H-1B Compass
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Free · 60 seconds · the cost most people underestimate by $10-25K

What does it actually cost to leave the US?

Lease break + rushed car sale + container shipping + pet relocation + 401(k) tax hit + COBRA + forfeited unvested RSUs + cross-border CPA + storage + flights for the family. Most departing H-1B workers think it’ll be $5K-$10K and find out on day 55 it’s actually $25K-$40K. This calculator does the math — and surfaces which lines are avoidable with planning.

Your departure

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Household
Housing & vehicle
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Belongings & pets
Financial
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Information only

Estimates are MEDIANS based on May 2026 public market rates. Container shipping, pet relocation, and visa-stamping appointments at destination consulates can take 6+ weeks — book early.

Total all-in departure cost

$27,250

Of which $10,400 is avoidablewith planning — see top reductions below.

Cost breakdown

Sorted by dollar amount. Lines marked avoidable can be reduced with planning.

Lease break (early termination + lost deposit)

$8,750

Most leases charge 2 months' rent for early termination. Plus assume the deposit (~half a month's rent) is forfeited. Tech-hub cities (SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically charge more.

COBRA premiums (3 months)Avoidable

$5,400

COBRA continuation runs $1,200-$2,500/month family. Negotiate employer reimbursement of the severance period as part of the package — it's a cheaper line item for them than RSU acceleration.

Vehicle: rushed-sale loss vs FMVAvoidable

$5,000

Selling a car in 2-3 weeks instead of 8-12 weeks typically costs 15-25% of FMV. Carmax / dealer trade-in is the worst rate; private sale is better but takes longer.

Container shipping (20ft)

$3,000

Door-to-door international shipping median rate. Add ~15% for door-to-port surcharges, customs, destination unpacking. Sea freight 4-8 weeks.

One-way flights (2x to India)

$2,600

Coach class median, peak season. Off-peak / advance-booked is 25-35% cheaper. Include $200/person buffer for excess-luggage fees (everyone leaving the US carries way over standard allowance).

Cross-border CPA (one-time + dual-status return)

$2,500

Cross-border CPA familiar with NRA rules typically charges $500-$2,500 for one-time advice + $1,000-$3,500 for the dual-status return. Recovers itself many times over via 401(k) + RSU + treaty optimization.

Top reductions

  • Start the car sale process the day you're notified, not day 30. An extra month typically recovers $3K-$8K of the rushed-sale loss.
  • Ask employer to reimburse COBRA premiums during the severance period — this is a cheaper concession than RSU acceleration so often agreed to.

Disclaimers

  • ·Information only — not tax, legal, or financial advice.
  • ·Costs are MEDIAN estimates. Actuals vary by city, household size, timing, and provider.
  • ·International shipping, pet relocation, and visa-stamping appointments at destination consulates can take 6+ weeks — book early.
  • ·Verify with a cross-border CPA familiar with NRA rules before signing severance.

Plan the move

Hand-picked providers for the cost lines above. Ordered by usefulness, not by what they pay us.

Some links here may be affiliate links: if you click one and sign up or buy, we may earn a commission — at no extra cost to you, and it never changes the price you pay. We only list providers we’d point a friend to, and we don’t order them by what they pay us. Links that earn us nothing (like the free IPATA directory) are labeled. This is information, not a recommendation or financial, tax, or legal advice — for that, talk to a licensed professional.

This is an information-only tool, not legal advice. You are responsible for your decisions. When in doubt, consult an immigration attorney.