Quick Answer: With AB Group Shipping, a 2-bedroom household move from the USA to the Philippines costs approx. $3,450 in a 20 ft container (October 2026), and approx. $4,000 for a 40 ft HC. Port-to-port transit runs 18-25 days from Los Angeles to Manila and 35-45 days from New York.
- Household volume drives everything: under about 10-12 CBM ship LCL, 28-33 CBM fills a 20 ft container, 65-70 CBM fills a 40 ft HC.
- Benchmark 2026 freight from the USA to the Philippines: approx. $2,950 for a 13 m³ part-load, approx. $3,450 for a 20 ft, approx. $4,000 for a 40 ft HC (October 2026 quotes) — destination charges billed separately.
- The Philippine Bureau of Customs taxes CIF value plus 12% VAT; Section 800 of the CMTA exempts returning residents up to PHP 350,000, balikbayan boxes up to PHP 150,000 and SRRV holders up to US$7,000 of household goods.
- West Coast gateways reach Manila in 18-25 days; East Coast and Gulf gateways need 30-45 days. Your origin state decides which port — and the price.
Two numbers decide your budget: how many cubic meters you own, and which US port your state ships through. Everything else — duty, VAT, brokerage, inland trucking — stacks on top of those two inputs.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →Approximate prices: shipping from the USA to Philippines
| Shipment | Price |
|---|---|
| Boxes and some furniture (≈13 m³) | ≈ $2,950 |
| 2-bedroom move (20 ft) | ≈ $3,450 |
| 3+ bedroom house (40 ft HC) | ≈ $4,000 |
| 10 kg courier box | $1756 days |
Prices without ≈ were quoted by our system on October 4, 2026. ≈ Published market freight (Los Angeles / New York–Manila, Sep 2026 (BR Logistics, MoverDB); cars: CFR Classic to the Philippines, 2026), turned into each service with what it adds on our own lanes; excludes origin and destination charges. The calculator on this page takes your shipment and confirms the exact price.
How Does the Moving to Philippines Calculator Work?
Quick Answer: The calculator on this page prices your move from three inputs: household volume in CBM, your origin city in the USA, and your Philippine destination port. It returns a freight range for LCL, 20 ft and 40 ft HC in seconds. A move specialist then confirms the exact container figure.
The moving to philippines calculator asks for three things and nothing more. No email wall. No sales call queue.
- Volume — enter CBM directly, or pick a room count and the tool converts it
- US origin — your ZIP code, which sets the gateway port and the inland leg
- Destination port — Manila, Cebu, Subic, Davao or Batangas
What the output covers — and what it does not
The number you see covers ocean freight and origin handling. That means pickup, export documentation, terminal handling at the US port and the sea leg.
It does not cover the Philippine side. Destination terminal charges, arrastre, wharfage, customs brokerage, duty, 12% VAT and inland delivery are billed locally at published tariffs. Any mover who folds those into one "all-in" figure is guessing at your duty exposure.
Why a specialist confirms container and vehicle pricing
Trans-Pacific space allocation changes weekly. Blank sailings, equipment shortages at Long Beach and peak-season rollovers move the real number. So the calculator takes your request and a move specialist confirms the exact container figure before you commit.
Pro Tip
Ask every mover for the same three lines: origin charges, ocean freight, destination charges — plus the Incoterm. A $2,800 "quote" that excludes destination handling loses to a $3,400 quote that includes it. Comparing single totals is how people overpay by 30%.
Planning a broader relocation budget, not just freight? The Free Expat Move Budget Calculator: USA to LatAm 2026 uses the same three-line logic for visas, deposits and setup costs.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Container to the Philippines From the US?
Quick Answer: With AB Group Shipping, a 20 ft container from the USA to the Philippines costs approx. $3,450 and a 40 ft HC approx. $4,000 (October 2026 quotes). A 13 m³ part-load of boxes and furniture runs approx. $2,950. A 10 kg courier box ships for $175.
USA to Philippines freight benchmarks, October 2026
See the data
| Shipment type | Typical home size | Freight, Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kg courier box | Documents, essentials | $175 |
| Part-load, 13 m³ | Boxes + some furniture | approx. $2,950 |
| 20 ft container | 2-bedroom home | approx. $3,450 |
| 40 ft HC container | 3+ bedroom house | approx. $4,000 |
Source: AB Group Shipping quotes benchmarked on Los Angeles and New York to Manila · October 2026. Philippine destination charges, duty and VAT billed separately.
What moves your number up or down
- Season. The September-November balikbayan peak tightens space and lifts rates every year
- Typhoon disruption. August to October brings Manila port congestion and schedule slippage
- Gateway distance. A pickup in Phoenix trucking to Long Beach costs less than one in Omaha railing to the coast
- Packing scope. Full export-wrap packing by crew beats owner-packed cartons on claims, and costs more
- Insured value. All-risk marine cover is priced off your declared value
If your city is not Los Angeles or New York
Other US cities price from the nearest listed origin, written approx. with the port they sail from. Dallas and Denver route through Los Angeles at approx. $3,450 for a 20 ft. Boston and Philadelphia route through New York at approx. $4,000 for a 40 ft HC.
Los AngelesUSLAX
ManilaPHMNL
New YorkUSNYC
ManilaPHMNL
Los AngelesUSLAX
CebuPHCEB
New YorkUSNYC
ManilaPHMNL
Independent surveys of International Moving Costs in 2026: Average Prices show the same spread across long-haul lanes. Want to shrink the number before you book? Read Affordable International Moving 2026: 12 Ways to Save Money on Your Household Goods Shipment.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →What Is CBM and How Do I Measure My Household Goods Volume?
Quick Answer: CBM means cubic meter: length times width times height in meters. A one-bedroom apartment averages 10-15 CBM (353-530 cubic feet); a three-bedroom house averages 30-40 CBM. Measure each carton and furniture piece, then add 10% for crating and packing material before you run the calculator.
Household volume by home size
See the data
| Home size | Volume (CBM) | Cubic feet |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 6-9 | 212-318 |
| 1-bedroom | 10-15 | 353-530 |
| 2-bedroom | 18-25 | 635-883 |
| 3-bedroom | 30-40 | 1,059-1,412 |
| 4-bedroom | 45-60 | 1,589-2,118 |
Source: industry survey averages, 1 CBM = 35.3 ft³ · 2026
The mistake almost everyone makes
People measure the sofa and the dresser, then forget the rest. Fourteen boxes of books, two bikes and the garage shelving add 4-6 CBM on their own. That is the difference between fitting a 20 ft and paying for a second shipment.
Use this item cheat sheet to sanity-check your estimate:
- Queen mattress set — about 1.4 CBM
- 3-seat sofa — about 1.6 CBM
- Standard dish pack carton — about 0.14 CBM
- Full-size refrigerator — about 1.0 CBM
- Upright piano — about 1.8 CBM, plus crating
The chargeable weight trap on LCL
Ocean consolidators bill the greater of volume or weight. The standard rule is 1,000 kg per CBM. Dense cargo flips you to the weight side fast — tile, tool chests, barbells and book crates all do it.
Pro Tip
Your CBM list doubles as your customs document. The Bureau of Customs wants an itemized packing list with declared values. Build one spreadsheet during the survey — carton number, contents, CBM, value — and you will use it for the calculator, the B/L, the insurance schedule and the BOC declaration.
20ft FCL vs 40ft HC vs LCL vs Air Freight vs Balikbayan Box: Which Is Cheapest?
Quick Answer: A 20 ft container holds 28-33 CBM of household goods and suits a two-bedroom home; a 40 ft HC holds 65-70 CBM. LCL wins below about 10-12 CBM. Air freight costs five to eight times ocean per kilogram. A balikbayan box moves personal effects duty-free within CMTA limits.
| Method | Usable volume | Typical transit (LA→Manila) | Billing unit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft FCL | 28-33 CBM | 18-25 days | Per container | 2-bedroom home |
| 40 ft HC FCL | 65-70 CBM | 18-25 days | Per container | 3-4 bedroom house |
| LCL / part-load | 1-12 CBM | 25-35 days + CFS | Per CBM or 1,000 kg | Studio, apartment |
| Air freight | Under 500 kg | 3-7 days | Chargeable kg | Urgent essentials |
| Balikbayan box | Standard carton | 45-70 days | Flat per box | Personal effects, gifts |
Below 10-12 CBM: ship LCL
Under the crossover, per-CBM pricing beats buying a whole box. A 13 m³ part-load runs approx. $2,950 from the USA to the Philippines. You pay only for the space you fill, and the consolidator absorbs the rest of the container.
Above 12 CBM: take the container
Past the crossover, an exclusive 20 ft at approx. $3,450 usually beats per-CBM math — and it is lower risk. Your goods are sealed at your door and opened at destination. No co-loader handling, no CFS stripping, no neighbor's cargo leaning on your dining table.
The LCL reality check nobody mentions
LCL rates look cheap until the container lands. Deconsolidation at a Manila CFS adds 7-14 days and local handling fees that never appear in the ocean rate line. Budget for them. Our LCL Shipping to Colombia Calculator: Price per CBM 2026 breaks down exactly how per-CBM pricing builds up on a comparable lane.
Balikbayan boxes vs commercial cargo
Balikbayan boxes are a legal category, not a shipping product. The rules are strict:
- Sender must be a Qualified Filipino While Abroad
- Contents must be personal effects in non-commercial quantity
- Maximum three shipments per calendar year
- Combined ceiling of PHP 150,000 across those three shipments
Exceed any of those and the shipment is reclassified as commercial cargo. Duty and VAT follow immediately.
What to send by air or courier
Ship your first 30 days of life by air. Laptops, medication, work clothes, kids' school items, one set of kitchen basics. A 10 kg courier box ships for $175 and lands in 4-7 days, which covers the gap while the container crosses the Pacific.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →Which US Port Will Your Goods Leave From — and How Long to Manila?
Quick Answer: West Coast gateways are fastest to the Philippines: Los Angeles/Long Beach to Manila runs 18-25 days port-to-port, Seattle/Tacoma 18-24 days. New York/New Jersey and Savannah need 35-45 days, Houston 30-38 days. Your origin state decides the gateway, and the gateway decides both price and transit.
Gateway routing by region
- California and the Southwest — Los Angeles/Long Beach or Oakland
- Pacific Northwest — Seattle/Tacoma
- Midwest — rail via Chicago to a West Coast gateway
- Texas and the Gulf — Port Houston
- Northeast — Port of New York and New Jersey
- Southeast — Savannah or PortMiami
| US gateway | To Manila (PHMNL) | To Cebu (PHCEB) | 20 ft / 40 ft HC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | 18-25 days | 26-33 days | approx. $3,450 / approx. $4,000 |
| Oakland | 19-26 days | 27-34 days | approx. $3,450 / approx. $4,000 (via LA) |
| Seattle / Tacoma | 18-24 days | 26-32 days | approx. $3,450 / approx. $4,000 (via LA) |
| Houston | 30-38 days | 38-46 days | approx. $3,450 / approx. $4,000 (via LA) |
| New York / New Jersey | 35-45 days | 43-53 days | approx. $3,450 / approx. $4,000 |
| Savannah | 35-45 days | 43-53 days | approx. $3,450 / approx. $4,000 (via NY) |
Subic (PHSFS), Davao (PHDVO) and Batangas (PHBTG) follow the Cebu pattern. Most out-ports transship at Manila, Kaohsiung or Singapore, which adds 5-10 days plus a feeder leg.
Which carriers run this lane
Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen and ONE all serve the trans-Pacific to the Philippines. The brand matters far less than the string. A direct service beats a two-transshipment routing every time, even at a higher rate.
Port cut-off is not vessel ETD
Your container must be gated in 3-5 days before the ship sails. Miss the cut-off and you roll to the next sailing — typically a week, sometimes two in peak season. Per CBP rules, the ISF 10+2 is an import-side filing for US-bound cargo, but your export documentation and AES filing carry their own deadlines. Build a 7-day buffer into your flight date.
Comparing long-haul corridors? Shipping to Nigeria Calculator: Instant 2026 Rates shows how gateway choice swings price on another ultra-long-haul lane.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →Do I Have to Pay Customs Duty on My Personal Belongings in the Philippines?
Quick Answer: Yes, unless you qualify for an exemption. The Philippine Bureau of Customs assesses duty on CIF value, then 12% VAT on landed cost. Section 800 of the CMTA exempts returning residents up to PHP 350,000, balikbayan boxes up to PHP 150,000 and SRRV holders up to US$7,000 of household goods.
Start with CIF value
CIF means cost of goods plus insurance plus freight. The Bureau of Customs builds duty on that figure. Not on what you paid for the furniture in 2015, and not on a depreciated book value you invented.
Returning resident exemption tiers
Under CMTA Section 800(f), the ceiling depends on how long you lived abroad:
| Time abroad | Duty-free ceiling | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 10 years or more | PHP 350,000 | Once every 10 years |
| 5 to 10 years | PHP 250,000 | Once every 5 years |
| Under 5 years | PHP 150,000 | Once every 5 years |
Worked example: what duty actually looks like
Say your CIF value is US$5,000 and the applicable household-goods duty rate is 7%:
- Calculate duty: US$5,000 × 7% = US$350
- Add duty to CIF for landed cost: US$5,000 + US$350 = US$5,350
- Apply VAT: US$5,350 × 12% = US$642
- Total import charges: about US$992
That is an illustration only. Duty rates vary by HS code, and some lines sit at 0% while others reach 15%. A licensed Philippine customs broker classifies your packing list — we are a freight forwarder, not your tariff counsel.
Visa-based reliefs
- 13(a) spouse visa holders may claim returning-resident treatment with supporting proof
- 9(e) diplomatic shipments clear under separate DFA-endorsed procedures
- SRRV retirees registered with the PRA get a one-time US$7,000 duty-free household goods allowance
Documents the Bureau of Customs expects
- Passport with the relevant visa page
- Itemized packing list with declared values
- Original Bill of Lading or Sea Waybill
- Certificate of Residency or returning-resident proof from the Philippine consulate
- Written authorization for your licensed Philippine customs broker
Prohibited and restricted items
Do not load firearms or ammunition, drones without NTC clearance, used clothing for resale (ukay-ukay), live plants or seeds without a BPI permit, or hazardous chemicals. A single prohibited item triggers a full physical examination. That means storage charges, demurrage, and a container sitting at the Port of Manila for weeks.
What's Actually in Your Quote? Incoterms and the Hidden Fee Checklist
Quick Answer: Most Philippine household quotes are CIF or DAP, which stop at the port or the door but exclude duty and VAT. DDP includes them and shifts import liability to the shipper. Ask for origin charges, ocean freight and destination charges as three separate lines before you compare anything.
Incoterms 2020 for household goods
| Incoterm | Covers | You still pay |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | Goods at your door | Everything after pickup |
| FOB | To the US vessel rail | Ocean, destination, duty, delivery |
| CIF | Freight + insurance to Manila | Destination charges, duty, VAT, delivery |
| DAP | Delivered to your address | Duty and 12% VAT |
| DDP | Everything, duty and VAT included | Nothing — in theory |
DDP looks attractive and often is not. The mover absorbs Philippine import-side liability and prices that risk into your number. Worse, a non-resident cannot always act as importer of record in the Philippines. DAP plus a good local broker usually costs less and gives you visibility on every peso.
The hidden fee checklist
- Origin THC and export documentation
- B/L issuance fee and AMS filing
- Destination THC at Manila or Cebu
- Arrastre and wharfage — Philippine-specific port charges
- Container deposit, refundable on clean return
- Customs brokerage and processing fees
- Storage and demurrage after free time expires
- Inland haulage to your province
Marine insurance: read the valuation clause
All-risk cover is typically quoted at 1.5-3% of declared value. Total-loss-only cover is cheap for a reason — it pays nothing if three boxes are crushed. Valuation must be itemized to be payable. "Household goods, US$30,000" on a claim form gets you an argument, not a check.
Pro Tip
Port-to-port and door-to-door are different products. A Manila door delivery to Quezon City or Cavite adds a short trucking leg. A delivery to Cebu City, Bacolod or Cagayan de Oro needs a separate provincial trucking contract, and narrow barangay access sometimes forces a shuttle transfer to a smaller truck. Flag your exact address early.
Visas, Pets and Vehicles: The Budget Lines Freight Quotes Ignore
Quick Answer: Freight is rarely the biggest line in a Philippine relocation budget. The SRRV requires a US$10,000-US$20,000 bank deposit plus PRA fees, pets need a Bureau of Animal Industry import permit before departure, and used vehicle imports are restricted to returning residents under strict conditions.
| Visa | Deposit / fee | Processing | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRRV Smile (35+) | US$20,000 PRA deposit | 4-8 weeks | Indefinite, annual fee |
| SRRV Classic (50+, with pension) | US$10,000 PRA deposit | 4-8 weeks | Indefinite, annual fee |
| 13(a) marriage visa | Filing fees, no deposit | 2-6 months | 1 year probationary, then permanent |
| 9(a) tourist extension | Per-extension BI fees | Same day to 1 week | Up to 36 months cumulative |
| SIRV (investor) | US$75,000 investment | 6-12 weeks | While investment is held |
Verify current figures with the Philippine Retirement Authority and the Bureau of Immigration before budgeting. The American expat guide to moving to the Philippines covers the tax side that pairs with these visa routes.
Moving pets to the Philippines
- BAI Veterinary Quarantine Clearance applied for before departure
- Rabies vaccination at least 30 days old
- USDA-APHIS endorsed health certificate
- IATA-compliant travel crate
- Confirmed airline live-animal booking — Manila summer heat embargoes block cargo bookings April to June
Vehicles, RVs and machinery
Used car imports are restricted. They are generally allowed only for qualifying returning residents under Bureau of Customs and DTI-BIS rules. Duty plus ad valorem excise plus 12% VAT can exceed the car's value. Run those numbers before you ship anything with wheels.
A car never rides on a general-cargo container rate. The calculator takes your request and a vehicle specialist confirms RoRo or container pricing for your exact unit.
RVs, semi-trucks and heavy machinery
These do not fit in a container. They move on flat racks or RoRo vessels, and each unit is quoted case by case after you submit the request. Any website that prints a container price for a motorhome is quoting you something that physically cannot happen.
Need visa originals, PRA papers or pet permits in Manila ahead of the sea shipment? The method in Free Courier Documents Calculator: USA to Peru 2026 applies directly to the Philippines lane.
How Much Money Do I Need Per Month to Live in the Philippines?
Quick Answer: A solo expat lives comfortably on US$1,000-US$1,600 per month in Cebu or Dumaguete, and US$1,400-US$2,200 in Metro Manila. A family of four typically budgets US$2,500-US$3,800 including international school fees, private health cover and a car. Rent and schooling drive most of the gap.
| City | 1-bed rent | Utilities + internet | Groceries (solo) | Monthly total (solo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Manila | US$450-800 | US$120-180 | US$250-350 | US$1,400-2,200 |
| Cebu City | US$300-550 | US$100-150 | US$220-300 | US$1,000-1,600 |
| Davao | US$250-450 | US$90-140 | US$200-280 | US$950-1,450 |
| Dumaguete | US$200-400 | US$85-130 | US$190-270 | US$900-1,350 |
| Baguio | US$250-450 | US$80-120 | US$200-280 | US$950-1,400 |
Quick Answer: Market estimates for 2026. Healthcare and transport add US$100-300 per person depending on private insurance and whether you keep a car.
First-year relocations run over budget on furniture gaps, deposits and visa renewals. Add 15% to whatever your spreadsheet says. Landlords in Manila and Cebu commonly ask for two months deposit plus one month advance.
Your six-month moving timeline
- Month 6 — choose your visa path, start school applications
- Month 4 — volume survey, run the moving to philippines calculator, book your sailing
- Month 3 — apply for the BAI pet import permit
- Month 2 — packing, itemized valuation list, consular documents
- Month 1 — container gated in, vessel sails
- Arrival week — brokerage, release, inland delivery
Avoid booking into the September-November balikbayan peak if your dates are flexible. Typhoon season runs June to November, and Manila port congestion eats free time fast during it. Cross-checking against a US domestic baseline? The free moving cost calculator from North American and the Extra Space moving cost calculator both help size the domestic leg. For readers weighing the Philippines against Latin America, the Free Expat Move Budget Calculator: USA to LatAm 2026 runs the same comparison.
Get your instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, Air, and Courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to the calculator →Enter your CBM, your origin ZIP and your Philippine port in the calculator on this page. You get an LCL, 20 ft and 40 ft HC range in seconds, and a move specialist confirms the exact container figure for your sailing week. No email wall, no follow-up calls — just the number you need to plan the cost of moving to Philippines properly.
Move with AB Group Shipping
See our international moving services: packing, shipping and customs from any US city, with your price in 60 seconds.
It depends on container size, your origin gateway and the sailing season, so the price is quoted per move rather than fixed. A 20 ft generally covers a two-bedroom home and a 40 ft HC a three-bedroom house, with West Coast origins cheaper than East Coast ones. Check the price table on this page and run the calculator for your exact origin ZIP and destination port.
Port-to-port transit runs 18-25 days from Los Angeles or Long Beach, 18-24 days from Seattle, 30-38 days from Houston and 35-45 days from New York or Savannah. Add 7-14 days for LCL deconsolidation at a Manila CFS, plus 3-10 days for customs clearance and inland delivery. Door-to-door, most moves land between five and nine weeks.
Yes, unless you qualify for an exemption under Section 800 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. Returning residents are exempt up to PHP 350,000 after 10 years abroad, PHP 250,000 after 5-10 years and PHP 150,000 below five years, while SRRV holders get a one-time US$7,000 duty-free household goods allowance. Everything above the ceiling is assessed on CIF value plus 12% VAT, so have a licensed Philippine customs broker review your packing list.
Start with your household volume in CBM, then add origin packing and handling, ocean freight, marine insurance, Philippine destination charges, customs duty and 12% VAT, and inland delivery. A one-bedroom apartment is typically 10-15 CBM and a three-bedroom house 30-40 CBM. The calculator on this page applies those steps automatically once you enter volume, origin and destination port.
A single expat typically needs US$1,000-US$1,600 per month in Cebu, Davao or Dumaguete, and US$1,400-US$2,200 in Metro Manila. A couple usually lands between US$1,600 and US$2,600, while a family of four with international school fees budgets US$2,500-US$3,800. Rent, schooling and private healthcare account for most of the variation between cities.