The container size decision affects your cost, your customs rights count, and — critically — whether your furniture physically fits into your new Israeli home. Getting it wrong in either direction is an expensive mistake. Too small and you're splitting your Aliyah rights across an extra shipment. Too large and you've paid to ship air across the Atlantic.
This guide is written specifically for moves to Israel. The Israel apartment reality changes the calculation considerably.
The basics — what each size actually holds
Volume: ~33 CBM (1,169 cu ft)
Volume: ~67 CBM (2,390 cu ft)
High Cube: ~76 CBM (extra 30cm height)
As an Oleh Chadash, you have 3 duty-free shipments within 3 years — regardless of container size. A 20ft and a 40ft both count as one shipment each. So choosing a 40ft doesn't "use up" more rights than a 20ft. The only exception: if a single shipment is larger than one full 40ft container, it counts as two shipments. For most families, this never comes up.
The Israel factor — why this calculation is different
Generic container guides assume you're moving into a home roughly the same size as the one you're leaving. For Israel moves, this is almost never true. American, British, South African, and Australian homes are consistently larger than their Israeli equivalents — sometimes dramatically so.
Average apartment sizes: origin vs Israel
| Origin country | Typical family home | Typical Israeli equivalent | Size difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 230–280 sqm (2,500–3,000 sqft) | 120–150 sqm | ~40–50% smaller |
| United Kingdom | 120–160 sqm | 100–130 sqm | ~15–25% smaller |
| South Africa | 200–280 sqm | 120–150 sqm | ~40–50% smaller |
| Australia / Canada | 200–250 sqm | 120–150 sqm | ~35–45% smaller |
| France / Europe | 90–130 sqm | 100–130 sqm | Roughly similar |
The practical consequence: American families moving from a 4-bedroom house in New Jersey to a 4-bedroom apartment in Ra'anana will find their new home has roughly half the storage space they're used to. Shipping a full 40ft container to fill that space means half of it sits in your Israeli mamad (safe room) for years, or gets sold at a loss at the Anglo flea market.
The appliance trap
This deserves its own section because it catches families badly. Israel runs on 220V / 50Hz electricity. The US and Canada run on 110V / 60Hz. This means:
American washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens will not work in Israel without a transformer — and even with one, many appliances don't perform well. American dryers in particular are almost universally incompatible with Israeli electrical infrastructure.
Beyond electricity: American appliance dimensions are standardised to American kitchen and laundry room sizes. Israeli kitchens are built around European appliance dimensions. Your American fridge may be 5cm too wide for the Israeli kitchen space. Your American washing machine may not fit under the Israeli counter.
Our recommendation for American families: ship one of each appliance type if the appliance is less than 3 years old and has high sentimental or monetary value, and plan to use a transformer or replace it within 1–2 years. For older appliances, seriously consider selling them before you move and buying locally in Israel. The shipping cost plus transformer cost often exceeds the replacement cost.
Room-by-room volume guide
This is the table most shipping guides don't provide. Below are realistic CBM estimates for each room type, based on actual Aliyah packing surveys. Use this to estimate your total volume before calling anyone.
| Room / category | Typical CBM range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Master bedroom | 5–10 CBM | King bed + wardrobe + 2 nightstands + dresser. American king beds often won't fit Israeli bedrooms — measure first. |
| Each additional bedroom | 3–6 CBM | Children's rooms tend to be dense — books, toys, and flat-pack furniture add up fast. |
| Living / dining room | 8–16 CBM | Sofa, dining table and chairs, sideboard, TV unit. Large American sectional sofas are a common problem — often too big for Israeli living rooms. Measure the new apartment before shipping. |
| Kitchen (goods only) | 2–4 CBM | Cookware, small appliances, dishes. Leave behind large appliances unless very new — see appliance trap above. |
| Home office | 2–5 CBM | Desk, chair, bookshelves, equipment. Books are heavy and dense — good space-fillers if you have room. |
| Outdoor / garden furniture | 2–6 CBM | Surprisingly volume-efficient if disassembled. Israeli balcony culture means good outdoor furniture gets used — worth shipping if quality. |
| Boxes (clothing, linen, books) | 1 CBM per 3–4 boxes | Standard 60x40x40cm moving box = ~0.096 CBM. Factor roughly 10–15 boxes per bedroom for a full household. |
| Car (in container) | ~10–12 CBM | Occupies significant container space. Usually not worth combining with household goods unless container is otherwise underfull. Check Israeli Ministry of Transport standards before shipping. |
Add up your rooms using the table above. Under 28 CBM → 20ft container is right. 28–60 CBM → 40ft container. Over 60 CBM → you're looking at a full 40ft plus a partial second shipment, or a very full 40ft High Cube. If you're between 25–35 CBM, it's worth getting a professional survey — that range is where the decision genuinely depends on what specific items you're shipping.
Decision guide — the questions that matter
What to ship and what to leave — the honest list
- Books — heavy but dense, fill space efficiently, expensive to replace
- Quality cookware and kitchen tools — high replacement cost in Israel
- Children's toys and educational materials — expensive in Israel, sentimental value
- Good quality clothing and linen — takes up box space without adding weight
- New appliances (under 3 years) — with appropriate electrical planning
- Quality outdoor furniture — Israeli balcony culture means it will be used
- Artwork and personal items — no Israeli equivalent, irreplaceable
- Mattresses (good quality) — Israeli mattress market is expensive
- Power tools and workshop equipment — significantly cheaper to ship than replace
- American washing machines and dryers — voltage incompatibility; buy locally
- Large American refrigerators — usually too wide for Israeli kitchens
- American sectional sofas — often too large for Israeli living rooms
- King-size beds (American) — Israeli king = different dimensions; sheets won't fit
- Cheap flat-pack furniture (IKEA etc.) — cheaper to rebuy than ship
- Garden sheds and large garden equipment — no gardens in most Israeli apartments
- American cars — complex import process; Israeli standards may not be met
- Old electronics (5+ years) — not worth the voltage conversion hassle
- Excess dishware — Israeli shops are well stocked; no need to ship a second set
Pianos come up in almost every family consultation. The honest answer: a piano is almost always worth shipping if it's a quality instrument and will genuinely be played. The cost of shipping a piano is significant but far less than replacing one. The logistical complexity, however, is real — upright pianos need careful wrapping, grand pianos need disassembly, and Jerusalem and old Tel Aviv addresses often require special equipment for upper-floor delivery. Tell us early if you're shipping a piano so we can plan accordingly.
LCL groupage — the option most families don't consider
If your estimated volume is under 15 CBM — a couple moving from a small apartment, or a family shipping essentials only — there's a third option: LCL (Less than Container Load) groupage shipping. Your goods share container space with other shipments, and you only pay for the cubic metres you use.
The tradeoff: groupage shipments take longer to depart (typically 3–6 weeks additional lead time to consolidate) and your goods pass through a consolidation warehouse, adding a small but real handling risk. For Aliyah specifically, the timing uncertainty of groupage can create customs complications if your container arrives before your Teudat Oleh is ready to forward.
Our general guidance: if you're over 15 CBM, a dedicated 20ft container is usually worth the modest price premium for the speed, security, and timing control it gives you. Under 15 CBM, groupage is worth serious consideration.
Not sure which size
is right for your move?
Tell Maya your rooms, your destination, and where you're moving from. She'll give you an honest estimate — and flag anything that might not fit before it's packed.