What's harder: Moving to another country or another continent?

First, you find yourself in a different tone zone. And this means that you can't simply call up friends and family back home when you feel like it. You need to schedule it. This makes communication much less spontaneous and instant. As one expat shares: "Now I check the time before I share anything, but it takes a lot away from the experience. By the time they get my message, and we can actually talk, I am back at work and the moment is gone.”

Second, you find yourself in a different climate. Not just weather — climate. This can be a big physical adjustment, and you never know how your body might react. It may also affect how you take care of your body. Your workouts may need to change, your skincare, too. Your diet will probably be different as well—no access to the same groceries.

And from here things just get more complicated.

Reference points disappear

When you move from one country to another, especially within the same region, things may feel and be different, sure, but they will most likely share the same base. And the differences you start to notice at first will probably be the subtle ones: maybe people dress a bit differently, maybe their conversations are louder and have a faster rhythm, maybe they go to bed later. But one layer under these surface distinctions, there is still a quiet familiarity. There are parts of shared history and pop culture; maybe you've read the same books. Language barrier aside, you could probably easily hold your own in any conversation here – and offer an interesting angle to the discussion.

Now, when you move continents, it's a different story. There is a much higher chance that you will have nothing familiar to rely on. And the differences you notice first are immediately sizable: you may look different from everyone else and instantly stand out, societal norms for what is okay and what isn't may not be the same at all. And conversations…they may be the hardest part, as in addition to the language barrier, you will now have no shared background. For a lot of expats, losing the ability to make a joke that lands is one of the saddest new realities.

But these are abstracts. They may be very impactful abstracts and highly inconvenient, but then there is the everyday.

Money moves differently

Managing finances abroad can be complicated. But when you move within the same region, things are usually a bit simpler. You may have access to the same banks, and the way these banks work may also be familiar, just as the requirements to open an account. Transferring money from home to your new location can also be relatively easy. For example, if you are moving within the EU, most European banks will let you transfer money with no fees. 

When you move continents, you need to be ready for major adjustments. 

First, you may not see a familiar name when it comes to traditional banks.

Second, the way banks operate and what it takes to open an account may be different. You may also discover that money is managed in a completely different way in your new destination. 

For example, if you move from Europe, where cash is still relatively popular, to Asia, specifically China, you will realize that cash payments here are almost non-existent, and to get around, you absolutely need one of the popular payment apps and a local account. On the other hand, if you are relocating from China to, say, North Africa, your financial culture shock will be reversed: here, a lot of people don't have bank accounts or use cards. Cash payments are preferred almost everywhere. If you are moving to Latin America, say, Argentina, you will find yourself facing exchange rate fluctuations and somewhat unclear charges when using a foreign bank card. Or, say you move to Brazil. Here, a lot of expats report their cards being blocked by banks back home for suspicious transactions — when they were just trying to get an Uber ride.

In short, moving continents comes with more financial adjustments and requires quite a bit of research.

Paperwork takes more effort 

Paperwork and general red tape are some of the most draining yet routine parts of an expat experience. But when you move between countries, the administrative side of things tends to be more manageable. Agreements between countries within the same region are often clear. If you are relocating to a destination close enough, you might not even need a visa. And if you do, it may be less about proving your right to be there but more about registering your presence.

The bureaucracy itself, though annoying, can also feel familiar. You may need to fill in the forms in a different language but you've filled in similar ones back home. The way things work makes sense to you. And even though nobody really likes paperwork, it may seem less intrusive and not at all scary.

Moreover, lots of documents can be easily transferable: diplomas, driver's licenses, bank statements may only need a quick translation to be valid in your new destination.

Dealing with paperwork across continents, however, will be a different experience. It may start right if you need to apply for a visa and accompany your day-to-day activities too. You may find yourself collecting documents you never thought you needed. We rarely think of paperwork in terms of culture shocks, but sometimes it can be just that.

For example, when I applied for a Chinese work visa back in 2009, I had to do a complete health check-up, as people with certain health conditions would not be granted residence in the country.

Getting your documents valid could be another hassle. Beyond the standard translation, you may need to have them notarized or even approved locally. Diplomas are the first papers that come to mind that may not be recognized straight away. In some cases, you may even need to complete additional study hours or retake exams if the curricula in your home country and the new destination are substantially different. 

The approach to healthcare is not the same

When moving countries, an expat can often follow the quiet assumption: "I'll figure it out once I get there". In a lot of cases, this proves to be true.

When you relocate within the same region, healthcare is not usually something you have to completely relearn. Though there may be notable differences, the overall structure will probably make sense to you: public vs. private options, insurance, referrals to specialists, etc. Pharmacies will probably carry similar items, and doctors may follow similar treatment protocols.

If you are moving within the EU, you may even benefit from shared agreements like the European Health Insurance Card – it gives you access to medical care during temporary stays. But when you are moving to a different continent, you are also (most likely) stepping into an entirely new system where the very idea of healthcare may not be the same. 

First, access. In some countries, you may need private insurance before you can see a doctor. In others, healthcare may be affordable, but the availability and quality of services may be uneven across the country.

For example, in the United States, the cost of even basic treatment without proper insurance can be unexpectedly high. Expats from Europe often mention this as the biggest culture shock after relocating to the US.

In China, the approach to healthcare may differ from what Western expats are used to. Many hospitals there follow a holistic approach, looking into the underlying causes of problems rather than managing symptoms right away. In practice, this means you may not be prescribed antibiotics right away, even though your doctor back home might. A treatment for a cold is usually limited to an IV or herbal medicine. Locally produced medicine also tends to be less potent, and quite often a prescription would have you taking up to seven pills at a time, up to five times a day. 

There is also a deeper shift here that involves trust. When you find yourself surrounded by so much unfamiliarity, you may simply not trust the system you don't fully understand. 

Understanding of safety

One thing people from nearby countries or regions often share is social cues. And this is especially important when it comes to safety, or how we notice that something is unsafe. When you move within the same continent, you will probably be able to recognize danger in mostly the same way you did back home. If something is unsafe, you will probably feel it and about it before it becomes a problem. But moving contents often means you lose this understanding. You may simply not know that a situation, place or person is unsafe until it becomes clearly evident. Let me cite a few examples.

During my short-term relocation from China to Spain, I genuinely didn't know that there were areas in most big cities that had somewhat of a bad reputation. Cities in China don't have that. When it comes to safety, most major cities in China are pretty homogeneous. But big cities in Spain are different. And most locals would feel the change in "vibe" once they find themselves in a bad neighborhood. Unless you are an expat from far away who is unaware of the bad neighborhood concept.

Another example could be the difference in general street safety. In 2022, a number of expats from Eastern Europe relocated to Argentina in search of a more stable and peaceful living environment. And while many reported a positive expat experience overall, there were also frequent concerns about street safety. A lot of newly arrived expats could not get used to the idea of paying more attention to their immediate environment (in fear of motorcycle bag snatchers). They also found it difficult to learn to dress modestly outdoors and not have their smartphones leisurely out – something that comes naturally to a lot of Argentinians.  

Work life feels different too

A lot of us move for work. But what our work looks like can also change abroad, especially if we move far enough. 

When you relocate within the same region, your career can often follow a similar path. Your qualifications are recognized, your experience makes sense in a professional context, and the workplace culture is also familiar. You also have the understanding of the unspoken rules: what it means to be professional and respectful, how deadlines are treated and how decisions are made. 

Moving continents, on the other hand, will often place you in a completely different professional setting. You may have to prove yourself from scratch, as your previous experiences and accomplishments may not translate in the new destination in the same way.

Workplace expectations may be different as well. Hierarchy, communication styles, work-life balance, and even the way the working day is organized can be substantially different. For example, expats from Europe or the United States who move to Japan often notice a stricter workplace hierarchy and top-down communication with management. The importance of “not losing face” often comes before creativity, and the allowance for mistakes is very limited. 

In China, many expats find the two-hour lunch break, which includes a 30-minute day nap, a rather unusual adjustment. 

And European expats who have relocated to the United States for work often complain about the absence of a proper work-life balance.  

It all comes down to the day-to-day

Small repeated daily routines are usually what make us feel at home — or not. Relocating your routine is rarely easy, but doing so within the same time zone is much easier. 

The setting around you may not be the same, but you may be able to preserve the rhythm of your typical day. Grocery shopping, commute, dinner time, gym culture — your habits may not need to change that much. 

But when you move to a different continent, there is a higher chance that you won't be able to take your routine with you. 

Here, even the simplest tasks that you never gave a second thought about may not require that thought. What do you have for breakfast? Why does coffee taste different? Why are gym memberships so expensive? And public transportation — why do buses just drive by without stopping? What used to be your usual routine is now dissolved in questions and doubt. 

There are numerous examples of this, but for a lot of expats, food becomes the most memorable first adjustment. “I just couldn't find normal pizza in Brazil. I am from New York, and having a slice after work is almost a culture here. There is lots of pizza in Brazil, but it's just not the same at all. It has broccoli, corn, and the dough is sometimes very thick; you can find things on a pizza you don't even know how to pronounce. I had no idea how much pizza mattered in my life until I moved”, shares Louis, a US expat in Brazil.

Probably the biggest difference between moving countries and moving continents is what happens to your mindset. When you move countries, your mind often goes into adjustment mode. It's a series of small, manageable changes that slowly reshape your life.

When you move continents, you go through a transformation. It's often more drastic and more immediate. It asks to let go of what you know and accept something new. It's a very difficult transformation, but also the one with the most opportunity. 

It's a rare chance to completely reinvent yourself and see life from an entirely new perspective.