How to Make Friends When You Work Remotely and Move Often

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The quickest way to make friends as a remote worker is to show up in the same places repeatedly and to follow up quickly with the people you click with. A coworking desk, a weekly class and a regular cafe do more than any single big social event.

Why is it harder to make friends when you work remotely?

An office gives you daily contact with the same people without any effort. Remote work removes that. If you also change city every few months, you lose the repeated, low-stakes contact that friendships usually grow from.

It is also not just a feeling: the U.S. Surgeon General's advisory on loneliness and isolation treats social connection as a public health matter. Planning for it is part of running a healthy work life.

What can you do before you arrive somewhere new?

A little preparation shortens the lonely first weeks.

• Find the local coworking spaces. Check which ones run member events and whether a day pass is available so you can try before you commit.
• Join one or two local online groups. Pick groups for your profession or hobby, not only general expat chats. Introduce yourself and ask one concrete question.
• Ask your existing network. A former colleague or a friend of a friend in the city is worth a short message. A personal introduction opens doors.

Why is a coworking space the easiest place to start?

Everyone there works for themselves or remotely, so you share the same daily rhythm. You see the same faces at the kitchen, at the printer and at lunch, and that repetition is what builds familiarity.

Look for spaces with a community manager, a members' chat, or regular events. Some spaces also host talks and sessions, as we explain in our piece on hosting workshops in a coworking space. Joining or helping with one is an easy way to be useful and be known.

Where else can you meet people outside work?

Pick activities that meet weekly, not once. A recurring class, club or volunteer shift gives you the same group of people over many weeks.

• Interest groups: hiking, climbing, photography, board games or running clubs.
• Skills classes: cooking, pottery, dance or a language course. A class gives you something to talk about straight away. Our article on learning a language through coworking covers one version of this.
• Volunteering: shared work makes conversation easier than a crowded party.
• A regular cafe: go at the same time on the same days and the staff and other regulars start to recognise you.

For organised events, see our guide to finding meetups and building community.

How do you start a conversation without it feeling forced?

Ask about the shared situation. Questions tied to the place work better than lines about yourself.

• "Is this a good spot to work from during the afternoon?"
• "I'm new here. Where do you go for lunch?"
• "What are you working on this week?"
• "Do you know if the space has any events coming up?"

Then listen, and ask a follow-up about what they said. People remember being listened to.

How do you turn an acquaintance into a friend?

Most friendships stall at the first pleasant chat. Three habits move them forward:

1. Follow up within a few days. Send a short message that refers to something you talked about.
2. Make a specific invitation. "Coffee on Thursday at 4?" gets an answer; "we should hang out" does not.
3. Repeat it. Meet again before the first conversation fades. Taking the initiative yourself is normal, since most people are waiting for someone else to.

Saying yes to invitations, even when you are tired, also matters in the first weeks in a new place.

How do you keep friendships when you move on?

Decide what contact is realistic. A short voice note, a shared playlist or a monthly video call costs little. When you move to a new city, ask your friends who they know there. Many remote workers find their next circle through the last one.

What if you still feel lonely?

Even with friends, remote work can feel isolating. Routines help: regular exercise, meals at set times, and sleep. The Sleep Foundation explains how much sleep adults generally need. Schedule calls with family and close friends instead of waiting for a gap.

If low mood or loneliness lasts for weeks or affects your work and daily life, talk to a doctor or a qualified counsellor. That is a sensible step, not an overreaction.

Does your workspace setup help?

Working only from your room makes isolation worse. If you can, split your week: some days at a coworking space or cafe, others at home. A light, portable setup makes that easy, and our guide to a portable home office kit shows what to carry.

If you want gadgets that make staying connected on the road easier, you can look at Mavigadget's travel gadgets collection.

The short version

Choose a few recurring places, start small conversations, follow up fast, and keep the friendships going from afar. It takes some weeks, but the routine works in every city.