How much does it cost to move overseas?
Moving is never cheap, especially when you’ve got a whole family to move. So let’s just accept that any move is going to set you back a few thousand dollars, even if you plan to exclusively use milk crates for furniture.
What expenses can you expect during a big move?
When you move internationally, you basically dismantle your entire life and slowly put yourself back together again in a brand-new country. Here’s a list of big and small costs you’d likely encounter during a move abroad. This is mostly based on a US to UK move, but you get the idea:
Packing and shipping costs - You’ll probably want to use a removals company to transport your stuff internationally. This means professionals will pack up your things, put them in a cargo container, ship them across an ocean, get them off the container and through customs, and deliver them to your new address. Yup, this costs big bucks. (More about this later.)
Short-term accommodation - When you’re between houses, you’ll need to set up shop in an Airbnb, hotel or very nice friend’s couch.
Airfare, car rentals, and other modes of transportation - Obviously you’ll need to spring for plane tickets, but you’ll also need to get to and from the airport. We plan to sell our car and rent a car for our last month before moving. Then, we want to buy a new car right away on the other side. Some folks prefer to ship their car overseas. This is expensive and stupid, right?
Insurance - Plan for all the insurance. Insurance on your shipped goods, car insurance, rental insurance, etc. etc.
Visa fees - If you need a visa to enter your new country, it’ll cost you. The fee for a UK spouse visa is around $2,000 plus extra fees and expenses, like photos and biometrics.
Healthcare fees - Speaking of fees that the UK charges foreigners to live in their country, you also need to pay an annual fee to use the NHS. (Don’t worry, it’s still cheaper than US health insurance.)
Rent or down payment - If you’re planning to buy a house in the UK and you just moved to the country, you’ll probably be considered a foreign buyer and will be required to pony up at least a 25% down payment on your property purchase. Cha-ching! If you don’t plan to buy a home, you’ll need to rent. And in the UK, if you don’t have a credit history in the country or a guarantor (aka co-signer), the landlord will probably ask for around six months of rent upfront. Cha-ching again!
Home repairs - If you’re buying, you know there’s gonna be updates you want to make or a creaky furnace you need to replace. For renters, hopefully the landlord would cover any issues…but you never know.
New furniture and home goods - Even if you ship a lot of your furniture, you’ll still likely want to buy a few new pieces. And you’ll end up needing random little things that all add up, like spices and hand soap. (Who knew stocking a spice cupboard was so expensive?) Plus, there’s a domino effect of quirky issues when moving to a new country. For example, the bed sizes between the US and the UK are different, so not only did you need a new mattress, but now you need a new bed frame and new sheets too.
New clothes and electronics - Go ahead and ship your whole wardrobe, I promise you’ll still want to buy new clothes. Not only to feel more like a local but also to feel more comfortable in the local climate. As for stuff that plugs in, don’t bother trying to use UK adaptors on your US plugs. (Seriously, been there done that. The voltage is different and it doesn’t work well.) Just buy a new blender and a new vacuum and new lamps and on and on. Good new though: you can keep your same laptop and phone, just buy new UK plugs for charging.
Phone plan, internet, utilities - Cancel those old plans and get yourself shiny new ones in your new country. If you’re (un)lucky, there may be some one-time setup fees too.
Kid stuff - I’m thinking school fees, childcare (a babysitter while you’re packing perhaps?), and any uniforms or equipment kids need for their new school and any new hobbies.
Mail forwarding - I haven’t done much research on this yet, but I know we’ll want some sort of mail forwarding or PO box system for at least a few months, and that’s not free.
Pet moving - Fido needs a plane ticket too.
Storage space - Maybe your move is temporary or maybe you just can’t bear to part with your heirloom armoire that weighs about as much as a small elephant. Personally, we’ll be selling, donating or shipping all of our belongings so we don’t have the hassle of putting stuff in storage, but I get why some people do it.
Money transfer fees - You’ll probably want to bring some money with you when you move, right? Just remember to plan for any wiring fees, and the more you transfer, the more it costs. I’m going to look into an international account, like HSBC or Wise, and see if it might be worth it. Otherwise we’ve used Wise just to transfer from USD to GBP and vice versa, and the fees are pretty reasonable.
Restaurants and takeout - Because there’s no way you’ll feel like cooking during all these moving shenanigans.
