Moving abroad · US to UK

Cost of moving from the US to the UK

For most Americans the biggest UK cost is not the visa fee but the Immigration Health Surcharge, paid up front for every year and every family member. This page adds it all up in pounds, from the visa to the first month in London.

Fees only, not immigration advice. Whether you qualify for a visa, and which route suits you, is for the official site (gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration) or a registered adviser (MARA in Australia, RCIC in Canada, the Immigration Advice Authority (formerly OISC) in the UK) or a solicitor. We are neither.

Who is moving, and how

Needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor; partners and children can join you.

Where you will live

Rent figure: ONS average private rent, all property types, September 2026 (provisional). Deposit at most 5 weeks’ rent (6 weeks if annual rent is £50,000 or more), and at most 1 month’s rent in advance.

Getting there and settling in

Our estimate for your household, change it: food, transport, bills, phone.

Money you need to move

£18,999 – £23,213
about US$25,245 – US$30,844 at the ECB rate of 28 October 2026 (1 USD = 0.7526 GBP)
    CostGBP
    Visa and permit feesOfficial fee pages, per person (see the route’s notes)£3,924
    Flights (one way)Our estimate, change it: prices move daily£263 – £677
    Shipping your belongingsPublished mover prices, kept as a range£1,100 – £1,900
    Rental deposit and first month’s rentOfficial rent statistics and the deposit law£5,036
    Setting upOur estimate, change it£2,000 – £5,000
    Buffer until first paydayMonths × (rent + other monthly spending, our estimate)£6,676
    Total£18,999 – £23,213

    Not included: the Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge, which the employer pays, and an English test if you need one. A visa for more than 3 years costs £1,618, plus a surcharge for each year.

    What to do first

    1. Most US citizens moving for work need a job offer from a UK employer with a sponsor licence; check the route on gov.uk before paying anything.
    2. Budget for the Immigration Health Surcharge: it is paid up front for every year of the visa, for each family member, and is often larger than the visa fee.
    3. UK visa fees usually change in April; check the fee on the day you apply.
    4. In England a deposit is capped at 5 weeks’ rent and rent in advance at 1 month; landlords will still check your right to rent, so keep your visa details handy.
    5. Get moving quotes that state whether UK customs relief (Transfer of Residence) and delivery are included.

    Visa and permit fees for the UK

    The fees below are the official charges for each route, per person, as published on the date shown. They are what you pay the government; agent or lawyer fees are extra. The fee that applies is usually the one in force when you submit and pay, not when you started.

    Skilled Worker visa (up to 3 years)

    Needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor; partners and children can join you.

    FeeMain applicantEach other adultEach child
    Visa application fee (applying from outside the UK) (employer sometimes pays)
    Home Office: visa fees from 8 April 2026; family charges: GOV.UK: partners and children pay the same fee per person, checked 29 October 2026    		 £819.00 £819.00 £819.00
    Immigration Health Surcharge, 3 years (£1,035 a year; £776 for children)
    GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge, checked 29 October 2026    		 £3,105.00 £3,105.00 £2,328.00

    Not included: the Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge, which the employer pays, and an English test if you need one. A visa for more than 3 years costs £1,618, plus a surcharge for each year.

    Health and Care Worker visa (up to 3 years)

    For eligible health and care jobs; no Immigration Health Surcharge for you or your family.

    FeeMain applicantEach other adultEach child
    Visa application fee (applying from outside the UK) (employer sometimes pays)
    Home Office: visa fees from 8 April 2026; family charges: GOV.UK: partners and children pay the same fee per person, checked 29 October 2026    		 £324.00 £324.00 £324.00

    Not included: the Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge, which the employer pays, and an English test if you need one. A visa for more than 3 years costs £628.

    Global Talent visa (3 years of the surcharge)

    For leaders in academia, research, arts, culture or digital technology; no job offer needed.

    FeeMain applicantEach other adultEach child
    Endorsement and visa fee (£561 + £205)
    Home Office: visa fees from 8 April 2026; family charges: GOV.UK: partners and children pay the same fee per person, checked 29 October 2026    		 £766.00 £766.00 £766.00
    Immigration Health Surcharge, 3 years (£1,035 a year; £776 for children)
    GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge, checked 29 October 2026    		 £3,105.00 £3,105.00 £2,328.00

    Not included: costs of preparing the endorsement application. You choose a visa of up to 5 years and pay the surcharge for each year.

    Rent, deposit and the first month

    The rent figures are official statistics, not asking prices, so a new lease in a popular area often costs more. The deposit is set by law in each place, which is why it differs between cities:

    Flights, shipping and setting up

    Flights are our estimate of a one-way economy fare from the US (US$350 to US$900 per person); type your own fare to replace it. Shipping prices are the ranges movers publish, door to door unless they say otherwise:

    Setting up covers about two weeks of temporary accommodation, basic furniture and kitchen kit, a phone plan and local transport for the first weeks: £2,000 to £5,000 for one or two people, our estimate, scaled up for larger households. The buffer is the number of months you choose multiplied by your rent plus other monthly spending; most people need at least one month before the first pay arrives.

    Rules that cost money after you arrive

    The calculator counts what you pay to get there. These rules decide what the first year costs once you land, and most cost guides leave them out:

    Other moves

    Frequently asked questions

    How much money do I need to move from the US to the UK?
    For one adult on the Skilled Worker visa (up to 3 years) route renting in London, our default works out at £18,999 – £23,213, or about US$25,245 – US$30,844 at the ECB rate of 28 October 2026. It includes visa fees, a one-way flight, a shared shipment, the deposit and first month's rent, setting up, and two months of living costs as a buffer. Change any input to match your plans.
    Does this page tell me which visa I qualify for?
    No. It shows fees only. Whether you qualify, and which route suits you, is for the official site (gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration) or an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (formerly OISC) or a solicitor.
    Why are some lines ranges?
    Flights and shipping are quoted differently by every airline and mover, and setting-up costs depend on how you live, so we keep the published spread instead of picking one number. Visa fees and deposits are fixed by law or by the official fee list, so they are single figures.
    How current are these figures?
    Every fee and statistic was checked on 29 October 2026 and each line names its source. UK visa fees and the health surcharge usually change in April. Check the official page on the day you pay.

    Sources and how we checked

    Exchange rate: European Central Bank reference rates of 28 October 2026, converted through the euro (1 USD = 0.7526 GBP). Your bank or transfer service will use its own rate. Figures are general information, not financial or immigration advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us. Disclaimer.