The 8 Biggest Myths About Moving Abroad… Debunked!

Moving Abroad: The Fantasy vs. The Reality

When I moved to Ukraine, I had the typical expat fantasies: 

• Learning the language effortlessly over coffee.
• Finding an apartment with all the modern conveniences of home.
• Avoiding landlord nightmares

Reality hit fast. 

• My Soviet-era apartment had water pressure that alternated between fire hose and trickle with a carpet on the wall and no washing machine.
• My “immersion” method of learning Russian meant smiling, nodding, and hoping no one asked me a question.
• Bureaucracy humbled me the moment I tried explaining, in broken Russian, why my visa paperwork was missing a mystery stamp no one mentioned.

Most people move abroad clinging to myths.

• Instagram expats sipping wine overlooking sunsets.
• TikTok influencers raving about cheap living.
• Movies painting relocation as a seamless fresh start Romcom.

The truth?

Moving abroad isn’t an extended vacation or a quick fix for your problems.

It’s an adventure, yes, but also a crash course in bureaucracy, loneliness, and second-guessing your life choices in a government office with no air conditioning.

If you’ve ever dreamed of making the leap, or just want proof that your friend in Thailand posting about his “new life” is exaggerating, let’s break down the biggest myths about moving abroad.

1. Moving Abroad is a Permanent Vacation

What People Think: You’ll spend your days sipping wine at a street café in Paris, strolling along Mediterranean coastlines, or enjoying tapas in Barcelona… all without a care in the world.

Reality Check: You know what’s less Instagrammable? 

Standing in line at a Ukrainian post office for two hours, sweating through your shirt, only to find out you need another obscure document before you can even pick up the package your mom sent you from the U.S. (that by the way, you never get, because it mysteriously never arrived. They probably made a pretty penny on it at the outdoor bazaar!)

Moving abroad isn’t a vacation… it’s still life, just in a different location.

You’ll still deal with bills, bureaucracy, and the occasional stomach-churning visa renewal process.

There’s also a good chance that the ”cheap cost of living” you were promised vanishes once you start dealing with unexpected expat costs.

Costs like: 

• International health insurance.
• Emergency trips home.
• The ridiculous price of Ben & Jerry’s in Europe.

Sure, the adventure is real. 

But so are the days where you’re stuck dealing with a broken water heater. Trying to explain the issue in broken Russian, while your downstairs neighbor has their hand out, waiting for you to pay for the water damage done to their ceiling.

2. Learning the Language is Easy Once You Live There

What People Think: “I’ll just immerse myself! I’ll pick up Spanish/French/Russian in no time!”

Reality Check: So, you move to Spain, walk into a café, proudly order your morning café con leche… and the barista immediately rattles off a question at lightning speed.

Your brain short-circuits. You smile awkwardly, nod, and pray you didn’t just agree to adopt their grandmother.

Living in a country doesn’t mean fluency happens magically. Your brain doesn’t just download a language like an iOS update. 

Instead, it’s weeks of fumbling through conversations, making embarrassing mistakes (yes, embarazada in Spanish does not mean embarrassed… it means pregnant), and realizing that locals will often switch to English once they sense your struggle.

*True story btw, told to me by a former colleague over one too many pints….* 

What Actually Works:

• Structured learning (apps like Italki, Pimsleur, or Duolingo work, but real progress happens with a tutor).
• Actively forcing yourself into uncomfortable language situations (ordering food, asking for directions, refusing to default to English).
• Making peace with sounding like a toddler for a while. Even when talking to a toddler…

3. The Cost of Living is Always Cheaper

What People Think: “I’m going to save so much money! I’ll live like a king!”

Reality Check: Ever paid $12 for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in Bulgaria?

I have.

And I bought it. Because sometimes, comfort food is worth the highway robbery.

Yes, some places are cheaper. Rent in Albania was a fraction of what I’d pay in the U.S., but hidden costs sneak up fast.

Expats often underestimate expenses like:

• Expat Taxes (Yes, America still wants a cut of your earnings.)
• Health Insurance (Good luck navigating private vs. public systems in a foreign language.)
• Emergency Trips Home (Flights back to the U.S. aren’t cheap, and life happens.)

The dream of ”cheap living abroad” fades fast when you realize that being broke in paradise still means you’re broke.

4. Making Local Friends is Easy

What People Think: Locals will welcome you into their social circles instantly. You’ll be getting Sunday dinner invites in no time!

Reality Check: In many places, friendship isn’t instant… it’s earned.

Unlike the U.S., where a friendly chat can lead to a spontaneous dinner invite, cultures in Europe (especially Eastern Europe) can be more reserved. 

Friendship is deep, but not instant.

In Ukraine, my attempts at casual chit-chat in a grocery store were met with confused stares that said, “Why is this man talking to me?”

In France, I found that while locals are friendly, breaking into real social circles takes time.

What Works:

• Join expat groups (but avoid the ones full of people who just complain about the locals… and ones who are overly positive as well, since both are unrealistic).
• Make language exchanges a two-way street (You help with English, they help with the local language… mutual benefit).
• Consistency is key. Showing up regularly to the same café, gym, or local event builds familiarity.

5. You Can Just “Figure It Out” When You Get There

What People Think: “I’ll book a one-way ticket and see what happens!”

Reality Check: The “figure it out” approach only works if you enjoy stress-induced ulcers.

Finding an apartment, opening a bank account, and dealing with immigration isn’t something you want to navigate without preparation.

Bureaucracy will test your soul.

• In France, expect paperwork about your paperwork.
• In Ukraine, be prepared to spend a week chasing a single stamp.
• In Spain, offices may or may not be open when they say they are.

What You Should Research Before Moving:

• Visa and residency requirements before arriving.
• The job market (or how your remote work situation affects taxes).
• Banking (some places won’t even let you open an account without an address, if at all, especially if you’re American).

6. It’s Just Like Visiting as a Tourist

What People Think: “I loved visiting Paris for two weeks! Living there will be just like that… only longer.”

Reality Check: No. Living somewhere is not the same as vacationing.

When you visit, it’s all highlights… great food, fun experiences, no obligations.

When you live there, you deal with landlords, insurance, and the crushing realization that getting anything done takes 10x longer than back home.

When I first arrived in Ukraine, I was spinning… cheap beer, imposing Soviet architecture, beautiful women.

Fast forward to month three?

I was battling banking issues, a malfunctioning radiator in winter, and my brain melting while getting legal documents translated in triplicate.

Short trips show you the fantasy. Living somewhere shows you everything else.

7. Working Abroad is Simple

What People Think: “I’ll just get a job when I land!”

Reality Check: Visas say nope.

Local hiring laws say nope.

Your tax situation says double nope.

Many countries require a work visa before hiring you.

Even freelancing remotely isn’t always legal… some nations don’t like digital nomads working on tourist visas.

How to Work Legally as an Expat:

• Check visa options before you arrive.
• Consider remote work carefully (some countries are cracking down on “under-the-table” remote work).
• Network like crazy. Many expat jobs come from who you know, not what’s listed online.

8. Moving Abroad Solves All Your Problems

What People Think: A fresh start will fix everything… bad relationships, career dissatisfaction, unhappiness.

Reality Check: Moving doesn’t erase problems. It just relocates them and creates new ones.

I’ve met expats who thought moving abroad would magically fix their life, only to realize that not only their issues followed them, but they now had a whole host of new issues they weren’t prepared for or emotionally equipped to handle. 

If you were unhappy before, living in Spain won’t change that… unless you address what made you unhappy in the first place.

Moving abroad should be about growth, not escape.

Moving Abroad: The Reality Check

Moving abroad isn’t a fairytale… but it is an adventure.

If you go in prepared, informed, and adaptable, you’ll thrive.

If you go in expecting an extended vacation, reality will hit like a bureaucratic sledgehammer.

Now, how about you?

What’s the biggest myth about moving abroad that you once believed?