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Mortgage rates might be falling, but the cost of moving home has climbed sharply over the past year.
New figures from Reallymoving – a comparison site that analyses quotes for conveyancing, surveys and removals – show that the average bill for movers in England is now £17,831.
Average costs elsewhere in the UK are lower: £11,677 in Wales, £9,585 in Scotland and £10,008 in Northern Ireland.
Here, Which? highlights the costs that have risen, compares the average moving fees across the UK and flags the expenses that are easy to overlook when setting your budget.
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Reallymoving’s annual analysis, which is based on 181,000 quotes, shows that moving in 2025 costs 27% more than a year ago. This is a significant increase, especially considering that costs fell by 3% in 2024.
Stamp duty changes introduced in April played a role. The temporary thresholds that reduced stamp duty for many buyers came to an end, meaning more movers now face a higher bill.
But this isn’t the only expense that's rising. Conveyancing fees are up 8.7% and survey costs have climbed 6.5%.
According to Reallymoving, the cost of an energy performance certificate (EPC) – an assessment of a home’s energy efficiency, which sellers must provide to buyers – is the only fee that hasn’t increased.
This table summarises the average cost of moving home in England if you're selling and buying.
| Service/fee | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty | £9,750 |
| Estate agent | £4,615 |
| Conveyancing | £2,182 |
| Survey | £510 |
| Removals | £709 |
| EPC | £65 |
| Total | £17,831 |
Source: Reallymoving
Based on median purchase prices in 2025
Buying your first home has also become more expensive. The average upfront cost for first-time buyers in England has risen 6.5% to £2,315.
Conveyancing and survey fees account for much of this increase, which Reallymoving links to inflationary pressure on professional fees and modest house-price growth.
First-time buyers avoid estate agent fees, which are paid by the seller, and most pay no stamp duty.
However, you will face a stamp duty bill if your first home costs more than £300,000, which can increase your total costs significantly in certain parts of England.
| Service/fee | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty | £0 |
| Conveyancing | £1,421 |
| Survey | £462 |
| Removals | £432 |
| Total | £2,315 |
Source: Reallymoving
Costs for first-time buyers are also lower in the other UK nations, with average moving expenses of £2,045 in Wales, £1,911 in Scotland and £2,131 in Northern Ireland.
Moving costs have risen in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, too. Northern Ireland recorded the largest jump, with movers paying more than £4,000 extra compared with last year.
Across England, costs differ widely. Regions such as London, the South East and the East of England have the highest average bills because these areas also have the highest property prices.
In London, the average cost of moving now stands at £32,786. The average first-time buyer in the capital pays more than £8,000 upfront. Much of this difference is due to stamp duty, which adds thousands to the cost of buying even a relatively modest home in London.
You can compare average costs across UK regions and nations using our interactive map.
Some of the costs of moving house, such as stamp duty, are unavoidable. However, there are ways you can try to reduce your moving expenses.
Make sure you shop around for providers, such as removal companies and estate agents, to get the right balance between price and service.
You may also be able to save money by moving at a quieter time. Avoiding peak moving times, such as the end of the summer holidays, and scheduling your move to take place midweek rather than a Friday or a Saturday, can help to reduce removal company costs.
Also take the time to consider unexpected moving costs. According to our research, people commonly find that the price of decorating and buying new furniture, appliances and curtains is higher than they'd expected.
Use the free tool from GetAgent to compare estate agents in your local area, based on past performance.
Compare agentsService provided by GetAgent
The Chancellor announced no changes to stamp duty in this year's Autumn Budget.
There had been rumours of potential cuts to the tax or a shift in how it's applied. It was suggested that it could be charged to sellers rather than buyers to help first-time buyers with affordability. None of this materialised.
The most interesting announcement for first-time buyers was that the government will publish a consultation in early 2026 on a new, 'simpler', product that will replace the Lifetime Isa.
While the price of moving is rising, mortgage rates have been falling. Many big lenders have dropped rates multiple times in the past few weeks.
There is hope that the Bank of England may also deliver an early Christmas present for mortgage holders and first-time buyers.
The last base rate decision, to hold, was a narrow 5-4 vote. With inflation figures showing a small reduction in October, the Bank of England may cut the base rate by 0.25 percentage points at its next meeting on 18 December.
