Moving Budget Calculator
Work out what your whole move costs — not just the van. Removals, stamp duty, conveyancing, survey, agent fees, deposit and overlapping rent, totalled as you type.
Your total moving budget
£11,269
Removals are 7% of it.
| Removals — 3 Bed, local£600–£1,000 typical | £800 |
| SDLT on £350,000 | £7,500 |
| Conveyancing (buying)Typically £1,000–£2,500 | £1,450 |
| SurveyRICS HomeBuyer £350–£700 | £520 |
| Mortgage arrangement feeOften addable to the loan | £999 |
The removals figure above is a typical range for a 3 bed move. For a price built from your actual postcodes, access and extras, use the removal cost calculator.
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What Goes Into a Moving Budget?
Most people budget carefully for the removal company and then get blindsided by everything else. On a typical £350,000 purchase the removal firm takes under 6% of what you spend to move. The tax, the solicitor and the estate agent take the rest — and they all fall due within a few weeks of each other.
That matters for where you spend your effort. Shaving £100 off a removal quote is worth far less than getting three conveyancing quotes or negotiating half a percent off an estate agent's rate. This calculator is built to show you that proportion honestly, which is why the total tells you what share the removals actually are.
The costs of buying
Stamp duty is the biggest single line for most buyers and the one with the least wiggle room. England and Northern Ireland charge SDLT, Scotland charges LBTT and Wales charges LTT, each with different bands and different first-time buyer relief — the calculator applies the right one when you pick your region. Second homes and buy-to-lets carry a surcharge on top. You can see the full band-by-band working on the stamp duty calculator.
Conveyancing runs £1,000–£2,500 including searches, and quotes vary more than most people expect for identical work — see solicitors' fees explained before you instruct anyone. A RICS HomeBuyer survey is £350–£700 and a full building survey more; on an older property it is the cheapest insurance you will buy all year.
The costs of renting
Renting is simpler but front-loaded. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps deposits at five weeks' rent for tenancies under £50,000 a year, and you will normally pay the first month up front alongside it. The line that catches people is overlapping rent — the fortnight or month where you are paying for the old place and the new one because the dates would not line up. Budget for it deliberately rather than hoping it will not happen.
Where the removals figure comes from
The removals line here uses typical UK price bands for your property size and distance — good enough to plan around, but it does not know your floor level, your parking, or whether you want the kitchen packed. For a figure built from your actual move, the removal cost calculator asks eight questions and takes about two minutes. For average prices by property size, see what moving costs in 2026.
Moving Budget FAQs
What is a moving budget calculator?+
A moving budget calculator totals every cost involved in moving home, not just the removal van. That means stamp duty, conveyancing, a survey, mortgage arrangement fees, estate agent commission if you are selling, a rental deposit if you are renting, and the overlap costs when your dates do not line up. The removal company is usually under 10% of the total.
How much should I budget for moving house in the UK?+
For a typical 3-bedroom move at a £350,000 purchase price, budget around £13,000: roughly £800 for removals, £5,000 stamp duty, £1,450 conveyancing, £520 survey, £999 mortgage fee and around £4,480 in estate agent fees if you are also selling. If you are renting rather than buying, the total is far lower — usually a five-week deposit plus the first month up front, on top of removals.
What costs do people forget when budgeting a move?+
The small, time-critical ones: end-of-tenancy cleaning to release a deposit (£150–£350), a parking suspension for the removal van (£30–£65, applied for about five working days ahead), a goods-in-transit insurance upgrade, mail redirection, and overlapping rent or mortgage when completion slips. Budget £300–£800 for that layer.
Does this include stamp duty for Scotland and Wales?+
Yes. Select your region and the calculator applies the correct tax: SDLT in England and Northern Ireland, LBTT in Scotland (including the 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement), or LTT in Wales. First-time buyer relief is applied automatically where it exists.
How accurate is the removals figure?+
The removals line uses typical UK price bands for your property size and distance, so it is a reasonable planning number but not a quote. For a figure built from your actual postcodes, floor level, access and extras, use the removal cost calculator — it takes about two minutes and needs no signup.