21 Brutally Honest Advantages and Disadvantages of Living Abroad

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Are you curious if leaving home is right for you? Here I share my honest thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages of living abroad. 

I’ve lived abroad for nearly 7 years in four countries of varying lengths and for varying reasons, so I’d like to think I know a thing or two about expat life.

I studied abroad in Copenhagen for a year during my undergrad, taught English in South Korea for two years and for a summer in Vietnam, and completed a Master’s program in Germany over the span of 3+ years.

I’ve learned many hard lessons, made life-long friends, and have created incredible memories (both good and bad) of my time abroad. As incredible as my time has been abroad, it hasn’t been without its struggles and challenges. 

And now that I’ve just moved my life back to the US I’ve been thinking long and hard about everything I’m going to miss, and not miss, about living abroad.

Here are a few of my honest advantages and disadvantages of living abroad that I feel everyone should know before moving abroad!

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Is living abroad worth it? 

A lot of people on the internet will tell you emphatically that moving abroad is 100% worth it, but the truth is, it depends! 

It depends on who you are as a person, your interests, your goals, your preferred lifestyle, your financial situation, your ability to adjust to a new place, and so much more. 

The point is, it can be worth it to live abroad, but you have to go into it knowing that there are some serious pros and cons when leaving home for somewhere new.

6 Ways to Move Abroad

Before we get into the pros and cons, you may be wondering what are some options for moving abroad. 

Here’s a quick summary of some ways people live in a new country whether for a few months, a year, or longer: 

1. Study abroad through a U.S. university 
2. Complete a degree program at a university abroad
3. Find a job abroad: teaching English, international office, tour leader, cruise ship, etc.
4. Look into getting a working holiday visa in countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Singapore
5. Work remotely on a freelancer visa in countries like Germany, Portugal, Croatia, etc.
6. See if you can get citizenship based on your heritage or a family reunification visa

21 Honest  Advantages and Disadvantages of Living Abroad

Without further ado, here are the things to know about living abroad to help set your expectations. 

11 Disadvantages of Living Abroad

Let’s start with the cons of living abroad to get the negative out of the way! Here’s what you may encounter as an expat or immigrant abroad.

1. You’ll go long periods without seeing friends and family

When you live abroad, you’ll likely be very far from your loved ones. That long distance naturally means you likely won’t see your friends and family all too often. 

If you’re lucky and can afford to travel or take the time off, you may see them once or twice a year, but I have friends who’ve been unable to visit home for years.

2. Most people will not come and visit you

Another sad reality of living abroad is that the chances are good that your loved ones won’t visit you. Whether due to money, time, or other life constraints, in my experience it’s difficult for people to visit or travel abroad. 

Having that expectation in advance can help you avoid disappointment when your friends and family are unable to travel across the world to see you. It’s usually nothing personal, but it can feel that way when you’re missing them most.

3. You’ll miss out on big life milestones and events

Another disadvantage of living abroad is that it’s inevitable that you’ll miss out on big milestones or events. My partner and I have missed out on weddings, important friend gatherings, family reunions, big birthdays, etc. 

When you live across the world, it’s hard to leave everything at the drop of a hat to make these important events, and it can be a big bummer.

4. The language barrier will frustrate you

When you live abroad, you’ll likely be immersed in a place that speaks a different language. Unless you’re already a native speaker, you’ll encounter moments of frustration as you contend with new phrases and dialects when doing simple life tasks like visiting the doctor or the post office.

Learning the language is the best way to assimilate into the local culture and to not feel completely lost when living your daily life. However, when you’re at the beginning of your language learning journey, these barriers are a normal part of adjusting to a new place.

5. No one can escape culture shock 

No matter how open-minded you are or excited to experience local customs, there will be times when you’ll feel frustrated, isolated, or annoyed with differences in lifestyles and social norms abroad.

Over time, you’ll adapt and become more accustomed to your new surroundings, but the initial stages of culture shock can certainly be challenging to navigate. I’ve lived abroad in four different countries and have never been able to avoid culture shock completely. 

6. You’ll likely lack a home base you can invest in

This is more for those who move abroad with the intention of one day returning home, as I did. When we lived in Germany, we knew it was temporary. 

Yet we were there for nearly four years, which is a long time to live in a place without feeling like you could invest in the permanence of home, friends, and community. 

7. Nothing beats the food, shopping, and goodies from home

As amazing as the new foods and things to discover abroad are, nothing will ever beat your favorites from home. And you know, that’s ok. 

But you will come to miss certain things in certain situations, and beg friends and family who do come to visit to pack their suitcases full with your can’t-miss out on things.

For me and many Americans, it’s things like American peanut butter, toothpaste, deodorant, Thanksgiving dishes, etc, that are hard to live without.

8. The feeling of loneliness + missing out on community is hard to shake

You’ll never “fully” belong in a different country and that’s a feeling that at least for me, was hard to deal with. Of course everyone is different, and integrating into a local community abroad is what you make of it, but I think it’s inevitable that you’ll always feel slightly different and will always have home in the back of your mind.

And the expat community abroad is great don’t get me wrong. Expats are usually open-minded and in your same situation so easier to befriend, but their living situation is also usually temporary. 

So you’ll experience a constant rotation of meeting people, establishing friendships, and then saying goodbye, only to start the process over again.

9. Moving abroad doesn’t fix your problems 

Starting a new life somewhere else won’t fix everything and you can’t ever escape your problems. That’s definitely a life lesson I had to learn when I first moved to South Korea to teach English.

Because in full transparency, my move to South Korea was precipitated by a pretty nasty break up with a guy who cheated on me. While I’d always intended to do it one day, it was the push that got me abroad, and I was delusionally under the impression that it would solve my problems and fix my heart break the moment my feet landed in Korea.

News flash, it didn’t. In fact, I spent much of my first year still pretty sad, and I still had to do the mental and emotional work to heal and get over it. 

But if you’re gonna be sad, why not be sad abroad? 😉

10. The bureaucracy (and cost) of moving abroad is no joke

It’s not easy to simply move abroad, and there are a lot of things that you have to take care of to make it happen. 

Everything from applying for the right visa (which requires endless paperwork, certifications, funds, appointments, patience, etc.) to actually getting your life set up in a new place (opening a bank account, a phone plan, finding a place to live, utilities, etc.) can be very overwhelming and stressful.

And on top of having to do all that, you have to do it in a place where you likely have a language and cultural barrier and have to deal with a whole new and different way of processing things!

11. The cost of going home is another thing to keep in mind

And by cost, I don’t just mean financial, but emotional, mental, etc. 

Just as uprooting your life at home for a life abroad is a lot of work, the same is true when you one day return. You’ll have to set up your life all over again and get established with a home, maybe a new job, and more. 

And when you come home, you’ll be returning back to a place that’s both completely changed and unchanged, and you’ll need to find your place back into that life while you yourself have likely changed more than you may realize.

Trust me, I’ve just done it. Reverse culture is a whole other beast to deal with, and comes with feelings of boredom, isolation, and dealing with others annoyed hearing about your life abroad, even if it’s been your reality and all you’ve known for the past few years.

10 Advantages of Living Abroad

1. It makes it easier to travel and explore new places

When you live abroad in a new country, travel is naturally easier. You’re surrounded by new places, and everywhere offers an exciting place to explore. It’s also cheaper to travel to a new country when you live in that place, as everything is at your fingertips.

And when you live abroad, you inevitably have the feeling that you need to make the most of your time there, and a fiery motivation because you know it’s temporary.

It’s honestly a great life lesson that there are adventures to be had in your backyard, no matter where you live. It’s also a great attitude to take home with you instead of that feeling of complacency that often creeps up when you’ve been living in a place all your life.

2. You’ll likely enjoy better life benefits

Depending on where you’re from, living abroad can mean access to better benefits like health care, education, etc. As an American, this was very much true for me in South Korea, Germany, and Denmark.

That’s because many countries offer better access and more affordable healthcare (hello, $20 doctor visits and $5 prescriptions in Korea). Outside of the US, a lot of communities are designed to promote healthier lifestyles in terms of walkability, public transportation, community spaces, etc. which is great for your physical and mental health. 

The education system can be better too depending on your preferences. For example, higher education is more affordable in some countries if you’re hoping to go to school. If you have children, living abroad can provide them with unique educational opportunities, such as attending international schools or experiencing different educational systems.

3. You’ll open your eyes to a new point of view and way of living

Living abroad exposes you to a multitude of perspectives and lifestyles, broadening your understanding of humanity’s rich diversity. Immersing yourself in a new culture provides first hand experiences that challenge preconceptions and stereotypes, fostering a more nuanced and open-minded worldview. 

By embracing different ways of living, you gain insight into alternative approaches to life, enriching your own perspectives in the process. That cultural immersion helps you become more culturally sensitive and aware, which is such a valuable skill to have not only professionally but in general.

4. You’ll become a more empathic person

Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds will naturally push you to become more empathic as you learn to appreciate and understand people’s unique experiences and challenges.

Being immersed in a foreign culture often requires stepping into others’ shoes, leading to a deeper understanding of cultural nuances and interpersonal dynamics. Through these interactions, you’ll find yourself growing more patient, understanding, and open minded, qualities the world (and my fellow Americans) could use more of quite frankly. 

5. You’ll meet new people and make lifelong friends

One of my favorite experiences of living abroad is the opportunity to meet new friends, and forge relationships that have lasted me years and I know will last a lifetime. I’ve met people from all walks of life, from all corners of the globe who have become integral parts of my memories and experiences abroad. 

Years later, I’m still connected with many of them both more superficially on social media and as closer connections that we stay in more consistent contact. I even met my partner while living abroad in South Korea, and from there we’ve lived in Germany together and are now starting a new life in Las Vegas together!

6. You’ll widen your tastes and palette 

New foods can be a scary thing for picky eaters, but when you move abroad it’s a great opportunity to push your comfort zone and try new things. Chances are good you’ll discover new foods and dishes that you love! 

And as an American, it helped me realize just how processed and unhealthy American foods truly are, and how delicious, fresh, and flavorful international dishes can be! 

Before I moved to Asia, I’d never considered Korean food and likely would’ve been “afraid” of kimchi and other classic Korean bonchan (side dishes). Now I’m obsessed and those “scary” Korean foods helped me become the healthiest version of myself I’d ever been at the time.

7. You’ll add a new language to your repertoire

Living abroad provides the rare opportunity and the perfect environment to truly learn a new language. Being immersed in the language and being “forced” to use it every day allows for rapid progress and deeper cultural integration. 

That new language you pick up can open up a wide range of opportunities, from being able to participate in local social and community activities to bettering your job prospects both locally while abroad and one day when (or if) you come home. 

8. You’ll challenge yourself and gain confidence

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, the act of moving abroad is hard in many ways and will challenge you in many more ways. 

But once you do it, you realize it wasn’t THAT hard, it wasn’t THAT scary, and the challenges helped you grow as a person while gaining a new sense of confidence. You’ll discover that you are capable of adapting to new and different situations, helping you become more independent, resilient, and resourceful. 

That’s a pretty big accomplishment, and not one that many people ever complete in their lives! 

9. It can open the door to opportunities you wouldn’t have at home

When you move abroad, you’re naturally putting yourself out there—meeting new people you wouldn’t otherwise and learning about opportunities you’ve never even heard of.

That networking and wider understanding of new opportunities can change your life drastically simply because you’ll have more options, more knowledge, and more connections than you did before! 

Not only that, but the experiences you gain from living abroad will spice up your resume. You’ll be able to add unique professional and life skills like cross-cultural communication, cultural awareness, resilience, critical thinking, etc. 

10. If it’s truly what you want, you’ll live without regrets 

Simplest of all, if living abroad is truly what you want to do, you’ll walk away having accomplished a major life goal. That feeling of accomplishment and empowerment is unbeatable! 

Even if it ends up not being what you expected or you ultimately don’t enjoy the experience, you’ll never have the lingering regrets of “what if” because you did the dang thing!

I hope my brutally honest advantages and disadvantages of living abroad didn’t scare you off! Share your comments or questions below.