Moving costs in Switzerland: 5 factors that determine the price

Two quotes for the same move, and one is noticeably more expensive than the other – many people experience this the first time they contact a removal company. Moving costs in Switzerland don't follow a standard rate; they depend on a handful of factors: how much you are moving, how far and over how many floors, when you move and which extra services you book.

We deliberately don't quote any franc amounts here, because they depend too much on the individual case. Instead, five factors show how a price comes about, which additional costs are often forgotten and how to compare quotes fairly.

How moving costs in Switzerland add up

Removal companies usually charge in one of two ways: by time, with an hourly rate for staff and vehicle, or at a fixed price set after a viewing on site, by video or based on photos. Either way, the same building blocks are behind it:

Knowing these factors helps you understand price differences – and shows where you can save without moving day ending in chaos.

1. Volume: how much are you moving?

Nothing drives the price like the amount you move: more belongings mean a bigger vehicle, more people and a longer job. In Switzerland, flats are described by their number of rooms, but that is only a rough guide: a sparsely furnished 4.5-room flat can hold less than a packed 3.5-room flat.

For a realistic quote, the company needs a complete overview:

• Large furniture: wardrobes, beds, sofas, tables, shelving
• Number of boxes: roughly estimated room by room
• Special items: piano, safe, aquarium, large plants, fitness equipment
• Cellar, attic, balcony and garage: often forgotten, and then they wreck the schedule

The most effective saving costs nothing: sell, give away or dispose of what you no longer need before the move. Our guide on how to declutter before moving shows how.

2. Distance, floors and access

Distance affects the price mainly through time: with hourly billing, every hour counts, including the drive between the old and new address and the team's journey to you. A move within the same commune is therefore usually cheaper than one across Switzerland. Access matters at least as much:

• Floors and lift: four floors without a lift means a lot of stairs with heavy loads. A furniture lift costs extra but can save time.
• Narrow stairwells: large furniture may have to be dismantled.
• Carrying distance: every metre between the vehicle and the front door lengthens the job.
• Parking: in towns you often need a permit or a temporary no-parking zone.

In the City of Zurich, for example, reserving parking spaces for a move is subject to a fee and, depending on the zone, must be requested at least three or seven working days in advance. Other towns and communes have their own rules – ask in good time.

3. Timing: moving dates and the end of your lease

Around the customary moving dates – in many communes the end of March, June and September – a great many households move at the same time. Removal companies get booked up early. If you are flexible and choose a day outside the peak periods, you have more room to manoeuvre. Also ask about surcharges for Saturdays, evenings or public holidays. More on this in Moving dates in Switzerland.

An often overlooked item is overlapping leases: if the new lease starts before the old one ends, you pay two rents for a while. Under Art. 264 of the Code of Obligations, a tenant who returns the flat without observing the notice period or termination date is only released by proposing a replacement tenant who is acceptable to the landlord, solvent and willing to take over the lease on the same terms. Otherwise, the rent generally remains due until the lease could ordinarily end. This is not legal advice – your lease and the specific situation are decisive.

4. Extra services: what will you do yourself?

Many price differences arise from services that are included in one quote but not in another. Think about what you want to handle yourself and what saves you time and stress:

Packing yourself saves money but takes time: think in weeks rather than days. With the final cleaning, many people wonder whether hiring a company is worth it; the factors that determine its price are explained in End of tenancy cleaning cost.

5. Compare quotes properly

Get at least two, ideally three written quotes and don't just compare the final amount:

The questions to ask before booking are in our guide Removal company in Switzerland. And so that nothing besides the budget is forgotten – from the handover report to registering with your new commune – the moving checklist from ch.ch keeps you on track.

Common mistakes

• Only comparing the final amount: different services make a quote look cheaper than it is.
• Forgetting the cellar and attic: suddenly a second trip is needed.
• Enquiring too late: before the moving dates, good companies are booked up early.
• Ignoring parking: long carrying distances lengthen the job.
• Overlooking double rent: overlapping leases are part of your moving costs too.

Priority Clean editorial teamOur cleaning team from Alberswil, Canton of Lucerne, shares hands-on experience from move-out, house, office and window cleaning across Central and Northwestern Switzerland.