What a move in Leipzig costs — and what a removal company charges
With us, a move in Leipzig costs 289 € for the package “2 movers + van, 3 hours”, a 2-room flat from 470 €, a 3-room flat from 930 €. Individual helpers cost 25 €/hr per person. Below you will find what the total really depends on, with three worked examples.
The first question about every move is: “What does it cost?” The answer “it depends” is annoying but honest: moving a student’s one-room flat and moving a family out of a 100 m² house are two different sums. Below we have broken everything down, with concrete figures for 2026 in Leipzig and the surrounding area, so that you can roughly estimate the total before you message us.
What the price of a move is made up of
Five things determine the final price. If you know them, you can estimate the range yourself and the invoice will not surprise you:
- Volume of your belongings. Usually calculated in cubic metres (m³) or by number of rooms. The more furniture and boxes, the more time — and possibly two trips.
- Floor and lift. A fourth floor without a lift in an old building is a story of its own. Every floor without a lift adds to the effort.
- Distance. A move within Leipzig and a move to another city are priced differently — within 50 km of Leipzig we charge no travel, for longer distances we quote one total price from your photos, travel included.
- Furniture assembly and packing. If wardrobes and the kitchen have to be dismantled and reassembled, that takes extra hours of labour.
- Extras. Disposal of old furniture on the same trip, boxes, a Halteverbot zone (temporary no-parking zone) in front of the building.
Real prices for 2026 (Leipzig)
These are ShanBau’s guide prices — so that you know the order of magnitude. We give the exact price in advance, after a few photos or a free site visit, and it does not change afterwards.
| Service | Guide price |
|---|---|
| One-room flat (~25 m², within Leipzig) | from 450 € |
| 2-room flat (~55 m²) | from 470 € |
| 3-room flat (~80 m², with packing) | from 930 € |
| House ~100 m² (with packing) | from 1,300 € |
| Package: 2 movers + van, 3 hours | 289 € |
| Package: 3 movers + van, 3 hours | 329 € |
| Loading / unloading | 12 €/m³ |
| Surcharge per floor without a lift | +3 €/m³ per floor |
| Packing | 25 €/hr |
| Dismantling / assembling furniture | 35 €/hr |
| Travel up to 50 km | included |
Guide prices include labour. You will find the full price list with search on the prices page.
Three examples for comparison
Student, one-room flat, move within Plagwitz. Little furniture, 2nd floor without a lift, the van is already at the door — basically you need two pairs of hands for a few hours of loading. The cheapest option is the hourly package “2 movers + van, 3 hours” for 289 €. That is often enough, with room to spare.
Family, 3 rooms, from Gohlis to Connewitz. Here the wardrobes and the bed already have to be dismantled, and crockery and boxes packed carefully. This is closer to the line “3-room with packing from 930 €” — the exact sum depends on the volume and the floor.
Move to another city (e.g. Dresden or Berlin). On top of the actual work comes day planning, so that your things do not spend the night in the van; travel is included in the total price from your photos. A price fixed in advance is especially important here.
How to save money without losing quality
- Pack some of it yourself. Books, clothes, crockery into boxes beforehand — then you pay only for the transport, not for the packing.
- Arrange a Halteverbot (temporary no-parking zone) in front of both buildings — the movers do not have to haul your things across half the neighbourhood, and the time (that is, the money) does not run away.
- Choose a weekday rather than the end of the month — it is easier to find a suitable slot then.
- Combine it with a house clearance. Old furniture that is not coming to the new flat goes away on the same trip — no extra vehicle is needed.
Fixed price or “by time spent”?
The most important rule: Fixed price agreed in advance. The classic unpleasant scenario — a nice figure over the phone, and on moving day, when your things are already in the van, a surcharge appears. A reputable firm names the price after photos or a site visit and sticks to it. If something on site really is different, you say so before work begins, not afterwards.
That is exactly how we work: you send a few photos of the flat by WhatsApp, or we come by free of charge, take a look — and name a sum that does not change. More about our moving service →
Frequently asked questions
Can moving costs be deducted from tax?
Yes. If the move is job-related (new workplace, shorter commute), the costs can often be entered in your tax return (Steuererklärung) as Werbungskosten (work-related expenses). Keep the invoice — we issue it officially, with labour costs shown separately. What to bear in mind is explained on the page Moving costs and tax.
How long does it take to move an ordinary flat?
A one-room flat usually takes half a day, 2–3 rooms with furniture assembly a working day. We can say more precisely once we see the volume.
Are there moving helpers without a van?
Yes. If you already have a vehicle, you can book just the hands — for loading and unloading. Charged by the hour.
Do you only work in Leipzig?
No. Leipzig and up to 50 km are the normal zone with no travel surcharge. We do long-distance moves across Germany, by arrangement — and abroad.
How quickly do you give a price?
Usually the same day. Send a few photos by WhatsApp or fill in the form below — we will get back to you with a fixed price.
What does a removal company cost?
That depends on the pricing model. With us the package with two movers and a van for three hours costs 289 €, individual helpers 25 €/hr per person, loading and unloading only 12 €/m³ by volume. We give the fixed price after photos.
What does it cost to move a 2-room flat?
In Leipzig usually 400 to 900 €, depending on the floor, the volume and whether furniture has to be taken apart. A three-room flat comes to 700 to 1,500 €. The range is wide because the floor and the carrying distance matter more than the number of rooms.
Is a fixed price or an hourly rate better?
A fixed price, if you want to know where you stand — it requires us to see photos beforehand. An hourly rate, if the job is small and easy to oversee. With an hourly rate, make sure the estimated duration is stated, otherwise the figure tells you nothing.
What does a moving helper cost per hour?
25 €/hr per person, a driver with a van 30 €/hr. If you provide the vehicle yourself and only need help carrying, we charge by volume: 12 €/m³
What a removal company costs: three models
Removal companies charge in three different ways, and the difference is not a detail — it decides whether you end up paying more than agreed. When you get a quote, ask which model applies.
- Fixed price — a figure that holds. This requires the firm to know in advance what it is facing: volume, floor, access. For this we need photos
- By the hour — 25 €/hr per person, 30 €/hr for the driver with a van. Fair for small jobs, open-ended for large ones
- By volume — 12 €/m³ for loading and unloading only, if you provide the vehicle yourself. The cheapest option if you have a van
We mostly work with a fixed price, because it is calmer for both sides. The package “2 movers and a van for three hours” costs 289 € — it is the most common job and the basis from which everything is calculated.
A low hourly rate means nothing as long as nobody says how many hours it will take. Someone who quotes 20 €/hr and needs twice as long is more expensive than 25 €/hr with two experienced people. Always ask for the estimated duration as well.
Costs by flat size
The number of rooms is only a rough guide — two people in a three-room flat often own less than a family in two rooms. Everyone asks about it all the same, so here are the ranges we actually work with in Leipzig.
| 1 room, up to 40 m² — student move | 250–500 € |
| 2 rooms, 50–60 m² | 400–900 € |
| 3 rooms, 70–80 m² | 700–1,500 € |
| 4 rooms or more, from 90 m² | 1,200–2,500 € |
Within these ranges four things decide: floor and lift, the distance from the building to the vehicle, whether furniture has to be taken apart and whether you have packed yourself. Each of them can move the price by a third.
- Without a lift, +3 €/m³ per floor is added — in an old building on the fourth floor that makes a noticeable difference
- Dismantling and reassembling furniture — 35 €/hr
- Packing by us — 25 €/hr, if you do it yourself, you save this time completely
- Travel within 50 km of Leipzig — included, for longer distances it is part of the total price
How to recognise a usable quote
Moving quotes look the same on the surface and differ in the small print. Four points tell you more than the final amount.
- Were you asked about the floor, lift and access? If not, the price will not hold on site
- Is the travel charge given as a figure or as a “flat rate”?
- Are surcharges for floors and long carrying distances put in figures — or do they only appear on the invoice?
- Is there an invoice with labour costs shown separately? Without one you cannot deduct anything for tax purposes
And one point we raise ourselves: we do not have goods insurance (Güterversicherung). For an ordinary flat move this rarely matters, but if you are having particularly valuable items transported, you are better off using a haulage firm with the appropriate cover. Better said beforehand than afterwards.
Organise it yourself or hire a removal company
The honest calculation, without advertising: a rented van costs 60 to 120 € a day, plus fuel and a Kaution (deposit). If you have four helpers from among your friends and are clearing a ground-floor flat, you are cheaper than with any firm.
- Cheaper for you: a small flat, ground floor or a lift, enough helping hands, no fixed handover date
- Points in favour of hiring us: an old building without a lift, heavy furniture, deadline pressure at the end of the month, nobody who can help carry
- Middle way: you rent the van, we only do the carrying — 12 €/m³
- Second middle way: we drive and carry, you pack the boxes yourself
What tips the balance is usually not the price but the date. If the flat has to be empty on handover day, a postponed move costs an extra month’s rent — more than the difference between doing it yourself and having it done.
Get your price in 2 minutes
Describe your move — we will get back to you today with a fixed price.