What does removals & rubbish cost in Australia?
Removals & Rubbish work typically costs between $60 and $15,000 in Australia in 2026, across 9 common kinds of job. Below: the price of each, how it changes by state, and the licence, wage and compliance rules that set the floor.
Reviewed September 2026 by the Blue Collar News Services editorial team. 6 sources are linked on this page, all government, standards or industry bodies. Indicative prices, not quotes, and not legal advice. How we research prices
Removals & Rubbish prices by job
Typical GST-inclusive ranges for a standard residential job. Each link opens the full guide for that job.
| Job | Typical range | Priced |
|---|---|---|
| Deceased Estate Clearance | $400–$4,000 | per job |
| Furniture Removal & Delivery | $80–$400 | per job |
| House Removals | $120–$200 | per hour |
| Interstate Removals | $1,500–$8,000 | per job |
| Mattress & Furniture Disposal | $60–$250 | per job |
| Office Relocation | $1,000–$15,000 | per job |
| Post-Construction Rubbish Removal | $250–$1,500 | per job |
| Rubbish Removal | $100–$600 | per job |
| Skip Bin Hire | $250–$800 | per job |
What sets removals & rubbish prices in Australia
The rules and figures behind the numbers, each with its source. Checked September 2026; rules and award rates change, so confirm with the authority before relying on one.
Under the Fair Work Road Transport and Distribution Award (MA000038), a full-time Transport worker grade 1 must be paid at least $26.87 an hour ($1,021.00 a week) and a grade 3 at least $27.83 an hour ($1,057.60 a week), effective 1 July 2026.
Source: calculate.fairwork.gov.au
The Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 pays a recognised furniture carter engaged in removing or delivering furniture a weekly allowance of $27.39 on top of the minimum rate. The award covers transport by road of goods, wares and merchandise.
Source: awards.fairwork.gov.au
NSW Fair Trading says removalists are not required by law to insure your goods during a move; AFRA-accredited removalists can offer transit insurance covering packing, moving and storage. Ask for an itemised written quote and a contract listing inventory, dates and payment terms.
Source: nsw.gov.au
The ABS Producer Price Index for road freight transport rose 15.5% in the June 2026 quarter and 17.6% over the year, the largest quarterly rise since the series began in 1997, driven by fuel and shipping costs after the Strait of Hormuz closure.
Source: abs.gov.au
Rubbish removal tip fees in NSW include the state waste levy, which from 1 July 2026 is $180.20 per tonne in the Metropolitan Levy Area and $103.80 in the Regional Levy Area, up from $174.20 and $100.30 in 2025-26. The levy is indexed to CPI each year.
Source: epa.nsw.gov.au
Inner West Council in Sydney lets an approved skip bin sit on a non-metered street free for 7 days, up to twice a year; extensions cost $148.00 a week, and metered-street extensions $71.70 a day. Bins must be no larger than 5 m by 1.8 m and placed directly in front of the property.
Source: innerwest.nsw.gov.au
Removals & Rubbish cost by state
The trade’s cheapest and dearest job, adjusted for each capital city. Regional prices can sit outside these.
| State | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | $70–$17,250 |
| Victoria | $65–$16,800 |
| Queensland | $65–$15,750 |
| Western Australia | $65–$16,500 |
| South Australia | $60–$14,700 |
| Tasmania | $60–$15,300 |
| Northern Territory | $65–$16,800 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $65–$16,200 |
How we work these prices out
The ranges are indicative, not quotes. They reflect the spread of prices Australian businesses typically quote for each job in capital cities, reviewed September 2026, GST-inclusive, for a standard residential job with reasonable access. The state table applies a cost index for each capital to the national range. Where a rule or rate is stated above, it comes from the source shown; we do not copy figures from other quote websites.
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FAQs
Why do removals & rubbish prices vary so much between jobs?
The range on this page covers 9 different kinds of removals & rubbish work, from small repairs to large installations, so the spread is wide. Within one job the price moves with size, access, materials and urgency. A tradie who has seen the job can quote it; a page cannot.
Do these prices include GST?
Yes. Every figure here is GST-inclusive and assumes a standard residential job with reasonable access. A written quote from a licensed business must also show whether GST is included.
Why is removals & rubbish dearer in some states?
Labour rates, licence requirements, insurance thresholds and the cost of getting materials to site all differ by state, and metro rates run above regional ones. The state table applies a cost index for each capital city to the national range; regional prices can sit outside it.
How do I get an exact price?
Get two or three written quotes from licensed local businesses and compare them like for like. You can do that here for free: tell us the job and independent removals & rubbish businesses covering your area come back to you with quotes.
Sources
Every rule and rate on this page comes from one of these. Checked September 2026. We link the page we read, not a homepage, so you can see the figure yourself.
- calculate.fairwork.gov.au/Download/AwardSummary?awardCode=ma000038&fileType=pdf
- awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000038.html
- nsw.gov.au/legal-and-justice/consumer-rights-and-protection/be-a-smart-consumer/choosing-a-removalist
- abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/producer-price-indexes-australia/latest-release
- epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Waste/waste-levy/levy-regulated-area-and-levy-rates
- innerwest.nsw.gov.au/waste-and-recycling/skip-bins