Most UK households spend between about £2,000 and £14,000 to move to Canada. A few boxes in shared space can start near £900. A large family home in its own container can pass £14,000. Two things set the figure above all. How much you ship, and whether you share a container or fill your own. Everything below explains where the money goes, and how to keep it down.
Written by Darren Benjamin, founder of International Removals Companies, who has arranged international moves for over 15 years. The service has handled 850,000+ enquiries since 2010. Reviewed August 2026.
These ranges are a planning guide for a door-to-door sea move from the UK. Your own quote depends on volume, access and where you land in Canada.
| What you're moving | Container | Indicative cost | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| A few boxes | Shared (LCL) | £900 to £1,800 | 5 to 9 weeks |
| Studio or 1-bed | Shared or part | £2,200 to £3,800 | 5 to 8 weeks |
| 2 to 3-bed home | 20-foot (FCL) | £4,000 to £7,500 | 4 to 7 weeks |
| 4-bed or larger | 40-foot (FCL) | £7,500 to £14,000+ | 4 to 7 weeks |
Indicative pounds, door to door. A survey turns these into a firm, fixed price.
A quote isn't a flat fee. A handful of factors push it up or down:
None of this is guessed on the day. A surveyor counts your boxes and furniture, checks the access, and turns it into a fixed price. That is why an online range is only ever a guide. Two homes with the same number of bedrooms can ship very different volumes.
Shipping is priced one of two ways. Shared, or by the whole box.
Shared space, groupage or LCL, is billed per cubic metre. You pay for what you fill. It's the budget choice for smaller loads.
A sole-use container, FCL, is a flat rate for the box. As a rough door-to-door guide, a 20-foot often runs from £3,500 to £6,000. A 40-foot runs from £6,000 to £11,000. A 20-foot suits a two or three-bed home. A 40-foot suits a larger house.
One tip on volume. Movers price by the cubic metre, not by weight. A few bulky items can fill more space than a stack of small boxes. Measuring your big furniture early helps the quote come back accurate.
For how shipping itself works, see our Removals UK to Canada guide.
For most people, no. Belongings you've owned and used for at least six months usually enter Canada free of duty. They count as settler effects, declared on form BSF186 to the Canada Border Services Agency, the CBSA.
The costs come in at the edges. New items, or anything sold within a year of arriving, can carry duty plus GST or HST. A vehicle has its own rules and fees. Keeping receipts and a clear inventory helps avoid surprise charges.
The full customs walkthrough, including former-resident rules, sits on our Removals UK to Canada page.
A headline price isn't always the full story. Build these into your budget.
On that last point, we've helped customers change money in any currency through trusted partners for many years. It's a hand with the money side, handled through our partners.
You have more control over the total than you might think. A few moves help most:
Declutter hard before you pack. Less volume is the surest saving. Sell or donate what you won't miss. Share a container if your load is modest. Pack the sturdy, non-fragile boxes yourself and leave the breakables to the crew. Stay flexible on dates to catch a quieter, cheaper sailing. And get the quote in writing, so you can compare like for like.
Do two or three of these and a typical move can come in noticeably cheaper.
A cheap quote means little if the mover cuts corners. We only connect you with firms holding FIDI FAIM, the global standard for international movers. An independent Ernst and Young audit backs it. BAR Overseas is the UK equivalent. That vetting protects your money and your belongings.
One more thing to be clear about. International Removals Companies isn't a removal business. We're a free service. We tie your enquiry to a single vetted partner, who quotes and carries out the move. We've run this since November 2010. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743, Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
Most moves land between £2,000 and £14,000. A handful of boxes can start near £900. A big house in its own container can pass £14,000. Volume and container type decide it.
A shared container, or LCL. You pay only for the space you use. It's ideal for flats and part loads, with a slightly longer wait.
Roughly £3,500 to £6,000 for a 20-foot, and £6,000 to £11,000 for a 40-foot, door to door. Shared space is per cubic metre.
Usually not on used goods owned six months or more. They enter as settler effects on form BSF186 to the CBSA. New items can carry duty plus GST or HST.
Insurance, packing materials, port and handling, storage and any car shipping. A clear quote lists them up front.
Yes. Summer is busiest and firmest on price. Off-peak sailings from autumn to spring are usually cheaper.
Ship quality furniture and sentimental things. For cheap flat-pack, buying again in Canada can beat the freight cost.
Yes. One FIDI-certified mover quotes free, with no obligation. We're a free service, not a removal company.
Tell us your UK postcode, your Canadian address, the move date and roughly what you're shifting. One FIDI-certified mover replies with a clear, itemised price. No cost, no obligation.
Get My Free Canada QuoteFree. One FIDI-certified partner mover. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, operating since 2010.
We connect UK to Canada movers with one vetted, FIDI-certified partner firm. We don't run removals ourselves. DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
All prices here are an indicative guide. The mover confirms a firm cost, transit time, insurance and customs paperwork before you book.