| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
“I’ve been eating noodles for two weeks now because I spent all my money on a house deposit,” John texted from Canada, just three months after leaving Nigeria with $15,000 in savings
Moving abroad isn’t just about packing your bags and buying a plane ticket. There’s so much that your relatives abroad aren’t telling you.
The glossy social media posts and proud family announcements hide a more complicated truth about starting a new life in Europe, America, Canada, or Asia.
Let’s talk about the real costs – from empty bank accounts to lonely nights – that you need to prepare for.
Hidden Financial Cost of Relocating Abroad
The financial shock of moving abroad hits harder than most people expect. Your savings will vanish quickly, and here’s exactly how it happens. 
First, housing costs will eat up the biggest chunk of your money. Most landlords abroad want two to three months’ rent as a deposit, which can easily amount to $5,000 in major cities.
Then comes the rental agent fees, typically another month’s rent at $1,500 to $2,000. You might think you’re done with housing costs, but you’re just getting started.
Most apartments abroad come empty – no furniture, no appliances, sometimes not even light fixtures. Setting up a basic living space with just the essentials – a bed, table, chairs, and basic kitchen equipment – will cost you another $2,000 at minimum.
Don’t forget about house insurance, which landlords often require, adding another $500 yearly to your expenses. Utility deposits for electricity, gas, and water can easily add up to $1,000 more.
Daily living expenses abroad often shock new immigrants. In major cities:
- Monthly transport pass: ($100-200)
- Winter clothes if you’re moving to cold countries: ($500-800)
- Phone plan with data: ($50-80 monthly)
- Internet setup and monthly bills: ($100 setup + $60-80 monthly)
- Food costs more than at home: ($400-600 monthly)
Even finding a job costs money:
- Certification exams: ($200-1,000)
- Professional association fees: ($300-500 yearly)
- Smart clothes for interviews: ($300-500)
Emotional Price Tag of Starting Over Abroad
The emotional challenges of relocating hit even harder than the financial ones, yet few people talk about them. Imagine walking into a grocery store and spending twenty minutes looking for something as simple as salt because you can’t read the labels.
Or sitting in a work meeting where everyone is laughing at a joke you don’t understand, not because of the language, but because you don’t share the same cultural references.
The food situation becomes particularly challenging for African immigrants. Finding ingredients for your familiar meals becomes an expensive treasure hunt. That small pack of garri that costs nothing back home might set you back $10 here.
Fresh fish that you could buy easily at the local market becomes a luxury. You might spend hours traveling to specialized African shops, only to find that the ingredients don’t taste quite the same.
Loneliness creeps in during unexpected moments. Back home, weekends meant spontaneous visits from friends and family, the sounds of children playing in the compound, and the comfort of familiar faces.
Abroad, weekends can feel endless and quiet. You’ll miss the energy of African gatherings, the way everyone chips in during celebrations, and the comfort of speaking your local language.
Even something as simple as greeting people becomes different – no more elaborate greetings or checking on someone’s entire family.
Professional Challenges and Career Transition
Your career journey abroad often starts with a harsh reality check. That impressive title you held back home might mean little in your new country. Many African professionals discover they need to completely restart their careers.
Your fifteen years of experience might be dismissed because it wasn’t gained locally. Even worse, your accent might become a barrier in job interviews, regardless of your qualifications.
The path to professional recognition usually requires significant investment. Many immigrants find themselves needing to take local certification exams costing thousands of dollars.
Your degrees might need evaluation by local authorities, adding more expenses. Some professions require completely starting over – doctors, lawyers, and engineers often find themselves studying again or taking bridge programs that can last years.
Meanwhile, you need to survive. This often means taking jobs you never imagined doing. Many highly qualified African professionals start with survival jobs – security work, cleaning, care homes, or factory work.
It’s not uncommon to see a former bank manager working as a security guard or a lawyer working in a warehouse. These jobs become necessary stepping stones while you build your career again.
Family Expectations While Abroad
The pressure from home starts almost immediately after you land. Your family and friends back home often don’t understand why you can’t send money right away.
Weekly calls turn into subtle or direct requests for help. Every emergency back home becomes your emergency. The guilt of saying no weighs heavily, especially when you know the challenges people face back home.
You find yourself living a double life – pretending things are better than they are to avoid worrying your family while struggling to make ends meet.
Your relatives might not understand why you can’t send money when they see your social media posts from a developed country. They don’t see you counting coins for laundry or eating the same meal for days to save money.
Building a Sustainable Life Abroad
Success in your new country requires careful planning and patience. Instead of renting an entire apartment alone, consider sharing with others to cut costs in half. This not only saves money but also provides companionship and often leads to valuable friendships.
Learn to cook your local foods instead of buying from expensive African shops. Master the art of buying groceries from discount stores and buying in bulk when there are sales.
Building a support network becomes crucial for long-term success. Join local African community groups, but don’t limit yourself to them.
Attend free community events, visit local religious centers, and make friends with other immigrants who understand your journey. These connections often lead to job opportunities, affordable housing leads, and practical advice for navigating your new society.
Take advantage of free government services for newcomers. Many countries offer free language classes, job search workshops, and settlement services.
Libraries provide free internet access, printing services, and sometimes even free passes to local attractions. Community centers often host free activities where you can meet people and learn about local culture.
Conclusion
The truth is, starting over abroad is harder than most people admit. That $20,000 or $30,000 you saved up? It might last just 3-4 months if you’re not careful.
But don’t panic. Many Africans have made it work before you. The key is knowing these costs before you move and planning for them.
Remember: The first year is the hardest. Things do get better, but only if you’re smart with your money and patient with yourself. Your dream life abroad is possible, but it won’t happen as fast as those Instagram posts make it look.
