By students, for students

Move abroad, no surprises

The adulting skills nobody taught you at school: paperwork, housing, work and money, step by step.

25 destinations · 4 languages · always free

Where do you start?

Compare costs, paperwork, and opportunities to find the destination that fits your plans.

🇮🇹

Italy

Tax code, contracts, and healthcare: Italian bureaucracy explained without the runaround.

🇺🇸

United States

Healthcare and visas to figure out before you leave; costs vary wildly between coasts and the Midwest.

🇨🇦

Canada

Permits, healthcare, and rental rules vary by province, so plan the city and pathway together.

🇩🇪

Germany

High rents and complex paperwork, but strong student job opportunities if you plan ahead.

🇫🇷

France

Paris rents are tough, but healthcare and student rights are solid if you hit every deadline.

🇪🇸

Spain

Lower living costs than Northern Europe, but your lease and NIE need careful handling.

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

Housing and post-Brexit visas need early planning; English helps a lot on the ground.

🇳🇱

Netherlands

Competitive rents and BSN registration first: without an address, most services stay blocked.

🇨🇭

Switzerland

High wages but permits and mandatory insurance: without a clear budget you run short fast.

🇷🇴

Romania

Low costs and a growing tech scene; bureaucracy is often faster than in Western Europe.

🇯🇵

Japan

Visa, guarantor, and My Number: strict rules, but everything flows if you follow them.

🇨🇳

China

Z visa and residence permits take patience; day-to-day life is surprisingly affordable.

🇦🇺

Australia

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇦🇹

Austria

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇧🇪

Belgium

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇵🇹

Portugal

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇵🇱

Poland

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇸🇪

Sweden

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇳🇴

Norway

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇬🇷

Greece

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇳🇿

New Zealand

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇮🇪

Ireland

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇩🇰

Denmark

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇹🇭

Thailand

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

🇮🇳

India

Documents, study, work, housing, healthcare, and money: a practical guide to planning your move.

Compare all destinations
  1. 1Destination
  2. 2Profile
  3. 3Preview
Where are you moving from and to?
What kind of move are you planning?

Full preview · no sign-up required

Your first roadmap

Here is where to start. Your full plan can evolve with you.

Destination
Estimated date
Monthly budget

Your first priorities

  • Compare rent, the initial deposit and recurring costs with your budget.
  • Turn your estimated date into deadlines for documents, housing and travel.

Your first 30-day priorities

  1. Before leaving: check entry rules, documents, health cover and initial accommodation.
  2. Days 1–7: complete any applicable registrations and set up connectivity and transport.
  3. Days 8–15: organise payments, proof of address and tasks linked to your move.
  4. Days 16–30: review deadlines and replace estimates with your actual expenses.

Documents to check

This is a verification checklist, not a statement that every item is mandatory.

    Budget check

    Your amount is a starting point. Keep one-off moving costs separate.

    • Rent and initial deposit
    • Travel and temporary accommodation
    • Food, transport, phone and utilities
    • Health, insurance and verified official fees
    • An emergency fund chosen by you

    We do not show a “correct” threshold without verified city- and profile-level data.

    Three risks to check

    1
    Starting documents too late

    Check tasks involving authorities, consulates, universities or employers first.

    2
    Underestimating initial costs

    Deposits, travel and initial cover sit outside your normal monthly budget.

    3
    Unverifiable payments

    Do not send money without a verifiable identity, written terms and a checkable contract.

    Planning milestones

      Guides and sources to consult

      The guides collect available official links and flag what you should reconfirm.

      What to confirm before acting

      • Rules for your citizenship and length of stay
      • Timelines, fees and forms with the competent authority
      • Your right to study, work or undertake an internship
      • Validity of housing, insurance and documents on your departure date

      This plan organises your checks; it does not replace authorities, universities or professionals. Rules, costs and timelines can change.

      Save your plan and find it whenever you need it

      You already have the roadmap. A free account only lets you keep and update it.

      • 8 ready-to-use checkpoints: 4 first-month phases and 4 deadlines to verify.
      • Save the plan and continue from your phone, tablet, or computer.
      • Use the personal calendar to add deadlines and reminders.
      Create an account to save it Continue without saving

      Already have an account? Sign in on the same page.

      To resume after email confirmation, this browser keeps your draft answers for up to 48 hours and deletes them after saving. If you consent to analytics, we measure aggregate categories only—never your departure country, exact amount, or exact date.

      Everything to sort out before you leave

      Practical answers about paperwork, housing, money, healthcare, safety, and daily life.

      Documents and visas

      See what you need, when to start, and which mistakes can slow you down.

      Housing without nasty surprises

      Compare rent, deposits, and contracts, and spot common scams.

      Budget and cost of living

      Estimate rent, groceries, transport, insurance, and your starting fund.

      Healthcare and insurance

      Understand the coverage you need and how to access care after arrival.

      Risks and mistakes to avoid

      Prepare for scams, emergencies, and the most important local rules.

      Your first 30 days

      Transport, SIM cards, banking, and habits that make arrival easier.

      Tools you actually use

      Try budgeting, currency, weather, and document timelines for free before building your plan.

      What is your money really worth?

      Convert your budget with updated rates and see what you can spend after you arrive.

      100 EUR
      108.50 USD

      FAQ

      Answers you need before deciding

      How the guides work, which data we use, and what a free account gives you.

      Is LifeSkills free?

      Yes. You can read the guides, compare destinations, and use the main tools for free. A free account lets you save cases, checklists, and useful content for your journey.

      Does the information apply to my citizenship?

      Not always. Visas, permits, work rights, and insurance depend on your citizenship, destination, and length of stay. The guides separate profiles where needed and point you to the official source for your situation.

      How do you check that the guides are current?

      We check information against governments, embassies, universities, and public services and show a verification date in the guides. Rules and costs can change, so always check the linked official source before acting.

      Can I use LifeSkills if I have not chosen a destination?

      Yes. You can compare destinations by costs, language, paperwork, and daily life. The comparison is a starting point: your final choice depends on your program, budget, citizenship, and personal goals.

      How much does moving abroad really cost?

      It depends mainly on the city, housing, insurance, deposit, and lifestyle. Estimates are indicative: compare cities, check what is included, and budget separately for initial expenses and unexpected costs.

      Why should I create an account?

      Essential information is available without an account. A free account lets you save cases, guides, and checklists and find them again in your dashboard while planning your move.

      Does LifeSkills replace an adviser or embassy?

      No. LifeSkills helps you understand the process, organize steps, and find relevant sources, but it does not replace authorities, universities, or qualified advisers. Confirm legal, tax, health, and immigration decisions with the competent source.

      How is my data used?

      We collect the data needed to provide the features you request. Marketing messages require separate consent, and you can change your preferences or request account deletion as described in the privacy policy.

      A successful move starts with a plan

      See which documents to prepare, what budget to expect, and what to do next.