Plan the first stay abroad like real life, not vacation.
Settling Abroad helps Americans compare realistic bases, avoid expensive setup mistakes, and build the boring systems that make a one- to three-month stay feel manageable.
A practical guide library for living abroad part-time.
For Americans who want more than vacation tips: clear guidance on choosing a base, preparing the first stay, handling healthcare, setting up money and phone systems, and knowing what to check when you arrive.
Four lanes, one practical purpose.
Use the site by the problem you are trying to solve, not by scrolling a giant archive.
Destination fit
Country and city guides focused on cost, healthcare, lifestyle, and daily systems.
First-stay logistics
Apartments, internet, packing, phone service, money access, documents, and arrival.
Health + backup
Prescriptions, insurance, clinics, records, emergency contacts, and care planning.
Retirement lens
Moderate budgets, slower bases, healthcare comfort, and livable monthly routines.
Start with the question that fits your trip.
Whether you’re comparing countries, narrowing down cities, planning a first 90 days, or thinking about retirement abroad, the Start Here page points you to the guides that match where you are now.
When articles are not enough, use the worksheet version.
The paid planning kits turn the same practical approach into checklists, scorecards, and templates for the parts of living abroad that get messy fastest.
First 90 Days Abroad System
Budget, documents, phone access, apartment checks, arrival week, and ordinary-life setup in one working system.
View the systemMedical Prep Abroad Kit
Medication lists, clinic research, insurance notes, medical summaries, and emergency contacts before a longer stay.
View the kitDestination Shortlist Kit
A three-city scorecard for comparing cost, healthcare, housing, errands, season, internet, and backup options.
View the kitFind the next guide for the step you’re planning now.
Start with a place that fits, prepare your internet and arrival setup, then use the first few days to make sure the apartment and daily routine actually work.
Use these guides to narrow your options, prepare the practical details, and make your first longer stay abroad feel less uncertain from the start.