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Relocating can be costly, time-consuming and stressful. If your company is relocating you, a good relocation package can make for an easier transition. It can also determine your quality of life after the move.

Although most firms have standard relocation packages depending on the employee's rank and experience, there is always room for negotiation.

Before discussing the relocation package with your employer, start by researching real estate prices and the cost of living in your future city or town, says career coach Dilip Saraf, author of The 7 Keys to a Dream Job: A Career Nirvana Playbook! Talk to friends, relatives or colleagues who live in the area and can give you realistic and up-to-date estimates, particularly if you'll be moving abroad.

"In developing countries like India or China, costs are exploding," Saraf says. "They change from one year to the next." Many human resources departments have unrealistic calculations, he says.

Family and lifestyle differences also need to be carefully considered. People relocating with children should investigate whether the public school abroad will provide the expected quality of education. Sometimes a private school is the only option, which can add up.

When a spouse cannot continue working in his or her profession at the new destination, employees should ask to be compensated for that loss of income. "Maybe the spouse can work for the company as a consultant, or be on the payroll somehow," Saraf says. "There's always a way to approach that." If your spouse stays behind, negotiate a travel budget for visits every two or three months.

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