Key takeaways
- Vendor estimates put an international household move at about $6,500 to $13,700
- A 20-foot container is about $2,500 to $4,500 and a 40-foot container about $4,000 to $7,800 (vendor estimates)
- Many visas ask for proof of savings; the UK Youth Mobility Scheme, for example, asks for £2,530
- Budget health insurance for any gap before your new country covers you
- Keep 3 to 6 months of living costs as a buffer
What does it cost to move abroad from Canada?
Our default example, a couple moving with a few boxes, comes to about $24,000 once you add a 3-month savings buffer. A family shipping a full container can need much more. The biggest items are usually:
- Shipping: vendor estimates (Sirelo) put an international move at about $6,500 to $13,700, a 20-foot container at $2,500 to $4,500 and a 40-foot container at $4,000 to $7,800. Shipping a car: about $1,200 to $5,000. Moving insurance: about $250. These are estimates, not quotes.
- Pets: pet relocation services estimate $2,500 to $5,500 per pet.
- Housing: deposits, first month’s rent and a few weeks in short-term housing.
- Visas: fees range from almost nothing to thousands of dollars, and some visas also charge a health surcharge.
- Savings buffer: money to live on until your first pay cheque.
Proof of funds and visa costs
Many visas ask you to show savings. For example, the UK Youth Mobility Scheme asks for £2,530 in savings, plus a visa fee and the immigration health surcharge (gov.uk). Other countries set their own amounts and change them often. Always take the figure from the destination government’s page on the day you apply, and convert it at the current exchange rate.
Not sure which visa fits? Try the visa finder.
Canadian costs people forget
- Your final tax return: if you have investments, a home or a complex departure, a cross-border accountant may charge several hundred dollars or more.
- Section 116 certificate: if you sell a Canadian home after you leave, budget for a lawyer and an accountant. See the section 116 calculator.
- Mail forwarding: Canada Post forwards mail to an international address for a fee, for 4 or 12 months (Canada Post).
- Breaking contracts: lease, phone and internet cancellation fees.
- Health gap: see the health coverage gap calculator.
How the calculator counts
It multiplies visa and flight costs by the number of people, adds shipping (your quote if you enter one, otherwise the estimate for the option you pick), a car, pets at $4,000 each, housing, insurance for the months until local cover, and admin. That is your one-time cost. The buffer is your monthly living cost times the months you choose. If you enter your savings, it shows what is left after the one-time costs and how many months that lasts with no income.
With the default values, two people with a few boxes pay about $12,050 in one-time costs. With a 3-month buffer of $12,000, the plan is about $24,050. Savings of $35,000 leave $22,950, or about 5.7 months of runway.
Ways to cut the cost
- Sell large furniture and appliances, especially if the voltage is different. Use the ship vs sell calculator.
- Get three written quotes from movers. Very low quotes and large cash deposits are warning signs of a scam.
- Ask your employer for a relocation allowance.
- Move money with a low-fee transfer service and compare exchange rates; banks often add a margin.
Then put every task in order with the leaving Canada checklist.
Estimates only. Prices change, and vendor ranges are not quotes. This is not financial advice.