One of the first things an international mover will ask is: how much stuff are you shipping? The answer is measured in CBM — cubic metres. Use the Moving Volume (CBM) Calculator below: add your furniture and boxes and your total volume and recommended container size update live.
International moving quotes are priced on chargeable volume, so an accurate CBM estimate is the difference between a fair quote and a nasty surprise on moving day. Movers convert your household goods into cubic metres — a three-seat sofa is roughly 1.5–2 CBM, a queen-size bed around 2 CBM, and a standard packing box about 0.1 CBM — then price the shipment by total volume, or by the container it fills.
Only moving a few large pieces of furniture? See furniture movers in Dubai.
Walk through your home room by room and add each item with its quantity; the calculator totals your international moving volume instantly and suggests whether a shared (LCL) shipment, a 20ft container or a 40ft container fits best. Planning the full budget? Check your visa costs and estimate your monthly DEWA bills too.
Part of your MoveWise UAE relocation budget — every dirham of your move, planned.
Moving Volume (CBM) Calculator
Add your furniture and boxes — your total volume and container size update live.
0.0 CBMTotal estimated volume
Recommended: Add items above to get a recommendation.
Volume drives international moving quotes — movers price your shipment on chargeable volume (or weight, whichever is greater). Item sizes are typical averages; packing materials usually add 5–10%.
See your full first-year cost →What your CBM total means for the price
As a rough guide from our shipping research: a shared container (LCL) costs about $150–300 per CBM door-to-door, so a lightly furnished 1-bed flat (around 5 CBM) is roughly $1,000–1,800 from the UK. Above about 15–20 CBM a full container usually works out cheaper per cubic metre: a 20ft container (about 25–30 CBM of household goods) runs about $4,000–6,500 port-to-port from the UK or Europe, and a 40ft (about 55–60 CBM) about $6,000–9,500. From India or Pakistan, freight is much cheaper. See the full breakdown in our international moving to Dubai cost guide and shipping costs to Dubai.
You may also find our guides on villa movers costs in Dubai and 1-bedroom movers costs in Dubai useful.
Moving volume FAQs
What is CBM in moving?
CBM stands for cubic metre — the volume of your shipment. Each item’s CBM is its length × width × height in metres. Add up every item and you get the total volume your mover needs to fit into a container.
How much fits in a 20ft vs 40ft container?
A 20ft container holds about 25 CBM of household goods in practice; a 40ft container holds about 55–60 CBM. Smaller loads usually ship as LCL — shared container space where you pay per CBM.
What is LCL (shared container)?
LCL means “less than container load”. Your goods share a container with other shipments and you pay for the cubic metres you use. It is the most economical option for loads under about 7 CBM.
Why does volume drive my moving quote?
International movers price shipments on chargeable volume — the space your goods occupy (or their weight, whichever is greater). A bigger CBM total means a bigger container and a higher quote, which is why measuring accurately pays off.
Are the item sizes exact?
No — the calculator uses typical average dimensions for common furniture and boxes. Your own items may be larger or smaller. For a firm quote, ask your mover to do a video or in-home survey.
Does the estimate include packing?
Not directly. Professional packing materials and crates typically add 5–10% to the raw furniture volume, so leave a little headroom when choosing between container sizes.