details

If you’re thinking about leaving the country (for whatever reason), you’ll need to plan for international moving costs.

“Every time I’ve moved to a new country, my first few months are significantly more expensive than the rest because getting settled and getting the bureaucratic stuff taken care of can cost a good chunk of change,” Herrick said.

On average, it costs just over $3,000 to ship the contents of a three-bedroom home. But if you also have a car or pets, that number can rise dramatically.

Most people anticipate the big costs of moving overseas such as packers, movers and shipping, said Marco Sison, a retirement coach for the site Nomadic FIRE who has moved internationally more than a dozen times. However, many people forget to budget for the most critical step in the process: getting a visa.

“You are not moving anywhere without a visa, and a visa is not free,” Sison said. Take popular expat destination Spain, for example. Securing a long-term stay visa cost Sison over $3,000. 

Read more…