The Cost Of Moving From London To NYC
Moving from London to New York entails several cost considerations, as with any international relocation. Learn the expenses included for a seamless move.
The Cost Of Moving From London To NYC
Moving from London to New York City is a life-changing decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, adjusting to the new environment may be easy, owing to the similarities of these metropolitan cities.
Besides being two of the most iconic fashion capitals of the world, both are famous for being notoriously expensive and are on the list of the costliest places worldwide. While London was off the top 10 list this year, New York copped second place behind Singapore, according to a Good Housekeeping article.
Regardless, The Big Apple has consistently topped the Brits’ preferred destination in the United States. In 2018, some 1.24 million British tourists went to the city, comprising the biggest number of overseas visitors. In a 2021 survey by familydestinationsguide.com, 40% of Brits picked New York City as their preferred US destination.
Unsurprisingly, it’s common to hear Londoners moving to NYC for career opportunities, education, marriage, life adventure, and other reasons.
Before relocating to The City That Never Sleeps, there are different costs you need to prepare for, most of which are discussed in this article.
Part 1: Moving out of the UK
Before contacting NYC movers to haul your stuff to the new place, you must prepare to settle your bills and fees in London before leaving the country.
- Move-out fees (varies from individual to individual)
Your budget for moving out will depend on several factors. Below are some of the most common expenses you have to pay:
- Rent or mortgage fees
As of 2022, the average rental costs in London ranged from GBP£1,300 to GBP£3,200, according to Statista. Moreover, you may be subject to additional charges or a refund, depending on the lease terms and how updated your payments are.
- Water and waste fees
Londoners either pay monthly, semi-annual, or annual water fees. Per moneyhelper.org.uk estimates, water and sewage fees cost consumers GBP£408 a year in 2022 and a year before.
- Gas and electric bills
Your gas and electric consumption will depend on your location, consumption, and heating system, among other things. For 2021, the government estimated that consumers paid GBP£564 annually for using up to 13,600-kilowatt hours (kWh).
- Other outstanding accounts
In addition to these bills, you may have to pay for the following:
- Taxes
- Car mortgage, insurance, etc.
- Credit card bills
- Phone bills
- Internet bills
- Subscriptions
Once you’ve settled and cancelled your recurring expenses, you can start the moving process.
- Removal costs (GBP£300- GBP£1,350 without added services)
Your final charges for removal will depend on several cost factors, including:
- Items’ weight
- Distance
- Location
- Service requirements
- Move date
- Access to property
The removal costs in London depend on the home size, ranging from GBP£300 to GBP£1,350. This price doesn’t include other services like packing and cleaning.
Size | Removal Service | Packing service |
One or two-bedroom house | GBP£300-500 | GBP£250 |
Three-bedroom house | GBP£450-800 | GBP£250 |
Four-bedroom house | GBP£700-1,000 | GBP£250 |
Five-bedroom house | GBP£870-1,350 | GBP£ 250 |
- Packing materials (GBP£350 for a two-bedroom home)
Packing materials will depend on the size and number of boxes you need. Prepare for at least GBP£350 for a two-bedroom house. This covers moving boxes, bubble wrap, duct tape, packing paper, and cell dividers.
- Cleaning service (GBP£90 to GBP£250/hour)
If you’re a tenant, your landlord or property manager will likely require you to clean the property before leaving. Ask your moving company whether they offer cleaning services to save time and costs. Depending on the size of the property, charges can run anywhere from GBP£90 to GBP£250 per hour.
Part 2: Travel costs to New York City
Your expenses at this stage will require individual costs and the charges of shipping your valuables from London to New York. For the sake of continuity, let’s proceed with international shipping.
- International shipping
Two primary ways to ship your items are via sea or air. The sea route is cheaper, although it takes longer. Shipping via air is costly but faster. Freight shipping is a common choice because of the price and bigger cargo capacity.
International shipping costs depend on multiple factors, including the place of origin and destination (or distance of the move), the weight and value of your belongings, the type of shipping service, and so on.
Average shipping costs from London to New York using various modes
Most shipping firms have online calculators to help you decide which container size is ideal for you and the estimated costs of shipping your items, depending on your destination. Our research has found the following approximations:
- 20 ft shipping container – up to GBP£3,830
- 40 ft shipping container (good for a three-bedroom home) – GBP£2,997 to GBP£7,278
- Air freight per 100 kg – GBP£260 to GBP£800
- Road freight per pallet – GBP£265 (average)
You can choose between door-to-door, port-to-port, or airport-to-airport services, depending on your needs.
- Insurance (up to 4% of the cargo’s total declared value)
Long travel times can make your shipment vulnerable to damage or loss, making insurance imperative. Transporting your valuables from London to New York takes more than a week. The average travel time from Heathrow to NYC is 8 days, while sea travel from London port takes 15 days, depending on the season and other factors.
Some moving firms will offer insurance coverage on top of their valuation costs. Before signing an agreement, read the fine print and understand the terms. Note that these are third-party insurance providers, and you will be passed on to the company to file a claim once your movers have been notified.
Otherwise, you can go to a private insurance company for a quote. Insurance policy costs vary wildly but can run anywhere from 0.6% up to 4% of the total declared value of your goods. For instance, GBP£50,000 worth of cargo will incur a GBP£2,000 insurance fee.
It’s important to shop around and get quotes from several moving companies for the best price and service. Ask for the service inclusions and additional charges to avoid misunderstandings and surprises on your moving day.
Apart from shipping, you may incur additional costs when transporting your goods from London to New York, including:
- Customs duties
- Other services (i.e., storage, custom crating, etc.)
We can’t stress enough the need for shopping around and comparing quotes from multiple providers to reduce your moving costs. It’s equally important to ask for all inclusions of the quoted price for better comparison.
- Individual costs (up to GBP£1,000)
Finalize your travel arrangements before choosing a reliable international mover, so you can take care of your goods once they reach the New York shores.
- Getting a passport (GBP£82.50 to GBP£104)
All countries require travellers to keep a valid passport. The document should typically expire six months after the travel date. If your passport expires soon, it’s best to have it renewed. The UK government allows online and in-person applications:
- Adult passport application (regular) – GBP£82.50 (online) and GBP£82.50 in paper form. Additional £16.00 via the UK post office.
- Frequent travellers, or those who want more passport pages, are charged GBP£93.50 for online applications and GBP£104 for paper applications.
The UK government asks applicants to wait for 10 weeks for passport processing. However, it also offers express services, which only take one week to process, with additional fees.
- Applying for visa and work permit (GBP£130 to GBP£333)
Your employers will likely take care of these documents if you relocate for a job opportunity. But knowing how much you’re charged for a visa and a work permit wouldn’t hurt.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services Immigrant fee is USD$220.00 (GBP£178), while the most common non-immigrant visa types are at USD$160 (GBP£130), including a student visa. Petition-based visas, including work and religious visas, cost $190.00 (GBP£154).
Meanwhile, a work permit application issued to immigrants costs at least USD$410 (GBP£333), and processing takes two to seven months.
- Booking a flight (GBP£187 to GBP£449)
A travel aggregator site places the lowest airfare from London to New York at USD$230 (GBP£187) and the highest at USD$554 (GBP£449). April is typically the month with the cheapest rates, November with the least passengers, and July with the most bookings, which also results in price hikes. You may purchase optional travel insurance for this flight for added protection.
Part 3: Settling in New York City (varies on the number of persons, etc.)
On top of moving, shipping, and airfare costs, you’d have to save for your initial living expenses in The Big Apple. Living cost estimates in New York City vary wildly, but according to numbeo.com, it’s USD$5,250 (GBP£4,256) for a family of four and USD$1,434 (GBP£1,162) for an individual without exclusive or rental costs.
Meanwhile, the average monthly rent in NYC is USD$4,454 (GBP£3,614), while the median home buying price is USD$1. 5 million (GBP£1.217 million).
Aside from these, you might have to spend on new clothes, school fees, appliances, and furnishings, among other things.
The bottom line
Moving out of London and settling in New York entails months of preparation, including saving for significant expenses. Of these expenditures, transporting your belongings could entail substantial costs, alongside the rental payment in the new city.
While it can be challenging to calculate the exact costs of moving internationally, we hope the discussion above gives you an idea of what expenses to consider for a flawless international move.
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