Community Blogs

Ottawa, Canada

• Jan 25

Tax can be a complicated topic, but it’s important to understand – especially if you’re moving to a new country. You’ll need to learn about your tax responsi...

Nathan Hargrove

42

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Jan 25

Foreigners can open Dutch business accounts with KVK registration. Compare ING (€9.90/mo), ABN AMRO (€11.50/mo), Finom (free plan), and Revolut Business (free plan). Fintech providers open accounts in hours; traditional banks take 1-3 weeks.

James Van Der Berg

79

Berlin, Germany

• Jan 25

Frankfurt, Germany's fifth-largest city, is renowned as a global financial hub, but expats in Frankfurt enjoy some of the world's highest quality of life. Discover the multicultural community, international clubs, networking opportunities, and diverse lifestyle options that make Frankfurt exceptional for expat families.

David Miller

42

Tokyo, Japan

• Jan 25

If you’re living and working in Japan, you’ll likely need to pay income tax. Calculating your tax (税金) burden can be complicated, especially since the Japane...

Sarah Tanaka

47

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Jan 25

Non-residents can get an RFC tax ID for Playa del Carmen rentals without Mexican residency. Register as "Non-Resident With Income in Mexico" through local accountants (3,000-8,000 pesos/month).

Rachel Chen

69

Mexico City, Mexico

• Jan 25

Gas smell normal in CDMX? Faint odor within 1-2 feet of heater may be OK in old buildings. Strong room-filling smell = emergency. Open windows, no switches, leave, call landlord.

Sarah Mitchell

52

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Jan 25

UAE public transport: Dubai Metro (90km, AED 3-40) is world's 4th-largest automated system. Buses from AED 2, inter-emirate AED 25. Nol card required.

Aisha Rahman

32

Rome, Italy

• Jan 25

Women in Italy have constitutional equality but rank 14th/27 EU states (68.2/100). Challenges include 52.4% female employment vs 70.3% male, 109 femicides in 2023.

Marco Rossi

43

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Jan 25

Ship to UAE via sea freight (US$2-4/kg, 5-10 weeks) or air freight (US$4-8/kg, 1-3 days). Sea freight is 12-16x cheaper, ideal for household goods and furniture.

Aisha Rahman

46

Vienna, Austria

• Jan 25

Drive in Austria with a foreign license for up to 6 months. Learn speed limits (50-130km/h), licensing requirements, and road rules with fines from €30–€1,600.

Emma Fischer

61

Lisbon, Portugal

• Jan 24

Portugal Golden Visa requires €500,000 fund investment or €250,000 heritage preservation, offering five-year renewable residence permits with citizenship pathways.

Maria Santos

35

Singapore, Singapore

• Jan 24

Singapore packs National Gallery, UNESCO Botanic Gardens, Night Safari with 2,500+ animals, hawker centers, and offshore islands into compact, multicultural space.

Kevin Lim

54

Mexico City, Mexico

• Jan 24

Uber to Teotihuacan: 400-600 pesos one way from CDMX (45 min-1.5 hrs). Leave 7-8am. Getting Uber BACK is hard—have backup plan (bus 104 pesos).

Sarah Mitchell

64

Canberra, Australia

• Jan 24

Australian banks require ID, TIN, visa info, and local address for accounts taking 2-5 days to open, necessary for salary, bills, and building credit history.

James O'Connor

64

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Jan 24

Mexican license needed for gas scooter if permanent resident; temp residents use home license BUT insurance may deny claims. Electric scooters need NO license/plates (treated like bikes).

Rachel Chen

49