The first month in a new country is expensive in ways that are easy to underestimate. Deposits, furniture, a phone, transit, groceries for an empty kitchen: it adds up before your first paycheck arrives.
One-time costs
- Security deposit and first month’s rent
- Application or broker fees
- Short-term housing while you search
- Mattress, bedding and kitchen basics
- Phone and SIM or eSIM
- Winter clothes, if you’re somewhere cold
- Transit card or car-related costs
Monthly costs
- Rent and utilities
- Groceries and eating out
- Phone and internet
- Transport
- Health insurance
- Tips and small daily costs
When does money start coming in?
Many US employers pay every two weeks. Depending on when you start, your first paycheck can arrive two to four weeks after day one. Some pay monthly, which can mean a longer wait.
A safe cushion: If you can, arrive with enough for your one-time costs plus two months of expenses.
Ways to spend less
- Buy furniture from local marketplaces and move-out sales
- Use a prepaid phone plan until you have credit
- Cook at home and find the cheapest grocery store nearby
- Use free events and public libraries
