Sydney most expensive capital city to move for renters

Sydney most expensive capital city to move for renters
Michael CrawfordDecember 7, 2020

A new survey has found moving house in Sydney can cost almost half of the annual monthly wage. 

Respondents to the to the Fair Go Finance ‘Make Moving Happen’, a survey of 3,383 Australian renters found $3,402 is spent on average to move properties.

Sydney is the most expensive capital city for renters to move with Melbourne is the cheapest.

Fair Go Finance managing director Paul Walshe said the research also found one in four renters moves every two years, and nearly half (44%) of renters surveyed have needed some assistance to pay the bond.

"If people are using a bond loan purely for bridging finance between properties, they need to make sure they can repay it early without penalty," he said.

"Features like this allow for greater flexibility when the need to move occurs, especially when it is unexpected due to job transfers or following a relationship breakdown.

"The biggest moving expense is furniture with renters spending around $880 to fit out their new rental. Removal companies were the second biggest expense ($200) and utilities’ connection fees the third ($195)."

Average weekly earnings 

Full-time adult average weekly total earnings

Weekly

Monthly

Ave national

$1,545.6

$6,182.4

Ave Vic

$1,396.6

$5,586.4

Ave NSW

$1,512.1

$6,048.4

Ave QLD

$1,440.9

$5,763.6

Ave WA

$1,691.2

$6,764.8

Ave SA

$1,348.2

$5,392.8

Source: ABS

  

 

Moving cost and bond 

Average Moving Cost

National

Sydney

Perth

Adelaide

Brisbane

Melbourne

End-of-lease cleaning

 $188

 $149

 $175

 $151

 $244

 $161

Hire of van

 $142

 $160

 $118

 $141

 $134

 $140

Removal company

 $200

 $210

 $148

 $210

 $228

 $165

Transport for family

 $80

 $38

 $88

 $81

 $78

 $47

Transport for pets

 $20

 $6

 $19

 $13

 $15

 $15

Buying furniture for new property

 $880

 $1,030

 $1,076

 $1,032

 $795

 $921

Connection fees (for example connection to phone, electricity or internet)

 $195

 $195

 $218

 $235

 $173

 $203

Storage (for furniture or items not moving into the new property)

 $84

 $76

 $50

 $53

 $67

 $70

Other

 $91

 $96

 $44

 $69

 $74

 $73

TOTAL

$1,880

$1,962

$1,935

$1,984

$1,810

$1,794

AVERAGE BOND

$1,522

$1,816

$1,768

$1,670

$1,578

$1,514

MOVING COSTS+BOND 

$3,402

$3,778

$3,703

$3,653

$3,388

$3,308

**Excludes Darwin, Hobart and Canberra due to insufficient sample

Lost bond 

NATIONAL

 $1,083.64 

  

VIC

 $1,085.58

Melbourne

 $1,100.54

NSW

 $1,063.60

Sydney

 $1,180.76

QLD

 $998.32

Brisbane

 $975.44

WA

 $1,115.58

Perth

 $915.44

SA

 $1,292.27

Adelaide

 $1,407.28

Michael Crawford

Michael is the real estate reporter for western Sydney and loves writing about homes and the people who live in them. A former production editor and news journalist, he enjoys writing about real-world property purchases as well as aspirational buys and builds. Following a recent move from Sydney’s northern beaches, Michael now actually enjoys commuting.

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