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It is safe to say that international moving costs can be expensive, with an estimated average of $7,000 – $30,000. However, understanding how this figure adds up is essential to saving money and feeling more in control of your move. Read on to learn what contributes to your international removal prices! If you’re moving within Australia, check out our domestic removal costs page or our interstate moving costs page instead.
If you’re planning on moving to another country, then the cost of an international move is likely taking up a lot of space in that noggin of yours and furthermore why the wide range of 7,000 – $30,000 for international moving costs? There are a lot of factors that influence the cost of moving. So, keep reading to find out!
Our first port of call in understanding international moving costs is overseas shipping costs. The cost of shipping your goods in a container will have the biggest impact on the costs of international moving. Naturally, there are other factors that affect international removal rates which we’ll cover a bit further down.
As we imagine you are still itching for some concrete figures. 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 |
There’s only so much our estimation can do to help you with gauging the price of an international move, but a quote from a removalist will be spot on. However, finding a removalist that can help you move is hard, finding several options for comparison quotes is almost impossible!
That’s where Sirelo comes in. 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. If you want to have a more relaxed experience and fully enjoy the last of the sun before you move to somewhere like the UK, which is a lovely place but the weather leaves something to be desired, then you might want to avail of some services removalists offer, just be aware they come with a price tag!
That’s not all! Don’t forget that you’ll have to pass through customs and maybe even transport a pet or a car! You’re moving your life, not just your house overseas. International moving costs are more extensive than you might have thought.
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. If you would prefer to do it yourself, kudos! But make sure you read our expert packing guide.
Additionally, whether you do it alone or avail of hired help, you’ll need to secure sufficient packing materials to protect your goods. This can add $150-$200 to your international moving costs. Granted, that does add the task of locating boxes for moving overseas. If you need help, you can read our guide on getting moving boxes or maybe even from your removalist, just don’t forget to ask!
Think you can get away without this? Think again! While it is tempting to avoid this upfront cost, without it, the cost of moving furniture overseas will sky-rocket if you have to replace any damaged items out of pocket.
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, so try not to move too many priceless paintings. You may spend anything from $200–$1000 depending on the value of your items. If the value of your goods is lower and its 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. While it would be nice if timings fell exactly into place, this is rarely the reality of moving house. If you are flying out before or after your shipment date, then 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 for example (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.
Luckily, if you feel like reading more about this topic, we happen to have a page whole dedicated to storage moving to help you on your way!
Fortunately, most countries waive custom duties for household and personal items, which is a huge relief! However, there are some conditions to this that vary from country to country. It can be that only items that have been owned for 6 months or more are applicable, must be listed on the customs declaration, and usually can not be sold for up to 1 year after arrival.
If you fail any of the above conditions, you can expect to receive a nice customs duty bill to add to your international moving costs, the perfect welcoming gift. Additionally, if your goods are inspected, you can expect that bill to be passed on to you. furthermore, if you left something off the customs declaration, you can expect even further inspections and potentially quarantine costs!
Shipping your car? Unfortunately, if you want your four wheels to join the fun, custom charges are inevitable.
The cost of moving overseas will also increase if you plan on bringing any furry friends with you. Before you start spending money, it is important that you 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.
As for the question of how much does it cost to move a pet overseas? It will depend on the airline that you use, but generally, cats are a little less expensive than transporting dogs. To give you an idea, shipping a cat abroad can cost between $700-$2,000 and dogs between $2,000-$7,000.
Naturally, if you bring the contents of your house, you might also want to bring your car. Adding a car to the international removal price is something that you must be sure of, it can cost $1,000-$5,000!
Furthermore, you’ll find that you may not always be able to take your car with you, for example, the USA and Canada have a restriction on the import of newer cars. So, before you load up your car, check if it’s even legally allowed in the country or risk paying for its return to Australia! That would really inflate your international moving costs…
Before we let you off the hook, there are a couple more general international moving costs to consider. While these don’t apply to everyone, it’s also not an exhaustive list, and therefore you need to be aware of any further surprises. This may include:
Again, this is a bit of a no-brainer; there is no point flying your household goods halfway across the world if you can’t join them! Therefore, make sure to budget this into your international moving costs.
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 – no matter how charming you are! Depending on the country, a work visa can cost over $500.
Before you land, it might give you peace of mind knowing that you won’t be saddled with medical debt. If that sounds like a state you want to be in, then be sure to sort acquire some international health insurance.
With so many costs coming from the international removal prices, the last thing you’ll want is more costs when transferring money abroad. 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 this does mean buying a replacement if you really need it.
Furthermore, you should give some consideration to the plugs and the voltage, which is 230v in Australia, but 120v in the USA and 240v in the UK. Make sure your devices are compatible before importing them. It’d be a waste to pay for their import and then never use them!
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 a multitude of factors. The good news is, now you are aware of these, you can start to look at where to save money on your international moving costs!
With a handle on the costs, consider exploring the Sirelo website further, with great articles for the next steps of your international move linked for you below. In the meantime, good luck! We wish you every success with your move 🙂
