Estimate job relocation costs.
Relocation costs group into moving your belongings, bridging the gap between homes, and the deposits and fees a new tenancy or purchase demands — and the last of those is usually the largest and the most often forgotten. The employer allowance is applied against the gross figure and capped at it, so an allowance larger than the move does not produce a phantom profit. The net figure is what leaves your own account, which is the number that determines whether the move is affordable this month.
Gross cost
Gross = removal quote + packing + nights x nightly rate + deposits and fees
Net cost
Net = gross cost - employer allowance, floored at zero and capped at the gross
Often partly. Several jurisdictions exempt qualifying relocation expenses up to a threshold and tax the rest as income, so the cash value of an allowance can be less than its headline figure. Check the rule before budgeting on the full amount.
Deposits and connection fees. A rental deposit, first month in advance, agency fees and utility connections routinely exceed the removal quote, and unlike the move they are due before you have unpacked.