South Australia offers most affordable moving costs for home buyers

South Australians are paying significantly less to move house compared to residents in other states, according to data from Upmove, Australia’s largest marketplace for removalist services.

The analysis, which utilised the platform’s internal and industry data, revealed that home buyers in South Australia face an average moving cost of $13,225.67, making it the most affordable state for relocation.

Ed Burton, Co-founder and CEO of Upmove, said, “South Australia tops the rank with the most affordable moving costs for buyers compared to other states with an estimated average of $13,225.67 overall.”

In contrast, Queensland home buyers face the highest average moving costs at $26,567.06, more than 50% higher than South Australia. Western Australia ranks second for affordability, with an average moving cost of $19,594.79 for home buyers.

The data also examined moving costs for renters, with Victoria emerging as the most affordable state at an estimated average of $1,914.06. South Australia follows closely in second place, with an average cost of $1,916.23 for renters.

“It’s interesting to see that moving costs for renters in Victoria are the most affordable at an estimated cost of $1,914. Particularly with the rental market there being so competitive, on average,” Mr Burton noted.

The Australian Capital Territory has the highest average moving costs for renters at $2,080.08, as well as the second-highest costs for home buyers at $24,904.24.

“Overall, the Australian Capital Territory has a generally higher average moving cost for both renters ($2,080.08) and home buyers ($24,904.24), which isn’t surprising given people tend to earn more in the ACT,” Mr Burton added.

The Upmove analysis considered various factors, including the average costs of moving furniture items and belongings for a 2-bedroom unit and 3-bedroom house, pet transportation, car transportation, and stamp duty rates across six major cities in Australia.

A report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that almost 65% of households have moved within the same state or territory in the last 5 years, while only 7% moved from a different state or territory.