Your first 90 days abroad as a remote worker
A practical timeline for the first three months abroad: housing, banking, healthcare, tax registration, and validating your city choice.
Key takeaways
- Week 1: SIM, cash/card, temporary housing, and internet test, before any long lease.
- Days 30–60: register locally if required, open bank account, map healthcare.
- Day 90: review actual spend vs budget, swap cities early if surplus fails.
Most relocation guides stop at "get a visa and book a flight." The first 90 days determine whether a city actually works, or whether you quietly start browsing alternatives. This timeline assumes you are working remotely throughout.
Days 1–14: land and learn
Book 1–2 weeks in a furnished short stay while you walk neighbourhoods. Buy a local SIM day one. Test internet where you will work, café Wi-Fi is not a business plan. Note real grocery and transport prices; catalog estimates are starting points, not contracts.
- Set up multi-currency cards before departure
- Join one local coworking trial week
- Walk target neighbourhoods at day and night
Days 15–45: formalise setup
If staying, pursue local registration (empadronamiento in Spain via exteriores.gob.es, address registration, etc.) as required. Open a bank account if your visa or tax status needs it. Confirm health insurance covers local care. Notify your home tax authority if triggers apply. Americans should review IRS FEIE rules.
Days 46–90: validate the decision
Compare actual monthly spend to your Jonzy budget. If surplus is negative or lifestyle misfit is real, switching cities early is cheaper than honouring a 12-month lease out of pride. Set a formal "review date" on day 30 and day 90.
Use tools, not willpower
Jonzy's move planner tracks arrival checklists per city. SIM, registration, banking, healthcare, so nothing slips because you were busy with work.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in the first week after moving abroad?
Get a local SIM, register your address if the country requires it, open the process for a local bank account or fintech alternative, and locate your nearest clinic and pharmacy, the admin that unblocks everything else.
When do I become a tax resident after moving?
Most countries apply a 183-day presence test across a year, some with additional ties-based tests. Track your days from day one; the answer decides where you owe tax on worldwide income.
How long does it take to feel settled in a new country?
Most relocators report the turn at two to three months, after the first visa renewal admin, a stable apartment, and two or three recurring social contexts (gym, coworking, language class). Plan the first 90 days deliberately instead of waiting for it.