Moving to London is expensive. You probably already knew that.
But what catches most people off guard isn’t the price itself — it’s how wildly quotes can vary. One company says £400 for your 1-bed flat. Another wants £1,200 for the same job. So what should removals in London actually cost in 2026?
This guide gives you real numbers, honest comparisons, and a few tricks that can save you hundreds.
For a local move within London, expect to pay roughly £300–£600 for a 1-bed flat, £500–£900 for a 2-bed, and £1,200–£1,800 for a 3-bed house (without packing).
To put that in real terms: moving a 1-bed flat from Lewisham to Peckham would probably take 3–4 hours with two movers and a Luton van. You’re looking at £350–£550 all in.
A 2-bed house in Ealing to Chiswick? Half a day, bigger crew, somewhere around £600–£900.
And a 3-bed family home in Croydon to Bromley could easily run £1,200–£1,800, especially if the crew needs to make two trips.
These prices assume you’ve packed everything yourself. Add professional packing and you’re looking at 30–40% on top.
Where you’re moving matters too.
Compare My Move’s London data shows West London averaging about £1,090 per move, which is the priciest part of the city.
Outer boroughs like Bromley, Croydon, and Sutton often come in under £510. And if your flat is above the ground floor with no lift? That pushes the price up again (more on that below).
A man and van in London typically costs £40–£60 per hour for one mover, or £70–£100 per hour with two movers and a larger van. Most companies have a 2–3 hour minimum booking.
If you’re happy doing the heavy lifting yourself, self-load options (basically a driver with a van) start from around £25–£45 per hour.
That’s the cheapest way to move in London, full stop. But it’s also going to be the most exhausting since you’re doing all the work yourself.
For a typical 1-bed flat move with one man and a Luton van, you’re looking at 3–4 hours. At £55 per hour, that works out to roughly £165–£220 total. Not bad.
But watch out for extras that aren’t always included in the headline rate. Weekend surcharges of £5–£10 per hour are standard, and the London Congestion Charge (now £18 per day as of January 2026) usually gets added on top. Always ask.
For a studio or 1-bed flat, man and van is almost always the cheaper option — typically 40–60% less than a full removals service. For anything bigger than a 2-bed, full removals usually works out better value.
The trade-off is pretty simple.
Man and van is cheaper, faster to book, and great for straightforward moves. But you’ll pack everything yourself, and here’s the bit people don’t realize: items you pack yourself generally aren’t covered by the company’s goods-in-transit insurance.
So if your grandmother’s vase gets smashed, that’s on you.
Full removals costs more, yes. But the crew wraps your furniture, dismantles beds, and handles the fragile stuff properly. You’re paying for protection as much as convenience.
My honest advice? If you’re moving a 2-bed, get quotes for both and compare. That’s usually the crossover point where the price gap narrows enough to make full removals worth it.
A 1-bed flat move typically takes 3–4 hours start to finish. A 2-bed runs 4–6 hours. A 3-bed house can take a full day — 6–8 hours, sometimes longer.
London adds time in ways other cities don’t. A few things that regularly slow moves down:
One useful tip: be completely packed before the crew arrives. It sounds obvious, but movers regularly turn up to half-packed kitchens and lose an hour or two waiting. Label your boxes by room, and you’ll speed up the unload at the other end as well.
Parking suspensions, congestion charges, stair surcharges, and weekend premiums are the four costs that most often surprise London movers. Together they can add £200–£500+ to your final bill.
Parking bay suspensions are the ones that stings most.
In a controlled parking zone (and that’s most of inner London), you’ll need to suspend a bay so the removal van can actually park outside your property. That costs £100–£300 per location, depending on your borough.
Camden is the worst. They need 17 working days’ notice and charge a £350 short-notice surcharge if you’re late. You’ll usually need two bays for a Luton van, at both your old place and the new one.
The Congestion Charge went up to £18 per day in January 2026. If your move involves two trips into the zone, that’s £36.
Stair charges run £20–£60 per floor. Over half of London homes are flats, so this hits more people than you’d expect.
And Saturday moves cost roughly 10–20% more than midweek. Sundays are even pricier.
Quick note on tipping: it’s not required, but £10–£20 per mover is customary if they’ve done a good job. Cash at the end of the day is the norm.
Moving midweek, decluttering before you get quotes, and comparing at least three written prices can realistically save you £400–£800 on a London move.
Timing is the biggest lever you’ve got. Tuesday and Wednesday are consistently the cheapest days to move.
Compare My Move data (from over 8,500 real bookings) shows Wednesday moves average £770, while Friday moves average £1,076. That’s a £300 difference just for picking a different day.
February is the cheapest month. August and late November are the most expensive. And avoid end-of-month dates when tenancy changeovers create a surge in demand.
Decluttering before the quote makes a real difference too. Removal companies price by volume, so a ruthless clear-out can drop you into a smaller van category. That alone can save £200–£400 on a family move.
Book 4–8 weeks in advance if you can. Last-minute bookings attract premiums, and you’ll have fewer companies to choose from.
And yes, packing yourself saves 30–40% on the packing cost. But remember the insurance trade-off. If you’re moving expensive or fragile items, professional packing might be worth the money just for the cover.
Most London movers pay between £300 and £1,800 depending on property size. A 1-bed flat averages £300–£600 for a local move. A 3-bed house runs £1,200–£1,800 without packing.
Yes, typically 40–60% cheaper for small moves. A 1-bed man and van job in London usually costs £150–£350 total. But you lose the packing service and the insurance cover that comes with full removals.
A 1-bed flat takes 3–4 hours. A 3-bed house takes 6–8 hours. Stairs, traffic, and parking problems can add 1–3 hours on top of those estimates.
Some do, some don’t. Larger firms and BAR (British Association of Removers) members charge 20% VAT. Smaller operators below the VAT threshold don’t, which can make them roughly 20% cheaper on paper. Always check before comparing quotes.
Easy Way Removals is a family-run London removals company based in South and West London. We handle house removals (with 10% off full moves), man and van services from £25 per hour, and same-day bookings. Fully insured, no hidden fees, VAT included.
Call us on 0800 689 3025 or request a free quote online. It takes 60 seconds.
