Cost to Move to Australia from the USA
Australia is the most expensive destination on this calculator and the longest at sea, and it is the one where customs is not the hard part — biosecurity is. The Department of Agriculture inspects US household shipments seriously, and the fees that follow a failed inspection are charged to you on arrival, after the price you agreed.
What it costs
Door-to-door sea and air freight ranges from New York to Australia, by home size. Ranges include origin services, freight, destination services and routine clearance. They are planning figures, not quotes — a firm price needs a survey of your home.
| Home size | Sea freight | Air freight |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $4,160 – $6,500 | $8,320 – $18,200 |
| 1 bedroom | $5,850 – $9,750 | $11,700 – $27,300 |
| 2 bedrooms | $9,100 – $15,600 | $18,200 – $43,680 |
| 3 bedrooms | $13,000 – $20,800 | $26,000 – $58,240 |
| 4 bedrooms | $17,550 – $28,600 | $35,100 – $80,080 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $23,400 – $39,000 | $46,800 – $109,200 |
Shipping from Los Angeles rather than the East Coast makes a large difference on this route — it is a Pacific sailing rather than a run through the Panama Canal. If you have any flexibility about where your goods are collected, price both.
Price your own move — pick your origin city and home size and the calculator will give you a range in a few seconds, with no contact details required.
How long it takes
From the East Coast, 8–12 weeks door to door, usually via the Panama Canal. From the West Coast, more like 6–9. Add time on arrival for biosecurity inspection, which happens before delivery and cannot be hurried.
Customs and duty
B534 and Australian biosecurity
Customs itself is manageable: the B534 Unaccompanied Personal Effects Statement covers used household goods, and personal effects owned and used for at least 12 months generally come in free of duty and GST. Biosecurity is the real gate. Anything that has been outdoors or touched soil is inspected — garden tools, outdoor furniture, bicycles, camping and sporting equipment, lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners, wicker and cane, untreated timber. Items that fail are cleaned, fumigated or destroyed at your expense, and those charges appear after your quote. Clean everything scrupulously before it is packed; it is the cheapest hour you will spend on this move.
Customs requirements change and are applied at the discretion of the authorities at the border. Treat this as orientation, not advice — confirm current requirements with your moving company or the destination’s customs authority before you ship.
What you cannot ship to Australia
- Food of essentially any kind, plus seeds, plants and anything containing them, is prohibited.
- Soil is prohibited outright — a trace on a boot sole or a plant pot triggers treatment of the whole consignment.
- Wooden items, wicker and cane are inspected for pests and may be fumigated at your cost.
- Vacuum cleaners are a classic failure: empty and clean them completely before packing.
- Firearms and many weapons require permits arranged well before shipping; state rules differ.
Common questions
How do I avoid an Australian fumigation bill?
Clean before you pack, not after you arrive. Wash outdoor furniture and garden tools down to bare surface, hose and dry bicycles and camping gear, empty and clean vacuum cleaners, scrub the soles of boots, and throw away anything with soil in or on it. Most fumigation charges come from a handful of predictable items rather than from anything exotic.
Is it cheaper to ship from Los Angeles?
Considerably, on this route. A Pacific sailing avoids the Panama Canal transit, and the difference shows up both in the price and in several weeks of transit time. If your goods can plausibly be collected on the West Coast, get that quoted alongside the East Coast one.
How long does biosecurity inspection add?
Typically a week or two after the vessel discharges, and longer if treatment is required. It happens before delivery, so build it into your expectations rather than assuming the arrival date is the delivery date.
What will your move to Australia cost?
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