
5 International Moving Costs You Should Consider
Thinking of moving to another country, but not sure whether you can afford it?
Below are a few significant international moving costs to consider and what you should be prepared to spend.
1. Getting a visa
To legally live and work in a country, you’ll usually need to apply for a visa.
Visa fees can vary depending on the country, but you’re usually looking at hundreds of dollars for a five year visa.
Applying for permanent citizenship can be even more expensive in some cases. Make sure to save up for this expense.
2. Finding accommodation
You’ll need somewhere to live when moving abroad. Whether you look for places to buy a house or rent, there will usually be some upfront costs to budget such as a rental deposit or mortgage down payment.
If you’re moving out of your current home, you may get some money out of this to put towards your new accommodation.
Make sure that you are aware of the difference in cost of living so that you know what type of property you should be getting for your money.
You may be able to apply for your accommodation entirely online. Alternatively, you may feel that you need to travel out there to view properties and speak to agents so that you know everything is legitimate.
3. Buying new essentials
Some people find it more convenient to simply buy new essentials like furniture, appliances and a car once they arrive rather than shipping them over.
It may even be cheaper to do this in some cases due to shipping/custom fees. That said, it’s still a cost that you need to budget for.
Decide which items you’ll need to buy when you arrive and set aside money for this. Any money you plan to spend initially will need to be converted over. Factor in the exchange fees when converting your cash.
4. Shipping your belongings
Shipping your belongings abroad could be expensive – especially if you’re taking lots of possessions with you over a long distance.
Having to transport your belongings by sea or air will be a lot more expensive than simply crossing a border by road. Overall, it’s important that you find the right international removalists for the job.
Compare quotes to get the best price and consider what you really need to take with you and what you can leave behind/get rid of. Factor in extra costs such as customs fees and moving insurance.
Most people spend over $1000 on total shipping costs.
5. Getting there yourself
On top of moving your possessions, you need to consider the cost of transporting yourself (as well as any family members and pets you plan to move with).
This could be expensive if you’ve got a relatively large family and are moving across the world by plane. Booking an early morning weekday flight could save you money.
Driving may not be so expensive, but it depends on how far you’re travelling. There are special services that you can use for transporting pets.