The eternal grudge that exists between Americans and the Canadians has always been peculiar to me. After all, both places are amazing, there is no doubt about it. But somehow, there will always be some teasing here and there between the two sides of the same coin. Despite all this, for those who don’t hold firmly to such a mindset, moving to Canada can be quite an achievement.

I’m born and raised, proud Michigan (go State!). In spite of that, each visit I have had to any place in Canada was nothing short of dreamy. I mean the place is amazing, beautiful, rich and cold. Well, most of it anyway. And considering that I adore the cold – the place is like tailor-made for me.

Moving to Canada – Costs

Still, none of this was enough for me to even consider moving to Canada. Visiting yes, but moving hard. This all changed, as you might have guessed, on one of my visits where I have met the love of my life and my current wife. And, as the things we do for love know no boundaries, I moved to Canada.

Now, this was, to an extent, a pure system shock for me. I have never moved before, not even locally. I’ve been in the same house for as long as I can remember. And from that state, I had to move to a different country. Albeit, I wasn’t leaving the continent, but still, it was quite a dinger.

The one thing I was not prepared for was the costs. My god, there were some that seemed decent and some that was nerve wrecking. Now, since this was a few years back, I am almost certain that the figures have changed. Still, the things that you should look out for haven’t, hence I will be focusing on that. You can simply google the current prices since you’ll know what to look for.

Hire a long distance moving company

Alright, before we get into the juicy stuff – there is something I need to direly emphasize. As many of the TV shows say – do not try this at home. Do not try moving to Canada on your own, it will not be fun. Most likely. Unless you are a super experienced mover – then, by all means, knock yourself out. However, if you’re not (and most of us aren’t), leave this to the professionals. There is an incredible number of things that can go terribly wrong. And even though you think you saved a few bucks, if anything goes south – you lost much, much more.

Therefore, your first big cost lays in finding the right moving company. You can find trusted and reputable movers in Toronto that might be able to assist you in this matter. So don’t be a hero, this will save you tons of worries.

Choose means of transport

Now there are basically two or three ways to go about doing this. First and safest way is to fly. USA and Canada are very well connected by means of flight, and when it comes to moving with only the stuff that can fit in bags – flying is the optimal choice.

In the scenario where there is furniture to move then, trucks and highway should be your go-to strategy. I mean, this is doable by plane, but the cost will be ridiculous. This is all in hopes that you don’t wish to burn money. It might be a bit lengthier, but hiring a truck or two to move your stuff will be a better strategy. Unfortunately, if you are moving from the other side of the continent to Canada, you might not have a choice but to fly. Otherwise, your trucks might be traveling for weeks, and that will end up costing you more.

My advice to you is if you don’t have to carry furniture – don’t. Simply find an Ikea over there and buy stuff from scratch. You are doing a fresh start after all. You might even earn a few coins by selling your old furniture and investing in new one.

The last choice would be to travel on rails, and I know it is possible. I just don’t know much about it, so try doing some research on your own.

Taking pets

Now, if you are not taking any pets with you, ignore this section. However, if you are bringing your furry little pets know that there will be plenty of costs right there. First, you need to have your pet chipped (if you haven’t done that already). Second, your pets need to be up to date with any and all shots. If you don’t know which ones you need, your veterinarian will know all about it. Make sure to consult him or her.

Transportation wise you are going to have to invest in a transporter, regardless of whether you are flying or driving. Lastly, you have to make sure you have a veterinarian waiting for you in Canada since your little buddy is going to need a doctor, where ever you go.

Continue making money

Lastly, you are going to have to keep in mind that you will still need a job when moving to Canada. Costs may occur in terms of your income drastically changing. If you own your own business, part of it (or all of it) will need to travel with you. For this, you will need the assistance of office moving experts in Toronto. So make sure you start dealing with that on time. Don’t procrastinate.

If you don’t run a business on your own make sure you start exploring your new options on time. Seek job opportunities online and apply in advance. You might be without a job for a month or two so make sure you set aside some money for this transition period.

There might be smaller costs here and there, but these will be your biggest ones. Additionally, you can always find a way to cut your moving expenses. So plan carefully, start on time and be smart. Good luck!