Understanding International Moving Costs – 10 Essential Factors

Planning an international move can be both exciting and overwhelming. One of the most crucial aspects to consider is the cost. International removals can vary significantly in price depending on a multitude factors. To help you understand what might influence your moving expenses, let’s explore some of the key elements that can impact the cost of your overseas relocation.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the 10 essential factors that determine the cost of international removals. By understanding these elements, you can better prepare for your move, budget effectively, and make informed decisions.

Here is a breakdown of the different costs which can influence the price you will pay for moving your household goods and personal effects abroad. The 10 different factors which can influence the costs of an overseas relocation are:

Move size

The larger the move the more expensive the costs.

For smaller moves shipping and moving costs are charged on the size and final packed volume of your move. Sharing a container, you will be charged a price per cubic metre or per square ft. Average shared container prices are £210.00 per cubic metre so for a smaller move abroad you should budget around £ 800.00 to £1500.00.

For larger full house moves you will require a 20ft container for a 3 bed house with average shipping costs at £3450.00.

For a 4 bed house you will require a 40ft shipping container with average shipping costs around £ 6495.00.

Packing costs

These costs will increase the more items you need your mover to pack, the materials used for packing and the time taken. You can save on packing costs by packing non-fragile goods like toys and bedding yourself.

Large furniture items will add to your packing costs. For an average small house move allow £ 300.00 to £400.00 for packing costs.

Unpacking costs

Your mover will deliver your goods to your home overseas. If you want them to unpack everything and place furniture items into each room and then remove the used packing materials, they will make an additional charge dependent on the size of your move.

For an average move this could add £ 250.00 to £300.00 to your overall costs. Ask your mover for a “Door to Door Unpacked” service and they will include this in the price of your move.

Your location in the UK

The main container port for shipping overseas from the UK is the London Gateway port. The further you are from this port will mean additional transport costs for your mover. This makes moving from Scotland or Northern England around 5% more expensive than if you lived in the South East of England.

Distance by sea from the UK

Surprisingly this is not normally a factor as worldwide container shipping prices are influenced by various factors apart from distance. Thes include supply and demand for shipping containers during peak seasons like Christmas and the competition between shipping lines to serve larger markets like the USA, Australia or Canada.

Oil prices and global economic fluctuations also influence container shipping costs.
Average UK port to Overseas port container costs range from £3450.00 to £7890.00.

You can check container shipping prices here.

Distance from the arrival port to your final destination

Commonly known as “The last Mile” this is the cost of transportation from either the arrival port or the movers’ inland depots.

For full containers:

20ft or 40ft containers charges will be based on the mileage from the arrival port to your door or destination. As an example, if you are moving to Dubai then the arrival port is only a short stop to your destination and the costs would be around £260.00.  However, a move to Las Vegas will mean transportation from the port Los Angeles some 300 miles away at a cost of around £ 680.00.

For shared container:

Your goods will be discharged at the main arrival port and transferred to a local regional depot. The costs for the transport to the local depot will be included in your shipping costs. Most movers have inland depots near larger towns and cities so the costs to deliver to your home will be around £250.00 to £225.00.

If you have paid for a “Door to Door service then this charge is included in your price.

Speed. How urgent is your move?

Sea freight is by far the cheapest option when moving household goods or personal effects overseas. Although most container shipping services run weekly from the UK it can take anything from 14 days to 60 days to arrive, depending on which country you are moving to.

Airfreight services are much faster but are mostly too expensive to consider shipping normal household goods. You should only consider airfreight services for shipping urgent documents, laptops or similar small, essential items only.

Visit our home page for details of our weekly sailing schedules and transit times from the UK to your chosen destination.

Insurance:

International moving insurance costs are based on the replacement value of the goods you are shipping. Most movers will make insurance compulsory.

Insurance is normally charged at between 2 % and 4% of the total value of your goods shipped, depending on the level of cover. For an average move with a value of £ 5000.00 expect to pay £100.00 to £200.00. 

Find out more about moving insurance here.

Duties and Taxes:

Normally duty free. Duties or taxes are not normally charged on used household goods or personal effects which have been owned for 6 months. Check with your mover who will advise on your specific country’s import and customs rules or visit our home page to see our customs guides.

Customs formalities:

Your mover will include these in the costs for your move and will arrange customs clearance paperwork both in the UK and at your destination port or depot. Although not recommended due to the complexity of customs formalities, you can arrange your own customs clearance at border points, this charge is normally around £150.00 to £160.00

By understanding the various factors that can influence international moving costs, you can better prepare for your upcoming relocation. By working closely with 1^st Move International we will help you develop a tailored moving plan that minimizes costs and ensures a smooth transition to your new home abroad.

Looking on how to save money on your next move abroad, check out our blog with 13 tips on how to save on your international removals costs here.