Working Abroad? Download These 13 Expat Apps ASAP
Do you plan on moving abroad soon?
Or maybe you already live abroad and find yourself struggling on a daily basis.
As someone who has lived the expat life in the past, I know all about the trials and tribulations that come with the lifestyle.
While living abroad is a life-changing experience and is mostly exciting and fun, there are times when it can be challenging.
Thankfully, we now live in the time of technology. You no longer have to rely on paper maps and carting around 400-page language dictionaries.
In the 21st century, you can have all the help you could ever need or want right at your fingertips!
Let’s look at the most helpful apps for all you expats out there.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Working Abroad? Download These 13 Expat Apps ASAP
Maybe you’ve been living as an expat for years. Or perhaps you’re getting ready to transition to the expat life in the next few months.
No matter what stage you’re at, these apps will help you live the most hassle-free expat life imaginable.
Expat Apps for Language and Communication
For many people, one of the most challenging aspects of living abroad is learning the local language and staying in touch with loved ones.
There are dozens of language learning and communication apps available, but these are the two I relied on most while abroad:
Google Translate
Google Translate has helped me during my travels more times than I can count!
I open this app whenever I’m having trouble communicating with locals. Simply type in the phrase or word you’re trying to convey and watch as it’s instantly translated into the language you need.
Cost: Free.
Viber Messenger
Viber is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family near and far.
It has a messaging feature for chatting and allows you to make international phone calls free of charge as long as you’re connected to Wi-Fi or have a data plan.
Cost: Free with in-app purchases available.
Expat Apps for Traveling and Getting Around
There’s a plethora of travel apps out there, but there are some that are more user-friendly and reliable than others.
Here are the ones I use regularly and recommend:
Hopper
Are you trying to save money on your next flight to or from your chosen country of residence?
Hopper tracks and predicts the best times to buy tickets or book a hotel, helping you to save up to 40% on your purchase!
Cost: Free.
TripAdvisor
Whenever I’m planning a trip or looking for a new restaurant to try, I pull up my TripAdvisor app.
This app is useful for gathering information on local hotels, attractions, shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. You can find advice for different towns, and you’ll access reviews and recommendations for various establishments from both experts and amateur travelers.
Cost: Free.
Google Maps
When I first moved abroad, I often found myself turned around or lost in my own city. That’s when I downloaded Google Maps.
This is my go-to app whenever I’m exploring a new city. It has detailed maps of practically every place in the world. You can get both driving and walking directions.
Cost: Free.
TripIt
If you have trouble keeping track of your flight bookings or rental car reservations, this is the app for you!
As soon as you make a reservation or book something for your trip, send the information to this app and it will create a master itinerary for you. You can keep all the important information pertaining to your travel arrangements in one convenient place.
Cost: Free.
Skyscanner
The Skyscanner app lets you search for cheap flights, hotels and car rentals. Its many filters help you find the perfect flight, and you can easily compare different airlines and options.
My favorite feature is the “Everywhere” filter. If you aren’t sure where you want to go, you can set your end destination to “Everywhere” and see options based on their prices. One week it might be cheapest to fly to Milan, while the next week you could find good deals for Peru.
This is great if you need a quick vacation from your expat life!
Cost: Free.
Expat Apps for Money and Finances
Any type of trip abroad, be it temporary or more permanent, requires careful financial planning.
Here are some apps that can help you manage your finances:
Converter + for iOS / Unit Converter for Android
These apps are lifesavers. They quickly convert currencies and units, making your transition to expat life a breeze.
You don’t have to worry about memorizing the metric system or doing any complicated mental math to figure out exchange rates.
Cost: Free.
Mint
The Mint app is a personal finance app that allows you to make a budget, as well as keep track of your bills, credit cards and bank accounts all in one secure place.
It’s particularly useful if you have bank accounts, bills or credits cards in your country of origin as well as your new expat home, because it can keep everything organized for you.
You can use the app to monitor your monthly spending and calculate your credit score!
Cost: Free.
Expat Apps for Culture and Friends
In my opinion, two of the most exciting things about living abroad are meeting new people and exploring new places.
From trying local food to visiting cultural venues and events, getting out into the community is always at the top of my list.
Here are some apps that can help you integrate into your new city:
OpenTable
Use the OpenTable app to find the best dining experiences in your area. It offers photos of the restaurants as well as menus, so you’ll definitely know what to expect.
You can search by location or type of cuisine. Make reservations for free through the app so you’re guaranteed a table.
Cost: Free.
Meetup
Meetup connects people with similar interests.
For example, if you’re interested in hiking in your area, you can search for a hiking meetup, or a group of people who meet to hike. If a hiking meetup doesn’t exist yet, start your own and open it up to the community!
Meetups exist in cities all over the world and cover a range of interests, including everything from running to writing.
Cost: Free with in-app purchases available.
Practical Apps for When You’re in a Bind
Living abroad can have its challenges. Fortunately, there’s an app for just about every practical situation out there!
Here are a few apps that can help when you’re in a particularly tough situation:
Flush
Sometimes finding the nearest public restroom is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Luckily, there’s an app that can tell you exactly where the closest public bathroom is located.
The app has over 190,000 toilets around the world marked on its map, and you don’t even need internet access to use it!
Cost: Free.
WiFi Finder +Map
When living abroad, being able to access Wi-Fi is absolutely necessary. But sometimes it can be tricky to locate.
This app shows you where you can find Wi-Fi in your city with an offline map.
Cost: Free with in-app purchases available.
What’re you waiting for? With the tap of your finger, you can download any of these expat apps right now!
Let your apps do all the hard work for you.
Then you can just enjoy your time living in a new country.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
