market, the cost of getting onto the property ladder is £2,315, according to the analysis, which is 6.5% more than last year.
Movers in London pay £32,786 to move – this is 69% of the average salary in London.
The bulk of these costs are stamp duty, estate agent fees and conveyancing fees according to realmoving, which analyzed data from quotes generated by 181,000 movers to calculate the typical cost of a move in 2025.
But the comparison site revealed that surveys, removals and the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) should also be included in movers’ budgets.
Some of these costs do not apply to those purchasing a home for the first time. For many first time buyers (although not all) stamp duty is exempt and there is no need for estate agent fees or an EPC, which only apply to sellers.
However, with costs rising and there being a lot of uncertainty about buying homes ahead of the Budget, today’s new statistics may seem daunting to those considering moving, especially those climbing onto the first rung of the ladder.
Rob Houghton, founder and CEO of realmoving, said: “For first-time buyers, the challenge doesn’t stop with saving a deposit – the cost of moving is increasing in every region of the country.
“Even small increases in fees and services can have a real impact when finances are already strained by high rents and living costs.
“It is easy to see why the market share of first-time buyers in England and Wales has fallen by 6.6 percentage points since January – a drop of 10.4% – as affordability pressures force more and more people to put their home purchase plans on hold.”
The data comes the week before Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to present her fall budget, which this time is expected to focus on property taxes.
One rumor doing the rounds is that the government will replace stamp duty with an annual property tax of 0.54% on homes worth more than £500,000.
Realmoving said that under such a system the average cost of moving in England could fall to £8,081, based on the average purchase price of £325,000, as buyers would no longer face a stamp duty bill at the time of purchase.
London is the only region in Britain where the average purchase price is above the proposed £500,000 threshold. Therefore, this shift would provide a significant boost to market mobility across the country.
Houghton added: “Replacing stamp duty with an annual property tax would immediately lower the financial barriers to moving and provide new impetus to the lower to middle market, which accounts for the majority of residential transactions.
“By making it easier for people to move up or down the ladder as their circumstances change, such as accommodating a growing family or a new job, we would see far-reaching benefits to the economy through greater mobility and productivity.
“However, the impact of a potential property tax remains uncertain, depending on the values it applies to and the tax rate applied.”
Tips to save money on your move
To help anyone moving to reduce costs as much as possible, realmoving has provided the following advice:
Moving costs fluctuate throughout the year, with a peak in demand in late summer and around the school holidays. Friday is the busiest day for moving, but many moving companies offer cheaper rates during off-peak hours and during the week.
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Book early to lock in prices
By securing quotes for the transfer, survey and move in advance, it will be easier to budget costs before committing to agreements as you reach each moving milestone.
The less you move, the less you pay – and unpacking becomes easier too.
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Check your insurance coverage
Most moving companies offer insurance as part of their contract, but always check the deductible and level of cover and consider an upgrade if necessary.
Compare quotes from vetted and accredited companies using a comparison site. Always check reviews and prices.