Shipping Your Belongings to Spain: Costs and Tips

Shipping your life across the Atlantic is one of the biggest line items in any move to Spain, and costs vary enormously depending on how much you bring.

Full container loads

A 20-foot container, enough for a one-bedroom household, typically runs $3,000-$6,000 in sea freight from the US, plus $500-$1,500 for customs clearance and final delivery. A 40-foot container for a full house runs $5,000-$10,000 plus fees.

Shared (LCL) shipping

If you don't need a whole container, less-than-container-load services let you pay only for the space you use, a much cheaper option for a few boxes and some furniture rather than an entire household.

Timing

Sea freight from the US to Spain generally takes four to six weeks door to door, depending on port congestion and customs processing, so plan shipping well ahead of any lease start date.

Our take

For most movers it's cheaper, less stressful, and nearly as fast to sell or store big furniture at home and buy second-hand locally, reserving shipping budget for things that are hard to replace: family items, specific electronics, or a full kitchen setup.