{"id":1356,"date":"2025-06-19T08:45:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T08:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upscoreapp.com\/properties\/?post_type=news&p=1356"},"modified":"2026-02-09T10:35:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T10:35:45","slug":"moving-abroad-expectations-vs-reality","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/upscoreapp.com\/properties\/news\/moving-abroad-expectations-vs-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving Abroad: Expectations vs. Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are plenty of people who move to Australia<\/a> from overseas, but have you ever thought about leaving Australia to live somewhere else in the world? You definitely wouldn\u2019t be alone – over half a million Australians now live abroad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how exactly does that dream of moving abroad compare with reality? Let\u2019s unpack some of the more common assumptions Aussies have about expat life and see what really happens once the plane lands and you\u2019re left to your own devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost of Living: Expecting Cheap, Meeting Reality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Expectation<\/strong>: Life will be cheaper overseas – no more \u201cAustralia tax\u201d on everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reality<\/strong>: It\u2019s a bit mixed and definitely isn\u2019t always the case. Australia is indeed expensive, no one is denying that. But we also have high wages to match. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Move to a place with lower salaries and, even if groceries or rent are cheaper, you might feel a pinch in a few other ways. For instance, Australia\u2019s overall cost of living is about 10% lower than London\u2019s, so an Aussie arriving in the UK may be shocked when a pub meal or flat rental costs<\/a> more than it did back home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needless to say, things definitely get a bit more affordable when you go further up north, but even cities like Manchester have incredibly high costs of living. Obviously, this is assuming that you\u2019re planning to emigrate to an English speaking country, which is why we\u2019re focusing on England at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, some things definitely are a bit cheaper abroad – Brits usually get lower supermarket prices than Australians (thanks to the shorter distance for imports around Europe, for example), and many Asian countries have bargains when it comes to street food and transport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in short, \u201ccheap\u201d and \u201cexpensive\u201d will flip around depending on where you go. As a result, you\u2019re just going to have to learn how to adjust your budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cultural Adjustment: More Than a Holiday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Expectation<\/strong>: Moving abroad will feel like a permanent vacation. Same language and similar culture means an easy transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reality<\/strong>: Once the honeymoon phase passes, daily life overseas has the same chores and challenges as life at home – just in a different setting. Obviously, it\u2019s still a fairly exciting prospect to move abroad, but you\u2019re not going to be able to run from your problems entirely. You\u2019ll still have to commute to work and pay your bills, only now you\u2019re figuring it all out in unfamiliar surroundings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in another English-speaking country, you\u2019ll stumble over little differences. Australians are famously informal, which could definitely raise a few eyebrows in more emotionally reserved cultures like in England. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adapting basically just means letting go of the \u201choliday\u201d mindset and trying to embrace a new normal. It\u2019s not our goal to sound too pessimistic and cynical about this whole journey. The good news is you\u2019ll also discover new delights – perhaps a local bakery you love or a new sport you take up – that become part of your routine. You just need to appreciate that it\u2019s not a holiday; it\u2019s just everyday life, but with different buildings and weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Housing & Space: A Reality Check<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Expectation<\/strong>: Housing will be easier or cheaper overseas. Maybe you\u2019ll get a bigger place for less than you paid in Sydney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reality<\/strong>: Think again. Australian homes are actually among some of the world\u2019s largest – on average about three times the size of UK homes – so moving into a London flat or Tokyo studio can be a fairly big shock to your system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might swap a backyard and garage for a tiny balcony (or no outdoor space at all, which is fairly common in England). Even if property prices abroad seem lower on paper, exploring the market as an outsider isn\u2019t exactly simple – especially if you\u2019re going to a non-English speaking country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renting can come with unfamiliar rules (like needing a local guarantor or extra deposits), and buying property is notoriously a frustratingly bureaucratic process. Be prepared for plenty of paperwork – translating documents and proving your financial credentials in a new system – to get a mortgage approved overseas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s all doable, but it certainly isn\u2019t the effortless process you might expect. You\u2019re definitely going to have to be a bit patient while you\u2019re hunting for that new home away from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community & Friends: Starting from Scratch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Expectation<\/strong>: You\u2019ll instantly make friends and feel at home, and locals will love your Aussie charm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reality<\/strong>: Building a social circle from scratch is harder than it looks. In the first weeks abroad you might feel like the odd one out – your lifelong mates and family are thousands of kilometres away, and you might be friendly with co-workers or neighbours but probably aren\u2019t going to feel immediately close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Australian accent, for better or for worse, is definitely somewhat of an ice-breaker, but turning small talk into real friendship is something that takes time. We all take for granted how easy it was to make friends when we were back in school; it isn\u2019t always as easy when you\u2019re an adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many expats find themselves seeking out other Australians or at least English speakers for a bit of familiarity. There\u2019s no shame in that – joining an expat meetup or social group can quickly connect you with people who understand what you\u2019re going through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, you will break into the local scene too, especially as you learn the culture (and perhaps the language if you\u2019re moving somewhere nearby in Asia, for example). Again, the key is just putting yourself out there and being patient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bureaucracy & Healthcare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Expectation<\/strong>: Paperwork will be straightforward, and my health needs will be covered just like in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reality<\/strong>: Every country has its own heap of rules and admin, and you often don\u2019t realise how smooth things are at home until you\u2019re dealing with a foreign bureaucracy. Setting up bank accounts or driver\u2019s licences can turn out to be a whole ordeal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some places are infamous for red tape – and often for good reason. Even in efficient countries, you\u2019ll likely come across forms and processes you\u2019ve never heard of. And when it comes to healthcare, don\u2019t assume you\u2019re automatically covered. Australia\u2019s Medicare safety net doesn\u2019t travel with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While countries like the UK<\/a> have public health systems with the NHS, the reciprocal healthcare agreement we have only covers basic emergency treatment and leaves out a lot. In many destinations (especially those without universal healthcare, like the United States<\/a>), private health insurance is a must to avoid huge bills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, make sure you do your homework on local requirements and get proper coverage. You wouldn\u2019t want to be massively out of pocket from some random illness or from a bit of paperwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Upscore Can Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re an Australian planning an international move, one way to ease the transition is to get your finances sorted early. Upscore\u2019s Finance Passport<\/a> can help by using your Australian financial history to let you compare and even apply for mortgages in multiple countries online. It simplifies remote property financing across borders, so you can explore your options with far less hassle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sign up for Upscore\u2019s Finance Passport today!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are plenty of people who move to Australia from overseas, but have you ever thought about leaving Australia to live somewhere else in the world? You definitely wouldn\u2019t be alone – over half a million Australians now live abroad.  But how exactly does that dream of moving abroad compare with reality? Let\u2019s unpack some […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","news-category":[24],"class_list":["post-1356","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-living-abroad"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMoving Abroad: Expectations vs. Reality - Upscore<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Moving Abroad: Expectations vs. Reality\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are plenty of people who move to Australia from overseas, but have you ever thought about leaving Australia to live somewhere else in the world? You definitely wouldn\u2019t be alone – over half a million Australians now live abroad.  But how exactly does that dream of moving abroad compare with reality? 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