Cost to Move to France from the USA
France prices in line with the rest of Northern Europe, but it asks for more paperwork before departure than most European destinations. The documents are gathered in the US, at a French consulate, while your goods are still in your house — start that process before you book the shipment, not after.
What it costs
Door-to-door sea and air freight ranges from New York to France, 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 | $3,200 – $5,000 | $6,400 – $14,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $4,500 – $7,500 | $9,000 – $21,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | $7,000 – $12,000 | $14,000 – $33,600 |
| 3 bedrooms | $10,000 – $16,000 | $20,000 – $44,800 |
| 4 bedrooms | $13,500 – $22,000 | $27,000 – $61,600 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $18,000 – $30,000 | $36,000 – $84,000 |
Where your goods discharge matters more in France than in most countries. Le Havre serves Paris and the north; Marseille–Fos serves the south. A shipment landed at the wrong end of the country picks up a long, billable road leg, so make sure the quote you compare is routed to the right coast.
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
5–7 weeks door to door from the East Coast to a northern French address. Southern France via Marseille can run a week longer, since that routing often involves a Mediterranean transhipment.
Customs and duty
Certificat de changement de résidence
French customs expects a certificat de changement de résidence — a change-of-residence attestation obtained from the French consulate covering the US state you are leaving. With it goes a detailed inventory in French, dated, valued and signed, and a déclaration de non-cession: an undertaking not to sell or lend the goods for 12 months. The underlying conditions are the EU-standard ones — residence outside the EU for at least 12 months and goods owned and used for at least six. Consulate appointments are the bottleneck; in some jurisdictions they book out weeks ahead.
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 France
- Meat and dairy from outside the EU are prohibited.
- The inventory must be in French and valued item by item. An English packing list is a common cause of held containers.
- Firearms require prior authorisation; do not assume a US permit carries over.
- Wine and spirits in a household shipment are dutiable and are inspected with some enthusiasm.
Common questions
Does my inventory really have to be in French?
Yes, and this is the single most common reason a US-to-France shipment is held. Your moving company should produce a valued French inventory as a matter of course, but check it before the container is sealed — correcting it after the goods have sailed is slow and expensive.
How far ahead should I book the consulate appointment?
As early as you can. The certificat has to be issued by the consulate covering your US state, and availability varies enormously between them. Treat it as the first task in the move rather than a formality to be handled at the end.
Is it cheaper to ship to Le Havre or Marseille?
Le Havre is generally the cheaper and better-served entry, but only if your destination is in the north. For Provence, the Côte d'Azur or the south west, the road leg from Le Havre can wipe out the saving. Compare quotes on the door-to-door total, not on the freight line.
What will your move to France cost?
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