If you've asked a handful of moving companies in Dubai for a quote and gotten wildly different numbers back, you're not imagining it. Prices genuinely vary by a factor of two or three for what looks like the same job, and most of that gap comes down to a handful of factors that are easy to miss when you're just comparing a single total figure.
Typical price ranges by unit size
These figures assume a local move within Dubai, standard access (working lift or ground floor), and no packing service included unless noted. Treat them as a starting point for budgeting, not a quote.
- Studio apartment: AED 400 to 650
- 1 bedroom apartment: AED 600 to 900
- 2 bedroom apartment: AED 900 to 1,400
- 3 bedroom apartment: AED 1,300 to 2,000
- 3 to 4 bedroom villa: AED 1,800 to 3,000
- 5+ bedroom villa: AED 2,800 to 4,500 and up
What actually moves the price
Distance matters less than most people assume for a local move. The bigger swing factors are building access (a ground-floor villa with a driveway loads faster than a 40th-floor apartment sharing one lift with residents), whether you need full packing or just transport, and how much furniture actually needs dismantling and reassembly versus simply carrying as-is.
Timing plays a real role too. Weekend and month-end bookings, when most leases turn over, are Dubai's busiest moving windows, and pricing tends to sit at the higher end of the range during those periods simply because crews are in higher demand. If your move date is flexible, a mid-week booking outside the last few days of the month often comes in cheaper.
What should be included in a fair quote
A quote that only lists a single number without breaking down crew size, truck type, and what happens if the job runs longer than estimated is harder to trust. Ask specifically whether the price is fixed once furniture volume is confirmed, or whether it can change on move day. Our own quotes are confirmed in writing after a quick inventory check, precisely so there's no renegotiation happening while your furniture is already on the truck.
When cheap quotes cost more
The lowest quote in a set of five is worth a second look before you book it. Common ways an unusually low quote gets padded later include charging extra for stairs that weren't disclosed upfront, adding a fee for dismantling that should have been included, or a crew that's genuinely too small for the job and needs a costly last-minute addition. A fixed, written quote from a company that's seen your actual inventory is a better predictor of your final bill than the lowest number on a phone call.
For an exact number based on your own move, our villa movers and apartment movers pages outline what's included in each package, or you can send us your inventory directly for a fixed quote.
How our own pricing works
We quote after a short inventory check, either a video call walkthrough or a written list of what's moving, rather than a blind phone estimate. That number is confirmed in writing before your move date and doesn't change on the day itself unless the actual inventory turns out to be meaningfully different from what was described, which is rare once someone has walked through the property with you.
Comparing quotes properly
When you're weighing multiple quotes side by side, normalize them first. A quote that includes full packing materials and dismantling should not be compared directly against one that only covers transport. Ask each company to break down what's included, crew size, truck size, packing materials, dismantling and reassembly, so you're comparing the same scope of work rather than just two different total numbers.
It's also worth asking how each company handles a job that runs longer than expected. Some charge a flat overage rate per additional hour, others absorb minor overruns as part of the fixed quote. Knowing this upfront avoids an uncomfortable conversation on move day if the job takes longer than planned for reasons outside your control, like a building's slow freight lift.
A realistic worked example
Take a 2-bedroom apartment moving from JLT to Business Bay, roughly 8 kilometers, with a working freight lift at both ends and no packing service required. This lands squarely in the AED 900 to 1,400 range depending on the exact furniture volume. Add full packing service and that figure climbs by roughly AED 300 to 500 depending on how much needs wrapping. Add a piano or a similarly awkward single item and expect a further AED 150 to 300 on top, reflecting the extra manpower and care involved. None of these add-ons should come as a surprise if you've had a proper inventory-based quote from the start.
One more thing worth budgeting for separately: tipping isn't mandatory in the UAE moving industry, but it's common practice for crews that have done a genuinely good job, particularly on a longer or more physically demanding move. It's not reflected in any quote and is entirely your call, but it's worth having a small amount set aside in cash on move day if you plan to do it, since crews rarely expect it but do appreciate it.
