What you are actually paying for
The price of an international move is driven by volume far more than by distance. A 20 CBM move from Madrid and from Miami cost closer to each other than a 20 CBM and a 40 CBM move from the same city.
The bill breaks into four parts, and knowing which is which is what lets you cut it sensibly.
- Origin: survey, packing, materials and loading
- Transport: the ocean or air leg itself
- Destination: customs clearance, port charges and local delivery
- Services: unpacking, storage, insurance and anything extra
Volume is the number to attack
Before you get a quote, decide what is genuinely coming. Furniture that is cheap to replace, appliances that will not match the voltage at destination, and books you will not reread are the three things that most often cost more to move than to rebuy.
A survey — in person or by video call — gives you the real CBM figure. Quoting from a room count is how moves end up 30% over budget.
A realistic timeline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8–10 weeks before | Survey and quotes; decide what is coming |
| 6 weeks before | Book the service and confirm the sailing |
| 2–3 weeks before | Sort paperwork: passport, visa, residence documents |
| Packing week | Professional packing and the itemised inventory |
| Departure | Loading, export clearance, sailing |
| 30–50 days later | Arrival, customs clearance and delivery |
Air for the first two weeks
Whatever you ship by sea, you will live without it for over a month. A small air shipment with clothes, a laptop, documents, medication and whatever makes a new place feel inhabitable costs a few hundred dollars and changes the whole experience.
We quote it as a separate line so you can see exactly what that comfort costs.
What not to pack
- Passports, visas, residence paperwork and medical records — these fly with you
- Jewellery and small high-value items, for the same reason
- Flammables, aerosols, paint, gas canisters — these are refused and can hold up the whole shipment
- Perishable food, and anything with soil or plant material, which Chilean agricultural control will seize
Frequently asked questions
What does an international move cost?
It is driven mostly by volume, not distance. A survey gives you the real CBM figure, which is what the quote is built from — quoting from a room count is how moves end up well over budget.
How far ahead should I book?
Eight to ten weeks before the move for surveys and quotes, and six weeks to book and confirm the sailing. Peak season — the southern summer and the European summer — tightens up well before that.
What cannot go in the container?
Flammables, aerosols, paint and gas canisters are refused outright. Perishable food and anything with soil or plant material will be seized by Chilean agricultural control. Passports, jewellery and medical records should travel with you.
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