Moving tips
How Much Do Movers Cost in Montreal?
Hourly rates, typical totals by home size, long-distance prices and the extras that change the bill — with real numbers, not “call for a quote”.
Most people start planning a move with one question: how much will it cost? The honest answer is that it depends on a handful of things you can measure — how much you own, how many stairs there are, how far the truck parks from the door and how far you are going. This guide explains how Montreal movers price a move, gives real numbers from our own price list, and shows where the total can grow or shrink.
How movers price a local move in Montreal
Local moves — anywhere within Greater Montreal — are almost always billed by the hour. You pay for a crew and a truck for the time they work, plus travel time for the drive, billed at the same hourly rate. At Simplex, the clock starts when the crew arrives at your door, not when the truck leaves our yard, and it stops when the last item is placed at the new address.
| Crew | Truck | Typical home | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 movers | 22 ft | studio, 1½, 3½ | $120 |
| 3 movers | 22 ft | 4½, 5½ | $160 |
| 3 movers | 34 ft | townhouse, large apartment | $180 |
| 4 movers | 34 ft | house, 4+ bedrooms | $220 |
On top of the hours worked there is travel time — 1 hour at the same rate — and a minimum of 2 hours. There is no fuel surcharge, no stair fee and no weekend premium. Blankets, stretch wrap, straps, dollies and the disassembly of standard furniture are included.
What a typical move costs in total
The number of hours depends mostly on volume and access. These are typical ranges for a local move with packed boxes; the low end is an elevator or ground floor at both addresses, the high end a third-floor walk-up at both.
| Home | Crew | Typical time | What that usually means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1½ | 2 movers | 3–6 hours | a short job |
| 1 bedroom or 3½ | 2 movers | 4–7 hours | most common Montreal move |
| 2–3 bedrooms or 4½–5½ | 3 movers | 4–9 hours | most of the day |
| House, 4+ bedrooms | 4 movers | 9–12 hours | a long day, sometimes two trucks |
To get a range for your own move, the moving cost calculator asks for the home size and the floors at both addresses and gives you a total in about a minute. The full price list is on our pricing page.
What makes a move take longer
- Stairs. A Montreal third-floor walk-up with an outdoor spiral staircase can add one to two hours compared with an elevator. There is no stair fee, but stairs take time.
- Parking. A truck at the door saves an hour or more compared with one parked down the block. On most streets on the island that requires a borough permit.
- Packing. Boxes that are not packed or closed when the crew arrives are the single biggest cause of moves running over.
- Volume you forgot. Basements, garages, balconies and storage lockers are where estimates go wrong.
- Elevator windows. In condo buildings, a short or shared elevator booking slows everything down.
How much long-distance movers cost
Moves out of Greater Montreal are priced differently: as one fixed price based on the volume of your belongings and the distance, agreed in writing before loading. Starting prices for a one-bedroom apartment with a dedicated truck:
| Distance from Montreal | Examples | 1 bedroom, from |
|---|---|---|
| Under 300 km | Quebec City, Ottawa, Sherbrooke | $1,150 |
| 300–700 km | Toronto, Saguenay, Rimouski | $1,450 |
| 700–1,500 km | Halifax, Moncton, Gaspé | $2,350 |
| 1,500–3,000 km | Winnipeg, St. John’s | $2,950 |
| Over 3,000 km | Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver | $4,400 |
A two- or three-bedroom home usually costs about 1.6 times the one-bedroom price. A shared trailer — your belongings travel with other households going the same way — costs roughly 30% less if you can accept a delivery window of several days. See long-distance moving for how it works.
Extras that can be added to the bill
| Extra | How it is priced |
|---|---|
| Packing and unpacking | $120 an hour for 2 packers, $40 for each extra packer |
| Boxes and materials | per item, no minimum |
| Storage between dates | by the month, from $90; a one-bedroom from $120 |
| Piano, safe or other heavy item | per item, from $350, often less as part of a full move |
| Custom crates | per piece, after measuring |
What should be included — and what to ask about
A fair quote lists the hourly rate, the crew size, travel time, the minimum and anything that is not included. Before booking any mover, ask:
- When does the hourly clock start — at your door or at their yard?
- Is there a fuel surcharge, stair fee, weekend premium or a charge for blankets and shrink wrap?
- Is the long-distance price fixed, or an estimate that can change after loading?
- Who actually does the move — their own employees or a subcontractor?
- Can they give you a transport permit number and a certificate of insurance?
A low hourly rate with a long list of surcharges often ends up costing more than a slightly higher rate with none.
How to pay less for your move
- Move mid-month and mid-week. The last days of June and the first of July are the hardest dates to book in Quebec, and busy days run slower for every crew.
- Pack before the crew arrives. Closed, labelled boxes are the biggest time saver.
- Reserve parking and elevators. A truck at the door and a booked elevator save hours.
- Move less. Sell or donate what you will not use; on a long-distance move you pay for volume.
- Choose a shared trailer for long distance if your dates are flexible.
Getting an exact price
The fastest way to an exact number is a short description of the move: the addresses, the floors, the size of the home and any heavy items. We reply with a written estimate, usually within the hour. For most local moves you do not pay a deposit — you pay when the job is done. You can start with the form below or read more about local moving.
Example: a 4½ on the Plateau to a condo in Griffintown
A typical example makes the numbers easier to read. A 4½ (two bedrooms) on the second floor of a Plateau triplex, with an outdoor staircase, moving to a condo with an elevator in Griffintown. Boxes are packed, the parking permit is filed and the elevator is booked.
- Crew: three movers and a 22-foot truck, at $160 an hour.
- Time: about five to six hours from arrival to the last item placed.
- Travel time: 1 hour, at the same hourly rate.
- Extras: none — blankets, wrapping and furniture disassembly are included.
The same apartment with boxes still unpacked, no parking permit and an elevator shared with another move could easily take two or three hours longer. The rate is the same; the time is not.
Why quotes from different movers vary so much
When you compare quotes, the differences usually come from four places. Some companies quote a low hourly rate but leave travel time out of the quote, or add a fuel surcharge or a fee for stairs. Some quote fewer hours than the job will take to win the booking. Some send a smaller crew that takes longer. And some are brokers who sell the job to another company. Compare the total for the same job — crew, hours, fees — not the hourly rate alone.
Is it worth hiring movers for a small move?
For a studio or a few pieces of furniture, the minimum usually covers the job, and the cost is often close to renting a truck, buying blankets and dollies, and giving up a weekend. If you already have a vehicle and only need the lifting, moving helpers are billed by the hour without our truck: $120 for two movers, $40 for each extra one.
