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International moving costs can be a scary thing to face when moving abroad. You may be thinking, what are all the costs you need to consider, and how to manage them? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we cover all you need to know about international moving costs from Australia overseas, what factors affect them, and additional costs you need to keep in mind. As a bonus, you can request your free removal quotes right on our page to get the most accurate cost estimates!
If you’re moving within Australia, check out our domestic removal costs page or our interstate moving costs page instead.
Why is the cost fork so wide for international removals? The international removal prices can be affected by season, weight, and size of your shipment, the route, and the freight options you choose.
The cost of shipping your goods in a container will have the biggest impact on international moving costs. Naturally, other factors affect international removal rates, which we’ll cover a bit further down.
Below you can find an overview of the average moving overseas shipping costs to various destinations around the world. This is based on moving belongings for a 3-bedroom house, moving port-to-port.
| Moving To | Estimated Cost |
| New Zealand | $860 – $1,345 |
| Singapore | $1,715 – $2,360 |
| Japan | $1,715 – $2,630 |
| Canada | $5,060 – $12,930 |
| France | $5,000 – $7,950 |
| United Kingdom | $5,270 – $8,060 |
| United States | $5,260 – $12,510 |
Requesting international moving quotes is the best way to get accurate cost estimates. We’ll connect you with up to 5 removalists that will offer you a quote, and you can pick the company that best meets your needs, with no obligation!
We mentioned before that there are factors that affect international moving costs, and it’s high time we delved into them!
Moving overseas can be stressful and time-consuming. International moving costs are more extensive than you might have thought, but fear not, we will cover all of them below.
If you are strapped for time, you can often pay a surplus to have your international moving company pack and unpack for you, with costs starting at $180. Or maybe you would prefer to do it yourself; make sure you read our expert packing guide.
If you prefer to DIY, it’s good to know that packing materials can add $150-$200 to your international moving costs. In case you need more help, you can read our guide on getting moving boxes.
While most international moving companies include basic insurance as part of their quote, it doesn’t usually cover everything – do some investigating!
Insurance companies base your cargo quote on the monetary value of your goods. You may spend anything from $200 – $1000, depending on the value of your items. If the value of your goods is lower and their end destination is closer, then of course the price will be cheaper.
Another factor that contributes to your total international moving costs is storage facilities. If you are flying out before or after your shipment date, for example, or moving temporarily and leaving some belongings behind, you may need to hire some storage space.
As for the price, storage units’ costs are based on the size you need to hire. A 10m2 storage space (approximately equivalent to a two-bedroom house) will cost anything between $200 to $400 a month, with most companies applying a discount if you use them for longer periods. Read more about storage moving on our page.
Fortunately, most countries waive customs duties for household and personal items. However, some conditions vary from country to country. Sometimes, items owned for 6 months or more are applicable and must be listed on the customs declaration, moreover, they cannot be sold for up to 1 year after arrival.
When shipping pets overseas, you must check out the specific pet import requirements of your destination country. These are usually outlined on our country pages.
Below is a list of the expenses moving overseas with a pet is likely to incur:
Note! If you are travelling a long way, it is important to consider whether your pet will be able to withstand the flight. Jet lag is hardcore for humans, let alone a feline or canine companion.
The cost of moving your pet overseas will depend on the airline that you use, but generally, cats are a little less expensive than transporting dogs.
Furthermore, you’ll find that you may not always be able to take your car with you, for example, the USA and Canada have restrictions on importing newer cars. You must always check if your car is legally allowed in the country or risk paying for its return to Australia!
We know we’ve covered a lot of moving costs so far, but we still have the “smaller” costs left.
Much like other international moving costs, flight and visa expenses will vary depending on your specific circumstances. For example, the average cost of a flight to New Zealand is $215, while you can expect to pay around $750 to get to the UK.
Equally, if you don’t have the right visa, there’s no way you are getting let into your destination country. Depending on the country, a work visa can cost over $500.
Most countries require by law that citizens have health insurance. We advise that you organize international health insurance before your move, to avoid missing the deadline upon arrival.
While you can transfer money using the bank, it may end up costing more. Thus, be sure to do your research and find the right option for transferring your money.
A final option that you can consider that may save you a small amount on international moving costs is buying new furniture. The less you move, the cheaper your move. But as always, there is an exception to the rule; if you have furniture with sentimental value or something irreplaceable, you should invest in shipping it abroad with you.
As you can see, there is no blanket answer to “how much does it cost to move overseas?”. Instead, international removal prices ebb and flow based on various factors. If you are still left with questions, we advice you to look at our FAQs below, and linked articles. Otherwise, good luck with your move!
