Moving cost in Ottawa: hourly rates, minimums and what adds hours
Ottawa movers mostly bill by the hour, plus travel. Here is how the bill adds up, with each figure linked to where it was published.
In short
- 01Two movers with a truck: about $110–130 an hour in Ottawa listings.
- 02Minimum 2–3 hours, plus a travel fee or one extra hour.
- 03A small move at the minimum, by our arithmetic: about $440–520 before tax, at 3 hours plus 1 travel hour.
- 04Hours grow with home size, stairs, elevators and long carries.
- 05In Ontario, the final bill stays within 10% of the contract estimate unless you agree to extra work or supplies.
Typical ranges
Source Checked October 2026. Hourly rates: U-Haul Moving Help, Ottawa ON; Kijiji Ottawa moving & storage ads (2026); MovingWaldo pages for Professional Movers Ottawa and UpMove. Home sizes: Let’s Get Moving, Moving cost in Ottawa (vendor). Permit: City of Ottawa, Temporary construction-related encroachments. Parking: City of Ottawa, Parking. Estimate rules: Ontario, Hiring a mover. Worked example: our arithmetic from the hourly rates above. The company that calls you quotes its own price.
What to ask before you book
- Q1Is the hourly rate for the whole crew and the truck?
- Q2What is the minimum, and how is travel charged: a flat fee or an extra hour?
- Q3Will you put the estimate in writing after seeing the home, in person or on video?
- Q4What is extra: stairs, packing, materials, a long carry, disassembly?
- Q5Does the rate change at the end of the month, on weekends or in summer?
Before the visit
- Make a room-by-room list, with the large pieces named.
- Decide what you pack yourself and what the crew packs.
- Check parking at both addresses and book condo elevators.
- Get written estimates from at least three companies and compare them line by line.
- Keep the contract and the estimate together for moving day.
How Ottawa movers bill
A local move in Ottawa is billed by the hour. The rate covers the crew and the truck. Ads and directory listings for two movers with a truck mostly sit at $110–130 an hour. Larger established companies on MovingWaldo list $150–155 an hour for two movers, around $210–230 for three, and about $50 an hour for each extra mover.
On top of the hours, there are two fixed lines:
- Minimum. Most companies charge at least 2 or 3 hours, even for a small move.
- Travel. A flat fee, for example $150, or one extra hour at the hourly rate.
Some firms price by truck size. One Kijiji ad lists $100, $110 and $125 an hour for 17, 20 and 26-foot trucks.
Worked example
Two movers, a small apartment, a 3-hour minimum and one travel hour:
| Rate | Hours | Total before tax |
|---|---|---|
| $110/h | 3 + 1 travel | $440 |
| $130/h | 3 + 1 travel | $520 |
| $155/h | 3 + 1 travel | $620 |
The same move with a 2-hour minimum and a $150 flat travel fee comes to $370–410. HST applies on top. When the job runs past the minimum, every extra hour costs the hourly rate again.
Totals by home size
One national mover publishes Ottawa totals by home size: $450–770 for a studio to 1-bedroom, $800–1,225 for 2–3 bedrooms and $1,570–2,565 for 4–5 bedrooms. The same page also estimates moves from the core to the suburbs: $650–1,225 for a 1-bedroom to Kanata and $840–1,370 to Orléans. These are one company’s estimates, with no published method, and parts of the page disagree with each other. Use them to sanity-check a quote. Your own home, floor and distance decide the real number.
What adds hours
- Stairs. Every flight slows every trip.
- Elevators. Waiting for a shared elevator is billed time. Book the service elevator.
- Long carries. A truck parked half a block away adds a walk to every trip.
- Disassembly. Beds, tables and wardrobes taken apart on the clock.
- Packing on the day. Packing labour is billed too. Have boxes packed and taped before the crew comes.
- Weather. Snow and ice on steps and walks slow every trip from November to April.
Season and month-end
Summer is the busiest season for moving companies in Canada. In Quebec, July 1 is the traditional Moving Day, and that matters for moves to Gatineau and Montreal. We found no published figure for an Ottawa month-end price premium. Ask each company whether its rate changes at the end of the month, on weekends or in July.
Parking and permits
A moving truck that follows the posted parking rules needs no City permit. Unsigned residential streets allow 3 hours, 7 am to 7 pm. A portable storage container on any part of the road allowance needs a City encroachment permit: $101 for a simple permit in 2026, plus road rental of at least $41 a day, with at least 10 business days to process.
Long-distance moves
Moves to Toronto, Montreal or farther are usually priced by volume or weight and distance. Published route averages vary widely, so get a written estimate after an in-home or video walkthrough.
Comparing quotes
Put quotes on one base before you compare them: truck included, travel counted the same way, the same minimum, the same crew size. Ontario’s advice is to get at least three written estimates. A contract over $50 must be in writing, with an itemized price list, the total, the dates and the payment terms. The final bill can be at most 10% over the estimate unless you agree to extra services or supplies.
The Competition Bureau warns about a pattern: a low phone quote for “everything”, then a different contract on moving day. The Canadian Association of Movers advises three on-site estimates in writing and caution with any estimate far from the others.
To price your move, fill in the work order on this page. One local moving company gets it and calls you with a quote.
Questions
01How much do movers charge per hour in Ottawa?
Ads and directory listings mostly show $110–130 an hour for two movers and a truck, billed for at least 2–3 hours plus travel. Larger companies on MovingWaldo list $150–155 an hour for two movers and $210–230 for three.
02What does a 1-bedroom move cost in Ottawa?
One national mover estimates $450–770 for a studio to 1-bedroom local move in Ottawa. It depends on floor, elevator, distance and how much you own.
03Is travel time charged?
Usually. Ottawa movers add a travel fee, for example $150, or one extra hour at the same rate. Ask which, and get it in writing.
04Can the final bill be higher than the estimate?
Under Ontario rules, the mover cannot charge more than 10% above the estimate in your contract, unless you need extra supplies or services and agree to the increase.
05How are long-distance moves priced?
Long-distance moves are usually priced by volume or weight and distance. Ask for a written estimate after an in-home or video walkthrough.