The average cost of moving home in England has reached £17,413, according to Reallymoving, down slightly on last year, but an increase of 74% over the past decade.

The figure covers the costs paid by homeowners who are selling one home and buying another, which include stamp duty, conveyancing, estate agent fees, a survey, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and removals.

Reallymoving’s 2026 Cost of Moving Report found moving costs are now 74% higher than a decade ago after adjusting for inflation.

However, the average cost has fallen by £418, or 2.3%, compared with last year’s record high.

The comparison site says the fall largely reflects lower property prices. The median purchase price among movers dropped from £395,000 to £390,000, cutting the average stamp duty bill by £250.The median sale price also fell from £325,000 to £315,000, reducing average estate agent fees by £142.

Average removal costs also dropped almost 12% from £709 to £624 for a move of under 30 miles.

This more than offset a 2.7% increase in conveyancing costs, which rose from an average £2,182 to £2,241.

Stamp duty remains the largest single expense for buyers, averaging £9,500, followed by estate agent fees of £4,473.

Reallymoving calculated the figures using data from 204,000 home-moving quotes.

The report also highlights a substantial regional divide.

Moving home in London costs an average of £32,017, 84% more than the England average.

Based on a median purchase price of £625,000, London movers face an average stamp duty bill of £21,250, alongside £6,887 in estate agent fees and £2,675 in conveyancing costs.

Across London, the South East, East of England and South West, average moving costs stand at £22,844, more than double the £11,110 average across the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

First-time buyers face significantly lower moving costs because most do not pay stamp duty, nor do they pay estate agent fees as they are not selling a property.

The average first-time buyer pays £2,293 on top of their deposit, down 0.9% from last year.

However, London first-time buyers face much higher costs. With a median purchase price of £405,000, the average first-time buyer in the capital pays £5,250 in stamp duty, taking total moving costs to £7,813.

Reallymoving founder and chief executive Rob Houghton 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 a bill of more than £17,000 simply to buy and sell, many decide to stay where they are even if their home no longer suits their needs.”

Houghton adds: “Stamp duty relief is protecting most first-time buyers from an even larger bill, but the London data highlights the unfairness of the flat threshold of £300,000 in England and Northern Ireland which doesn’t reflect variations in property prices.”