How to make friends when you move to a new city

Published 2 October 2026 · 3 min read

The first weeks: your window of openness

Arriving somewhere new is a special moment: everyone expects you not to know anyone, and most people are kind to newcomers. Use it. "I just moved here, any tips for the neighbourhood?" is one of the best conversation openers there is, with a colleague, a neighbour or a shopkeeper.

In these first weeks, say yes to almost every invitation, even the ones that only half tempt you. You don't yet know where you'll meet the people who will matter. You can be choosier later.

Become a regular

Belonging often starts with tiny connections: the baker who recognises you, the barista who knows your order, the neighbour you see at the Sunday market. They are not friendships yet, but they make a city feel familiar, and some grow into more. Pick a few places and go back at the same times.

A weekly activity from month one

This is the single most important tip. Friendship grows from repetition: it takes dozens of hours together to go from acquaintance to friend, and a weekly activity gives you those hours effortlessly.

• a sports club or a free running group;
• a year-long class: theatre, improv, dance, a language, a choir;
• a volunteering role;
• a community garden or a neighbourhood association.

Sign up in your first month. September and January are when groups form and everyone is new at the same time.

Newcomer networks

• Welcome associations: in France, the AVF network runs activities for new arrivals in many towns.
• Online groups: search "newcomers" plus your city name on Facebook, or join neighbourhood groups.
• Event platforms: Meetup, or weekly dinners between strangers in big cities.
• For expats: InterNations and language exchange groups gather people from elsewhere who are usually very open to meeting others.

Work helps, but isn't enough

Colleagues are often the first people you know. Accept lunches and after-work drinks, invite someone friendly for coffee. But don't rely on work alone. If you work remotely, a coworking space one or two days a week can replace office encounters.

Explore the city with someone

Free walking tours, local association walks and "greeter" networks (volunteer locals who show visitors around) let you discover places and people at once. Another option is a quest for two: with Twodyssey, the app publishing this guide, you are matched with someone you haven't met for a 60 to 90 minute mission through the city. It is free and 18+, currently in beta in Aix-en-Provence; other cities open once enough people sign up.

Keep old friends without hiding behind them

Call your old friends and keep your habits with them. But every weekend spent away is a weekend you build nothing locally. Try to keep at least two weekends a month for your new city.

A realistic timeline

• Month one: familiar faces, one or two activities, and some lonely evenings. Normal.
• Around three months: a few people you enjoy talking to, maybe a first outing outside the activity.
• Six months to a year: a small circle, and invitations that arrive without you chasing them.

Loneliness in the first months is one of the most common parts of moving. If it weighs on you, talk to people close to you, or to an anonymous listening line.

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