There are many different factors that you’ll need to weigh when it comes to embarking on a long-distance move. One of those is budget, and that budget will include the cost of living in your new location, as well as the price affiliated with your move itself, and maybe even setting aside some funds for travel to visit friends and family after your move.

What Qualifies as a Long-Distance Move?

While a couple of hundred KMs will bring you out of your immediate area and possibly even looking for new employment opportunities, most moving companies define a long-distance move as one that’s more than 400 miles (roughly 650KM), which would often bring you out of province, state, or country.

General Costs

The price range for a long-distance move is dependent on the distance of your move, whether it’s by land, freight (boat), or air, as well as the number of items (and the fragility/specialty of the items) with varying costs. Most long-distance land moves will cost anywhere from $3000 to $8000, whereas overseas moves generally start at 8-10K, moving up from there.
Getting a customized quote will ensure you balance your budget sheet accordingly, but in the earlier planning stages it can be helpful to know average costs and pricing. A standard calculator for moving will be roughly based on household items weighing 7,400 pounds. Obviously, by reducing what you have prior to your move, and strategically selecting what to ship and what to sell and donate, will impact the overall cost of your move. Just don’t forget that there will be costs associated with items you decide to purchase when you arrive at your new home.

Get Packing

For long distance moves, you’re best to let the experts pack for you. Packing services for a long-distance move generally will cost somewhere between $500-$4000 dollars but are well worth the cost. Expert packers will prevent breakage and will ensure the most efficient use of space in all shipping containers, which in turn will save you money in the long run.

Other Factors for Your Move

Not all moves are created equal in terms of cost, even if they are similar in distance. A move that is close in proximity to a major port (i.e., Amsterdam, France, Spain, Hamburg, Shanghai, Busan, or Lagos) will cost less than to a more remote location.
All Costs Considered
Storage costs, packing, driving (on both ends of the journey), unpacking and assembly fees all will increase the cost of your move. Moving is a lot of work, but it’s also important to remember that it’s an important skill. From providing an accurate estimate, packing, shipping, and coordinating your move, relying on experts will take a lot of stress out of your move. When setting your budget prioritize costs from your estimate and compare it to the work that you are willing and able to take on yourself. A long-distance move is going to be costly, but it will certainly be worth it as you embark on the journey to your new home, and rest assured that you have completed your research and hired the right moving company.
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Orbit International Moving Logistics Ltd.: Your International Moving Expert

We have over a decade of experience moving customers around the world. Some of our customers like us so much, they’ve used us more than once. Why did they come back to Orbit? Our customer service is what sets us apart – customer service representatives answer every question, no matter how small, and our moving crew shows up on time with all the materials they need to get the job done correctly the first time. To learn more about Orbit, call us at 416-661-4228.