Homesick? Flavours from home are now available in a cuppa
Moving abroad is full of excitement. New places to explore, new routines to settle into, and for many, an entirely new way of living. But even when everything is going well, homesickness can still sneak up on you.
It might appear when you’re feeling unwell and craving comfort, when a familiar holiday comes and goes unnoticed, or sometimes completely out of the blue.
We know how important it is for people to feel connected to their friends and family when living in another country, that’s why many send money home. We wanted to understand more about homesickness and see what people miss the most.
We surveyed over 3,100 people who have moved abroad. The results reveal that over half (54%) say food and drink are among the things they miss most from home, from small comforting snacks to traditional dishes tied to family, routine and memory. We thought we might be able to create something to remind people of their homes wherever they are in the world. Can a cup of tea go the distance?
A Taste of Home? Teas reimagined
We created four limited-edition tea blends inspired by some of the flavours people miss from home. Because sometimes, a familiar taste is all it takes to feel close to home again.
Each blend has been developed to evoke comfort, nostalgia, warmth and familiarity, a small but meaningful reminder of the places, people, and rituals that help make us feel at home, wherever we are. So what tea flavours did we make?
Fish and Chips
A bold, savoury blend inspired by the unmistakable flavours of the British seaside. Rich umami notes give it real depth and character, bringing to mind Friday nights, newspaper-wrapped dinners, and the warmth of a proper chippy tea. Hearty, salty and unapologetically comforting,
Tacos
Inspired by Mexican street food, this savoury blend is layered with warming spices and a subtle hint of citrus. Vibrant and full of personality, it brings to mind shared plates, late nights, and food enjoyed in good company. Brew lightly to let the flavours shine.
Rose Mithai
A fragrant blend of rose and warming chai spices, inspired by the flavours of traditional Indian sweets. Comforting and aromatic without being overpowering, it’s a familiar soothing taste that can be enjoyed with or without milk.
Bauernbrot
A rich, toasty blend inspired by traditional German bread, with warm, biscuity notes reminiscent of familiar oat-and-grain bakes. Hearty and grounding, this tea brings to mind slow mornings, shared meals, and the reassuring comfort of home-baked staples. Best brewed slightly longer to unlock its full depth of flavour.
How to claim a box of tea from Remitly
Curious to experience these flavours first-hand?
Tea lovers can apply to receive one free box of limited-edition tea bags through our weekly drops with the first weekly request window opening on 17/04/2026 at 11:00 GMT and closes on Friday of that week at 17:00 GMT. Weekly request windows run through 15th May 2026. Each weekly window to request a tea box will close the earlier of 17:00 on Friday of that week, or when the weekly stock is claimed. Quantities are limited. You need to be aged 18+ and a legal resident of UK or EU and one of the first 15 people each week to submit a request by no later than 17:00 GMT on Friday of a weekly request window. Limit one box per household. You can find out more details and view the request form by clicking the button below. Submitting a form response does not guarantee a box of tea.
Which countries feel homesick the most?
Aside from creating some outstanding flavours of tea, we also wanted to get some data on homesickness to learn more about how people experience this when moving abroad. Our research shows that some nations feel it more strongly than others.
Topping the list is the Philippines, with 96% of people saying they feel homesick when living abroad. For many Filipinos, having close family bonds, sharing meals, and enjoying strong community connections play an important part in everyday life. Being far from loved ones, familiar home-cooked dishes, and long-standing traditions can make the distance from home feel even further. Many Filipinos stay connected to their family by sending money to the Philippines to feel a part of celebrations and key life moments. South Africa (96%) follows in second, with many likely missing the strong sense of community, outdoor lifestyle, and familiar social gatherings.
In joint third are Canada (96.02%) and Mexico (96.02%). Canadians may find themselves missing home comforts, seasonal traditions, and familiar everyday routines when starting over in a new country. Meanwhile, Mexico’s strong food culture and emphasis on shared family meals can make long periods away from home and loved ones feel especially challenging.
Rounding off the top five is Brazil (94.44%), where a vibrant, social culture and close-knit family ties mean people may deeply miss the energy of gatherings, shared meals, and the warmth of everyday connections when far from home.
Overall, most nations report feeling homesick when moving abroad. Even Japan, the least likely country in the study to report homesickness, still saw 85.71% of people saying they experienced it. Ireland also ranked highly, with 89.01% saying they feel homesick, although strong Irish communities overseas can help expats maintain a sense of belonging, even when they’re thousands of miles from home.
The world’s most homesick nations
| Rank | Country | % of people who have felt homesick when they lived abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines | 96.15% |
| 2 | South Africa | 96.10% |
| 3 | Canada | 96.02% |
| 3 | Mexico | 96.02% |
| 5 | Brazil | 94.44% |
| 6 | India | 94.12% |
| 7 | France | 93.53% |
| 8 | Chile | 93.33% |
| 9 | Australia | 93.00% |
| 10 | Greece | 91.84% |
| 11 | Sweden | 91.78% |
| 12 | Spain | 91.75% |
| 13 | Portugal | 91.18% |
| 14 | UK | 91.13% |
| 15 | New Zealand | 90.97% |
| 16 | Germany | 90.55% |
| 17 | USA | 90.55% |
| 18 | Czech Republic | 90.32% |
| 19 | Italy | 90.20% |
| 20 | Ireland | 89.01% |
| 21 | Japan | 85.71% |
What things do people miss the most when they move abroad?
For most, it’s the people they love that they miss more than anything else. Eight in 10 (80%) say family is what they long for the most, followed closely by friends (62%). Having close ones nearby to hang out with, lean on for support or make memories with is so important, and being far away, especially in different time zones can bring on feelings of sadness, anxiety and loneliness. For those experiencing anything like this, Remitly has previously created a guide for migrants to improve their quality of life abroad.
Food and drink also play a major part in homesickness, with over half (54%) saying they miss the tastes of home, whether it’s a comforting home cooked meal with family, a tasty takeaway after a long day or a delicious drink to unwind with, these everyday comforts are deeply tied to memory and emotion. Also making the top list of things people miss are the subtler comforts such as hearing their own language (36%), understanding how everyday systems work (30%), sleeping in their own bed (27%), and celebrating familiar holidays and festivals (25%). These are the small everyday details that often go unnoticed but can play a big part in how people miss home.
What people miss the most from home
| Rank | Thing they miss from home | % of people who miss it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family | 80% |
| 2 | Friends | 62% |
| 3 | Food and drink | 54% |
| 4 | Speaking or hearing in their native or local language | 36% |
| 5 | The climate | 34% |
| 6 | Knowing how systems work (such as transport, healthcare, banking) | 30% |
| 7 | Their own bed | 27% |
| 8 | Holidays and Festivals | 25% |
| 9 | Pets | 25% |
| 10 | Landscapes (including mountains, countryside and coastlines) | 20% |
What triggers homesickness?
Homesickness doesn’t always have a clear cause. In fact, almost half of those we surveyed (49%) say it can appear without warning, with feelings of stress or sadness rearing their head for no apparent reason. For others, it’s tied to moments of vulnerability, speaking to friends or family (53%), going through a tough time (50%), feeling unwell (40%), or during holidays and festivals (43%), when the absence of familiar traditions feels most noticeable.
Top Reasons People Feel Homesick
- Speaking to friends or family (53%)
- Going through a tough time and needing support (50%)
- No main reason, it comes out of the blue (49%)
- Holidays and festival (43%)
- Feeling sick and wanting home comforts (40%)
How do people cope with homesickness?
If you’re experiencing homesickness, you’re not alone. In fact nine out of 10 (92%) admit they experience feelings of stress, anxiety or sadness when they’re away from the people and places they love, or out of sync with their established routines.
When asked how they combat feelings of homesickness, the most popular response was connecting with family and friends (69%). Hearing familiar voices on a quick call or catching up over video are both ways to stay connected while miles apart and can help massively for those seeking some comfort, especially during times of need.
Hunting out familiar foods and flavours from back home is the second most popular way people deal with homesickness, whether it’s going to a restaurant that serves traditional dishes that you grew up with or whipping up a familiar family favourite meal at home - food is a fantastic way to reconnect with your roots and help ease feelings of homesickness.
Popular ways people alleviate homesickness
- Call family and friends (69%)
- Seek out familiar foods and flavours (35%)
- Watch something from home (25%)
- Exercise (23%)
- Journaling (9%)
Tips for coping with homesickness
Importantly: our writers and researchers at Remitly aren’t health experts and our tips should not be taken as medical advice. If you think homesickness is severely negatively impacting your life you should speak to a medical professional.
The levels of homesickness can vary person to person, but we’ve pulled together some overall tips on how to deal with homesickness when you move to a new country.
- Stay connected with family and friends. Make time to check in and catch up by text, call or video call, as it means you can stay up to date with your loved ones. If you can, contribute to celebrations and life events through gifts or sending money.
- Engage in familiar cultural activities. If there are any holidays and festivals in your home country that you love, seek out people who celebrate them too.
- Establish a new routine. Creating a routine is a great way to create predictability in your life, which can really help to ease the feelings of stress and anxiety.
- Join community groups and events. Try to take part in events that align with your hobbies and interests so that you can connect with like minded people. Seek out relevant migrant groups in your community to feel connected with others in a similar position.
- Learn the language. Taking the time to learn the language properly will help you integrate into society and create more meaningful friendships.
Methodology
We surveyed 3,100 adults across 21 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, India, Greece, Japan, the Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the USA.
All data is correct as of January 2026.
To bring the findings to life, we created limited-edition tea blends inspired by the flavours people miss most from home. A limited number of tea bags will be made available through weekly drops, subject to availability, and shipped to select recipients by May 2026; terms apply. See the request form for details.
The teas are intended as a creative, experiential extension of the research and are not designed to diagnose, treat, or alleviate homesickness or any related emotional or physical conditions. We advise those interested to review allergen information on the form.
