What Does It Cost to Move to Australia?
Every international mover will tell you the cost 'depends on your circumstances', which is true and useless. This guide sets out what it actually depends on, in the order that matters, and publishes the volume figures we use internally so you can work out roughly where you sit before anyone visits your house.
Quick answer
The price of shipping your household to Australia is driven by one number above all others: the volume of what you send, measured in cubic metres. Everything else — sea or air, full or shared container, packing service, origin port, destination city, time of year — adjusts a figure that volume has already set. A one-bedroom flat is typically around 11 m³ and a three-bedroom house around 42 m³, so the same family can face very different quotes depending purely on what they decide to bring.
Volume is the number that sets your price
International household moves are priced by volume, not weight. Your goods occupy a share of a container, and you pay for that share. This is why two families moving from the same city to the same suburb can receive quotes that differ by thousands: one is sending 20 cubic metres and the other 45.
Volume is also the one variable you fully control. You cannot change the shipping route or the season the school year starts, but you can decide not to ship the wardrobe. Every cubic metre you remove comes off the price at the rate your quote is built on.
The table below gives typical volumes by household size. They are calculated, not estimated — each figure is the sum of a specific list of items at the per-item cubic-metre volumes we use when preparing a quote. The model assumes you ship furniture, soft furnishings and personal effects but leave large white goods behind, which is the usual pattern on long-haul moves.
| Household | Volume | Cubic feet | Pieces | Smallest container |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom flat | 11.2 m³ | 396 cu ft | 60 | 20ft (shared usually cheaper) |
| Two-bedroom home | 20.6 m³ | 727 cu ft | 104 | 20ft |
| Three-bedroom house | 42.4 m³ | 1,497 cu ft | 190 | 40ft |
| Four-bedroom house | 62.1 m³ | 2,193 cu ft | 265 | 40ft high cube |
How to use those numbers honestly
These are model households, not measurements of real moves. We publish the assumption so you can argue with it: the three-bedroom profile includes two sofas, a dining table with six chairs, three beds, a desk, two bikes, garden furniture and around 60 cartons. If that sounds like more than you own, you are below 42 m³. If you have a garage full of tools and a piano, you are above it.
Two practical consequences. First, if you are near a container threshold — around 30 m³ for a 20ft and 60 m³ for a 40ft — a modest cull can move you into a cheaper container and save far more than the items are worth. Second, if you are well under 20 m³, a dedicated container is usually the wrong product and a shared (groupage) service will cost less.
What the service level changes
Once volume is known, the service you choose is the next biggest lever.
- Full container (FCL) — you pay for the whole container and it travels on your timeline. Best value above roughly 25–30 m³, and the fastest option because it isn't waiting to be consolidated.
- Shared container or groupage (LCL) — you pay for your share of a container. Cheaper for smaller shipments, but transit takes longer because the container is filled and later deconsolidated with other people's goods.
- Air freight — measured in weight as well as volume, and dramatically more expensive. Sensible for a few boxes of essentials that need to arrive before your sea shipment, rarely for a household.
- Packing service — full export packing by the crew, versus you packing cartons yourself. Self-packing saves labour cost but some insurers will not cover owner-packed cartons for breakage.
- Storage — at either end. Often overlooked, and easy to need if your visa timing and your housing timing don't align.
Route, destination and season
Where you ship from and to changes the price, though less than people expect. Departure port matters mainly through inland transport: a collection two hours from the port costs more than one nearby. On arrival, Perth is closer to the shipping lanes from Europe and the Middle East, while Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are served by different rotations — your delivery city affects both cost and transit time.
Season matters more than most people realise. Demand on the UK and European corridors peaks in the northern summer, and Australian arrivals cluster before the school year starts in late January. Moving outside those windows gives you more room to negotiate and better availability.
The costs people forget
The freight quote is not the whole cost of the move. These are the items that most often appear later:
- Marine insurance — priced on declared value, not volume. Underinsuring to save a little is a poor trade on an irreplaceable shipment.
- Quarantine inspection and treatment — the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry may inspect your shipment on arrival, and any required cleaning or fumigation is charged to you. Thoroughly cleaning garden tools, bikes and outdoor furniture before packing is the cheapest insurance available.
- Customs clearance and the B534 Unaccompanied Personal Effects statement — normally handled by your mover, but the concession only applies if you meet the ownership and use conditions.
- Port and terminal handling at both ends, and any quarantine storage while inspection is scheduled.
- Delivery access — a narrow street, a high-rise, or a long carry from where the truck can legally park can trigger a shuttle vehicle charge.
- Vehicle import, if you're shipping a car, which requires prior approval and attracts duty and GST separately from your household goods.
Why we don't publish a price
You will find sites quoting a single figure for 'moving to Australia'. Treat those with suspicion. Freight rates move with fuel, capacity and season; a number published last year is not a number you can book today, and a quote that hasn't seen your house is a guess dressed as a price.
What a proper quote requires is a survey — in person or by video — where someone lists what is actually going. That produces a volume, and the volume produces a price. Everything in this guide is designed to let you predict that conversation rather than be surprised by it.
Sources & further reading
- Australian Border Force — Unaccompanied Personal Effects
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — bringing goods into Australia
Figures are indicative and were last reviewed on 27 July 2026. Always confirm current fees and requirements with the relevant official authority before acting.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic metres is a three-bedroom house?
Around 42 m³ (about 1,500 cubic feet) on our inventory model, covering three bedrooms, a lounge and family room, dining furniture, a study, garage items and roughly 60 cartons, excluding large white goods. A sparsely furnished three-bed can be closer to 30 m³, and a full one with a garage workshop can exceed 50 m³.
Is it cheaper to ship or to buy new in Australia?
For large white goods, usually buy new — Australian appliances run on 230V/50Hz, and shipping a fridge or washing machine costs a meaningful share of its replacement value. For quality furniture, beds and anything with sentimental value, shipping is normally the better economics, because the volume price per cubic metre is well below the cost of replacing a furnished room.
Does the weight of my shipment affect the price?
For sea freight, essentially no — you are charged for the space occupied, so a container of books and a container of pillows cost the same to ship. Weight matters for air freight, which is charged on the greater of actual and volumetric weight, and it can matter for access charges if very heavy single items require special handling.
How far in advance should I book?
Six to eight weeks before your intended collection date is comfortable for sea freight, and longer if you are moving in the northern summer peak or need to arrive before the Australian school year starts in late January. Booking earlier gives you more sailing options; booking late usually means accepting whatever space remains.
What is the cheapest way to move to Australia?
Ship less. After that: choose a shared container over a dedicated one if you are under about 20 m³, pack your own cartons where your insurer allows it, avoid peak season, and be flexible on delivery dates. Beware quotes that look far cheaper than others — the common reason is that customs clearance, quarantine, port charges or delivery have been excluded and will be invoiced later.
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