Making a move to Europe can get expensive. Here's a rough estimate of costs to save up for: Flight: - Plan for $800-$1,500+ for a one-way ticket depending on departure location, airline, timing, etc. Visa: - Short-term Schengen visa is $70-100, but long-term residency visas can be $200+ in processing fees. Shipping: - Ship 500 lbs air freight for $6,000+ - Sea container freight often over $10,000+ door-to-door Arrival costs: - Temp housing for first 1-3 months ($2,000+ per month) - Basic housewares/furnishings ($3,000+) - Local transportation costs ($500) Documentation & Processing Costs: - Passport renewals, document translations, and citizenship costs could be $500+ Contingency Savings: - Have an emergency fund of $5,000-$15,000+ So, realistically, we plan to have $15,000-20,000+ saved as a bare-bone "starting over" budget, not counting reserves for major costs like housing deposits and auto purchases in the new country. Higher for family moves or moving volume household goods to completely furnish a new residence in Europe. Having local contacts and networks saves substantially on transition logistics costs, too.