The Spanish Heart Stays Home: 91% of Expats Admit to Homesickness

More than 90% of Spaniards living abroad miss their homeland. This was revealed by a survey from the American money transfer service Remitly, which included responses from over 3,100 people across 21 countries.

According to the data, 91.75% of Spaniards admit they miss their country after moving. Globally, the figure is even higher—92% of migrants have experienced stress, anxiety, or sadness at least once due to living away from home. In the report, the Philippines takes the top spot, with 96.15% of respondents saying they miss home, followed by South Africa (96.10%), Canada and Mexico (both 96.02%), and Brazil (94.44%). At the bottom of the ranking are Japan (85.71%) and Ireland (89.01%). Spain ranks 12th on the list.

Spaniards most frequently miss their familiar lifestyle. Social connections, family gatherings, and the tradition of shared lunches and dinners create a "special fabric of daily life" that is difficult to replace abroad.

In general, people living outside their country miss family most (80%) and friends (62%). Food takes third place (54%), followed by their native language (36%), climate (34%), understanding local systems (30%), sleeping in their own bed (27%), traditional holidays (25%), and familiar landscapes (20%).

Almost half of the study participants stated that homesickness arises without a specific trigger. However, it most often intensifies during holidays or in difficult life moments when support is especially lacking.

To cope with this state, expats call their family and friends (69%). Another popular "gastronomic" method is cooking national dishes or seeking out restaurants featuring the cuisine of their home country (35%).