Moving Back to America After Living Abroad

Imagine this: your plane touches down in your homeland after years abroad. The familiar sounds, smells, and sights that once seemed routine now feel foreign. You’re not quite the person you were when you left, and America isn’t quite the same either.
Whether it’s career growth, personal relationships, or just the desire for a new adventure, many expats eventually find themselves contemplating the big move back. But the journey home is often more challenging than expected. In fact, reverse culture shock can sometimes be more intense than what you experienced moving abroad in the first place. How do you navigate this terrain successfully?

Let’s start from the end and work backward:

Step 5: Settling in Is a Roller Coaster

You’re back. You’ve unpacked your suitcases, and everything feels surreal. Old habits quickly return—speaking English all the time, eating at your favorite places, but something feels off. It’s the paradox of familiarity: everything is the same, but somehow different. You might struggle with the pace of life. If you’ve been living in a relaxed culture, returning to a fast-paced, "always-on" American lifestyle might feel jarring.

One key tip: Don't rush the reintegration process. Try to let things settle naturally without forcing your old routine to immediately take hold. Give yourself time to breathe.

Step 4: Navigating Reverse Culture Shock

Reverse culture shock can hit you hard. It’s the mental dissonance of coming back to what you thought was home but finding out it’s not quite the home you remembered. Suddenly, you notice the idiosyncrasies of American culture that you’d taken for granted before. Perhaps the consumerism or the abundance of choices at the supermarket is overwhelming. Or maybe you struggle to reconnect with friends and family who haven’t experienced life the way you have.

To combat this, stay connected to the expat community you left behind or join a local group of like-minded returnees. It helps to talk to people who “get it.” Also, journaling or seeking out professional counseling can smooth the transition.

Step 3: Rebuilding Your Network

One of the most stressful aspects of moving back is rebuilding your social network—both personal and professional. You may have lost touch with old friends, or they’ve moved on to different stages of life. The dynamics are no longer the same, and that can feel isolating.

How do you approach this? Start small. Leverage LinkedIn to reconnect with old colleagues or build new professional connections. Attend networking events, reach out to friends of friends, or join meet-up groups in your area. It’s essential to get plugged into a community again—whether that’s through work, hobbies, or local events. The key is to accept that your network will look different from before, and that’s okay.

Step 2: Financial Repercussions of Moving Back

Now, let’s talk about the financial challenges. If you’ve been earning abroad, particularly in a country with a lower cost of living, returning to the U.S. can be a financial shock. Housing, healthcare, and general living expenses in the U.S. are considerably higher than in many parts of the world.

Let’s break this down with a table to compare average living expenses in the U.S. versus popular expat destinations:

Category	USA (New York City)	Thailand (Bangkok)	Spain (Madrid)	Mexico (Mexico City)
Rent (1-bedroom apt)	$3,500	$600	$900	$750
Healthcare (per month)	$500	$50	$100	$75
Dining Out (avg meal)	$20	$3	$10	$8
Internet (monthly)	$60	$15	$30	$20

As you can see, moving back might require a higher salary to maintain a similar quality of life. It’s important to plan ahead and have a financial cushion in place. If you’ve been living abroad for an extended period, it might also be a good time to review your investments, retirement accounts, and insurance policies.

Step 1: Saying Goodbye and Closing Chapters

Before you even board that plane, the first emotional hurdle is saying goodbye to your life abroad. You’re not just leaving a place; you’re leaving a lifestyle, a community, and likely a part of yourself that thrived in that foreign environment. The process of moving back starts with closure.

This can mean hosting farewell events, finishing up professional commitments, or doing something special to commemorate your time abroad. One suggestion is to document your experience, either by creating a photo album or journaling your reflections on the life you led. It provides a sense of finality, making the transition smoother.

Why Moving Back Can Be a Smart Choice

Despite all the challenges, moving back to America can be a brilliant choice. The U.S. remains one of the most robust economies in the world, with ample opportunities for career growth, innovation, and education. There’s also the comfort of being closer to family and long-time friends, as well as enjoying the conveniences that come with life in a developed country (think: fast internet, reliable healthcare, and easy access to global markets).

If you’ve spent years abroad developing new skills, languages, and perspectives, you’ll be able to leverage those to your advantage. Many employers value international experience, especially in industries like tech, finance, education, and healthcare.

Ultimately, the decision to move back is deeply personal. Some returnees fall back in love with their homeland, while others find themselves plotting their next international adventure. The important thing is to approach the transition with patience, curiosity, and a plan. America will always be home—but it’s okay if home feels different now.