International Moving Companies Costs
Let’s start by ticking the basics off the list. The price provided by international movers often varies according to several factors, which is what usually makes estimating your international moving costs a bit tricky. Unfortunately, there really is no way to know exactly how much your move will cost without requesting moving company quotes. So best get to that ASAP!
When requesting moving quotes, keep in mind that the costs of shipping your belongings will often be based on:
- Distance: This is likely a no-brainer, but the further your moving destination is, the more expensive transportation will be.
- Size of your move: This also goes without saying, but the bigger the size of your move (both in terms of volume and weight!) the more expensive it will be.
- Moving date: The time of the year as well as, the day of the week in which you decide to carry out your move can have an influence on your moving costs. Generally, the most expensive days to move are weekends and the most expensive season to move during is summer.
- Type of transport: Usually, air transport is the most expensive option while sea-freights tend to be the cheapest. Keep in mind that for these types of moves you will likely need a container!
- Additional costs: Depending on the moving company, additional costs aside from those listed above can also be part of your quote (i.e.: moving insurance, car shipping, art shipping).
Tip!: If you’re not sure which international mover to go for, why not check out Sirelo’s Top 8 International Moving Companies? 😎
International Moving Rates to Europe
Now, we know this all might sound a tad bit vague. So, to illustrate this better, below you can find the average international moving costs of a three-bedroom household move (via sea-freight) from the United States to popular destinations across Europe.
| Destination | West Coast | East Coast |
| Paris, France | $8,000 – $10,700 | $6,600 – $9,000 |
| London, United Kingdom | $7,700 – $10,400 | $6,300 – $8,600 |
| Barcelona, Spain | $7,600 – $10,200 | $6,300 – $8,600 |
| Rome, Italy | $8,000 – $10,700 | $6,700 – $9,100 |
| Amsterdam, Netherlands | $7,700 – $10,400 | $6,300 – $8,500 |
Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and thus will vary depending on your actual point of departure.
International Moving Rates to the Rest of the World
Is Europe not your final destination? Don’t worry, we still got ya’. Below you can find a list of the average international moving costs for a three-bedroom household move (via sea-freight) from the United States to the rest of the world!
| Destination | East Coast | West Coast |
| Ciudad de México, México | $5,300 – $8,800 | $6,500 – $10,700 |
| Sydney, Australia | $8,200 – $11,100 | $8,000 – $10,700 |
| Toronto, Canada | $5,500 – $7,300 | $7,500 – $10,200 |
| Cape Town, South Africa | $6,200 – $10,200 | $7,500 – $12,300 |
| New Delhi, India | $9,000 – $14,800 | $9,600 – $15,900 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates | $7,100 – $11,600 | $7,600 – $12,600 |
Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and thus will vary depending on your actual point of departure.
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Key Costs of International Moving
Alright, moving on to the second batch of costs… Besides the costs of shipping your belongings, there are a number of other international moving costs you must consider. Among these, you can expect the ones listed below.
Moving Insurance Costs
No matter how risk-loving you are, if you’re moving abroad we highly recommend that you take out moving insurance. Trust me on this one — it’s better to be safe than sorry! In the United States, international moving companies must offer the following types of insurance:
- Full-value protection: This type of insurance coverage entails that the moving company is responsible for the complete value of your shipment. Usually, taking out this type of insurance costs around 1% of the valuation of your items.
- Released value protection: This type of insurance coverage doesn’t add extra costs to your move, but reduces the amount of money the company would have to pay you back in case of damage/loss. In this case, the mover will only pay 0.60$ per pound per item that is damaged/lost.
Vehicle Shipping Costs
If you’re interested in taking your vehicle with you to your new country of residence, it’s important that you’re aware that this will reflect in extra costs for your international move. On average, shipping a vehicle can cost between $1,000 and $5,000. This price will depend on:
- Type of the vehicle: The heavier and/or the bigger your vehicle is, the more expensive it will be to transport it.
- Destination: If your moving destination is quite far away, it’s likely that the vehicle shipping costs will be higher.
- Door-to-door vs. pick-up: Choosing to get your vehicle delivered to your door will result in a higher cost to transport it relative to pick it up at the port. The reason for this is that door-to-door requires extra transportation methods.
Tip!: If you want to get an accurate estimate of your moving costs, don’t hesitate to click below to fill out our moving quote form! We’ll do all the tedious work for ya’. 😉
Let’s face it, unless the stars align, it’s unlikely that your shipment will coincide with your arrival in your new country of residence. Because of this, renting out storage space to hold your goods might be something you’ll have to do. We recommend checking if the moving company you’re evaluating offers storage services.
Storage prices will vary depending on the size of space you need, the storage period, and the extra features you request (e.g.: security). On average, renting out storage space costs between $100 to $300 a month.
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Customs Duty Charges
We know you’ve had a lot of information to digest, but hang in there, we’re almost done! Generally speaking, most countries have duty-free policies when it comes to personal household belongings. However, these regulations vary from country to country, so it’s important that you look into the customs duty charges of the country you’re moving to.
Often, the customs duty charges will depend on the item you’re moving and the country you’re bringing it into. As a rule of thumb, the global average for customs duty charges is about 1.8% of your total move. If you’d like to have a more accurate estimation, use this customs duty calculator to find out how much you’d really have to pay.
Visa Fees
Trust us, we dislike annoying paperwork as much as the next person, but unfortunately, you’ll likely need to apply for a visa before moving abroad. Every country has its own requirements and types of visas offered. Therefore, it’s important that you research what are the requirements of your desired visa to make sure you can satisfy them.
Generally, visa fees can vary between $150 and $2,500. Keep in mind these fees need to be paid every time your visa is renewed!
Tip!: Browse our country pages to find the visa-related information for your country of choice!
Moving Your Pets
We know your international move will not be complete without your furry friend! Because of this, it’s important that you know what are the costs associated with moving with your pet.
First things first, your pet will need a plane ticket as well –most small pets can come along with you in the cabin, while larger pets will have to travel in special cargo compartments. Generally, the costs of shipping a pet ranges between $300 and $2,000. Along with this, extra costs can arise from:
- Microchipping your pet;
- Obtaining a pet passport;
- Vaccinating your pet;
- Purchasing an IATA (International Air Transport Association) approved crate.
Tip!: Every country has its own regulations regarding the entrance of pets into the country! So we recommend that you check out these requirements with at least a few months in advance before your moving date to avoid any inconveniences.
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Booking Flights
Alright, we can imagine that you’re almost at the edge of your sit ready to book that flight and start your new life abroad! But, it’s important to remember that moving to a different country is not a one-travel kind of ordeal. It’s very likely that if you’re planning on making such a big move, you’ll visit your country of choice at least a few times before your relocation –whether it is to attend a job interview or to go house hunting! This can be costly, but necessary when you’re making such an important decision. On average, an international flight costs around $990.
Other Additional Costs
Almost done, at last! When moving internationally there might be additional factors to those mentioned above that you might also want to consider. Of course, they’re not always applicable, but it’s good to keep them in mind just in case. These costs include:
- Temporary accommodation;
- Buying new furniture;
- Purchasing or renting a house;
- Transferring money abroad.
Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end! We know that trying to figure out how much does it cost to move internationally is a question that isn’t always easy to answer. We hope that our article managed to provide you with insights that will make answering this question a little easier (and help you breathe a little easier 😉). Above all, we’d like to wish you the best of luck on your international move, it’s gonna be great!
In case you would like more information and advice, we recommend checking out the pages linked below.
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