International Moving FAQ

Most international household moves from the US fall somewhere between $2,500 and $15,000, and a large home headed somewhere remote can run past that. Volume is what really sets the number — you are essentially renting space on a ship. As a rough orientation, a studio or one-bedroom by sea usually lands around $2,500–$5,000, while a three- or four-bedroom house is more often $8,000–$20,000. Air freight collapses the timeline to days rather than weeks, and typically costs two to five times as much. The calculator on this site will give you a range for your own combination in a few seconds.

Four things, roughly in order of impact. Volume comes first — every extra cubic foot is billable space. Destination comes next, since a busy lane like the US to Northern Europe is far better served, and cheaper, than a thin one to inland Africa. Shipping mode is third: sea or air, and if sea, whether you fill a container or share one. Everything else — stairs, long carries, narrow streets that need a shuttle vehicle, packing you would rather not do yourself — sits on top. The first three are set before anyone visits your home, which is exactly why an instant estimate is possible at all.

If your shipment fills most of a container, take the whole thing — an FCL, or full container load, in 20ft and 40ft sizes. Your goods are loaded once, sealed, and not touched again until delivery, which means less handling and a faster run. If you have less than that, LCL (less than container load) shares the box with other people's shipments and you pay for the space you use. It is cheaper for small moves, but it adds one to two weeks, because your goods wait to be consolidated at origin and separated again at destination. Somewhere around half a container the maths usually tips toward FCL.

Ship less. It is unglamorous advice but nothing else comes close, because you are paying for volume. Furniture is the usual culprit: bulky, heavy, often cheaper to replace at the other end than to move. Books are the quiet one — dense, heavy, and rarely reopened. Before you commit, go room by room and ask what you would genuinely buy again. Selling, donating, or storing the rest can take a meaningful bite out of the freight bill. Sea instead of air is the other big lever, if your timeline can absorb the extra weeks.

Basic carrier liability is included and it is thin — usually settled by weight rather than what an item is worth, which is little comfort if a single valuable piece is damaged. Full-value transit insurance generally costs 1–3% of the value you declare and covers loss, damage, and theft from collection through to final delivery. For a typical household shipment that is a few hundred dollars against tens of thousands of dollars of belongings. Whether it is worth it is your call, but read what basic liability actually pays before you decline the upgrade.

Plan on 2 to 12 weeks, depending mostly on where it is going. Sea freight from the US East Coast to Europe usually runs 2–4 weeks on the water, Asia 4–6, and Australia or New Zealand 6–8. Air freight lands in about 7–14 days. Those are sailing and flying times, though, not the whole job — add a day or three for packing and loading, and another 3–7 business days for customs clearance at the far end before anything can be delivered to your door.

Six to ten weeks before you leave is comfortable. That leaves room for a survey, packing, the shipping booking itself, and any visa or permit paperwork the destination expects before your goods arrive. Between May and September, container space tightens and prices firm up, so ten to twelve weeks is the safer window. If you are working to a fixed report date — a posting, a start date, a lease that ends on a particular day — start earlier rather than later. It is far easier to hold a booking than to find one late.

Your shipment has to be cleared before it can be released for delivery, which typically takes 3–7 business days. Customs will want an itemised inventory of what is in the shipment, passport copies, your visa or work permit, and a completed declaration. Some countries additionally want proof that you are actually taking up residence — a lease, an employment letter. Many countries let returning citizens and new residents bring used household goods in duty-free, provided the goods have been owned and used for some minimum period. We prepare the paperwork and work with agents at the destination to keep the clearance moving.

At minimum: a passport valid at least six months beyond your arrival, your visa or work permit, a detailed inventory of the shipment, the customs declaration for your destination, and something evidencing where you will be living. Shipping a vehicle adds the title and registration. Some countries want import permits for specific categories, and a few want documents notarised or translated — which takes time, so it is worth knowing early. Requirements vary enough between countries that we give you a checklist for your specific destination rather than a generic one.

Most ordinary household goods travel without issue — furniture, clothing, kitchenware, books, electronics, personal effects. What generally cannot go: hazardous or flammable materials, aerosols and paints, perishable food, plants and seeds, and most prescription medication in quantity. Firearms depend entirely on the destination. The rules that catch people out are biosecurity ones: Australia and New Zealand in particular inspect closely for soil, untreated wood, and organic residue, and a barbecue or a pair of hiking boots that were not properly cleaned can hold up an entire container. We flag the restrictions for your destination before packing day.

Yes. Vehicles travel either roll-on/roll-off — driven onto a dedicated vessel, the cheaper option — or inside a container, which costs more but keeps the car enclosed and lets you ship goods alongside it. Expect roughly $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the vehicle, destination, and method. The real question is usually not shipping but admission: many countries apply significant import duty on vehicles, and some require modifications to meet local safety or emissions rules. It is worth checking what your car will cost to register at the far end before deciding to send it at all.

That is common, particularly when housing at the destination is not settled yet. Goods can be held in storage in the US short or long term and shipped on once you are ready to receive them. It is also worth considering for anything you are undecided about: storing for a few months costs far less than shipping something overseas and discovering you did not want it. Tell us what you are unsure about when you request a quote and we will price both paths so you can compare properly.

Treat it as a planning figure, not a quote. It is built from typical market rates for your origin, destination, home size, and shipping mode, and it is good enough to tell you whether you are looking at $4,000 or $14,000 — which is usually the question at this stage. What it cannot see is your particular home: how much is actually in it, whether there is lift access, whether a truck can park outside, or what duties your destination will apply. A firm price needs a survey. The estimate is deliberately shown as a range for that reason.

Everything between your current front door and your new one: professional packing and loading, collection, the ocean or air freight itself, customs clearance coordination at both ends, and final delivery and unpacking at the destination. The alternative — port-to-port — is cheaper on paper but leaves you arranging local collection, clearance, and delivery yourself in a country you may not know. We coordinate moves from all major US metro areas to destinations worldwide.

Start with the instant calculator — no contact details are needed to see a number. If the range works for you, submit your details at the end and we will follow up within one business day to arrange a video survey, which is the fastest way to price a move accurately without anyone visiting. From there you get a written quote with the shipping mode, timeline, and what is and is not included set out properly.

Yes. Employee transfers usually need cost estimates that an HR or mobility team can budget against, plus a single point of contact so the employee is not chasing logistics during their first week in a new job. Diplomatic and military moves carry their own requirements — fixed report dates, security protocols, and paperwork such as travel orders and diplomatic customs forms. Tell us the volume and timeline when you request a quote and we will scope it around them.