Moving costs drop amid slower house price growth

The cost of moving home has dropped from its record high but remains above the levels of a decade ago, research has revealed.

The latest Cost of Moving Report from comparison website reallymoving found that a home move in England costs £17,413 in upfront expenses in 2026, down 2.3% from last year’s record high.

This reduction has been helped by lower property prices, which can mean costs such as Stamp Duty and estate agency fees are lower as they are typically charged on a percentage basis.

The comparison site analysed data from 204,000 home moving quotes to calculate the typical cost of buying and selling a property, factoring in Stamp Duty, conveyancing, estate agent fees, a Level 2 RICS Homebuyer survey, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and removals.

Movers will be relieved to hear the cost of moving has eased a little this year, but the longer-term picture is far less reassuring.”

It found that homeowners buying and selling in England pay £418 less than in 2025, largely due to a modest fall in the median price of properties being bought and sold.

The median purchase price fell from £395,000 to £390,000 this year, reducing the typical Stamp Duty bill by £250, while the median sale price dropped from £325,000 to £315,000, cutting average estate agent fees by £142.

The largest percentage change is removals costs which have fallen by almost 12% from £709 to £624 based on a move of under 30 miles, probably due to fiercer competition among removals firms amid lower mover demand. These savings have more than offset a 2.7% increase in conveyancing costs from £2,182 to £2,241.

Bigger picture

Looking at the bigger picture, the cost of moving home has risen by 74% in the past decade, adjusted for inflation. A home move in 2016 cost £10,016 in today’s money, according to the research.

The north/south divide is far less pronounced for first-time buyers, who benefit from a Stamp Duty exemption up to £300,000, reallymoving said.

Excluding London, the cost of buying a first home varies by just £200 across the rest of England, with an average spend of £2,293

Rob Houghton, Founder of Reallymoving, says: “Movers will be relieved to hear the cost of moving has eased a little this year, but the longer-term picture is far less reassuring.

“Moving home costs almost three-quarters more than it did a decade ago, even after accounting for inflation, making it a major barrier to mobility and economic growth. When households face an upfront bill of more than £17,000 simply to buy and sell, particularly during an extended cost-of-living crisis such as this, many decide to stay where they are even if their home no longer suits their needs. It prevents people from relocating for a new job, discourages growing families from moving to larger homes and makes downsizing much less attractive.

“A home move also generates spending across a whole range of businesses from conveyancers, surveyors, estate agents and removals firms to tradespeople and retailers. With transaction volumes suppressed, the effect is felt well beyond the immediate housing market.”

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Author: Gemma