As a college student, Whitney Marin knew she wanted to live in France. She had already studied abroad in Paris (as well as Mumbai) with plans of taking her media career abroad as soon as possible. In her interview with the Global Chatter podcast, she shared how she needed to get the legalities and her finances settled first. She found an opportunity to work as an au pair and eventually landed a full-time job in her industry in Paris.
Moving abroad is a big step. It’s exciting, but it also requires a lot of planning and preparation. If you’re reading this, you’ve already decided that this is the life for you. Choosing a country to move to is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning your move.
Nowhere is perfect for every Black person. There are too many individual nuances to say that certain countries will meet the needs of every Black person. There are also over 200 countries and territories in the world. Chances are more than one place might fit your needs. Unless you are moving for a relationship, work, or unanticipated circumstances, there are plenty of factors to consider before making a final decision on where to relocate.
Perhaps the most exciting part of moving abroad is getting to experience different cultures, languages, and cuisines. You may find yourself drawn to a certain way of life — and that instinct is worth following.
Latrice Shepherd chose Paris because it fit with her desire to learn French. She was absolutely determined to become fluent, and what began as a short stay turned into long-term life in France. Maybe the history and architecture of a European city captivates you, or the slower pace of life in Southeast Asia speaks to something you’ve been craving. Follow that interest and explore what each country has to offer.
It’s also important to choose a country where you can live the way you want to. Consider whether your new home will accommodate your existing lifestyle, hobbies, dietary needs, and community.
When weighing your options, don’t underestimate climate. It can affect your health, happiness, and productivity in ways that are easy to overlook during the research phase.
Peace Bailey and her family chose Spain specifically because, after 19 years of cold UK weather, they wanted warmth. They made the move after several visits to the country. If you love hot weather year-round, Canada may not be for you. If outdoor living is a priority, look at countries where the terrain and seasons align with how you want to spend your time.
Geography matters too. Do you prefer coastal access, mountain terrain, or a dense urban environment? If you’re drawn to city life, research the major cities in each country on your list — they can feel like entirely different countries within the same borders.
One of the first things to evaluate is a country’s economy and what it means for your financial life there. Historically, this meant looking for job opportunities for foreigners, favorable trade relations, and local employment options. That’s still relevant, but the landscape has changed significantly.
If you work remotely, you now have far more flexibility than previous generations of expats. More than 50 countries now offer dedicated digital nomad visas — legal permits specifically designed for remote workers that allow you to live abroad while earning income from an employer or clients in another country. These visas have grown dramatically since 2022, and as of 2026, destinations range from Spain and Portugal in Europe to Colombia, Costa Rica, and Thailand in the Americas and Asia.
This matters for your decision-making. If you’re a remote worker, your job comes with you — so your focus shifts to cost of living, infrastructure (internet reliability, co-working spaces), and the legal pathway that a nomad visa provides. Working on a tourist visa while employed abroad is often technically illegal, so it’s worth understanding how the countries on your list are handling this.
If you’re looking for local employment, check that the country has enough job opportunities for foreigners and look for companies headquartered in your home country that have offices abroad. Bilingual opportunities are worth exploring if you’re willing to develop fluency.
If you’re retired or living on a fixed income, the cost-of-living calculation is paramount. Devon and Lawanson Austin chose Costa Rica because it was affordable on a fixed income — though it’s worth noting that costs in many popular expat destinations, including Costa Rica and Panama, have risen meaningfully over the past few years. Devon notes that after nearly four years of research, Paris was financially out of reach. For similar reasons, retiree Joyce Barr chose Panama. Both are still viable options, but we recommend verifying current cost-of-living data rather than relying on figures from even a few years ago.
When you’re considering a move abroad, the social and political environment of a country deserves serious research — not just a quick Google. Understanding a country’s history helps you understand its culture and where it stands today.
Look into crime rates and what types of crime are most common. Understand how frequently political unrest occurs, and what typically triggers it. Know whether there are any ongoing protests or political tensions in cities you’re considering — these can affect both your day-to-day safety and your long-term sense of stability in a place.
Social factors matter too: laws around marriage and family, rights extended to residents versus citizens, and how the legal and penal systems treat foreigners. What’s a non-issue in one country can carry real consequences in another.
For Black expats specifically, it’s worth going beyond the general research. Connect with Black expat communities already living in the countries you’re considering. Their lived experience — navigating race, visibility, microaggressions, and community — will tell you things that no government website or travel blog will.
The world may feel like your oyster, but being properly documented in a country is more complicated than it looks — and it varies significantly based on your passport, your income, and the country’s own immigration priorities.
The main categories to understand are:
Don’t assume a country is easy to immigrate to based on proximity or reputation. Mahlena-Rae Johnson shared how it took several applications and a few years for her family to move to Canada — a country many Americans assume is a straightforward option.
If you’re managing the immigration process yourself, consider working with a reputable immigration attorney who understands the specific laws and requirements of the country you’re targeting. The process is rarely as simple as it appears online.
Taxes are one of the most complex and frequently overlooked aspects of moving abroad — especially for Americans, who are subject to U.S. federal taxes on worldwide income regardless of where they live.
Tax situations vary dramatically by country. Some countries have no income tax; others charge income tax plus a value-added tax on goods and services. Some countries have special tax regimes for new residents or digital nomads — Spain’s “Beckham Law,” for example, offers favorable flat-rate taxation for qualifying foreign workers for up to six years.
For Americans, two key tools worth understanding are the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE), which allows you to exclude a portion of foreign-earned income from U.S. federal taxes, and the Foreign Tax Credit, which can offset taxes you pay to your host country against your U.S. tax bill. Many expats who file correctly end up owing little to nothing in federal income tax — but this requires intentional planning, not assumptions.
Business owners face additional considerations. If you operate a U.S.-based business while living abroad, the structure of that business and where your clients are located can all affect your obligations in both countries. A tax professional who specializes in expat finances is worth the investment before you make your move.
Choosing where to live abroad is one of the most layered decisions you’ll make — and the right answer looks different for every person. The considerations above aren’t a checklist to work through once and forget; they’re areas to keep revisiting as your shortlist evolves and as conditions in your target countries change.
The one constant: do your research, connect with people who are already living the life you’re imagining, and build flexibility into your plans. The world has more options for Black expats than ever before — and more pathways to make it legal and sustainable.
Know your why. Now find your where.
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