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2026 cost calculator

How much does it really cost to move house?

Selling and buying in England averages £17,413 in 2026, and most of it is stamp duty and the estate agent. Put in your own numbers below. Every figure is sourced, and anything we’ve estimated ourselves is labelled.

Work out my costs See the sources

England averages, 2026

  • Stamp duty — £9,500 at the £390,000 median price.
  • Estate agent — £4,473, or about 1.42% inc VAT.
  • Conveyancing — £1,509 to buy, £929 to sell.
  • Removals — £792 for a local three-bed move.
  • Survey — £499 (Level 2) to £661 (Level 3).
  • First-time buyers — about £2,293 in total.
What are you doing?
£390,000
Buyer type
Survey
£325,000
3 bedrooms
Distance
Add what applies
Your move, all in

£0

    Averages from the sources below, not quotes. London and the South East typically cost more. Stamp duty uses England and Northern Ireland rates — Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) differ. Not financial advice.

    How we calculate this

    • Removals use Reallymoving’s August 2026 averages by bedrooms for moves within 25km, and its figures for 100+ mile moves. The 15–100 mile band is our midpoint of the two.
    • Packing starts from the £400–£500 quoted for a three-bedroom house; we scale it by size in line with the removals figures.
    • Conveyancing is Reallymoving’s Q2 2026 index: £1,509 to buy and £929 to sell, including disbursements.
    • Estate agent is the 1.42% sole-agency average, including VAT, applied to your sale price.
    • Surveys are Reallymoving’s averages for Level 2 (£498.95) and Level 3 (£661.29).
    • EPC only applies if you’re selling. We show our own £75 price; the national average is £65.
    • Storage is one month at £29.13 per sq ft. The source doesn’t state a period; we treat it as annual, which matches published weekly unit prices. Unit sizes for one- and three-bedroom homes come from Which?; the others are our interpolation.
    • Stamp duty uses the GOV.UK rates for England and Northern Ireland, including first-time buyer relief and the 5% additional-property surcharge.
    • Not included: mortgage arrangement and broker fees, leasehold management packs, your deposit, repairs, and anything regional. Anything marked our is an assumption, not a published figure.

    Sources

    1. Which? — How much does it cost to move home in 2026? (Reallymoving data) 10 Oct 2026
    2. HomeOwners Alliance — How much do removals cost? (Reallymoving data, August 2026) updated 19 Oct 2026
    3. Reallymoving Conveyancing Costs Index, Q2 2026 (reported by Today's Conveyancer) 19 Aug 2026
    4. HomeOwners Alliance — Estate agent fees 2026 2026
    5. Reallymoving — average survey costs accessed Oct 2026
    6. GOV.UK — Stamp Duty Land Tax: residential property rates accessed Oct 2026
    7. Which? — citing the SSAUK Annual Industry Report 2025 2025 report
    8. Which? — Moving house checklist (Royal Mail redirection prices) accessed Oct 2026
    9. homesurvey.eu — our fixed EPC price current

    Figures checked 2026-10-20. We re-check them every quarter.

    Line by line

    Where the money goes, and what you control

    Two lines — stamp duty and the estate agent — make up about 80% of a typical move in England. That’s where to look first.

    Stamp duty

    The biggest single cost: £9,500 at England’s £390,000 median. It’s set by the rates, not negotiated. First-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000, and a second home adds 5% across every band.

    ControlNone — but it’s due within 14 days of completion

    Estate agent

    The second biggest, averaging 1.42% including VAT on a sole agency. A quote of “1.5%” that excludes VAT is really 1.8%. Multi-agency deals typically run 3% or more.

    ControlHigh — fees are negotiable, and online agents charge flat fees

    Conveyancing

    £1,509 to buy and £929 to sell, including searches and disbursements. Leasehold adds more. Fees have barely moved in a year, so a quote far above this needs a reason.

    ControlMedium — compare fixed fees, not headline rates

    Survey

    About £499 for a Level 2, £661 for a Level 3. It’s the only line here that can save you five figures. On an older or extended home, the Level 3 is usually worth it.

    ControlYours — but skipping it is a false economy

    Removals

    From £330 for a one-bed to £1,590 for a five-bed locally, and about £1,600 for a three-bed going 100+ miles. Midweek, mid-month dates are cheaper.

    ControlHigh — date, distance and packing are your choice

    The EPC

    Legally required before you market a home. It costs £65 on average and £75 fixed with us. The report also tells you which improvements pay back on your house.

    LinkBook for £75
    FAQs

    Money questions

    When should I book removals?

    Get three written quotes around eight weeks out and confirm the booking about four weeks out. Fridays and the last few working days of the month go first. Check the quote states waiting time, packing, insurance level and cancellation terms — those four lines are where disputes happen.

    How much does it cost to move house?

    For someone selling and buying in England, Reallymoving’s 2026 data, published by Which? in October 2026, puts the typical total at £17,413: stamp duty £9,500, estate agent £4,473, conveyancing £2,241, survey £510, removals £624 and an EPC £65. First-time buyers pay far less, about £2,293, because most pay no stamp duty and have no agent to pay. Use the cost calculator for your own numbers.

    When do I have to pay stamp duty?

    In England and Northern Ireland the return and payment are due within 14 days of completion, and late returns attract penalties and interest. Scotland’s LBTT and Wales’s LTT allow 30 days. Your conveyancer usually files and pays on completion day, but the responsibility stays with you, so ask them to confirm it is done. GOV.UK guidance.

    The cheapest line on your moving budget

    An EPC is £75 fixed and it’s legally required before marketing. Get it out of the way.

    Book an EPC Cost & money resources
    My plan Book EPC £75