Brutally Honest Advice for Americans Moving to Europe in 2026
Video Overview & Insights
Moving from the US to Europe brings incredible rewards, but a successful transition requires looking past the social media highlight reels and preparing for the emotional and logistical realities of relocation. While the initial honeymoon phase offers a cinematic experience filled with beautiful architecture, open-air markets, and vibrant café culture, expats inevitably encounter "the dip", a period of temporary loneliness and adjustment once the novelty wears off. Overcoming this phase involves rebuilding a daily routine and local network from scratch, navigating difficult international housing searches, adapting to local community dynamics, and enjoying the car-free freedom provided by robust European transit networks.
What is your #1 fear about moving abroad? For those asking for the tax and relocation links, I've added them to the description and here: Relocation guidance: https://www.travelingwithkristin.com/relocation?video=-Uwt7pDUnS8 // Expat tax help: https://www.taxesforexpats.com/ref/284
Financially and logistically, a permanent move demands careful planning around international regulations, healthcare structures, and tax obligations. US citizens remain taxed on their worldwide income, making it essential to understand mechanisms like the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and establish clean financial foundations before applying for visas. Additionally, while private health insurance in Europe is highly affordable compared to the US, the public systems often involve strict residency waiting periods and prerequisite local bank accounts. Ultimately, the transition is smoothest for those who secure a remote or passive income stream, build a solid three-to-six-month savings runway, and push past analysis paralysis to take actionable steps toward their international goals.
Resources Mentioned:
American here, I’ve been living in Denmark for 19 years. For me, since I moved here very quickly-I met my husband and moved here within 3 months- it was a big shock for me. I’d say it took me 2 years before I really felt settled, though I have had my Danish husband to help me navigate my way. The first happy shock was receiving my health card and learning I could see my doctor whenever I wanted/needed for no cost! That was a dream come true. Everything else were just things I had to get used to like stores closing much earlier on Saturdays than in the U.S., and, at that time, most everything was closed on Sundays. Oh, and everything being shut down for the 3 days of Christmas! Yes, that was a shock. And 7+hour Christmas lunches!!
* Relocate Abroad: https://www.travelingwithkristin.com/relocation?video=-Uwt7pDUnS8
* US Expat Tax Consultations (Discount): https://www.taxesforexpats.com/ref/284
Brutally Honest? Without mentioning money until the very end with the exeption of taxes? Sounds like moving advice very much focused on people who live from passive income. Which are the kind of Americans least liked in Europe. Then there is the language thing and that expat angle. Europe isn't Dubai. Want to do it right? Be an immigrant. Take language courses before moving, not after (yes many speak English, no only speaking English doesn't make you endearing and exotic). Get a job, people often meet at work. Not an American corporate bullshit job though, preferably something real that isn't an UFO staffed by mostly other "expats". Also something that doesn't revolve around language schools, that's a British domain. At least it was before Brexit.
Go to a place that isn't overrun by obnoxious foreigners searching for an "authentic" european experience. Those towns are a trap, nobody likes foreigners who price the locals out of their own homes. Most countries have more than two cities and railways mean you can always visit Lisbon, Barcelona or Bordeaux for vacation. Remote village life can be equally foolish though. That stuff is for advanced immigrants only, those who like to play on hardcore mode or are really extroverted+sensible.
Lastly be aware that social welfare systems in Europe are mostly build on a non-transferable longterm commitment inside each single state. That's vitally important if you want to receive a European pension at some point. Becoming a true part of the society you immigrate into is more important than superficial fairy tale BS. That takes also time and it's the one thing that makes this whole journey worthwhile for both sides. On that note nobody needs to be perfect or have all the skills on arrival. Over-preparedness is a trap, a good part of early connections and maybe even eventual friendships result from needing help and asking for it. Search for solidarity, not self-sufficiency. As an immigrant you certainly need the willingness to learn and adapt. That's an advantage that often puts one well in front of ignorant locals who refuse to do so and whom many other locals are tired of. Your chance to be a fresh wind. A honeymoon can go both ways if done right. As such even a professional immigration helper can be more of a burden than a help if relied on too much. You don't need a tour guide for Europe, you need the ability/willingness to charmingly ask for the thing you seek.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction: 25 Years of Global Relocation Experience
Really great advice. Lived in Central Asia for 9 years and this all applies as well
0:33 - The Honeymoon Phase vs. "The Dip"
2:16 - Rebuilding Your Daily Life and Local Network From Scratch
Just a hunch that could be totally wrong—it won’t surprises me if you’re a childless woman by choice. I’ve been wrong in the past. Just a hunch. 🐈🍷
3:21 - Navigating International Property Searches and Housing Obstacles 4:07 - US Expat Taxes & The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)
6:20 - The Reality of European Private Health Insurance and Public Waiting Times
Europe is being destroyed by all the wrong kind of immigration. It’s one thing when Europeans move from one country to another within Europe or Americans move to Europe or vice versa. What’s happening now? Cultural suicide.
8:05 - Cultural Adjustments: Over-Tourism, Language Barriers, and Finding Community
10:26 - European Food Culture, Open-Air Markets, and Historical Landscapes
Americans don't want immigrants in their country but they have no shame to become immigrants in other countries.
12:13 - Car-Free Freedom: Transit Networks and European Café Culture 13:28 - Are You Ready to Move This Year? Evaluating Income and Visa Requirements
14:34 - When to Wait: Cleaning Up Finances and Building a 3-to-6-Month Savings Runway
Kristin, does YouTube pay into your Social Security for retirement purposes?
15:36 - Overcoming Analysis Paralysis and Taking the First Step
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Europe is NOT A REGION! It's a continent with lots of different countries! Please don't speak about Europe like it's some region.
👱🏻♀️ About Me: I'm Kristin Wilson, author of Digital Nomads For Dummies and Moving Abroad For Dummies. Since 2005, I've helped thousands of people relocate abroad (families, retirees, and professionals), and I've traveled to 65+ countries. As the creator of the top-rated Traveling with Kristin Podcast and YouTube channel, my mission is to provide honest, practical advice based on real expat experiences - not just tourist highlights.
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One more comment: Europe isn’t 1 culture. Europe is a continent with vastly different cultures. Brits are very different from the Dutch who are very different from the French who again are very different from the Italians. Different customs, different food, different languages, different laws. Be aware. Countries within the EU may share the Euro and some rules and regulations, but every country still is it’s own culture.
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What Americans should know: being “a third Italian” or “20% Dutch” really means jack s**t when you’re in the actual country. You probably know nothing about the country and your upbringing had nothing to do with the modern day in that country.
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That's a grating accent
DISCLAIMER: This video contains general information about travel and living abroad and is not intended as legal, financial, or immigration advice. This video is for entertainment purposes only. Costs, visa requirements, and local regulations can often change. Always consult with qualified professionals before making relocation decisions. Video descriptions may also contain affiliate or refer-a-friend links for products I use and recommend. Thank you for watching and supporting my channel.
Emigrantes estadounidenses? No gracias ,pueden irse a Rusia .
More User Perspectives
Good advice. However, as someone who has lived in 34 countries all over the world, it would be nice and increase your authority if you showered some awareness that most people, including us who move around a lot internationally, are not in your tax bracket and level of privilege.
@kyrrekausrud5960How is taking trains buses and planes aka public transport more free than driving your own car?
@soggykid55802:58 Someone from Europe here. It's so strange to hear about "carpet cleaner" as about one of the professionals you need on your daily basis. That's so American to me. In Europe (most of it) we just have barely any carpets... So, at least I know that the inculturation didn't go that deep in case of the author of this video.
@feandil1713Thanks!
@robertpayne9009I’m a language learner and I listen to your videos like a podcast because you habe the most pristine pronunciation of U.S. English.
@OnlinemensaI used to live abroad for almost 10 years and it never felt like home. At best it was like being an overstayed guest in the living room of a kind person who just did not say out loud I don't belong there and it is really time to go home now.
@ThorTyrker@1:33 - "even though my grandfather was Hungarian..." - this is such a uniquely US-American thing to say... 😆
@arminbreuer7968Unless you are the Norwegian government or a billionaire you clean you own carpets and do your own gardening.
The American delusion need to stay inside USA.
If you want to thrive in Europe you need to unlearn your propaganda, human values, increase tolerance and tone down your extrovertism and main character syndrome❤
I am moving because of the people, food, and slow paced life. Have been to Europe many times I know what its like. I never stayed in Big name hotels, always stayed local to of course help the locals and not the big guy. My honeymoon phase is over because I am still in America and depressed and cannot wait to be gone.
@OverlandingArmyVeteranI have traveled many places but would never move to Europe. I gave up my old country to be in the USA 🇺🇸 greatest country on God's green earth!
@vikashprakashI have lived half my life in Sweden and almost the other half in Finland. I have never needed a carpet cleaner ever. We have laminate floor.
@petra9923Americans need to stay in the U.S. and save their own country. Especially after calling Europe poor, jaleous and pathetic for 200 years straight.
We are Europoor communists, right? So why move here?
Regarding real inclusion: things are probably much the same anywhere, you can't expect to be living on the goods of others all the time, it can only be an exchange if it is to endure. 😀 And europe is not a museum made for aliens. It's our home. And our culture is our life, not just a funny story in a soap.
@pkorobaseIt seems like you don't like the UK at all. Why?
@lorddaver5729It's an ad
@lokinounouIt is also important to understand that you are now an immigrant. Concept of ex-pat is very British and American. There are really no ex-pats in most countries. Only immigrants.
@upnorth2421Find a carpet cleaner???
@valma7702Video for the 0.01%
Get a Job in a medium / large company. And if you apply from abroad and have a needed skill, they will help you with your Visa.
When you work there, they also do quite a lot of tax related stuff (+ usually they have contacts to specialists for international taxation)
You'll have colleges -> free friend potential
Often you'll have free or really cheap language courses
When still in need of something to do (and already speaking the language good enough) - join some local volunteer group. Gives you something to do + another social network.
A carpet cleaner, a gardener, i'm sorry are you living in Versailles nowadays?
@stijnvthDon't. Stay on your side of the pond and clean up your mess first. Collectively as a society.
@guesswhathellPlease avoid the dip, stay in america
@crusoe2957aww 6 months without a dental clean you poor thing
@renechristiansen3297"Even though my grandfather is half Hungarian"
This American stereotype is so damn true. Your a tourist that doesn't speak the language. Your just as Hungarian as I am.
One needs to have a well thought out plan. Secure the finances and learn about the country you want to live in. What are the real cost of living and what will your situation be once you have settled in. If The word Europa over the years has gotten a romantic aura about it, have a spine and look in the mirror. Life is always a struggle, get real. Make sure your ambisjon is rootet in the reality you can se before your eyes .Europa is complex and not unified as just one country. I have been working with immigrants doing service etc. They all have one thing in commen, they know each other and are as sutch having commen ground. Let me repeat: Europa is not One Country. Be someone, get real....
@MisterBicPenonly 27 countries in EU.
@bgreg6069Very good video. Think people need to do some research before moving or even just visiting. Embracing a country comes from knowing what it offers on so many parameters, even if you will get surprises still, but it gives you a better insights into if the mood and culture suits you. Maybe that lessens the honeymoon, but it could also diminish the dip. To find happiness, you need to embrace assimilation, and is best done by embracing what you enter, and diminish where you came from. I think that almost goes for any major move, even within same country like USA, where you move from the big city to the country side, or vice versa. Of course it is not as big an upheaval, but you probably understand that there are some adjustments to be made, and you need to make that clear beforehand or you may dismiss it for the wrong reasons.
@janniknielsen9292wait. do i get welcome party if i move to the US. or is the immigration office and its 1 hour questions on arrival the "happy to have you here" happening?
@Alexander-dt2eq"Even though my grandfather is half Hungarian". Ie. you have nothing to do with Hungary. LoL at Americans thinking they're "something". You're not related to any nation unless you were born there, by at least one native parent. And you never will be.
@snotspatIf you voted Trump, please don't come
@MrArcanjoGabrielone american tried to exhange dollars to euros 1:1 that was very stupid street exchange... If you come to europe, you pay EURO not dollar.
@alvydasjokubauskas2587EU has programs to attract foreign academics that target Americans. Fake and unstable university positions combined with forced early retirements and language exams for citizenship killed the deal. In the better case, you'll get a position for a couple years and full stop. You return to US on your own or get deported. Might be OK for a postdoc, but if you are leaving USA, I guess for most of you, the economic problems in US didn't get you to an undergrad degree, let alone a PhD. Basic labor employers typically demand local language skills, but are only barely paying basic cost of living. There are of course a lot of other circumstances than academia where I spent my career.
@deewells1965Housing. It's 1984 and my parents are contracted to Delhi. Taken to see a large villa divided into apartments, "and the neighbours are lovely. Foreigners, like you. Europeans. Diplomats." Oh, yes? Where from? "So, under you, it's Israelis, and above you, the PLO". They chose elsewhere :-)
@iandickson7699North Macedonia is good for british or American expats?
@qmhandyIt's possible to give up US citizenship so that you're not dual-taxed: the US is more or less the only country that dual-taxes - but it's made deliberately hard.
@amacaterEurope is not perfect but if I had to pick between Europe and the USA for an average life not to be rich but simply wanting quality of life healthcare labor laws travel for cheaper in public transportation id pick Europe daily the USA has gone sideways the recent 10 years and its bad very bad I regret moving here at times life is toxic and expensive and people are hostile once you know the system and most Americans are full of bs as well I can't blame them the amount of bad food we consume here makes us not think properly.
@FreedomrocksusaYes that is to say don't move here. Stay home, gentrifiers. Your welcome ran out some time ago.
@kzonedd7718If you want "open-air markets, rich history, and car-free freedom provided by public transit", there are plenty of places in the US you can live like that. The only advantage Europe has over the US is that Europeans are so much poorer that even as a middle class American, you will feel wealthy and be able to lord over the rest of the population.
@vonsteuben21c