Americans are leaving the United States in numbers researchers say are historically uncommon, and a small but fast-growing cottage industry is stepping in to show them the way out. In early May, hundreds of would-be expats flew into downtown San Diego for an intensive weekend on visas, taxes and housing abroad, shelling out hundreds of dollars for a step-by-step game plan. For many, the choice blends lifestyle and financial calculations with a heavy dose of politics.
Move Abroad Con Fills Downtown Hard Rock Hotel
Move Abroad Con, produced by relocation community Expatsi, held its second annual gathering May 9-10 at the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego. The conference featured country-specific deep dives on Portugal, Mexico, Canada and New Zealand, giving attendees a closer look at what it actually takes to land in each place. Over two days, immigration lawyers, tax advisers and long-time expats cycled through the stage to explain paperwork, timelines and common pitfalls. Organizers lay out the schedule and ticket options on their site, according to Expatsi.
Who Showed Up And Why They Want Out
Roughly 600 Americans turned up for the weekend, and a solid majority did not sound like casual tire-kickers. About two-thirds said they hope to move abroad within two years. Reporting from CNBC found that 89% of a sample cited politics as one reason to leave, 57% pointed to saving money and 73% were chasing adventure or personal growth. The crowd included solo travelers, couples and full families. Several attendees told reporters the conference helped them swap vague daydreaming for concrete next steps and realistic timelines.
National Numbers Back Up The Buzz
The surge of interest in that San Diego ballroom lines up with national data showing unusually large outflows from the United States. A Brookings Institution update estimated that net migration to the U.S. turned negative in 2025 and that roughly 210,000 to 405,000 people left voluntarily beyond typical baselines. The Brookings authors warned that, if the pattern holds, the shift could chip away at the American labor supply and consumer demand in the coming years. Their analysis puts a broader frame around what might otherwise look like a quirky weekend conference trend.
The Price Tag On Starting Over
What it costs to leave depends heavily on where people are going and how much of their old life they insist on bringing with them. Expenses can run from a few hundred dollars for paperwork and translations up to tens of thousands for shipping, flights and upfront housing abroad. CNBC profiled a Chicago couple who said they spent more than $20,000 to move to Valencia in spring 2025, and a conference survey found that hopeful movers were planning around an average monthly budget of about $3,856. For many attendees, the weekend itself is treated as an investment meant to head off costlier mistakes later.
Who Can Actually Make The Leap
The San Diego crowd was a mix of individuals, couples and families, and the price of admission reflected the fact that this is not a casual commitment. Weekend tickets ran from roughly $500 to $1,000, according to the organizer's event information. Expatsi also promotes scouting trips and more intensive paid services that, organizers say, shorten the learning curve for specific destinations. At the same time, national reporting has documented growing numbers of Americans taking formal steps to live abroad permanently or even renounce U.S. citizenship, a trend that suggests the urge to leave is no longer a fringe curiosity, according to The Boston Globe.
Whether they are driven by politics, prices or the promise of a fresh start, many Americans now treat relocation as a carefully researched project rather than a blind leap. The businesses that teach and streamline international moves are a straightforward response to that demand, selling information, connections and a bit of insurance against the unpleasant surprises that can make starting over abroad far more expensive than planned.
