TL;DR Quick Answer
Most people pay between $1,100 and $5,500 to move from Toronto to Montreal in 2026. The price comes down to three things: how much you’re moving, who you hire, and whether you’re moving anywhere near July 1.
- DIY truck rental (U-Haul, Penske): $1,000 – $2,000
- Moving container (BigSteelBox, PODS): $2,200 – $3,500
- Full-service movers, 1-bedroom: $1,200 – $2,400
- Full-service movers, 2-bedroom: $2,300 – $3,900
- Full-service movers, 3+ bedrooms: $3,800 – $6,500+
The July 1 moving rush in Quebec is the single biggest price spike of the year; expect to pay a steep premium and to struggle to find any crew at all.
Booking 6–8 weeks ahead gets you the best price, the best crews, and a real shot at your preferred date.
You’ve signed the lease (or closed on the place), and now the moving-day bill feels like a number someone pulled out of a hat.
One moving company quotes $1,900. Another quotes $5,200 for what sounds like the exact same move.
So who’s right?
Both of them, actually. The cost of moving from Toronto to Montreal swings hard depending on the size of your home, the service you choose, and, more than any other route in Canada, the date on the calendar.
This guide breaks down every real number you’ll see in 2026: hourly rates, flat distance fees, the Quebec-specific costs nobody warns you about, and the small choices that quietly pile hundreds of dollars onto the final invoice.
At Kams Movers, we run long-distance routes out of the GTA every week.
The numbers below come from current 2026 industry pricing across Ontario and Quebec, cross-checked against what households are actually paying on this corridor.
How Far Is the Move? Distance, Drive Time, and Why It Matters
The driving distance from Toronto to Montreal is about 540 kilometres along Highway 401.
In a passenger car, that’s roughly 5.5 hours. In a loaded moving truck, plan on 6 to 7 hours one way, before you add loading and unloading time on either end.
Why does distance change the price so much? Because long-distance moves are billed on a completely different model than local ones.
A move inside Toronto is charged by the hour. A move to Montreal is priced by weight, volume, or a flat distance rate, and then labour, fuel, and equipment get layered on top.
Rule of thumb: Any move over 100 km in Ontario shifts from hourly billing to long-distance pricing. At 540 km, a Toronto-to-Montreal move is firmly in long-distance territory, which is exactly why it feels nothing like moving across town.
The upside: it’s still one of the most affordable interprovincial routes in Canada because the corridor is so heavily travelled, and trucks run it constantly in both directions.
Moving Cost From Toronto to Montreal in 2026: Full Breakdown
Here’s what real households pay this year, sorted by home size and service type.
These are out-the-door numbers: labour, truck, fuel, basic transit coverage, and the standard equipment a crew brings.
| Home size | DIY truck rental | Moving container | Full-service movers |
| Studio / 1-bedroom apartment | $1,000 – $1,400 | $2,200 – $2,500 | $1,200 – $2,400 |
| 2-bedroom apartment or condo | $1,200 – $1,700 | $2,500 – $3,100 | $2,300 – $3,900 |
| 2-bedroom house | $1,400 – $1,900 | $2,800 – $3,500 | $3,000 – $4,600 |
| 3-bedroom house | $1,600 – $2,100 | $3,100 – $4,000 | $3,800 – $5,800 |
| 4+ bedroom house | $1,900 – $2,600 | $3,800 – $5,000 | $5,500 – $8,000+ |
Prices are 2026 averages for moves between the Greater Toronto Area and the Montreal region, before tax. Container option assumes one 20-ft unit. Full-service prices include packing materials but not full packing labour. Sources: MoveAdvisor 2026 route data, Pro Action Transport 2026 rates, Déménagement Demelina 2026 pricing, and Kams Movers internal data.
The Three Ways to Move (and What Each One Actually Costs)
DIY Truck Rental Cheapest on Paper, Hardest in Practice
Renting a U-Haul, Penske, or Discount truck is the lowest-cost option on the surface.
A 20-foot truck for two days, with the standard kilometre allowance and a fuel budget of around $250, runs about $1,000 to $1,400 for the Toronto-to-Montreal run.
The catch is everything that isn’t on the rental quote.
You’re the driver, the loader, the unloader, and the person responsible if the truck breaks down outside Kingston.
You also need to budget for:
- Fuel beyond the included amount (loaded trucks burn through it fast, 5 to 7 km per litre is typical)
- Moving blankets, dollies, and straps: $80 – $150
- Friends or labour-only help on each end: $200 – $400 per end
- Damage coverage (the rental company’s basic insurance is usually thin)
- Driving a 26-foot truck through Montreal’s bridges and one-way streets with zero practice
Add it all up, and a “$1,200” DIY move often lands closer to $1,800 to $2,200 by the time you hand back the keys.
Still cheaper than full-service, but only if nothing goes wrong.
Moving Containers: The Flexible Middle Ground
Companies like BigSteelBox and PODS drop a 16- or 20-foot container at your Toronto home.
You load it on your own schedule (usually a few days), and they truck it to Montreal for you.
A Toronto-to-Montreal container move typically runs $2,200 to $3,500 once delivery and pick-up are included.
It’s a good fit if you want flexibility on timing but don’t want to drive a truck across the province.
It works less well if you live in a downtown Toronto high-rise with nowhere to legally park a steel box, or if your Montreal building is on a tight Plateau street where the same problem repeats on the other end.
Full-Service Movers Most Expensive, Least Stressful
A full-service crew handles loading, driving, and unloading.
Most Toronto-to-Montreal long-distance moves are priced one of two ways:
- By weight or volume (the traditional method): the mover calculates your total cubic volume or shipment weight, whichever gives the better number
- Flat-rate distance pricing: a single all-in quote covering the 540 km plus labour
For a typical 2-bedroom apartment with around 5,000 lbs of belongings, that lands at roughly $2,300 to $3,900, depending on the season, your floor, and whether you need packing help.
For a 3-bedroom house closer to 8,000 lbs, expect $3,800 to $5,800.
This corridor also opens up a money-saving option you won’t get on shorter routes: consolidated or shared-load shipping.
Because trucks run from Toronto to Montreal constantly, movers can combine your shipment with others heading the same way. Industry pricing puts the savings at 10–20% versus a dedicated truck, in exchange for a slightly wider delivery window.
If your dates can flex, it’s one of the easiest ways to cut a long-distance quote without giving up professional service, and we arrange it regularly for clients on this route.
The July 1 Problem: Why Moving Date Matters More Here Than Anywhere in Canada
This is the single biggest difference between a Toronto-to-Montreal move and almost any other route in the country.
Quebec has a moving day. Under Article 1877 of the Civil Code of Quebec, a fixed-term lease ends automatically when the term runs out, and a huge share of Quebec leases are still written from July 1 to June 30.
The result: roughly 80% of leases in the province end on June 30, and a massive chunk of the entire province’s moving volume gets crushed into one week.
What that means for your wallet:
- July 1 is the most expensive day of the year to move into Montreal. Demand wildly outstrips the number of available trucks and crews.
- Many movers stop taking July 1 bookings months ahead, and some are fully booked for the surrounding week too.
- Truck rentals vanish. If you’re planning a DIY move, you may struggle to find a rental truck at all near the July 1 window.
If your move date has any flexibility, the best financial decision you can make is to avoid late June and early July entirely.
Moving in September through April can save you hundreds, sometimes more than a thousand, on the exact same move.
9 Factors That Change Your Toronto-to-Montreal Moving Cost
Two families moving from the same Toronto condo to the same Montreal neighbourhood can pay very different prices. Here’s why.
| Factor | Typical impact on price |
| Home size and weight of belongings | + or − up to $4,000 |
| Peak season (June–August, especially July 1) | +25% to +50% |
| Stairs (per flight, no elevator) | +$50 to +$150 |
| Long carry (truck parks 25+ m from door) | +$75 to +$200 |
| Heavy or specialty items (piano, safe, pool table) | +$50 to +$500 each |
| Shuttle service (small truck for tight access) | +$200 to +$500 |
| Elevator reservation (condos, both ends) | +$50 to +$100 each |
| Full packing service | +$400 to +$1,200 |
| Storage between homes | +$150 to +$400 per month |
The two that catch people off guard are stairs and long carries, and Montreal is built to trigger both.
The city is full of triplexes and plexes with narrow exterior staircases, and many streets have limited or permit-only parking that keeps the truck far from the door.
If your Montreal place has a spiral staircase or sits on a tight one-way street, tell your mover during the quote so the price you’re shown is the price you’ll actually pay.
When You Move Matters: The Cheapest Weeks of the Year
Outside the July 1 rush, the seasonal pattern on this route looks like most of Canada’s summer is busy and expensive, and winter is quiet and cheap.
The Cheapest Times to Move from Toronto to Montreal
- Mid-January to mid-March: Lowest prices of the year. Cold and snow are real considerations, but trucks and crews are wide open.
- Mid-October to late November: The second sweet spot. Real estate slows, the summer rush is over, and the weather is still manageable.
- Mid-month, mid-week: The first and last days of any month cost the most. A Tuesday on the 17th will almost always beat a Saturday on the 1st.
- Any date that isn’t late June or early July: On this route specifically, simply dodging the Quebec moving-day window is the biggest single saving available.
The moving industry has also gotten more expensive across the board.
Fuel, mandatory insurance, and skilled labour have all climbed in recent years.
That’s why a Toronto-to-Montreal quote in 2026 is meaningfully higher than the same move was a few years ago.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Tells You About
This is where the gap between a quote and a final invoice gets wide.
The charges below are legal and standard, but only some movers mention them upfront.
Quebec Parking Permits
This one is unique to the destination.
In many Montreal boroughs, parking a moving truck legally requires a permit from the borough office, arranged in advance.
Skip it, a nd you risk a ticket, a towed truck, or a crew circling the block burning paid time.
Ask your mover whether the permit is their responsibility or yours.
Stairs and Elevator Fees
If your Toronto condo charges $75 to book the freight elevator and your Montreal building charges the same, that’s $150 you didn’t budget.
Walk-ups are worse: $50 to $150 per flight above the first floor is common, and Montreal’s plex housing stock means stairs come up a lot.
Long Carries
If the truck can’t park within roughly 25 metres of your door, expect a long-carry fee of $75 to $200 per end.
Downtown Toronto buildings with no loading dock and tight Montreal streets are the usual culprits.
Specialty Items
Pianos, gun safes, pool tables, and large appliances usually carry a flat surcharge of $50 to $500 per item, because they need extra crew, equipment, or rigging.
If you own any of these, get the price in writing before you book.
Kams Movers handles piano and pool-table moves as part of our long-distance routes, so the surcharge is bundled rather than billed as a surprise.
Packing Materials and Labour
Boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and dish-pack barrels aren’t free.
Buying your own materials for a 2-bedroom apartment costs $200 to $400.
Hiring the mover to pack for you adds $400 to $1,200 on top of the move.
Our packing-and-moving service is priced as a bundle, which usually works out cheaper than booking the two separately.
Storage Between Homes
If your Montreal place isn’t ready when your Toronto lease ends, you’ll need short-term storage, and on this route, lease-date mismatches are common thanks to the June 30 / July 1 cycle.
Expect $150 to $400 per month for a standard household, plus a re-delivery fee.
Our moving-and-storage service rolls both into one contract, so you skip the double-handling charge most companies tack on.
7 Ways to Lower Your Toronto-to-Montreal Moving Cost
Some of these save you $50.
A few of them, used together, can take $1,500 or more off your invoice.
- Avoid the July 1 window. On this route, nothing else saves you more. Moving even a week or two off-peak changes the price dramatically.
- Move off-season. A January move can cost significantly less than the same move in summer.
- Pick mid-week, mid-month. Tuesday the 17th beats Saturday the 1st every time.
- Declutter before the quote. Long-distance moves are priced on weight or volume. Every box you don’t bring saves $40 to $100.
- Pack yourself. Full-service packing is convenient but adds $400 to $1,200. Pack everything except fragile items, and keep most of that.
- Ask about consolidated or shared-load shipping. If your dates flex, sharing truck space on this busy corridor can cut 10–20% off the bill.
- Get three real quotes and book early. Not online calculators, actual quotes after a virtual or in-home walk-through. Then book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for better crews, better trucks, and better pricing.
When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Hire Full-Service Movers
DIY isn’t always the answer, and neither is full-service.
Here’s a quick way to decide.
| Hire full-service movers if… | Stick with DIY if… |
| You have a 2-bedroom or larger home | You’re moving to a studio or 1-bedroom |
| You have heavy or fragile items (piano, antiques, large appliances) | You own light furniture, mostly boxes |
| You can’t take more than a day or two off work | You have a flexible week and friends to help |
| You’re moving near July 1 (crews and trucks are nearly impossible to find solo) | You’re moving off-season, and the weather is calm |
| Stairs, tight streets, or parking-permit zones are involved on either end | Both homes have easy ground-floor access and parking |
If you’re somewhere in the middle, our long-distance moving service can be customized.
Some clients book us for just the loading and the drive, then unpack themselves to save on the back end.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to move from Toronto to Montreal in 2026?
Most households pay between $1,100 and $5,500 to move from Toronto to Montreal in 2026.
A 1-bedroom move with full-service movers typically runs $1,200 to $2,400, a 2-bedroom move runs $2,300 to $3,900, and a 3-bedroom move runs $3,800 to $5,800.
DIY truck rental is cheapest at $1,000 to $1,400 on paper, but real-world costs land closer to $1,800 once fuel, equipment, and help are added.
How long does a Toronto-to-Montreal move take?
The drive is about 5.5 hours by car, or 6 to 7 hours in a loaded moving truck along Highway 401.
Most full-service moves are completed in a single day for smaller homes, loading in Toronto in the morning, arriving in Montreal the same evening.
Shared-load shipments may arrive within a 1 to 3-day window. Larger homes (4+ bedrooms) can spread over two days.
Why is moving to Montreal around July 1 so expensive?
Roughly 80% of Quebec leases end on June 30, so a huge share of the province moves on July 1, a tradition tied to Quebec’s Civil Code.
Demand for trucks and crews far exceeds supply that week, prices spike, and many movers and truck-rental companies are fully booked months in advance.
If your date is flexible, moving outside late June and early July is the biggest single way to save on this route.
What is the cheapest way to move from Toronto to Montreal?
Renting a truck and driving it yourself is cheapest on paper, at $1,000 to $1,400 for a 20-foot truck for two days.
Once you add fuel, equipment, and labour-only help on each end, the real cost is closer to $1,800.
The cheapest way to use professional movers is to book in winter, mid-week, mid-month, avoid the July 1 window, and ask about consolidated or shared-load pricing.
Do I need a permit to park a moving truck in Montreal?
In many Montreal boroughs, yes.
Parking a moving truck legally often requires a permit from the borough office, arranged in advance.
Without one, you risk a ticket or a towed truck.
Ask your moving company whether they handle the permit or whether it’s your responsibility, and sort it out before moving day.
Should I tip the movers?
Tipping isn’t mandatory in Canada, but it’s common on long-distance moves.
A typical tip is $20 to $40 per mover for a full-day move that goes well.
For exceptional service or tough conditions, lots of stairs, bad weather, or a difficult Montreal staircase, $50 per mover is fair.
Are moving costs in Canada tax-deductible?
Sometimes. If you’re moving at least 40 km closer to a new job, business, or full-time school, the Canada Revenue Agency lets you deduct eligible moving expenses on your tax return.
A Toronto-to-Montreal move easily clears the 40 km test. Keep your moving invoice and all related receipts, and confirm the details with a tax professional or check the latest CRA moving expenses guidance.
