Moving overseas means that you are making a huge change in your life, therefore, congratulations! Whether you are moving because of the better job opportunities or you just want to change your surroundings and meet new cultures, it is a great step forward in your life. We are here to help you with determining the cost of moving overseas so that you can take your time in preparing mentally for the move.
Shipping your goods
When we say moving, we usually think of all the things we need to carry along with us. The cost of moving overseas greatly depends on several factors:
Method of transportation
You can choose between shipping by sea or by plane. Shipping by sea is definitely the cheapest option and has an impact on the cost of moving overseas. But you must have in mind that it is also the slowest option, so you may arrive at your destination several weeks even before your goods arrive. In case this happens, you will need to stay at a hotel until your goods arrive, or purchase additional clothes and cosmetics.
Shipping by plane, on the other hand, means that you know the exact date when your goods will arrive, which makes moving easier. With reliable freight forwarders in Kuwait, your goods will arrive safe and sound and you will avoid any additional cost of moving overseas. The cost of moving overseas can start at $1,000 and reach even $10,000 if you are moving your entire house belongings for example.
The size of your items
If you want to reduce the cost of moving overseas, you should then reduce the size of your items. Only take what you truly need, and give away all the old things, broken things, and things you have not used in ages. There are several ways to do this. You can:
- donate
- make a garage sale and earn money in the process
- give your things away to your friends and family
The truth is, if you have not used something in years, the chances are you will not use it in the destination country, either.
Route
The most straightforward route is definitely the cheapest one. However, bear in mind that if you are moving to a country which is quite common for moving, the cost of moving overseas will be cheaper. If people rarely move to a certain country, then the cost will be more expensive, simply because there is not enough competition in the market. If you are moving to Kuwait, choose the best international movers Kuwait and you will not have to worry about this.
Packing your items can reduce the cost of moving overseas
If you choose to pack and unpack your items on your own, this can greatly reduce the cost of moving. However, you may find out that the moving company needs to know what you are transporting. This is because there are items that cannot be imported in the country of destination. These include weapons, plants, drugs, etc. If the moving company does not check this, they will be facing a fine for transporting illegal goods. You can always choose to unpack the things by yourself. With the right tips, you can quickly unpack after the move and save the money. If you are having professional movers packing and unpacking your items, this can go from $100 to $500 usually.
Storage cost
Bear in mind that your goods may have to spend some time in storage. This can happen when the date of moving your goods and your time of arrival are not the time. If your goods arrive before you, you will have to store them. And vice versa, if you are traveling before your goods can be transported then again they will have to stay in storage. Luckily, the prices are not that high, due to the large competition. The cost is usually $100 for a two bedroom apartment a month, for example. Of course, this greatly depends on the size of your items and can go higher or lower. This is certainly the cost that you should not oversee or forget about.
Customs duty
When moving overseas, customs duty is something you need to look into. This is the cost that is not covered by your movers. The customs fee depends on the country you are moving to. Fortunately, the fee is absolutely free for household goods in most of the countries. This means that if you want to move the items you already used in your house, it won`t cost you anything on the customs to bring the items in the country. Basically, the cost can be from zero to 100% of the cost of the items depending on what you are importing into the country. You should check out Kuwait import tariffs before your goods enter the country. The import duty in Kuwait is five percent for most imported goods, which is not that high.
Insurance
When choosing the international moving company, be careful about insurance. Do not forget to ask if the goods are insured, or you have to buy insurance on your own. In order to prevent greater losses, and these things can happen when transporting goods, it is certainly best to have insurance. Although you will have to pay it even if nothing happens, it is better to be safe than sorry. This may be the single most important thing that you will have to pay. The cost of insurance can go from $100 to a much larger amount of money. This depends on the value of your goods. You should definitely ensure the most valuable items that you have. Like we said it is much better to be safe than sorry.
The cost of moving overseas can be small or large, but you should definitely start saving money on time. You do not want to be taken aback by some additional costs, and by saving money in advance you are preventing unpleasant surprises. Moving can indeed be stressful, but when you start the preparation on time, you will find out that most of the things are easily manageable. Enjoy the process and you will feel much less under stress.