# Moving Costs?



## romzilla (Jul 10, 2009)

My wife and I are planning on moving to Mexico, somewhere in Baja, from Florida, in a couple of years. We are trying to get an idea of relocation costs. Anyone have any info or experience in this area?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

That's a very broad question. First, Baja is like another country so most of us from mainland Mexico won't be able to give you much advice. Moving can be a simple as loading your vehicle and departing after a huge garage sale, or hiring an international moving company to move everything for more than the furniture is worth.
So, welcome to the forum and I hope you can give more details about your plan, so that someone who has made a similar move might offer you some advice.


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

RVGRINGO said:


> Baja is like another country so most of us from mainland Mexico won't be able to give you much advice.


Amén. Es la verdad.


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

One question that will come up has to do with paying duty on your possessions when you move. If you get an FM3 prior to moving, you have six months from the issue date to move your possessions without paying duty. This is the official line and can make life inconvenient. We planned on getting around this by only one of us getting the FM3, while the other waited until we sold our house NoB. Big mistake! Now we have to go through renewing our FM3s twice a year instead of doing it together once a year. And we ended up discovering that you can save money anyway (over an international or an Amereican/Mexican combo moving company) by hiring an expediter at the border. With an expediter, you don't pay any duty no matter when you move. They are bilingual and, by definition, have contacts throughout the whole Mexican bureaucracy. We saved about $1,500 USD over Mexican-based international movers' quotes (we had already lived in Mexico for over 2 years).


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## nuevavida (Jun 15, 2012)

*how to find these movers?*



El Toro Furioso said:


> One question that will come up has to do with paying duty on your possessions when you move. If you get an FM3 prior to moving, you have six months from the issue date to move your possessions without paying duty. This is the official line and can make life inconvenient. We planned on getting around this by only one of us getting the FM3, while the other waited until we sold our house NoB. Big mistake! Now we have to go through renewing our FM3s twice a year instead of doing it together once a year. And we ended up discovering that you can save money anyway (over an international or an Amereican/Mexican combo moving company) by hiring an expediter at the border. With an expediter, you don't pay any duty no matter when you move. They are bilingual and, by definition, have contacts throughout the whole Mexican bureaucracy. We saved about $1,500 USD over Mexican-based international movers' quotes (we had already lived in Mexico for over 2 years).


Thanks for your posts about moving and FM3s. How can I go about finding one of the mover and expediter you mentioned? We are moving from FL to Cozumel soon!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Things have changed since that posting was made in 2009.
The best advice I can give is to have a huge yard sale, etc. and move to Mexico with just what you can carry in your own SUV. Even hauling a trailer will complicate matters......SERIOUSLY.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

RVGRINGO said:


> Things have changed since that posting was made in 2009.
> The best advice I can give is to have a huge yard sale, etc. and move to Mexico with just what you can carry in your own SUV. Even hauling a trailer will complicate matters......SERIOUSLY.


The above is advice spoken by a true, real-life expat. Get rid of everything but the most honest to God essentials wihtout which you won't be happy. For what you might pay to transport all that "stuff" to Mexico you could buy new when you get to the new home. It'll be a good time in your life to downsize and you'll find, as most expats have, that you really didn't, and won't miss, the "stuff." 

Congratulations on the move to Mexico. Lucky you! :clap2:


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## nuevavida (Jun 15, 2012)

Longford said:


> The above is advice spoken by a true, real-life expat. Get rid of everything but the most honest to God essentials wihtout which you won't be happy. For what you might pay to transport all that "stuff" to Mexico you could buy new when you get to the new home. It'll be a good time in your life to downsize and you'll find, as most expats have, that you really didn't, and won't miss, the "stuff."
> 
> Congratulations on the move to Mexico. Lucky you! :clap2:


Thanks, and I hear ya! The one item I would like to move is our wonderful bed. But I am betting the costs far out weigh the benefits of moving it. Already planning to have a major garage sale and sell some bigger items for more $$ on Craig's list!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Another correction to the post from 2009. You can no longer get your FM3 before moving to Mexico.


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## El Toro Furioso (May 13, 2007)

RVGRINGO said:


> Things have changed since that posting was made in 2009.
> The best advice I can give is to have a huge yard sale, etc. and move to Mexico with just what you can carry in your own SUV. Even hauling a trailer will complicate matters......SERIOUSLY.


Things certainly have changed since 2009, including the fact that we are about to begin our fourth year with FM2's (though that, too, has changed or will after the July election). The advice about using an expediter is still legit as far as I know, since he/she will still cost less than an international moving company. Also, we held huge tag sales and gave away a lot of stuff, but some things make sense to bring (like a food processor since they are difficult to find in Mexico), and other things one just has to bring (like a lifetime of art collected that we will treasure until we are gone). Buena suerte!


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