What does moving help cost in the Netherlands in 2026?
A mover from a removal company usually costs 30 to 50 euros an hour in 2026. A van and often a weekend surcharge come on top. A complete move easily costs 900 to 1,600 euros. With help from your neighbourhood you agree an hourly rate yourself. The guide price is 15 to 22 euros an hour, and you rent the van yourself. Below are all the cost items, a worked example and what you need to know about damage.
What does moving help cost per hour?
The price of a mover depends on who you hire. We have listed the common amounts from three sources.
- Removal company: a mover costs €30 to €50 an hour (Trustoo, May 2026). Slimster mentions about €40 per mover per hour. If you hire a complete move, with a team and a truck, you pay €100 to €250 an hour.
- Student moving service: Studentverhuisservice charges €39 per mover per hour and €39 an hour for a 20 m³ van. An XL van of 25 m³ costs €50 an hour. Note: these prices are excluding VAT.
- Help from the neighbourhood: a student or neighbour who comes to do the lifting. There are no public figures on this. On KlusjeBij we use €15 to €22 an hour as a guide price. You agree the amount together.
Trustoo does not say whether its amounts include or exclude VAT. Always ask when you compare quotes. On €300 of labour, 21% VAT already makes a difference of €63.
Price table: removal company or help from the neighbourhood
A removal company charges per mover, per hour or per cubic metre, with separate items for the van, lift and kilometres. With help from the neighbourhood you pay the helpers per hour and arrange the rest yourself.
Moving costs (2026)
| Item | Removal company | Help from the neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|
| Mover, per hour | €30 to €50 | Guide price €15 to €22 |
| Complete move, per hour | €100 to €250 | Number of helpers × hourly rate |
| Small move, total | €250 to €800 | Agree it yourself |
| Complete move, total | €900 to €1,600 | Agree it yourself |
| Price per m³ | €40 to €60 | Not applicable |
| Moving van | €39 (20 m³) to €50 (25 m³) an hour, excl. VAT | Rent it yourself: €50 to €150 a day |
| Furniture lift with operator | €90 to €120 an hour, incl. VAT | Same price, rent it yourself |
| Weekend surcharge | Saturday 30 to 35%, Sunday 50% | Agree it yourself |
Sources: Trustoo (May 2026), Slimster (2026), Studentverhuisservice (van and weekend surcharge, excluding VAT). Rental van per day: Trustoo. The €15 to €22 an hour for help from the neighbourhood is a KlusjeBij guide price, not a measured average.
Worked example: 4 hours of moving on a Saturday
Say you move out of a flat on a Saturday. You need two people and a van, and you expect it to take 4 hours. This is what it looks like with a student moving service, and with two helpers from the neighbourhood.
Student moving service
Two helpers from the neighbourhood
The difference is about €520. There is something on the other side of the scale, though. With the moving service someone else drives the van and you work with people who do this more often. With helpers from the neighbourhood you drive yourself and plan it yourself. The moving service charges kilometres separately: €1.15 per kilometre. Those are not included in this example.
What determines the price?
1. How much stuff you have
If a company charges per cubic metre, you pay €40 to €60 per m³. If it charges per hour, your belongings determine how long it takes. According to Trustoo a small move costs €250 to €800, and according to Slimster a complete move costs €900 to €1,600.
2. The number of movers and hours
Every extra mover counts per hour. Two people for four hours is eight mover-hours. Being well prepared therefore saves money straight away.
3. The day of the move
Studentverhuisservice charges a 30 to 35% surcharge on Saturday and 50% on Sunday. A furniture lift costs 25 to 50% more at the weekend. On a weekday you do not pay those surcharges.
4. Floor and furniture lift
If you live high up and the sofa does not fit through the stairwell, you need a furniture lift (verhuislift: a lift that goes up the outside of the building). It costs €90 to €120 an hour with an operator, or €350 to €450 per half day, including VAT. Above the eighth floor, 25 to 50% is added. Studentverhuisservice charges €39 an hour for a lift, excluding VAT.
5. Distance
If you move to another city, the kilometres count. Studentverhuisservice charges €1.15 per kilometre. If you rent a van yourself, check whether kilometres are included in the day price.
Insurance, damage and parking
Damage by friends or helpers. Your own contents insurance usually does not cover damage caused by friends or helpers. That is what Univé writes. If your cupboard falls down the stairs while a neighbour is carrying it, you are not automatically covered.
The helper's insurance. The helper's personal liability insurance (aansprakelijkheidsverzekering, AVP) may cover damage caused by accident while helping. There is often a maximum amount, writes ABN AMRO. Ask your helpers beforehand whether they have such insurance. You can also pack and transport fragile or expensive items yourself.
Parking the van. If you want to park the van in front of the door, you sometimes need an exemption or permit from the municipality. You arrange that per municipality and there is no national rate. Check your municipality's website and apply well in advance.
How to save on your move
Move on a weekday
No Saturday surcharge of 30 to 35% or Sunday surcharge of 50%. A furniture lift is cheaper then too.
Pack yourself
Every hour a mover does not spend filling boxes saves an hourly rate per person.
Get rid of things beforehand
Fewer belongings means fewer cubic metres and fewer hours of carrying.
Combine: rent a lift, carry with local help
Only hire what you really cannot do yourself, such as a lift with an operator. Leave the lifting and driving to helpers you pay per hour.
Compare quotes on the same basis
Check whether prices include or exclude VAT and whether the van, kilometres and surcharges are included.
On KlusjeBij you post a job for moving help for free. Replying is free too and we charge no commission. You and the helpers agree the price together and pay each other directly. Looking specifically for a student? Read hire a student. More on help with the lifting on moving help in your area.
Frequently asked questions
What does a mover cost per hour?
A mover from a removal company usually costs €30 to €50 an hour in 2026. A student moving service, for example, charges €39 per mover per hour, excluding VAT. A van comes on top.
What does a complete move with a removal company cost?
According to Slimster a complete move costs about €900 to €1,600. According to Trustoo a small move can be done for €250 to €800. If the company charges per cubic metre, you pay €40 to €60 per m³.
What does moving help from the neighbourhood cost?
With a student or neighbour you agree an hourly rate yourself. On KlusjeBij we use €15 to €22 an hour as a guide price. You rent the van yourself, for €50 to €150 a day.
Is moving at the weekend more expensive?
Yes, at many removal companies. A student moving service charges a 30 to 35% surcharge on Saturday and 50% on Sunday. A furniture lift costs 25 to 50% more at the weekend.
Is damage by friends or helpers insured during a move?
Your own contents insurance usually does not cover damage caused by friends or helpers. The helper's liability insurance may cover damage caused by accident while helping, often up to a maximum amount.
Sources
- Studentverhuisservice, rates (excluding VAT)
- Trustoo, removal company costs (13 May 2026)
- Slimster, removal company costs (2026)
- Slimster, cost of renting a furniture lift (April 2026)
- Univé, contents insurance and moving
- ABN AMRO, damage during a move
Prices were checked in October 2026. Removal companies adjust their rates regularly, so always ask for a quote. The guide price for help from the neighbourhood is an indication from KlusjeBij. The sources are in Dutch.
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