The Moving Report: The true cost of relocating in Australia

The start of the year is peak moving season in Australia, so Airtasker created The Moving Report to help you navigate the financial, time, and emotional costs of relocating.

Moving house is rarely just one job. It’s dozens of tasks, but you can easily lighten the load by connecting with local Taskers on Airtasker, who have the skills and tools to handle everything from packing and removals to furniture assembly and cleaning – all while maintaining the flexibility to set your own budget and schedule.

The Moving Report

To create The Moving Report, Airtasker analysed internal data on the cost of common moving tasks. This revealed that behind one moment of moving, there are more than 60+ tasks that people need to think about throughout this end to end process. For areas where internal data wasn’t available, such as stamp duty or the cost of real estate and legal fees, Airtasker conducted desk research and surveyed 1,000 Australians who had moved in the past five years. The survey also explored the emotional and time costs of moving, providing a complete picture of what relocation really takes.

Whether you’re moving in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or anywhere across Australia, after reading The Moving Report, you’ll have a better idea of what you’ll need help with to make your move as smooth and organised as possible.

60+

tasks that people need to think about throughout the moving process

The financial costs of moving house

Moving home can be an exciting fresh start, but it often comes with a surprising price tag. From packing materials to legal fees and unexpected expenses, moving costs have a way of adding up. Understanding these financial costs beforehand can help make your move smoother and guide you in deciding whether platforms like Airtasker could help reduce some of these expenses and the mental load.

Pre-move costs

For many Australians, the financial cost of moving begins long before the boxes are packed. Pre-move expenses include everyday preparation tasks, housing transaction costs, and a range of hidden fees that can quickly add up.

Preparation cost

Even before securing a new home, many movers pay for professional help to prepare their current property. On average, Australians who use Airtasker for assistance with their move spend $188 on packing or unpacking support, $164 on end-of-lease pest control, $123 on locksmith services, $165 on end-of-lease gardening and $147 on end-of-lease waste removal

Painting is another frequent expense, having a wide range in costs depending on the size of the job. With some houses requiring minor touch-ups, while others need more substantial repainting work, end-of-lease painting on Airtasker typically costs between $100 and $500, with an average cost of $365 for end-of-lease painting and $483 for painting services in general. 

Australians who use Airtasker for help attending property inspections pay $86 on average. Meanwhile, those who attend inspections themselves can expect to pay an average of $244 in transport costs, according to the Australians surveyed.

The cost of buying a home

For buyers, stamp duty is by far the highest pre-move cost. On an $800,000 property, stamp duty typically ranges from $22,000 to $43,000, depending on the state. At $1 million, this increases to $33,000–$55,000, excluding any first-home buyer concessions. While these concessions can significantly reduce stamp duty, eligibility and thresholds vary widely by state.

Buyers should also budget for paid professional services, including conveyancing and legal fees (averaging $1,050–$1,875), building and pest inspections (typically $400–$1,00), strata or body corporate reports ($250-$450) and lender fees. Lender costs — which include application, valuation, legal, and settlement fees — can add $1,000 or more to the purchase costs.

For those who choose to employ a buyer’s agent, the cost can escalate quickly. Fees typically range from around $3,000 to $30,000+, depending on the property price, location and fee structure. Some buyer’s agents charge a fixed fee, often using tiered pricing based on the value of the property, while others charge a commission, usually between 1–3% of the purchase price, with rates varying by city.

The cost of selling a home

Sellers face a different set of upfront costs. Real estate agent commissions typically range from 2–3% of the sale price, meaning a $1 million sale often attracts $20,000–$30,000 in commission alone. In addition, sellers typically cover the costs of marketing and advertising ($2,500–$12,500), styling and staging ($1,500–$7,000), and conveyancing and disbursements ($1,300–$2,200). You may also have to consider the mortgage discharge fee ($150-$800) when closing the mortgage and capital gains tax if you sell your property for more than you bought it for.

As you can see, between the high financial costs and endless planning, the mental load of moving is massive. When you’re drowning in stamp duty thresholds or lender valuations, the last thing you need is a never-ending to-do list of more tasks.

By delegating the logistics, like packing boxes, end-of-lease cleaning or repairs, you can clear the headspace needed to focus on high-stakes decisions of buying and selling.

Hidden costs of moving

Beyond the major line items, movers often incur smaller but unavoidable expenses. These include bond and upfront rent (often 4–6 weeks’ rent), mail redirection (around $192.50 for a year’s redirection to Australian addresses), and pet-related costs, such as registration fees (averaging $46 for dogs and $33 for cats) or a pet bond in WA ($260). These expenses are rarely budgeted for upfront but frequently arise during the moving process, adding to the overall cost of relocating.

Moving costs

The cost of moving house depends on a combination of factors, including distance, dwelling size, and whether you hire removalists or do it yourself. To give a full picture, the report has broken down moving costs into local, medium, long, and extra-long moves, and by home size, from small apartments to large houses.

Removalists costs

Cost typically increases by $100+ with the number of bedrooms. The average costs for removals of a home with one bedroom is $366, $486 for two beds, $628 for 3 beds and $824 for 4+ bedrooms. Larger homes also have a wider cost range, reflecting the extra packing, furniture, and logistics involved. 

Apartments are generally cheaper than houses of the same size — the median price for full house moves is 33% higher than for apartments ($400 vs $300).

However, distance is the biggest cost driver. For example, a short 0–1 bedroom apartment move might cost around $300, while an extra-long 3-bedroom house move can reach an average of $2,000. Stairs add $50–$150 but are less significant than distance or home size.

Removalists costs by state

Removalist costs also vary significantly by state. The cheapest state for removalists is Victoria. Removalists in Victoria cost an average of $307 for a short move of up to 25km, $394 for a move between 25km and 100km, and $748 for a move between 100km and 250km. The only distance that Victoria removalists aren’t the cheapest for is for an extra-long move (over 250km, e.g. moving from Melbourne to Sydney), where removalists in Western Australia are slightly more affordable at $681 compared to $785. Interestingly, WA is actually the most expensive place to move short distances ($357 on average).

The most expensive state for removalists for medium-distance moves is New South Wales. Removalists in NSW cost $447 for moves between 25km and 100km. For long moves of between 100 and 250km, Queensland has the most expensive removalists, with an average cost of $838. 

When looking at how dwelling size impacts the cost of removalists, removalists in the Australian Capital Territory are the most expensive for all sized homes, ranging from $498 for 0-1 bedroom homes to $1,115 for 4+ bedroom homes. Victorian removalists are again the cheapest for 0-1 and 2 bedroom homes, costing an average of $331 and $417 respectively. Removalists in WA are cheapest for 3 bedroom home moves at an average price of $494, while removalists in South Australia are the joint cheapest with Victoria for homes with over 4 bedrooms ($660).

DIY Truck or Van Hire

For those moving themselves, van and truck hire costs vary by city and vehicle size, with a small delivery van (5–8m³) averaging between $45–$171/day, or a medium truck (12–22m³, car-licence compatible) ranging between $65–$211/day on average, depending on the state. Some providers offer pay-as-you-go options, including fuel and insurance, but these can be less cost-effective for larger moves.

Other costs associated with a house move

  • Storage units – If you need storage during your move, average rates in Australia are around $394 per m², per year. A medium-sized unit (9m², about half a standard garage) costs roughly $340/month. Prices vary based on location, unit size, access, and any additional fees such as insurance or administration.
  • Pet relocation costs – An average of $152, with prices varying depending on size and distance.
  • Double rent for misaligned lease dates: According to Aussies surveyed, double rent adds an average of $547 to moving costs. 
  • Insurance excess for van/truck hires: Australians who incurred damage to hired vans or trucks paid an average of $368 in insurance excess.
  • Replacing broken or damaged items: It’s not uncommon for items to be broken or damaged during a house move, with Australians surveyed saying this added an average of $332 to their moving costs.
  • Meals while kitchens are unpacked: When moving house, packing up kitchen appliances often makes it difficult to cook or store food, pushing movers to spend an average of $255 extra during the process, according to those surveyed.

Childcare or pet care during the move: During a house move, families with children or pets often need extra help looking after their dependents, which costs an average of $229, according to surveyed Australians.

Post-move costs

Once you’ve settled into your new home, there are often additional costs for services that make life easier and get your house fully functional. Common post-move services include packing/unpacking, furniture assembly, wall hanging or mounting, and setting up utilities; however, additional costs are likely depending on the extra work you want done around the property.

Utilities, Internet, and Professional Services

Connecting or disconnecting utilities also comes with small but unavoidable costs. Electricity and gas connection/disconnection fees range from no charge all the way up to $200+, depending on the state, your network distributor and meter type, while the internet is usually free unless a professional NBN installation is required, which typically costs around $300.

Packing and Unpacking

Across Australia, the typical cost for help with packing and unpacking on Airtasker is around $188, with averages ranging from $174–$248 depending on the state.

Furniture Assembly

The average price of furniture assembly tasks on Airtasker is $122, with state averages between $117–$144.

Hidden costs of moving

Nationally, the average price for wall hanging and mounting on Airtasker is $164, with state averages around $143–$196 depending on the location.

How much time does moving really take?

Moving house isn’t just costly for your wallet; it’s a big investment of your time. From searching for a home and packing up your belongings to coordinating removals and settling in, the hours add up quickly. In this section, we break down how much time Australians really spend on a move, shining a light on the hidden effort behind every relocation.

The time behind every moving task

Not all moving tasks take the same amount of time, and some can be far more overwhelming than others. Packing and unpacking are the single biggest time drains when moving, with Australians spending an average of 14.8 hours on it. House-hunting comes close, taking around 12 hours on average, showing that finding a home is a major time commitment, not just a financial or emotional one.

Preparing the old home also eats up nearly half a day, with cleaning and readying a property taking 11.4 hours, while selling a home adds another 11.2 hours on valuations, listings, and prep. Planning alone consumes 9.3 hours, reinforcing that organising a move is a full-time effort in itself. 

Hands-on tasks like furniture assembly and DIY jobs are less time-intensive than expected, taking 7.8 hours, while admin and logistics, such as legal matters and utilities, add 6–7 hours. The time cost of moving is spread across many tasks: individually manageable, but collectively overwhelming, with an average of 86 hours lost for those who are buying and selling a property.

4.45 Days

The number of days taken off work for moving

The number of days taken off work for moving

Moving house typically requires almost a full working week off, with Australians taking an average of 4.45 days to manage inspections, preparation, and moving day. 

Time taken off work to move rises steadily through early and mid-life, peaking among 45–54-year-olds, who take an average of 4.99 days of leave. This suggests that mid-life moves are the most disruptive, likely reflecting the greater complexity of long-established households, more furniture and belongings, and competing demands from careers and family responsibilities. Even younger movers aren’t spared, with Australians aged 18–24 still taking close to four days off work to manage a move.

Need help with your move?

All you have to do is post a task, choose the best Tasker for the job and get it done!

The price you pay for doing it yourself

Nine out of ten Australians handle at least part of their move themselves, without hiring extra help, and over a third (36.8%) do the entire move without professional assistance. Many choose to do it themselves to save on financial costs, but how much does it really save when you factor in things like DIY disasters, broken items, and lost time?

The cost of saving money in lost time

Moving house isn’t just about what you spend, it’s also about the time you invest. To understand the true cost of moving, Airtasker compared the average time taken to complete key tasks yourself with the average cost of hiring a professional. 

Time costs were calculated using the national median hourly wage of $42.90 to estimate opportunity cost. To keep calculations conservative, calculations assume the loss of only one person’s time, even though many moves involve partners, family members or friends.

Airtasker looked at common moving tasks, including packing and unpacking, cleaning and preparing your old home, furniture assembly, property inspections, and removals. Professional options don’t eliminate all personal time required, with hours needed to arrange, supervise, and finalise the service, which is considered in the calculations.

DIY can seem cheaper in cash terms, but once you factor in the value of your time, it often ends up being more expensive. Overall, hiring professionals can reduce the time spent moving by 80–90%, making it a smart investment for your time, your wallet, and your sanity. DIY only appears cheaper if time is treated as free, yet in reality, the entire moving process costs Australians an average of 4.45 days of leave from work. 

While removalists may seem slightly more expensive upfront, when you factor in time costs, potential mishaps, and the stress of moving, they are often worth the extra price. DIY only “saves” money if everything goes perfectly—once items get damaged, tasks take longer than expected, or extra trips are needed, any cash savings quickly disappear. Considering the opportunity cost of time, particularly for those with demanding jobs, caregiving responsibilities, or limited leave, hiring professionals often makes the move smoother, safer, and less stressful overall.

Half of Aussies wish they had paid for more help

Over half (54%) of Aussies who DIY’d at least part of their house move wish they had paid for more help when moving. Regret was highest among those who partially DIY’d their move, with two-thirds of Aussies surveyed paying for some services but later wishing they’d paid for more.  This “DIY regret” often comes from underestimating just how much work a move really involves. With Airtasker, Australians can access help for every and any task before, during and after moving on just one platform, helping avoid burnout, delays and the regret of trying to do too much alone.

54% of Australians who DIY’d their move wish they had paid for more help.

Why Hiring Help is the Smartest Move You'll Make

Only one in five movers (20.0%) handled everything themselves and felt it worked out well, while very few people regretted paying for help — just 9.6% said they paid for everything and felt no additional support was needed. Overall, the data shows that regret skews strongly towards under-spending rather than over-spending on help.

Only 9.6% of people regretted paying for help

The total cost of moving house

Moving isn’t just transporting your belongings. It’s everything from hiring removalists to covering deposits and everything else in between. Knowing the total cost of moving helps you make smarter financial decisions and move with confidence.

The cost of moving house for renters

Overall, the average cost for renters to move house in Australia is $5,128, or $7,676 when the cost of lost time is considered. The cost varies significantly between states. South Australia renters see the lowest cost to move house at $4,071, reaching $6,453 when lost time is considered. While New South Wales renters experience the highest costs at $5,267 or $7,782 when time is factored into the equation.

The cost of moving house for first-time buyers

Those buying and moving home can expect to pay $44,881 to do so, rising to $47,472 when taking into account the cost of lost time. This process is most expensive for Victorians, with a monetary value of $59,937. On the other hand, those living in the ACT can expect to pay $39,259. The major difference in costs is largely drive by differences in stamp duty.

The cost of moving house when buying and selling a home

If you’re selling a home and moving into a new home you’ve just bought, Australians will spend an estimated $79,181, or $82,253 when considering lost time. Once again, the ACT is the cheapest place to move, with an estimated monetary cost of $70,584, while Victoria is the most expensive, costing an estimated $89,637.

The lifetime cost of moving house

Moving house is often seen as a short-term inconvenience, but over the course of an adult life, the costs can be substantial. By combining survey data on moving frequency with detailed cost estimates for renters, buyers, and sellers, we can estimate the cumulative lifetime cost of moving for a typical Australian.

So how many times can you expect to move in your lifetime? The survey results show that the average number of moves increases over the course of a lifetime, with younger Australians (18–24 years) having made the fewest moves—an average of 3.76—rising steadily with age to 8.22 moves for those over 65. When adjusted for moves per decade, the peak frequency occurs in early adulthood, with 18–24-year-olds moving 1.79 times per 10 years. This gradually declines with age, dropping to 1.18 moves per decade for 55–64-year-olds.

The estimated lifetime cost of moving is $193,376

The emotional costs of moving house

Moving house doesn’t just come with a financial and time cost; it can take a real emotional toll too. In this section, we explore the emotional side of moving, from the stress of finding a home to the hidden pressures that come with planning, packing, and settling in.

The emotional and physical challenges Aussies experience when moving house

Almost all Australians (94%) experienced at least one emotional or physical challenge during the moving process, showing that moving is rarely a smooth or stress-free experience.

The most common struggle is physical exhaustion, with two-thirds of movers impacted. This was felt more strongly by women, with almost three-quarters (74.5%) reporting physical exhaustion, compared to 59.0% of men. People can prevent this physical toll and avoid burnout by leaving the heavy lifting to Taskers.

In fact, across almost every challenge measured, women reported higher levels of emotional and physical strain than men. The biggest gap appears in stress and emotional overwhelm: 71.5% of women said they felt emotionally stressed or overwhelmed during their move, compared to 46.4% of men. 

Moving impacts Australians differently at every life stage, but the data shows the strain intensifies with age. Physical exhaustion peaks in mid-life, with 71.8% of 45–54 year olds reporting they were worn out by their move, while emotional stress rises steadily from 50% of 18–24s to 60%+ of those aged 35 and over. Anxiety and uncertainty are highest later in life, affecting 57.8% of people aged over 65. However, financial pressure hits hardest during prime working years, impacting nearly half of 25–34s (48.0%) and 45–54s (48.3%).

Moving house is more stressful than having a child and getting married

The research also found that buying a home and moving house are two of life’s most stressful experiences, ranking as the third and fourth most stressful life events overall, ahead of traditionally stressful milestones like having a child, starting a new job and getting married. Around 15.3% of Australians ranked moving house as the single most stressful experience of all, slightly higher than buying a home (14.7%), and while relationship breakdowns and job loss sit at the top of the list, moving follows immediately behind them, proving it’s far more than just a minor inconvenience.

The most stressful parts of moving house

Finding a home is by far the most stressful part of moving, with over half of Australians rating it as very or extremely stressful. Renting is slightly more stressful than buying, with 54.9% of renters describing it as extremely stressful, compared to 51% of buyers, highlighting the added pressure of the housing crisis on renters. 

Stress peaks in the stages leading up to moving day, including securing a home, selling, cleaning, and planning, rather than during physical tasks like packing or furniture assembly. Uncertainty around the housing market — from availability and competition to financial risk — drives stress far more than logistics, while practical tasks like cleaning, selling, and preparing a property are almost as demanding as finding a home itself. 

Disruption to daily routines is another hidden stressor, with 43% of respondents rating it very or extremely stressful, and across the board, women report higher stress than men at every stage, highlighting the unequal emotional burden of moving.

2 in 3

Struggle with physical exhaustion when moving

94

%

Australians experienced at least one emotional or physical challenge during the moving process

15

%

ranked moving house as the single most stressful life experience

Moving house checklist

We’ve put together the ultimate moving checklist that covers every stage of the process. From packing boxes to the final deep clean, this guide breaks everything down into simple, manageable steps so you can stay motivated and organised. 

This report assesses the financial, time and emotional costs associated with moving house in Australia by combining internal Airtasker posted prices, original survey data and publicly available external data sources from industry leaders and professionals. The aim is to quantify the typical cost of moving across common housing scenarios, and to illustrate how these costs accumulate over an adult lifetime.

Internal Data

Internal Airtasker data presented in this report consists of consolidated prices from over 3 million posted task prices by users for moving-related task categories between January 2022 and October 2025, inclusive. In this report, the following prices are presented in the following ways to illustrate the varying degrees of budgets and task types within the category:

  • Median – the middle price. Can be looked at as the typical price
  • Low and High – this is the range most people post their listing price (between 25th and 75th percentile – the middle 50%)
  • Trimmed average –  the average of the values that lie within 5th – 95th percentile cutoff and is used to remove outlier values that are extremely high or low to give a more realistic figure

The trimmed average is the primary metric used when referring to the average price in the report.

These figures reflect the prices customers post on Airtasker, which may be lower than final booked or invoiced costs. For full house removals, this means that it may also include many smaller, short or budget moves. Other task types may vary widely by scope, such as professional cleaning, which can vary in price according to the number of rooms, property size and complexity, etc.

Full-house removalists have been subdivided into the following move-distance type, for more specific pricing ranges:

  • Short moves (0-25km): generally include moves from suburb to suburb within your town/city, such as Brunswick to Footscray
  • Medium moves (25-100km) include moves like those from outer city and surrounds to inner city, for example, Parramatta to Surry Hills
  • Long moves (100-250km) include longer moves, generally within 3-5 hours, such as Perth to Bunbury. These can be within or across state borders, depending on location.
  • Extra Long moves (250km+) include major moves like capital to capital, such as Sydney to Brisbane.

Survey Data

We commissioned third-party survey company PureProfile to conduct a nationally representative survey of 1,000 Australians who had moved house in the past 5 years. The survey data was used to capture the moving experiences of individuals, which provided qualitative and quantitative data on the time and emotional costs used in this research. The survey was conducted in October, 2025.

Survey results for time spent on key moving-related activities, average spend on out-of-pocket costs that are irregular or difficult to observe through market pricing alone (such as travel to inspections, take-out meals, damage or loss, childcare or pet care, and double rent), number of moves and time taken off work are calculated as weighted averages based on ranges and estimated midpoints from response categories. Other financial moving costs from survey results are expressed as weighted averages of those who incurred the cost. For lifetime calculations, however, the weighted average of all respondents was utilised to produce an expected cost per move.

To allow fair comparison across age groups, lifetime moving frequency was normalised by age. Weighted average lifetime moves were divided by the midpoint age of each group and expressed as moves per 10 years lived.

For life-event comparisons, only respondents who had experienced at least four of the listed events were included, with average rankings and those who ranked moving house as the most stressful used to assess relative stress, while moving-stage stress was measured using a 1–5 Likert scale, excluding tasks marked as not applicable.

External Market Pricing Data

Publicly available sources were used to estimate costs that are largely fixed or regulated, including:

  • Stamp duty
  • Conveyancing and legal fees
  • Mortgage setup and registration fees
  • Utility connection and disconnection fees
  • Mail redirection and government charges
  • Advertising, marketing, staging and styling
  • Real estate commissions and agent fees
  • Truck hire and storage
  • Building, Pest, Strata and Body Corporate Reports

Where costs vary significantly by provider, location, or property characteristics, indicative ranges or estimated averages were used based on multiple external sources. These estimates are intended to illustrate typical market conditions and should not be interpreted as precise or universally applicable prices.

The full list of external data sources are listed at the end of this section

Time Valuation

Time costs are calculated using the Australian Bureau of Statistics average hourly wage of $42.90 per hour. Time estimates reflect the time of one adult only, providing a conservative estimate of opportunity cost and avoiding inflation from household-level assumptions.

Lifetime Cost Calculations

Housing transitions are highly variable. In reality, many moves involve overlapping activities (such as selling and buying as part of the same relocation), different dwelling sizes at different life stages, a mix of local and interstate moves, and varying household compositions. Modelling every possible combination would significantly increase complexity without meaningfully improving the accuracy of a population-level estimate.

Instead, this analysis uses a scenario-based approach built around four representative housing transitions in Australia: renters moving locally, first-time buyers purchasing a home, owner-occupiers changing homes (combined buy and sell move) and sellers preparing and selling a home. Each scenario captures costs incurred before, during, and after a move, and applies representative cost profiles combined with conservative assumptions about lifetime moving frequency. Costs are treated as expected values, reflecting average financial and time impacts across many movers rather than the exact cost of any single transaction.

The calculations combine survey-based moving frequency data with detailed cost modelling across these common housing transitions. To reflect how moves typically occur in practice, buying and selling are modelled both as distinct stages (first purchase and final sale) and as a combined owner-occupier changeover scenario, recognising that most owner-occupiers sell and buy as part of a single relocation event rather than as separate moves. 

Given the wide variation in personal housing pathways, a conservative baseline has been adopted.

Key assumptions used in this analysis are:

  • Adult lifespan: 18 to 80 years
  • Total lifetime moves 
    • Conservative: 8 moves / Mid-range: 10 moves / High-range: 12 moves
  • Move composition: Higher-frequency moves are assumed to occur predominantly during rental years, with fewer but more expensive owner-occupier changeovers later in life
  • Time valuation: $42.90 per hour, based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics average hourly wage
  • Time costs: Reflect the time of one person only, providing a conservative estimate

Cost data sources and treatment

Where professional services available on Airtasker are involved (e.g. removalists, cleaning, packing, furniture assembly, gardening, painting), costs in these calculations are based on trimmed means from internal task pricing data. Trimmed means are used to reduce the influence of unusually low or high prices and better reflect typical amounts of services.

Survey-based costs represent weighted averages across all respondents, including those who did not incur a given cost, and are used to estimate the expected cost per move. 

For professional services, residual time costs are included where appropriate to reflect personal involvement such as organising, supervising, and final checks. This recognises that outsourcing reduces but does not eliminate time spent by movers.

Where costs vary significantly by state or circumstance, rounded national estimates were used to improve readability and comparability. Rental calculations use a typical weekly rent of $650. Property purchase and sale scenarios assume a $1 million property value, reflecting current median conditions in Australian capital cities.

Optional or conditional costs are shown separately and are not included by default, unless they apply to the scenario being modelled. Rental bond is included as upfront cash required at the time of moving, but is not treated as a permanent cost in lifetime estimates because it is typically refundable (less any deductions).

Interpretation and limitations

These estimates should be interpreted as indicative rather than predictive. They are designed to highlight the scale and cumulative nature of moving-related costs over time, rather than to represent precise outcomes for any individual household.

While owner-occupier changeovers explicitly account for the combined cost of selling and buying in a single move, other complexities, such as differing household sizes, shared time and costs across multiple adults, or international relocations are not explicitly modelled. The methodology therefore prioritises transparency, conservative assumptions, and reproducibility over exhaustive individual specificity.

Overall, this approach provides a robust and defensible framework for understanding the true cost of moving over an adult lifetime in Australia, while acknowledging the inherent diversity of real-world housing journeys

External Data Sources

Government and Revenue Authorities, Renting and Bonds

  • Revenue NSW
  • Queensland Government
  • State Revenue Office Victoria
  • Revenue ACT
  • RevenueSA
  • Department of Treasury and Finance (Western Australia)
  • Queensland Revenue Office
  • State Revenue Office Tasmania
  • Territory Revenue Office (Northern Territory)
  • NSW Government – Rental Bonds
  • Residential Tenancies Authority Queensland
  • Northern Territory Government – Private Renting
  • Service Tasmania
  • Consumer Protection WA

Property, Housing and Moving Costs

  • Money.com.au
  • OpenAgent
  • Canstar
  • Finder
  • Which Real Estate Agent
  • Your Mortgage
  • Savings.com.au
  • Buyers Domain
  • Stage 2 Sell
  • Decor 2 Sell

Land Titles & Registration

  • NSW Land Registry Services
  • Land Use Victoria
  • Titles Queensland
  • Land Services SA
  • Landgate (Western Australia)
  • Northern Territory Government – Land Titles
  • Access Canberra

Self Storage

  • Self Storage Association of Australasia
  • Roomia
  • Storage Plus

Utilities & Energy Providers

  • Energy On
  • Pacific Blue
  • EnergyIntel
  • EnergyAustralia
  • Energy Locals
  • Jacana Energy
  • Aurora Energy
  • ActewAGL
  • Nectr
  • Synergy
  • Origin Energy
  • Solstice Energy

Internet & Telecommunications

  • iiNet
  • Vodafone
  • Tangerine Telecom
  • Aussie Broadband
  • Optus
  • TPG
  • Compare Broadband

Pet Registration

  • NSW Pet Registry
  • Agriculture Victoria
  • City of Darwin
  • City of Darwin / Devonport City Council / Hobart City Council
  • City Services ACT
  • Local Councils South Australia
  • Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS)

Conveyancing, Legal & Inspections

  • Consumer Affairs Victoria
  • Conveyed
  • Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW
  • Entry Education
  • Jim’s Building Inspections
  • Trade Heroes
  • Compare Inspections
  • O’Connor Harris & Co
  • Inspect It First
  • Master Strata Inspections
  • BeSafe Strata Reports
  • MyBodyCorpReport
  • Clearly Strata Reports
  • Strata PIR
  • Before You Buy
  • Hunter Legal
  • Coutts Legal
  • O’Connors

Transport Hire

  • Budget Trucks
  • Hertz
  • Avis
  • Sixt
  • Thrifty
  • Europcar
  • GoGet

 

 

Lisa A.

What began as a side hustle soon became an “accidental” business. After years in a corporate job she didn’t enjoy, Lisa took a friend’s advice and joined Airtasker in 2017.
She took on gardening jobs, using her skills as a qualified horticulturist, with her very first task involving planting and weeding for a client, whom she is now good friends with and still works for nine years later.
Lisa says Airtasker gave her direction when she felt stuck, helping her turn practical skills into a career she truly loves.