10 Ways To Overcome Loneliness When Living Abroad

Living abroad as an expat or digital nomad is an eye-opening and life-changing experience. Among the long list of benefits, moving overseas can broaden your horizons, further your career and open the door to a higher quality of life. Whether you’re relocating permanently or embracing a more flexible lifestyle abroad, millions of people around the world are doing the same.

However, that’s not to say life abroad is without its challenges. Leaving behind your friends, family and support network can feel isolating, especially during the early stages of settling in. Many expats and digital nomads experience challenges such as culture shock, concerns around personal safety and a lack of time to prioritise their health, fitness and well-being—all of which can contribute to feelings of loneliness.

The good news? These feelings are often temporary, and there are practical ways to feel more connected in your new home.

In this article

1. Why do expats feel lonely?
2. What to do if you’re feeling lonely abroad
3. How to spot the symptoms of loneliness
4. 10 ways to beat expat and digital nomad loneliness

Why do expats feel lonely?

Loneliness can affect anyone, even people who are constantly surrounded by others.

As an expat or digital nomad, you may feel lonely for several reasons, including:

• Being far away from family and close friends
• Missing birthdays, weddings and important milestones at home
• Moving to a country with a different language or culture
• Working remotely without regular social interaction
• Relocating frequently as a digital nomad
• Struggling to build meaningful friendships
• Feeling pressure to enjoy your new lifestyle all the time

Social media can sometimes make these feelings worse, especially when you see friends and family gathering back home without you.

It’s important to remember that feeling lonely doesn’t mean moving abroad was the wrong decision — it often just means you’re adjusting to major life changes.

Want more expat content?
Subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter!

• LinkedIn
  This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
• Enter your email address

What to do if you’re feeling lonely abroad

Feeling lonely after moving abroad can be difficult, but it’s also incredibly common — especially during the first few months of adjusting to a new country.

Many expats and digital nomads feel pressure to enjoy every moment of life abroad, which can make feelings of loneliness even harder to talk about. You may worry that feeling isolated means you made the wrong decision, but that’s rarely the case.

If you’re feeling lonely abroad, try to acknowledge those feelings rather than ignore them. Staying connected with loved ones, maintaining routines and finding opportunities to meet new people can all help.

If you’re struggling, start small. Reach out to one person, explore one local activity or create one new routine each week. Small actions can build momentum over time.

Most importantly, remember that building a life abroad takes time. Friendships, routines and a sense of belonging rarely happen overnight.

Research has shown that feelings of loneliness may be more common among older expats, those without families, members of the LQBTQ+ community and digital nomads who relocate frequently — but loneliness can affect anyone living abroad.

How loneliness can affect your mental health abroad

Loneliness is not a mental health condition, but is often listed as both a cause and a symptom of other mental health disorders such as depression.

Prolonged loneliness can have a negative impact on both your mental and physical well-being. Some common symptoms can include:

• Physical symptoms such as headaches
• Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and paranoia
• A lack of energy and motivation
• Difficulty sleeping
• Changes in appetite
• Low self-esteem and negative feelings about oneself
• Withdrawing from social situations
• Feeling disconnected from others
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased use of alcohol and drugs

If you or someone you know may be experiencing the long-term effects of loneliness, it’s important to speak to a mental health professional for advice.

What causes expat loneliness?

Loneliness is not always caused by being alone.

Some people enjoy spending time alone and rarely feel lonely, while others may feel isolated even when surrounded by friends, colleagues or family members.

That’s because loneliness is often linked to feeling disconnected, misunderstood or lacking meaningful relationships.

For expats and digital nomads, these feelings may be triggered by:

• Superficial friendships
• Language barriers
• Cultural differences
• Frequent relocations
• Remote working
• Feeling disconnected from home

Understanding this distinction can help you focus on building meaningful relationships rather than simply surrounding yourself with people.

Moving abroad is life-changing and comes with a number of challenges

We look at some disadvantages and how you can overcome them

10 ways to overcome loneliness abroad

To help you get started, here are ten ideas that may help if you are feeling lonely abroad.

Ways to beat expat loneliness:

1. Build a routine in your new home
2. Spend time in social environments
3. Use apps and communities to meet people
4. Pursue hobbies and interests you enjoy
5. Join a language exchange
6. Go where the expats go
7. Try co-living
8. Use social media intentionally
9. Try dating apps
10. Say ‘yes’

1/ Build a routine in your new home

When you first move abroad, life can feel unpredictable. You may be adjusting to a new job, searching for accommodation, learning a new language or trying to understand unfamiliar healthcare systems.

Without structure, it can be easy to feel disconnected or spend long periods alone — especially if you work remotely or don’t yet have an established social circle.

Creating routines can help bring stability to your new life and make your surroundings feel more familiar.

This could include:

• Visiting the same café each week
• Taking regular walks around your neighbourhood
• Joining a weekly class
• Setting regular working hours if you work remotely
• Scheduling calls with family and friends
• Shopping at local markets or stores

Over time, routines can help transform an unfamiliar place into somewhere that feels more comfortable, predictable and like home.

Take steps to improve your quality of life

Discover 30 ways to maximise your health and well-being

2/ Spend time in social environments

Making friends abroad can feel difficult, especially if you work remotely, have recently relocated or don’t speak the local language confidently yet. When you’re settling into a new country, it can be easy to fall into routines that limit social interaction — such as working from home, spending evenings alone or sticking to familiar environments.

One of the easiest ways to beat loneliness abroad is to spend more time in places where social interaction happens naturally. Even if you don’t make close friends straight away, regular interaction can help you feel less isolated and more connected to your new environment.

This could include:

• Working from a co-working space
• Attending in-person office days
• Joining a gym or fitness class
• Visiting local cafés regularly
• Living in co-living accommodation
• Attending local community events

Becoming a familiar face somewhere can help build confidence and create opportunities for meaningful conversations over time. Sometimes friendships start with something as simple as recognising the same people each week.

In which countries do expats feel the happiest?

Check out our list of the happiest countries in the world

3/ Use apps and communities to meet people

Making friends as an adult can already feel difficult — and moving abroad often makes that challenge even harder. Fortunately, there are plenty of apps, platforms and communities designed to help people connect with others in their local area.

Platforms like Meetup can help you find hobby groups, exercise classes and networking events, while InterNations connects expats living in the same city. You can also browse local events through Eventbrite, join Facebook community groups or attend language exchanges.

You might also consider volunteering opportunities, sports clubs or networking groups related to your profession. These can be great ways to meet both locals and fellow expats who understand the challenges of living abroad.

Try not to put pressure on yourself to instantly build a large social circle. Focus on finding a few meaningful connections and giving relationships time to grow naturally.

Not sure where to start with finding new expat communities?

Here are some expat resources to make life a little easier

4/ Pursue hobbies and interests you enjoy

Moving abroad can sometimes make people put their hobbies on hold while they focus on logistics and settling in.

However, returning to activities you already enjoy — or trying something completely new — can be one of the easiest ways to meet like-minded people.

This could include:

• Joining a running club
• Taking cooking classes
• Attending book clubs
• Learning photography
• Joining sports teams
• Trying creative workshops

Shared interests often create more natural and meaningful friendships than forced networking events. Even if you attend alone, hobbies can help create structure, confidence and a sense of belonging in your new home.

Exercise is essential for your health and well-being as an expat

Find out how physical activity affects your health

5/ Join a language exchange

One of the best parts about starting a new life abroad is learning a foreign language. Learning the language of your new home country can improve your cultural awareness, make you more confident and help you to integrate into society.

While learning a new language, one of the best ways to improve your fluency is to practise speaking with native speakers – and one of the best ways to find them is at a language exchange. Language exchanges are organised social events in which people come to practise one-another’s languages.

As an English speaker, you are likely to encounter local people looking to improve their English, and in return they will be able to help you improve your developing foreign language. The best thing about attending a language exchange is that it will expose you to other expats as well as local people, helping you to meet people from both worlds.

One of the best ways to find language exchanges is via the Meetup app. You may also benefit from attending a language school in your new home city. Many expats choose to attend language exchanges regularly, as they build their fluency while also getting out-and-about and meeting new people.

From unspoken customs to surprising norms

Discover some of the most common culture shocks

6/ Go where the expats go

Every major city has neighbourhoods and boroughs that are more popular with expats and digital nomads. In very large cities, you may even find that certain areas are home to large populations of expats from one particular country – think Little Italy in New York City or Chinatown in London.

If you’ve not yet decided on where to live, it’s a good idea to start by researching popular expat hubs, either by searching online or speaking to other expats. 

While it may not seem like the most authentic way to move abroad, living amongst other settled expats can help to ease your transition into your new home. You’ll be surrounded by other people who speak your language, share your culture and who can help you navigate your new environment. You may even make life-long friends in your new neighbourhood.

Expat communities also tend to have many of the home comforts you’ll need if culture shock hits. You’ll find restaurants serving your national cuisine, supermarkets that sell imported items from your home country, and perhaps even a community centre where expats meet to socialise.

Prioritising your well-being is not a luxury, it’s a necessity

We compare some of the best countries for well-being and self-care

7/ Try co-living

If you’re searching for a place to live, consider sharing a home with other expats or digital nomads. Driven in equal parts by demand and necessity, co-living is becoming an increasingly popular trend in major cities.

Property landlords are responding to the rising trend of co-living by adapting their properties for the benefit of certain demographics, making it easy for you to find co-living spaces marketed exclusively to people of certain genders, lifestyles, occupations, age ranges and sexualities.

Rural co-living spaces are also becoming widely available, allowing you to live anywhere from the beaches of Spain to the mountains of Bulgaria alongside other intrepid tenants.

Not only is co-living a great way to save money (which could help you afford a home in a more desirable area), it can also help to introduce you to like-minded people and kick-start your social life overseas.

Maximise your well-being by focusing on your diet

Discover the healthiest cuisines from around the world

8/ Use social media intentionally

Social media can be a useful way to stay connected with family and friends back home, especially when you’re living in a different time zone. Video calls, messages and shared updates can help maintain important relationships while you settle into life abroad.

However, spending too much time scrolling through social media can sometimes make loneliness feel worse. Seeing photos of events you missed, comparing your life to others or constantly checking what friends are doing back home may increase feelings of isolation or fear of missing out.

Instead, try using social media as a tool for connection rather than passive scrolling. For example, you could:

• Schedule regular video calls with loved ones
• Message friends directly instead of endlessly scrolling
• Join local community groups
• Follow local event pages
• Set boundaries around screen time

Used intentionally, social media can help you maintain old connections while also helping you build new ones in your new home.

Holidays can be a particularly difficult time of year for expats

Here’s how to survive a lonely Christmas as an expat

9/ Try dating apps

Naturally, this advice will apply more to single people, although those who are in relationships or happily married will still find options.

If you are comfortable with dating, you may find dating apps a great way to meet people abroad. With over 500 million users, Tinder is the world’s most popular dating app, while 100 million choose Bumble and 23 million use Hinge.

If you decide to try dating while living or travelling abroad, remember to make personal safety your first priority.

Always let a friend or family member know where you’ll be and always arrange to meet your acquaintance in a public place.

If you don’t want to try romantic dating, you could still use dating apps to help you meet friends.

Bumble offers the option to meet people in this way, while a number of specific apps exist to help expats meet each other abroad. InterNations is one example, allowing you to search for and chat with nearby expats, and it also includes news and tips to help you make the most of your expat experience.

Thinking of moving to sunnier shores?

We rank some of the sunniest countries in the world

10/ Say ‘Yes!’

As an expat or digital nomad, there will be times when opportunity knocks at your door. Perhaps it will be someone inviting you to a party, asking you to travel with them, or even offering you a job. So long as these opportunities align with your wants and expectations, it’s up to you to be the one to say ‘Yes!’ at the right moment.

Life as an expat or digital nomad is about adventure. It’s through our adventures that we meet life-long friends, foster relationships and grow as individuals. Psychologists have pointed out that loneliness is not necessarily a condition, but a perception: we only feel lonely when we feel like we’re missing out.

Therefore, having the ability to say yes to new adventures is one of the best ways to reduce feelings of loneliness.

Don’t ignore your mental well-being

Feeling lonely abroad is common, but persistent loneliness can begin to affect your sleep, work, relationships and overall well-being.

If you’re struggling to cope, consider speaking to a therapist, counsellor or doctor. Professional support can help you understand what you’re feeling and develop healthy coping strategies.

You could also explore virtual therapy platforms, employee well-being programmes or local mental health services if in-person care feels difficult to access.

If you have international health insurance, check whether your provider includes mental health support such as counselling, psychiatric consultations or virtual healthcare services.

Seeking support is a proactive step — not a sign of failure.

Frequently asked questions about expat loneliness

Is loneliness common for expats?

Yes — loneliness is a common part of adjusting to life abroad, particularly during the first few months after relocating. Leaving behind your support network, navigating cultural differences and building new friendships can all contribute to feelings of isolation.

How do I make friends when moving abroad?

Joining co-working spaces, hobby groups, language exchanges, expat communities and local events can help you meet both locals and other expats. Building friendships takes time, so focus on consistent social opportunities rather than quick fixes.

Discover some of the friendliest countries in the world

Can moving abroad affect your mental health?

Yes. Relocation stress, culture shock, homesickness and loneliness can all affect your mental well-being. If these feelings persist, it may help to speak to a mental health professional.

Read our top tips for expat mental health

How long does expat loneliness last?

This varies from person to person, but many expats begin to feel more settled after building routines, friendships and familiarity with their new surroundings. Feeling lonely at first doesn’t mean your move was a mistake.

How long does culture shock last?

How long culture shock lasts can vary. Every expat experiences it slightly differently.

The first few weeks are generally the most intense, but many expats and digital nomads begin feeling more settled after several months.

Learn more about culture shock

How can digital nomads avoid loneliness?

Digital nomads can reduce loneliness by working from co-working spaces, joining local communities, staying in co-living accommodation and maintaining regular contact with loved ones.

Loneliness abroad doesn’t last forever

Living abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life — but adjusting to a new country takes time.

Feeling lonely doesn’t mean you’ve failed, and it doesn’t mean your move abroad was a mistake. Building friendships, creating routines and feeling truly settled can take months or even years.

If you’ve moved abroad with a partner or family, remember that everyone adjusts differently — open communication can make a big difference.

Be patient with yourself, stay open to new experiences and remember that support is available if you need it.

Did you know? Expats are more at risk of experiencing mental health disorders

That’s why our international health insurance policies include optional mental health cover to give you access to therapy, psychiatric consultations, and medication while living abroad.

Mental Health Cover

Looking to improve your mental health?

We’ve ranked the best countries in the world for mental health

Wherever you go, go with total peace of mind

At William Russell, we understand that expats and digital nomads are at higher risk of experiencing mental health issues while living abroad. That’s why our international health insurance policies include optional mental health cover to protect your well-being. With our mental health benefit, you’ll have access to:

• Inpatient and daypatient treatment covering a wide range of mental health disorders
• Specialist mental health consultations from leading psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors
• Medication covering a number of mental health disorders

International health insurance members can also access Elevate; a curated selection of complimentary services offering total support for your health, mind, well-being and safety. TELUS Health Engage provides everyday well-being support including:

• Fitness and wellness challenges and rewards
• Mental well-being resources
• Health content and tools
• Support to build healthier routines
• Access to confidential counselling sessions
• Immediate crisis support when you need it

Whether you need professional mental health support or everyday well-being tools, we’re here to help you feel supported, wherever life takes you.

Find out more about how we’re taking your insurance one step further with Elevate.

---

Terms & conditions apply to our insurance products and services. You can find full details of what our plans cover (and what they don’t cover) in our plan agreements.

Looking for international health insurance?

Get a Quote