This free repatriation cost calculator estimates what it actually costs to move from the UK, US, or Canada back to Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, or Trinidad and Tobago, and how long your savings will last once you get there. Most people planning a move back home do the math on the flight and the shipping container, then stop. They rarely work out what a vehicle costs to bring in once duty is added, or what happens to a UK pension, a US 401(k), or a Canadian RRSP the moment they become a non-resident.
Enter where you are moving from, where you are moving to, and your household details, and the calculator below runs those numbers together in one place. You get a one-time relocation cost, a monthly cost-of-living comparison, and a savings runway, in minutes, not spreadsheets.
Repatriation Cost & Runway Calculator
Estimate relocation cost, monthly budget shift, and how long your savings will last, moving from the UK, US, or Canada to Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, or Trinidad and Tobago.
1Where are you moving?
2One-time relocation cost
3Savings and income
4Retirement accounts (optional)
Why Use a Repatriation Cost Calculator Instead of Guessing
Generic relocation guides give you a country’s average cost of living and leave the rest to you. A proper repatriation cost calculator needs to go further, because the money that trips people up is rarely the obvious line item. It is the vehicle duty rule that is completely different in Jamaica than in Kenya. It is the US 401(k) penalty nobody mentioned before they cashed it out. It is the three-month gap between arriving and finding local income, with no plan for how savings cover it.
This calculator currently covers moves from the United Kingdom, the United States, or Canada, to Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, or Trinidad and Tobago, the corridors with the largest diaspora populations and the best-documented returning-resident rules. More destinations are being added the same way this one was built, country by country, using official customs and tax sources rather than blog-post guesswork. For context on how customs duty works more broadly across the region, see our African Import Duty Calculators.
What This Repatriation Cost Calculator Covers
One-time relocation cost. Shipping your household goods (luggage only, air freight, or a 20ft or 40ft sea container), moving a vehicle including destination-specific duty rules, flights for the household, documentation, and a temporary housing buffer while you settle in.
Monthly cost-of-living shift. A side-by-side comparison of your origin country’s baseline monthly costs against your destination, adjusted for private schooling and private health cover if you need them.
Savings runway. How many months your remaining savings cover the gap between destination living costs and any income you retain after the move, whether that is remote work, a pension, or rental income.
Pension and retirement account notes. Country-specific flags for what actually happens to a UK pension, a US 401(k) or IRA, or a Canadian RRSP once you are living outside that country, including an estimate of the early withdrawal penalty or non-resident withholding tax if you enter a balance.
Customs and returning-resident rules. A summary of what each destination actually allows in duty-free, sourced from the relevant customs or revenue authority. Jamaica’s official position, for example, is that there is no duty exemption on vehicles at all, according to the Jamaica Customs Agency, despite what several shipping-company guides suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to relocate from the UK, US, or Canada back to Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, or Trinidad and Tobago?
It depends heavily on shipping method, whether you bring a vehicle, and household size, which is exactly why a single average number is not very useful. A family shipping a 20ft container and one vehicle typically spends several thousand pounds or dollars more than someone travelling with luggage only. Run your own household details through the repatriation cost calculator above for a number specific to your move.
Can I bring my car back duty free when I repatriate?
This varies significantly by country. Kenya offers a full duty exemption on one replacement vehicle if strict conditions are met, Trinidad and Tobago waives customs duty and motor vehicle tax but still charges VAT, and Jamaica currently has no duty exemption on vehicles at all. The calculator applies the correct rule for your specific destination rather than a generic answer.
What happens to my pension when I move back home?
It depends on where the pension is from. UK pensions generally stay in the UK and get drawn down remotely, since none of these five destinations currently host an active, HMRC-recognised overseas pension scheme. US 401(k) and IRA balances remain taxable by the US regardless of where you live, with a 10% penalty if withdrawn before age 59 and a half. Canadian RRSP withdrawals face a 25% non-resident withholding tax, reduced to 15% in some cases if converted to a RRIF first.
How long will my savings last after I repatriate?
That is the point of the runway calculation inside this repatriation cost calculator. It takes your savings, subtracts your one-time relocation cost, then divides what is left by the monthly gap between your destination living costs and any income you keep coming in. If your retained income covers your destination costs outright, the calculator shows a surplus instead of a countdown.
Do I need to have lived abroad for a set number of years to qualify for returning-resident benefits?
Usually yes, and the requirement differs by country. Jamaica requires three or more consecutive years abroad, Nigeria requires nine months, and Ghana requires twelve months. Trinidad and Tobago and Kenya have their own residency and documentation requirements. The calculator notes the requirement for your selected destination, but always confirm current eligibility with that country’s customs authority before you ship anything.
Plan Your Move With Real Numbers
A repatriation cost calculator only earns its keep if the numbers behind it are real, not a generic cost-of-living average pulled from a single blog post. Run your household through the calculator above before you book a shipping container or give notice on a job, and use the free Break-Even Calculator alongside it if you are planning to start a business once you land.
REFERENCES
Returning-resident customs rules (destinations)
- Jamaica Customs Agency, Returning Residents: https://jca.gov.jm/individual/returning-residents/
- Jamaica Customs Agency, Motor Vehicle rules for returning residents (official position: no duty exemption on vehicles): https://jca.gov.jm/individual/returning-resident-duplicate/motor-vehicle/
- Nigeria Customs Service, Passengers’ Concessions (vehicles excluded from the baggage exemption): https://customs.gov.ng/?page_id=3073
- Kenya Revenue Authority, Guidelines for Returning Residents (full duty/VAT/excise exemption, plus replacement-vehicle conditions): https://www.kra.go.ke/individual/diaspora-affairs/learn-about-kenyans-living-abroad/guidelines-for-returning-residents
- Kenya Revenue Authority, Importing Goods (left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive replacement vehicle conditions): https://www.kra.go.ke/individual/importing/learn-about-importation/importing-goods
- Ghana Revenue Authority, Passengers’ Obligations at Customs (household removal articles): https://gra.gov.gh/customs/passengers-obligations-at-customs/
- Ghana Right of Abode, Ministry of the Interior (diaspora and citizenship-loss provisions): https://www.mint.gov.gh/e-services-portal/right-of-abode/
- WC Shipping, Moving With a Vehicle to Ghana (customs-broker guidance on the vehicle duty-free pathway, flagged in our copy as needing direct GRA confirmation): https://www.wcshipping.com/blog/moving-with-a-vehicle-to-ghana-duty-free-eligibility-customs-checklist
- Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Finance, Application for Tax and Duty Waivers: https://www.finance.gov.tt/services/customs-and-excise/application-for-tax-and-duty-waivers/
- Trinidad and Tobago Customs and Excise Division, Information for Returning Nationals: http://www.customs.gov.tt/travelling/returning-nationals
Pension and retirement account rules (origins)
- GOV.UK, Check the Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes Notification List: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-the-recognised-overseas-pension-schemes-notification-list
- Global Investments, QROPS Guide 2026 (2026 market concentration in established jurisdictions): https://www.globalinvestments.net/uk-pensions/guides/qrops-guide-2026
- LegalClarity, What Happens to My 401(k) If I Move Abroad (worldwide taxation, FEIE exclusion, early withdrawal penalty): https://legalclarity.org/what-happens-to-my-401k-if-i-move-abroad-taxes-rules/
- Internal Revenue Service, 26 USC 911, Citizens or Residents of the United States Living Abroad (confirms FEIE excludes pensions and annuities)
- LegalClarity, Canadian RRSP Withdrawal Rules for Non-Residents (25% flat withholding, RRIF/periodic-payment treaty reduction): https://legalclarity.org/canadian-rrsp-withdrawal-rules-for-non-residents/
Cost-of-living baselines
- Wise, Cost of Living guides (Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya/Nairobi): https://wise.com/us/cost-of-living/
- LivingCostIndex, Cost of Living by country: https://livingcostindex.com/
- Expat Life Ghana, Cost of Living in Accra: https://expatlifeghana.com/cost-of-living-accra-ghana-2026/
- Relocate.me, Cost of Living in Canada (Numbeo-sourced): https://relocate.me/cost-of-living/canada