Lalamove or a lorry with movers? Moving house in Malaysia compared (2026)
In October 2026, a lorry with driver and crew for a move within one city costs about RM250–RM370 for a 1-ton and RM490–RM620 for a 3-ton, carrying included. Lalamove shows its price in the app (it publishes no fixed lorry fares), and its driver doesn't carry unless you add helpers.
When a delivery app (Lalamove, GrabExpress) is enough to move house, when a lorry with a moving crew costs less for the whole move, and what each one includes.
The short answer
- A delivery app is usually cheapest for a few items or one big item over a short distance, when you or a friend can load and unload.
- A lorry with a moving crew is usually better for a room or more, stairs without a lift, condo move-in rules, furniture worth protecting, or a move to another state: the crew carries and wraps, in one trip.
- An app's driver doesn't carry your things unless you add a helper service, and its damage cover is small. Count both before comparing prices.
App vehicles and the lorry sizes they match
From Lalamove's and Grab's own vehicle pages (checked October 2026):
| Vehicle | Cargo space (L × W × H) | Max load | About the same as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lalamove Van 7-ft | 170 × 100 × 120 cm | 500 kg | A small panel van |
| Lalamove Large Van 9-ft | 270 × 130 × 120 cm | 800 kg | A large panel van |
| Lalamove Small Lorry 10-ft | 275 × 152 × 152 cm | 1,000 kg | A 1-ton lorry |
| Lalamove Medium Lorry 14-ft | 427 × 220 × 213 cm | 2,500 kg | A 3-ton lorry |
| Lalamove Large Lorry 17-ft | 510 × 200 × 210 cm | 4,000 kg | A 5-ton lorry |
| Lalamove Large Lorry 20-ft | 600 × 200 × 210 cm | 5,000 kg | A 20-ft lorry |
| GrabExpress MPV | 80 × 80 × 100 cm | 100 kg | Boxes and small items only: Grab has no van or lorry in Malaysia |
Lorry companies' own 3-ton and 5-ton lorries often carry a little more: see the lorry size guide.
What an app booking includes, and what it doesn't
- Price: Lalamove doesn't publish fixed lorry fares for Malaysia. The app shows the price for your trip, and it changes with traffic and demand; tolls and parking are paid at cost. A GrabExpress MPV is RM20 for the first 10 km, then RM2 per km in the Klang Valley (Grab's fare table, 2023).
- Carrying: Lalamove's terms say the driver won't load, unload or carry unless you book door-to-door or helpers, which cost extra in the app. Helpers don't pack boxes or install or remove appliances.
- Waiting: 30 minutes free, then RM30 per 30 minutes for the 10-ft lorry and RM50 for the 14-ft, 17-ft and 20-ft lorries. A tailgate lift is RM75.
- Damage: Lalamove pays up to RM100 per delivery on a personal account, and goods worth more than RM500 in total aren't allowed (terms of 21 September 2026). GrabExpress includes cover up to RM1,000, with paid options up to RM6,000.
- Other apps: Maxim's Malaysian site lists rides and delivery, not lorries (checked October 2026).
What a lorry with a moving crew includes
Typical prices for one trip in one city, with the driver and crew (Klang Valley, October 2026):
| Lorry | Crew | One trip with crew |
|---|---|---|
| 1-ton (10 ft) | Driver + 2 | about RM250–RM370 |
| 3-ton (14 ft) | Driver + 3 | about RM490–RM620 |
| 5-ton (17 ft) | Driver + 3 | about RM630–RM790 |
Market ranges, not CariLori prices. The crew carries everything, usually wraps furniture and can take apart beds and wardrobes. Ask what's included and what costs extra (stairs, a long carry, packing). More in house-moving lorry prices.
Which one for your move?
| Your move | Usually better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A few boxes or one item you can carry | App (van or 10-ft lorry) | You only pay for the vehicle |
| A fridge or sofa, a building with a lift, a friend helps | App 10-ft lorry, with the tailgate if it's heavy | Short and simple |
| A room or a studio, stairs, no one to help | 1-ton lorry with 2 crew | Carrying is included |
| A whole house, or a condo with move-in rules | 3-ton or 5-ton lorry with crew | One trip, wrapping, a crew used to lift bookings |
| Furniture or electronics worth more than RM500 | Lorry with crew | The app's cover is RM100 and such goods aren't allowed |
| To another state | Compare both | Movers quote a fixed price: see the route prices |
Before you book either one
- Get the total price in writing: vehicle, carrying, stairs, waiting, tolls and parking.
- Say the floor, whether there's a lift, and how close the lorry can park.
- Book the condo's loading bay and lift if needed.
- Never pay a large deposit to someone you found online: read before you agree a job.
Get quotes from lorries with a crew
Post one request on CariLori with what you're moving, the floors and the date. Movers and lorry suppliers who cover your area contact you with their price, so you can compare it with the app's.
Latest house & office moving requests on CariLori
- 3-ton lorry (14 ft) · House & office moving · Tanjung BungahHouse & office moving · Tanjung Bungah, Penang · Posted 29 Oct
- House & office moving · SelayangHouse & office moving · Selayang, Selangor · Posted 20 Oct
- Looking for a 1-ton lorry to move house — BTS to Wakaf Bharu, KelantanHouse & office moving · Bandar Tasik Selatan, Kuala Lumpur · Posted 17 Oct
- Urgent: looking for a lorry rental for house moving — Selayang to Shah AlamHouse & office moving · Selayang, Selangor · Posted 17 Oct
- 3-ton lorry (14 ft) · House & office moving · TemohHouse & office moving · Temoh, Perak · Posted 16 Oct
Questions
Is Lalamove cheaper than hiring a lorry to move house?
For a few items you load yourself, usually yes. For a whole house with stairs, a lorry with a crew often costs about the same once you add the app's helpers, waiting time and a second trip, and the crew does the carrying.
Does the Lalamove driver help carry things?
Not unless you book door-to-door or the helper service, which costs extra in the app. Helpers don't pack boxes or install or remove appliances.
Which Lalamove lorry is a 1-ton or a 3-ton?
The Small Lorry 10-ft carries up to 1,000 kg, like a 1-ton lorry. The Medium Lorry 14-ft carries up to 2,500 kg, close to a 3-ton, and the Large Lorry 17-ft up to 4,000 kg, close to a 5-ton.
Does GrabExpress have a van or a lorry?
No. In Malaysia the largest GrabExpress vehicle is an MPV that carries up to 100 kg (80 × 80 × 100 cm), so it suits boxes, not furniture.
What if something breaks during an app move?
Lalamove pays up to RM100 per delivery on a personal account, and goods worth more than RM500 in total aren't allowed. For valuable furniture, use movers and ask in writing what their insurance covers.
Can I use Lalamove to move to another state?
Lalamove's blog lists interstate trips from the Klang Valley, Johor, Melaka, Penang and the northern states, the east coast and Kuching (2023). For a whole house, compare with a mover's fixed price on the route pages.
Get quotes for your move House & office moving suppliers in Malaysia