Moving quotes in Japan vary wildly with the calendar. This gives you a realistic range before you start calling companies.
Fill in the fields, press Calculate, and read the breakdown. Every field has a sensible default, so you can start with an estimate and refine it.
A quote is built from a base fee that reflects the size of the truck and the number of crew, then multiplied for distance and for the time of year. Options such as air conditioner removal, a packing service and disposal of large items are added at flat rates on top.
The single biggest factor is when you move. Mid-March to early April is the peak, when company transfers and the new school year collide, and prices commonly run 50% to 100% above the rest of the year. The same job that costs ¥50,000 in November can pass ¥90,000 in late March.
Distance matters less than people expect for local moves. Anything under about 15km is treated as a short-distance job at the base rate, so moving to the next neighbourhood and moving across the city often cost the same.
Getting quotes from three or more companies is the single most effective step, and it routinely cuts 20% to 30% off the first number you are given. Movers price competitively when they know they are being compared, and the gap between the highest and lowest quote for the same job is often ¥30,000 or more.
Leaving the time slot to the company (jikan shitei nashi) usually saves around 15%, because the crew can fit you around another job. Weekdays are cheaper than weekends, and the middle of the month is cheaper than the end, when many leases turn over.
Reducing what you move helps twice over: a smaller load can mean a smaller truck, and you avoid paying to transport things you would replace anyway. Selling or giving away furniture before the move is usually cheaper than disposing of it, since large items cost around ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 each to put out as sodai gomi.
Off-season prices with a flexible time slot. Multiply by about 1.6 for mid-March to early April.
| Household | Under 15km | Under 200km | Over 500km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, light | ¥30,000 | ¥45,000 | ¥80,000 |
| Single, normal | ¥35,000 | ¥53,000 | ¥91,000 |
| Couple | ¥60,000 | ¥90,000 | ¥156,000 |
| Family of 4 | ¥100,000 | ¥150,000 | ¥260,000 |
Air conditioner removal and reinstallation adds about ¥18,000 per unit and is not included above.
Mid-March to early April typically runs 50% to 100% above the off-season, and the last week of March is the most expensive of the year. If you can shift the date by even two weeks into mid-April, the saving is usually larger than anything else you can negotiate.
A fixed-price service where your belongings go into a standard container roughly 1m wide and 1.7m tall, shared on a truck with other customers. It costs ¥15,000 to ¥40,000 even over long distances, which is far cheaper than a dedicated truck, but only works if everything fits in the box.
Three is the practical sweet spot. Beyond that the extra saving tends to be small relative to the time spent. Tell each company you are comparing quotes, and ask the ones you like to respond to the lowest offer you have received.
Around ¥18,000 per unit for removal and reinstallation together. Extra pipework, a wall drill or an installation above the second floor can push this to ¥30,000. Given that a new unit starts around ¥60,000, moving an old air conditioner is not always worth it.
Book a collection with your city office, buy the disposal stickers at a convenience store, and put the item out on the assigned day. It costs roughly ¥400 to ¥2,000 per item and is much cheaper than asking the movers, but slots fill up weeks ahead in March, so book early.
Estimates only. Actual costs vary by contract, city and provider. This site is not financial or tax advice.