Moving & settling in
Moving costs
By Bo Yu, Broker, Right at Home Realty, Brokerage · Verified/updated August 2026
Moving is the one item on this list that nobody charges you as a condition of buying. It is a service you hire, and the price is entirely a market price.
It still belongs in your closing budget, because it lands in the same week as everything else, movers usually want payment on the day, and it is the cost most often left out of a buyer's plan.
- Who charges it
- The moving company you hire.
- Who normally pays
- You.
- When it's paid
- On moving day, usually by card or e-transfer before the truck is unloaded.
- Cash or financed
- Cash, in the same week as your closing costs.
- Typical range
- $500–$2,500 for a local Ottawa move
How it's calculated — and why it varies
Local Ottawa movers usually charge by the hour with a crew minimum; long-distance moves are priced by weight and distance.
- One-bedroom condo, local: roughly $500–$900.
- Three-bedroom house, local: roughly $1,200–$2,500.
- Packing services, specialty items (piano, safe, appliances) and stairs add to the hourly rate.
- Peak pricing is real: the last Friday of the month and the end of June cost noticeably more.
- Storage between closings, if your dates don't line up, adds several hundred dollars a month.
- Insurance on the move is usually limited by weight unless you buy added valuation coverage.
Exemptions, refunds and when it doesn't apply
- Doing it yourself with a rented truck cuts the cost to $150–$400 plus your weekend.
- Employers relocating you often reimburse the move — get the policy in writing before booking.
- Moving expenses can be tax-deductible if you moved at least 40 km closer to a new work or school location; check the CRA rules with your accountant.
- Bo's complimentary moving offer may apply to buyers he represents on a purchase. It is subject to eligibility, limits, conditions and availability, all set out in writing before you commit, and it can be changed or withdrawn on a going-forward basis. Ask before you assume it applies to your purchase.
A real Ottawa example
A three-bedroom move from Hintonburg to Findlay Creek on a Wednesday in September: two movers and a truck at $170/hour for six hours plus travel, about $1,250 all in.
The same move on the last Friday of June, with packing: closer to $2,300. Choosing a mid-month, mid-week closing date is one of the cheapest decisions in the whole transaction.
How this shows up in the calculator
The calculator carries a modest "Moving (estimate)" row so the total reflects real life. It is clearly a market cost, not a fee — adjust it to a real quote, or to zero if Bo's moving offer applies to your purchase.
Open the calculatorOfficial sources — verified/updated August 2026
Rules and rates change. These are the first-party pages this one was checked against; confirm anything that matters to your purchase directly with them.
Every figure on this page is a planning estimate for general information only, based on the assumptions shown, and are not legal, tax, mortgage or financial advice or an offer of credit. Actual rates, payments, taxes, fees and values vary — confirm the numbers with your lender, lawyer or accountant before relying on them. Full disclosures.
This page is general information about how a cost works in Ontario, not legal, tax, mortgage or accounting advice, and not a quote. Your lawyer, lender and accountant confirm what actually applies to your purchase.
Want this priced out for a real Ottawa property?
Send Bo the address or price range and you'll get a written cost sheet for that specific purchase — no obligation.
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