After moving, switch your tracking to the new country's currency starting from the beginning of the month, but save your history in the old currency first. Keep one-time setup costs mentally separate from everyday life: the first two to three months are always more expensive, and you shouldn't compare them to previous months.
Why are the first months after moving so confusing?
Because everything changes at once: prices, familiar stores, even the currency itself. For a long time you keep mentally converting back to the old money, unsure if something is expensive or normal. On top of that come one-time expenses: a housing deposit, furniture, a SIM card, paperwork. These make the first months look like a financial disaster, even though everyday life might actually be quite affordable.
If you lump everything into one total, you'll draw the wrong conclusion: "it's impossible to live here." If you separate them, you'll see how much a month in the new country actually costs.
How to switch your tracking to a new currency
Save your history. Before switching currencies, send /export: Budget will send you Excel files for each month in the old currency. This is your archive of life before the move.
Before you switch currencies, state expenses in the local one. "dinner 45 euros", Budget will automatically convert it to your account currency at the day's rate. This is handy for the first few days, while you haven't yet decided when to switch over.
Switch your currency with /currency, ideally on the first of the month. Important: old expenses won't be recalculated, their amounts stay the same numbers but with the new currency symbol. So the fewer old expenses remain in the current month, the cleaner your statistics will be.
Set a new budget right away. The budget amount also isn't recalculated, so 100,000 in the old currency isn't the same as 100,000 in the new one. The new budget is tracked from the moment you set it, so earlier expenses in the month won't eat into it.
The first month after moving: what it looks like
Take a move with a living budget of around $2,000 a month. The first month in the new place cost $5,200: an apartment deposit of $1,800, furniture and dishes for $900, paperwork and insurance for $300, a SIM card and transit card for $100. Everyday life, meaning groceries, cafes, transport, and rent, came to $2,100.
Without separating them, it looks like the month cost two and a half times more than usual. In reality, everyday life almost fit the old budget, and the $3,100 was a one-time moving cost that won't repeat. Log these expenses as usual, Budget will sort them into the "Housing", "Home", and "Taxes" categories, and /stats will show how much of the month went toward settling in.
What's the most common mistake?
Setting the first month's budget based on your old life and then feeling like you've failed. The first two to three months after moving are for scouting, not saving. The goal of this period is to learn real prices: how much a typical week of groceries, transport, and cafes costs. Set your budget with some buffer, and by the third month, adjust it to match the actual numbers from /stats.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to convert old expenses to the new currency?
No, and Budget doesn't do this either: when you switch currencies, past expenses keep their original numbers. So save your history with /export before switching, and compare months before and after the move by meaning rather than by amounts. Prices in different countries aren't directly comparable anyway, category proportions matter more.
Which currency should I track in if my income is still in the old one?
In the one you spend in. Tracking is meant to show your everyday spending, and that's now in the local currency. It's easier to convert income in the old currency once at the start of the month and set your budget in the new one. If the exchange rate fluctuates a lot, review your budget monthly rather than weekly.
How do I tell one-time expenses from everyday ones?
Ask a simple question: will this expense happen again next month? A deposit, furniture, document translation, and setting up internet, no. Rent, groceries, transport, and phone service, yes. Still log one-time expenses as usual, just don't use them to judge the cost of living in the new country.
How many months does it take to figure out a realistic budget?
Usually two to three. The first month has too many one-time expenses, in the second you're still finding your regular stores and prices. By the third month, spending stabilizes, and the figure in /stats describes everyday life well. Base your ongoing budget on that and drop the buffer from the first months. If prices in the new country are notably seasonal, check your budget again after six months.
Can I log an expense in the old currency after switching?
Yes. Just state the currency explicitly, like "subscription $10", and Budget will convert the amount into your account's currency at the day's rate. This is handy for subscriptions and payments still tied to your old country but charged in another currency. The response will show both figures, the original and the converted one, so you can spot any exchange rate error right away.
What's next
Before switching currencies, send /export to Budget and save the files. On the first of the month, switch your currency with /currency and immediately set a new budget with some buffer for the scouting period.
