Average Moving Cost in Toronto
You found your new home in Toronto and are ready to move in? Congrats!
Starting a new chapter in your life is so exciting. However, it can also be exhausting and costly. Together with all the expenses, you might be wondering whether or not you can afford to hire a professional moving company to handle the relocation of your belongings.
There are a lot of factors impacting the overall cost of moving and sometimes it’s really difficult to calculate the moving cost yourself.
As a professional moving platform committed to providing unbiased truthful information to our customers, Gvota has made all the necessary calculations saving your precious time.
We have a simple effective formula for calculating the cost of moving.
Check the average costs of moving as per our formula as well as factors affecting the overall moving price and make sure you’re financially prepared for the move.
Unique formula to calculate the cost of moving
- Mover’s rate - the set prices of 2 or 3 movers per 1 hour
- Moving duration - the overall time the movers spend (may also include the time on the road)
- Extra fees - costs that are not included in the rate but may be applicable to your move
Factors affecting the cost of moving
While each moving company has its methods to estimate a move, the rates and the factors affecting the cost are common.
Season
The date is an important factor to consider when making moving cost calculations. If you’ve planned your move in summer, think twice, because summer is the busiest season for moving companies. Many people decide to move in the holiday season, that’s why moving services in summer are in high demand. Autumn and winter are low seasons for moving. So basically the higher the season, the higher the rate.
Days in a month, as well as days of the week, are also determining factors for the moving estimates. Generally, it will be cheaper to move in the last two weeks of the month. Moving during the week is also cheaper than moving on weekends. Interestingly, Tuesday is the least preferred day to move, that’s why you better choose to move on Tuesday if you want to receive an extra discount.
Depending on the time of the year, Toronto movers’ rates for residential moves vary from mover to mover. Here are the average moving tariffs of moving companies in Toronto.
Season | Rate for 2 movers | Rate for 3 movers |
High-season | $100-120 | $135-155 |
Low-season | $90-110 | $120-145 |
Apartment / house type
The size of the apartment has a direct impact on the duration of the move which is, in its turn, a deciding factor for moving company quotes.
It seems obvious that the cost of relocation from a big mansion and a one-bedroom apartment vary a lot. First of all, a big house means more items, more rooms, more time and workload. If you are moving stuff from the attic or the basement and the movers need to use the stairs, it increases the moving time, and as, per our formula, it adds up to the final moving cost accordingly. Moving the belongings up or down the stairs, moving through many rooms is also harder for the moving guys than moving stuff from a one-story small apartment.
On the other hand, even if you don’t have many items and your move will not take more than 2 hours, you will still need to pay the 3-4 hours’ rate. The reason is the movers’ requirement for a minimum duration of the move.
The basic rule is - the more items you have to move, the more time it takes. The more it takes, the more you have to pay.
Check the moving rate as per the housing type and the duration of the move.
Housing type | Recommended number of movers | Average moving time |
1-bedroom apartment | 2 | 4 hours |
2-bedroom apartment | 2 | 6 hours |
3-bedroom apartment | 3 | 8+ |
1-bedroom house | 2 | 5 hours |
2-bedroom house | 3 | 7 hours |
3-bedroom house | 3 | 8-10 hours |
Extra moving fees
If you have already made these calculations, that's great - that means you already have an average price for your move. But it’s not the end. In order to get the final price you also need to consider all the extra fees that may apply to your move. It is crucial to consider all the factors in order to make an accurate moving budget and not be surprised if the relocation turns out to be more expensive than expected. Being informed will also let you evaluate and choose the best moving quote
Special items
When we think of moving services we usually imagine two movers and a truck. However, the weight, volume and value of your belongings may require more than that. If you have large furniture or you need to move a piano, then you might need a bigger truck and more helping hands. This adds up to the total price.
When moving, weight and space are money. You need to consider the overall weight of the items, especially if it is a long-distance move. The moving company you hire will take into account all these aspects and let you know how they will affect the final price.
There is a list of especially heavy or special items that include an eclectic bed, marble table, spa, safes or vaults, etc. The moving costs for each item vary between ≈ $ 150 - $ 500. The piano is considered to be one of the most difficult items to move because of its weight, dimensions and value. The price of moving a piano ranges between $ 250- $ 550.
Distance
The distance between the starting point and the destination is what distinguishes long-distance and short-distance moves. The price range between these two varies from mover to mover. Moving down the street in Toronto is obviously cheaper than interstate moves. The reason is that the movers spend considerably less time, fuel and efforts on short moves. Longer moves mean more time, traffic jams and choice of the roads if the truck is a big one.
Also, if you are considering an interstate move, the company must be accredited by the US department of transport and provide certain insurance. This will also add up to the price.
Generally the travel costs vary from mover to mover, but for most local moves in Toronto the distance does not make much difference. Most of the movers simply define a flat fee which typically equals 1h-1.5h of their standard moving rate. Others charge $1.50-$2.00 per km after the standard 50km drive.
Extras
Usually, we don’t think about the extra services till the moving day, but sometimes, the extra fees can cost more than the moving rate. As extra services and fees often come as a surprise, you should be especially attentive to the little details when moving. Most moving companies in Toronto offer packing, unpacking, assembling and other value-added services. So if you want movers to bring you packing boxes and other packing supplies, these will add up as an additional cost to your final price. You might also need mattress covers, TV cartons, stair carriers, tapes, dollies and other equipment for the safe relocation of your items.
Yet, some movers don't charge extra fees for these services. They simply count the time they spend to disassemble or pack your items towards your moving time, and hence charge you their moving rate for the time spent. Others give you an additional estimate for these extra services based on your items list and don't count towards the moving time. In any case, you better make the inquiries and add the fees of the extras to your calculations.
It’s a good idea to look around and see if you need packing, assembling or storage services before you call a moving company. You may also find out that you can do a lot of things yourself. You can find free moving boxes and supplies, ask your friend or a family member to help with the heavy items. Check out our simple tips for an affordable move.
Average moving estimates
Effectively employing our formula and taking into account the factors affecting the final cost of moving, we eventually came up with the ultimate table for average moving costs.
Size | Average Time | Recommended number of movers | Price |
1-bedroom apartment | 4 hours | 2 | $300-600 |
2-bedroom apartment | 6 hours | 2 | $500-900 |
3-bedroom apartment | 8+ | 3 | $1100-1500 |
1-bedroom house | 5 hours | 2 | $675-900 |
2-bedroom house | 7 hours | 3 | $1140-1330 |
3-bedroom house | 8-10 hours | 3 | $1500-1700 |
4-bedroom house | 10+ | 3 | $2000-2400 |
For example, you have a two-bedroom apartment, it’s summer, the distance between the destinations is 25 km and, in addition to your usual items, you also need to move a safe.
Summer is a high season, the rate is $100-120, the recommended number of movers is 2. As the distance is under 50 km limit only 1 hour will be added to the duration. Moving a special item like safe costs around $150. We also need to consider the 13% tax. Using our formula we can easily do the following calculations:
If you consider all these factors and know about the average moving prices, it will be much easier to choose the best mover.
Nevertheless, each move is unique. You might have special conditions and requirements. That’s why you need to let the potential movers know all the details so that you get a realistic moving quote.
That’s why we recommend getting at least 5-8 moving quotes to be able to choose the best one. What you need to remember here is you get what you pay for. The cheapest deal is not necessarily the best one. And that’s where Gvota comes to rescue!
Compare and choose the best quote on GVOTA
Gvota offers a convenient platform both for the moving companies and for the people planning to move. You specify the details of your move once, and Gvota takes care of inviting the movers near you to estimate your move. Within minutes you start receiving moving quotes from verified Toronto movers with all the details, listing all the factors that affect your final price, and discount offers applicable to your move.
Here are some reasons to trust Gvota:
- It's free, confidential, and without any obligation.
- All companies listed on the Gvota platform are verified movers.
- They have affordable rates.
- They provide premium services based on feedback and ratings from Gvota users.
- Allows you to receive quotes, communicate with movers, and negotiate the conditions of quotes without sharing your contact details until you accept an offer. No phone calls, no disturbance, no hard selling.
- On Gvota, movers compete with each other to offer you the best price. They are also committed to providing you with the best service in order to collect positive reviews and comments on the site. This type of competition promotes high-quality service at a better price.