Thinking of Moving Abroad? These 28 Substack Writers Actually Live There
Real talk from real people, organised by country
š¬ Know someone living abroad who shouldāve made this list?
Drop their name in the comments ā this roundup is just a taste.
Weāre building the ultimate library of Substackers who live across borders ā and the full, filterable database now includes 362+ writers across 66+ countries.
š Explore the full directory here. Iām linking to a paid post rather than paywalling this post, so that anyone can comment their suggestions and thoughts!
Thinking of moving abroad? Before you get lost in Reddit threads or influencer reels, hear it straight from the source. These 28 Substack writers donāt just write about living abroad ā they live it.
Organised by country, this roundup features my favourite Substack writers living abroad in 18 destinations who share what itās really like to move, stay, raise kids (or dogs), fall apart, reinvent yourself, and make a life far from home. No fluff. No gloss. Just smart, soulful, and often hilarious insight into the places they now call home.
Note: Did I miss you? Donāt hate me! Just comment down below and if itās appropriate, Iāll add you to the list!
Also: Some Substack writers write about travel, or about living abroad but while living in their home country. This list is specific to writers who live abroad in one place, and write about it.
Substack Writers Living Abroad
š Europe
Portugal
Kimberly Ann
š Porto, Portugal | āļø California, USA
Bio: Crazed dog lover who's so optimistic, I annoy myself. Obsessed with travel, caffeine, and accidentally finding (or creating) trouble wherever I go. Expat navigating the world one plant-based meal at a time, but not in a disgruntled way.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š¬ Language + culture lovers
š« Relocation nerds
Quote: "I left America for a life where āhustleā means stirring sugar into my espresso, not my self-worth."
Why youāll love her: Postcards from in-between worlds ā Kimberlyās writing is intimate and curious, steeped in the quiet beauty of cross-cultural life, language, and the slow unraveling of her days in Portugal with her adorable pooch.Ā A former trapeze artist, she knows the art of suspension: between places, between selves, between the lines of every story she tells.
Gregory Garretson
š Lisbon, Portugal | āļø USA
Bio: Writer/linguist/educator/goofball in Lisbon, writing about culture, language, life abroad, being human. Living in Europe for 20+ years.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š¬ Language + culture lovers
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: "Languages are like romantic relationships: some are marriages, some are flings, but all demand time, effort, and attention."
Why youāll love him: A wry, wise companion for the displaced. Gregoryās work crackles with the messy joys and jolts of life between languages, cultures, and the stories we tell to survive them.
Mindful Migrant
š Portugal | āļø Florida, USA
Bio: Former Florida girl (blue dot, red state) who immigrated to Portugal. Fully, respectfully, and responsibly integrating into a new culture at 50.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š¬ Language + culture lovers
š« Relocation nerds
Quote: "The best time to create options is when you don't need them. [...] The point is that freedom lies in having the choice."
Why youāll love her: Urgent dispatches from the frontlines of escape. Unvarnished and alive, her words capture the grit and grace of rebuilding in Portugal while America unravels.
Italy
Cassandra Tressl
š Italy | āļø Seattle, USA
Bio: Mother, wannabe home renovator, anti-baker. Obsessed with travel, discomfort, and building an unconventional life abroad beyond suburban clichƩs.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š Soulful storytellers
š« Parents abroad
Quote: "Being rootless isnāt about drifting aimlessly; itās about embracing the freedom to move, to adapt, and to grow without being confined."
Why youāll love her: Darkly funny, gloriously unfiltered. Cassandra pulls back the curtain on life abroad ā raising a third-culture kid, renovating Italian ruins, and refusing to romanticise "home."
Alecia Stevens
š Pistoia, Italy | āļø Iowa, USA
Bio: āYou want the moon,ā my mother said. I did. I just had to figure out where it was and how to have a piece of it.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š§ Slow living fans
šØ Artists & creatives
Quote: "If I could bottle Tuscan air, it would heal the world, I swear."
Why youāll love her: Like a parchment scroll stained with laughter and vulnerability. Aleciaās writing celebrates the sacred act of choosing yourself after 50, one sun-drenched Italian lesson at a time.
Spain
Rachel Drummond
š Madrid, Spain | āļø Oregon, USA
Bio: An American in Spain, enjoying the sunshine in the shade, learning to socialize at midnight, and spinning cultural differences into funny stories āļø
Calling all:
š¬ Language + culture lovers
š« Relocation nerds
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: "Moving to Spain has shifted the burden of transportation from an auto body to my human body."
Why youāll love her: Come for the baffling bureaucracy, stay for the peanut butter meltdowns. Rachelās sharp, relatable humour turns everyday life abroad struggles in Spain into storytelling gold. A must-follow for readers who refuse to take themselves too seriously.
Stories from Sevilla
š Sevilla, Spain | āļø California, USA
Bio: Tapas-sized reflections and anecdotes about life in Spain, from a California native who has called Sevilla home for over a decade.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š¬ Language + culture lovers
š Global citizens
Quote: "In Spain, mealtime isnāt just about food. Itās a ritual, a rhythm that dictates the flow of daily life."
Why youāll love her: Her essays are slow sips of sherry in the Sevillian sun ā celebrating the flavours, rhythms, and tiny magic of Spain through the eyes of an American whoās learned to linger.
Rebecca Weston
š Villaviciosa, Spain | āļø USA
Bio: I help people 45+ plan their Camino de Santiago journey. Having completed 12 Caminos, I live along one of its routes in Spain, volunteer annually on the route, and guide others from feeling overwhelmed to confident and ready.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š§ Slow living fans
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: "Listen to YOU. Just pause. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths. Then ask your question. And listen for the answer."
Why youāll love her: Part guide, part soulful storyteller, Rebecca walks you through the Camino de Santiago with midlife wisdom and slow-travel wonder. Follow her for the practical tips; stay for the quiet revelations.
The Netherlands
Alexis Damen
š Amsterdam, The Netherlands | āļø New York, USA
Bio: Dutch-American writer from New York living my best life in Amsterdam. I write stuff for tech companies by day, and here by night.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
āļø Essay lovers
š Global citizens
š§ Slow living fans
Quote: "If youāre healthy, mostly happy, kind to yourself, and have people in your life to be silly and real with, youāre doing just fine. Thatās the win."
Why youāll love her: Her writing crackles with the energy of a late-night heart-to-heart ā equal parts hilarious and brutally honest. Whether dissecting Dutch culture, midlife reinvention, or the art of the existential balcony nap, she serves truth with a side of sharp wit.
Sarah Bringhurst Familia
š Amsterdam, The Netherlands | āļø California, USA
Bio: Californian in Amsterdam, in the midst of a slow-motion move to Italy. I write about books, living abroad, and my future bookshop in Narni, Italy.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š Soulful storytellers
āļø Essay lovers
Quote: "No matter how beautiful my life, I always need a castle in the air."
Why youāll love her: A dreamer with ink-stained hands, she spins tales of slow-motion leaps ā from Amsterdam to Italy, from wanderer to future bookseller. Her writing is a love letter to reinvention and the art of living between worlds.
Gillian Fletcher
The World According to Gillian Fletcher
š The Hague, The Netherlands | āļø USA
Bio: Mapping metamorphosis, rootkitting reality, and dancing in dissonance. All snark. No subtitles.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
āļø Essay lovers
š¬ Language + culture lovers
Quote: "The real life of living abroad doesnāt come with admission times and is best found off the beaten path."
Why youāll love him: With a mix of sharp wit and soulful insight, his writing explores life abroad in the Netherlands ā blending cultural observations, dystopian twists, and playful musings on identity, topped with an occasional fun, curated playlist!
Finland
Kim
š Helsinki, Finland | āļø USA
Bio: Two dogs, a cat, a husband, a 4-year-old, and a recent move abroad from the U.S. to Finland.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š Global citizens
šØāš©āš§ Parents abroad
Quote: "Knowing that I am now living the life of my dreams is wild to me. Sometimes I have to pinch myself, but I never have to question if I deserve it because I know without a doubt, that I ridiculously, emphatically fucking do."
Why youāll love her: Unfiltered and achingly real, her Substack is a lifeline for anyone whoās ever faked confidence while secretly Googling "how to survive living abroad." Parenting in a foreign country, panic attacks, and hard-won self-acceptance collide in essays that feel like late-night therapy sessions with your wisest, wryest friend.
Switzerland
Elizabeth Ink
š Switzerland | āļø Chicago, USA
Bio: Beyond the postcard: The truth about living abroad.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š Global citizens
āļø Essay lovers
Quote: "Home isnāt a place; itās the people you surround yourself with."
Why youāll love her: Forget postcard-perfect living abroad clichĆ©s ā she trades glossy illusions for gritty, glorious reality. With equal parts humour and heart, she unpacks the messy, transformative work of building a life between cultures.
Austria
Daniel Puzzo
Teacher by Trade; Mentor by Mistake
š Vienna, Austria | āļø USA, UK
Bio: Author, semi-retired EFL teacher, insatiable bibliophile, flĆ¢neur, raconteur, expat/refugee, shining wit (and lover of spoonerisms), cynic, grouch, polymath (haha), Ukrainophile.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š Global citizens
š¬ Language + culture lovers
Quote: "I sound American, I feel and write and spell things British, and I support Northern Ireland in soccer football."
Why youāll love him: A big-hearted polymath holding court in a smoky European cafe. Between Ukrainian war diaries, EFL classroom confessions, his entertaining Drinkglish video interview series, and reckless medical escapades, his genre-defying essays are a masterclass in dark humour, linguistic play, and the art of staying gloriously unhinged abroad.
France
Emanuela B
The Inclusion Room Beyond Borders
š France | āļø Italy
Bio: Long-term expat & polyglot | Woman in tech | Explorer | Storyteller | A Cultural Bridge navigating different worlds šš
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š Soulful storytellers
š¬ Language + culture lovers
Quote: "Belonging doesnāt require us to blend in completely. Sometimes, it begins when we stop apologizing for who we are."
Why youāll love her: The Inclusion Room is where diversity meets belonging, woven into essays so heartfelt they feel like conversations with a wise, globe-trotting friend. A celebration of identity, collaboration, international life, and the stories that bridge them.
Based in Paris
š Paris, France | āļø Iowa, USA
Bio: Based in Paris. Iowan. Jew. New Parisian. ā Subscribe for: civil society, Jewish stuff, limited government, and France š«Donāt subscribe for: Eiffel Tower, baguettes, berets, and wine.
Calling all:
š¬ Language + culture lovers
āļø Essay lovers
š Global citizens
Quote: "You donāt fix a broken system by pretending it isnāt broken."
Why youāll love her: Midwestern bluntness meets Parisian sharpness in her no-BS takes on politics, Jewish life, and the absurdity of transatlantic pretensions. Whether skewering American "exiles" or French elitism, sheās the truth-teller global circles need.
Theresa Conroy
š Rennes, France | āļø Philadelphia, USA
Bio: From Philly to Rennes, France. Reporter turned Yoga Therapist. Beer Judge. French speaker.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š¬ Language + culture lovers
āļø Essay lovers
Quote: "If the dinner hour was the only benchmark we used in choosing the location for our home abroad, I would have picked a Scandinavian country, where they sit down at an hour that respects the digestive system of a certain age."
Why youāll love her: From sacred French dinner hours to bureaucratic absurdities, Theresaās writing is a love letter to the quirks of cross-cultural life ā equal parts humour, humility, and oh-mon-dieu revelations.
UK
Audrey Herrin
š Edinburgh, UK | āļø Seattle, USA
Bio: Travel writer and under-employed English Lit graduate. I write about books, travel, and living abroad (currently) in Edinburgh.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š Soulful storytellers
š§ Slow living fans
Quote: "Nature is always there, waiting for me to tune in again and be my guiding force."
Why youāll love her: Her writing doesnāt just describe places ā it breathes them in. Lyrical and introspective, her essays explore rootlessness with the precision of a poet and the wonder of a lifelong wanderer.
š The Americas
Mexico
Nadine
š Mexico City, Mexico | āļø England, UK
Bio: Economic migrant and bilingual Brit š“ó §ó ¢ó „ó ®ó §ó æ Living in Mexico City since 2011, the digital marketing capital of the Americas š CWO at Write Wiser since 2021.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š¬ Language + culture lovers
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: āI have never wanted to crown myself with imaginary grandeur that I simply will not live up to!ā
Why youāll love her: A Brit in Mexico City with the dry wit of a spy and the hustle of a startup CEO. Whether dissecting privilege or dropping local recs, she's the local expert you'll wish you'd found sooner.
Elizabeth Silleck La Rue
š Cozumel, Mexico | āļø New York, USA
Bio: Conscientious Emigration Consultant, Equitable Conservation Policy & Program Design Expert, writer on issues of interracial families, global social impact, human rights, culture, nature, and more.
Calling all:
š Soulful Storyteller
š Global Citizens
š« Relocation Nerds
Quote: "We loved each other, wanted each other, did our best to treat each other well. But really, the pressures would have gotten to us sooner or later..."
Why youāll love her: Bold, tender, and unapologetically political, her essays explore ways to move to and show up in a new country in a conscientious way, as well as love and resistance with interracial families ā offering refuge, wisdom, and a global perspective to those fighting systemic storms.
Panama
We left the USA for Panama
š Panama City, Panama | āļø Trinidad and Tobago
Bio: Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face (Mike Tyson) Sounds like 2024 except these INTJs had a plan: Vamos a PanamĆ” šµš¦š
Calling all:
šØāš©āš§ Parents abroad
š« Relocation nerds
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: "The Panama we've discovered goes far beyond the Panama we researched, and that's what makes this journey so rewarding."
Why youāll love her: Navigating international family life in Panama just got easier. Her writing offers a comforting mix of personal stories and hands-on guidance from school systems to cultural transitions, delivered with the warmth of a neighbour sharing hard-won wisdom over coffee. For parents building lives between cultures, Makiniās advice feels like having a seasoned guide by your side.
US
Alessandra, Simona, Francesca, Elisa
š Chicago, USA | āļø Italy
Bio: An Expat community based in Chicago: your new one-stop-shop for expat life :)
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š Global citizens
āļø Essay lovers
Quote: āWe felt at home when we felt we belonged.ā
Why youāll love them: Like a late-night coffee chat with your wisest global gal pal, their words wrap you in the quiet magic of life between cultures ā intimate, reflective, funny and witty, and full of the kind of insights that linger long after the last sip.
Melissa Rossi
š North Carolina, USA | āļø UK
Bio: Have I put the electric blanket on? Where is my period? What happened to the Lighthouse Family? PS I've moved from the UK to America and you can be my groupie please and thank you.
Calling all:
šØ Artists & creatives
š Soulful storytellers
š¬ Language + culture lovers
Quote: "I canāt stop kissing the top of my mumās head. Her fluffy, warm, feathery white hair... I take a big inhale like Henry the Hoover on a bender."
Why youāll love her: Chaotic, tender, and gloriously unfiltered, her Substack is the voice memo you save for when you need a laugh (or a cry).
Belize
Simo D
š Stann Creek, Belize | āļø Ontario, Canada
Bio: Hey, I'm Simo D! I am a former residential contractor turned writer, author, and blogger. I share stories about personal growth and development through travel and life as a foreigner in Belize.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
šØāš©āš§ Parents abroad
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: āUltimately, home isn't just where you're comfortable. It's where you decide ā despite uncertainty, despite struggle ā to plant yourself and grow.ā
Why youāll love him: Simo captures the quiet beauty of building a life in Belize ā the slow rhythm of fatherhood, the gentle struggle of finding your place, and the peace that comes when land, sea and self finally align.
š Asia & Pacific
Thailand
Kaila Krayewski
Girlsā Guide To Living Abroad
š Koh Phangan, Thailand | āļø Comox Valley, Canada
Bio: Trapped on a tropical island since 2012. šļø Moving to Valencia. šŖšø āØ š I help people take the leap to live the life of their dreams abroad.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š Soulful storytellers
šØāš©āš§ Parents abroad
Quote: āFreedom without presence is a paradox. And sometimes, itās a prison.ā
Why youāll love her: Having lived abroad her entire adult life, Kailaās essays bridge continents with aching honesty, stitching together the fragile threads of family, distance, and belonging. Youāll find your own heartache ā and hope ā reflected in her words.
Japan
Kelly Morita
š Tokyo, Japan | āļø Michigan, USA
Bio: A mama finding beauty in the slow and intentional āļøā sharing wellness, motherhood, & Japanese-inspired living. šµ
Calling all:
š§ Slow living fans
šØāš©āš§ Parents abroad
š Soulful storytellers
Quote: "A child is a treasure not to be polished and shown off, but cherished in the everyday moments."
Why youāll love her: Kellyās writing feels like a gentle invitation to slow down ā intimate, thoughtful, and rooted in the everyday beauty and challenges of motherhood and Japanese-inspired wellness.
New Zealand
Juviand Rivera
š Auckland, New Zealand | āļø Ohio, USA
Bio: Expat. Social thinker. Yapper. Filo-American girly in Auckland, New Zealand.
Calling all:
š Soulful storytellers
š Global citizens
š¬ Language + culture lovers
Quote: "Do I answer the call, or do I keep double-tapping my way through other peopleās adventures?"
Why youāll love her: Life abroad isnāt all sunsets and epiphanies ā and Juviand wouldnāt have it any other way. Her writing captures the gritty, glorious reality of women rewriting their stories, where every triumph and stumble feels like a page from your own journey.
Papua New Guinea
Chakriya Bowman
Chakriya Bowman on Papua New Guinea
š Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | āļø Sydney, Australia
Bio: I write on life, leadership, and entrepreneurship in PNG, home to 15M people, 85% unbanked and subsistence living. I focus on youth and women's empowerment through education, employment, business, and innovation.
Calling all:
š Global citizens
š Soulful storytellers
š« Relocation nerds
Quote: "I didnāt just get off the beaten track. Thereās not much track here at all, particularly for a single mother of two."
Why youāll love her: Raw and radiant, Chakriyaās words are a lifeline from Papua New Guinea ā where struggle and hope collide in essays that demand to be felt.
Thatās the list ā for now.
If youāre hungry for more, weāve compiled a living, growing database of 362+ Substack writers who live abroad, organised by country and city.
š Explore the full directory ā (for paid subscribers only ā> scroll to the bottom of the post and click the link)
Know someone we missed?
š Drop their name or Substack in the comments ā this isnāt just a list, itās a community. Weāll keep updating it as more brilliant voices emerge.
āļø If youāre a writer living abroad yourselfā¦
Come join us over at ALL ABROAD ā a private, chat-first collective hosted on Substack for Substack writers building lives across borders. No hustle. No algorithms. Just real conversation, mutual support, and a little creative magic every week.
š ļø Planning your own move abroad? These tools might help:
āļø So, Youāre Ready to Leave it All Behind? Read This First ā
The truth about leaving ā not the postcard version, but the stretch-your-soul reality.š§ Destination Personality Quiz ā
A lighthearted quiz with real-life impact. Find your vibe (š“Coastal Dreamer? šRooted Romantic?) ā then filter destinations accordingly with the tool below.š Living Abroad Locales Database ā
409+ destinations. Tagged by lifestyle, region, language, cost, vibe, and more.
Available to paid subscribers ā or free for 7 days when you start a trial.
If you liked this post and found it helpful, a restack is the most helpful way you can tell me that!
 | A guest post by
|
Alright, I've had a little coffee. Here are a few more folks. Most (but not all) of them are definitely politically driven and leaving the US because of its political and social deterioration.
https://az12763157.substack.com/
https://thenomadchoice.substack.com/
https://courtneybowden.substack.com/
https://substack.com/@caesartheday
www.borderlessliving.com/
https://juliebloem.substack.com/
https://weremovingtoeurope.substack.com/
This is great! I live in Italy and write Iām about it as does Zerlina Maxwell