Dear Clever Expat,

One of the most frequent questions that comes my way is related to the process of relocation, usually phrased like this: “How difficult is it to move to another country?” If you have had this question yourself, you are not alone!

Usually, there is something behind this fairly general question, and that can be concepts like healthcare, cost of living, or making new friends in a different country. Sometimes, these questions take other emphases: Where do you even begin with finding an apartment? How do you understand the visa requirements?

In my experience, “expat relocation websites” can be extremely helpful in answering these questions, among many of the other expat topics you may want to discuss. This isn’t a specific category of websites (like “food blogs”) but if you start looking for websites to help you relocate abroad, you’ll start to see some patterns.

First, there are questions about the cost of living in a new country. Websites like expatistan.com, numbeo.com, and livingcost.org will be your friends in this area. Some might even dip into housing costs and major purchases, like automobiles. One of the more comprehensive sites that is more related to job assignments abroad is salaryexpert.com (https://www.salaryexpert.com/cost-of-living). Each is based on a wide index of goods and services that is reported by locals living in a particular area.

If you have big questions about joining or building a new community in your new country, then there are a few ways to start that process before leaving your home country! First, meetup.com provides an excellent way to join interest groups and find your kind of people. In many ways, you can also find out what activities others enjoy doing in your target country. I’m also a huge fan of Internations (internations.org), an English-speaking social group with over 400 chapters in many cities around the world.

If you are looking for a more purpose-driven type of expat experience, then Go Overseas (https://www.gooverseas.com/) might appeal to you. This is a website that connects programs for learning, teaching, volunteering, and many more action-based travel ideas. Some other examples include goabroad.com and transitionsabroad.com.

Finally, the reason these websites exist is because people have overcome the challenges of being an expat and charted a new adventure for themselves. While it may look overwhelming at first, you can learn so much more about your new home through these websites.

You’ll definitely find that making friends and learning about culture differs around the world. While you will have to figure out your own plan for your own finances, check out this book from the Clever Expat Bookshelf. Once you read it, you’ll be MUCH more prepared to make the healthcare decisions necessary for a successful expat experience!

Keep exploring!

The Clever Expat