There are many reasons people move abroad — immigration, studying overseas, working holidays, or long-term travel. While the situations may differ, what people need at the moment they arrive is surprisingly similar.
The first questions they face almost immediately are these:
“Where should I buy groceries?”
“How do I get food?”
“What’s the best way to get around?”
That’s why, for a friend moving abroad, a gift that helps them start daily life right away is far more practical than souvenirs or sentimental presents.
Especially outside their home country, most people don’t even know which brands are considered basic or standard.
This guide is created with that situation in mind, organizing the most essential brands for daily life abroad by country and lifestyle category.
Four Essential Categories for Starting Life Abroad
No matter the country, these are the first things people rely on right after arrival.
🛒 Supermarkets — Groceries & Daily Necessities
🍽 Dining & Delivery — Meals Right After Arrival
🚕 Transportation — Airport & Everyday Movement
☕ Cafés — Rest, Studying & Meetings
🇺🇸 United States
🛒 Supermarkets — Groceries & Daily Necessities
One of the first things to take care of after arriving in the US is grocery shopping. Knowing where you can buy groceries and daily necessities all at once makes the early settlement period much smoother.
Walmart → Go to link
A nationwide discount superstore where you can purchase groceries, cleaning supplies, kitchenware, and clothing in one place. Affordable prices and easy access make it one of the first places newcomers tend to visit.
Target → Go to link
A widely available retailer known for its clean, well-organized stores. Particularly strong in household goods, kitchen items, and small furniture, making it useful for setting up everyday essentials when starting life in the US.
🍽 Dining & Delivery — Meals Right After Arrival
Because restaurants are spread out across cities, food delivery is often more convenient than dining out right after arrival. Learning just one app can quickly solve meal-related issues.
Uber Eats → Go to link
A food delivery app that connects a wide range of local restaurants. Especially helpful during the early days when the kitchen isn’t fully set up.
🚕 Transportation — Airport & Everyday Movement
In many US cities, public transportation is limited, so it’s important to have a reliable alternative if you don’t have a car.
Uber → Go to link
A ride-hailing service used for everything from airport transfers to everyday outings. During the early settlement phase without a car, it’s often close to essential.
☕ Cafés — Rest, Studying & Meetings
In the US, cafés are more than just places to grab coffee — they’re commonly used as spaces to stay, work, or wait.
Starbucks → Go to link
A nationwide café chain that’s easy to find anywhere. Frequently used not only for coffee, but also for studying, meetings, or waiting between plans.
---
🇨🇦 Canada
🛒 Supermarkets — Groceries & Daily Necessities
In Canada as well, large supermarkets are often the center of grocery shopping during the early settlement period. Being able to buy groceries and household items in one place helps establish a daily routine quickly.
Walmart Canada → Go to link
A large supermarket chain similar in position to Walmart in the US, with locations across Canada. Reasonable prices and stable product selection make it easy to use right after arrival.
Real Canadian Superstore
A large supermarket commonly used by locals. Best suited for grocery-focused shopping, with many bulk-size items that help reduce living costs.
🍽 Dining & Casual Meals — Everyday Eating
In Canada, people tend to rely more on simple meals or takeout than frequent sit-down dining. Café-style brands that offer light meals are especially practical.
Tim Hortons → Go to link
A Canadian staple café and casual food brand. Offers coffee, donuts, sandwiches, and light meals at affordable prices.
🚕 Transportation — Everyday Movement
In major cities, ride-hailing services are often the most practical way to get around.
Uber → Go to link
Useful for both city travel and airport transfers, and relatively reliable even when public transportation is inconvenient.
☕ Cafés — Everyday Spaces
In Canada, cafés function less as quick coffee stops and more as everyday living spaces. Especially during the early settlement period, they’re often used for waiting, light meals, or casual work.
Tim Hortons → Go to link
Canada’s most iconic café chain, found in nearly every city and neighborhood. Offers not only coffee but also simple meal options, making it a frequent choice for breakfast or quick meals.
Starbucks → Go to link
A global café chain with locations across Canada. Compared to Tim Hortons, many stores offer larger seating areas and more stable Wi-Fi and power outlets, making them preferable for studying, working, or meetings.
---
🇦🇺 Australia
🛒 Supermarkets — Groceries & Daily Necessities
Because dining out is relatively expensive in Australia, grocery shopping becomes central to daily life from the beginning. Most households quickly adapt to buying ingredients from supermarkets and cooking at home.
Coles → Go to link
A major nationwide supermarket chain offering everything from fresh produce to everyday groceries and household items. Often the first supermarket people use when settling in.
Woolworths
Alongside Coles, one of Australia’s two major supermarket chains. Known for stable quality and pricing, making it suitable for regular grocery shopping. In some areas, it may be more conveniently located than Coles.
🍽 Dining & Delivery — Meals Right After Arrival
Since eating out is costly, many people rely on home meals or food delivery during the early days. Especially right after arrival, when the kitchen may not be fully ready, delivery services become a practical solution.
Uber Eats → Go to link
A widely used food delivery platform across Australia. Allows users to choose from many restaurants at once, and digital gift cards make it a useful option for supporting meals during early settlement.
🚕 Transportation — Secondary Transportation
While public transportation is the main option in major cities, ride-hailing services are commonly used for late-night travel or longer distances.
Uber → Go to link
Frequently used during late hours or for non-regular trips.
---
🇰🇷 South Korea
🛒 Supermarkets — Groceries & Daily Necessities
In South Korea, large supermarkets allow people to purchase most groceries and household items in one place. With good accessibility and familiar systems, they’re relatively easy for foreigners to adapt to.
E-Mart → Go to link
South Korea’s large supermarket chain, offering a wide range of groceries, household goods, and kitchen items. Easy to access nationwide and especially useful for buying everyday essentials during early settlement.
Traders → Go to link
A warehouse-style discount store focused on bulk items. Ideal for reducing costs when buying large quantities after settling in. Carries not only groceries but also household items, electronics, and seasonal products.
🍽 Dining & Delivery — Everyday Meals
South Korea has a highly developed culture of both dining out and food delivery. Even without a fully equipped kitchen, meals are easy to manage.
Baemin (Baedal Minjok) → Go to link
The most widely used food delivery platform in Korea. With thousands of restaurants available through one app, it’s especially helpful right after arrival. Its intuitive ordering, payment, and delivery process makes it a daily essential throughout Korean life.
☕ Cafés — Everyday Living Spaces
Cafés in Korea serve as multifunctional spaces for meeting friends, studying, working, or simply resting.
A Twosome Place → Go to link
Known for spacious seating and well-developed dessert menus. Suitable for longer stays and casual meetings. Available as a digital gift, fitting well with Korea’s frequent café usage.
Starbucks
A globally familiar café chain with excellent accessibility nationwide. Stable seating, Wi-Fi, and power outlets make it a popular choice for studying, working, or meetings. Digital gift cards make it an easy and practical café gift.
---
🇯🇵 Japan
🛒 Supermarkets — Groceries & Daily Necessities
Right after arriving in Japan, using physical supermarkets may not always be convenient. In these cases, online platforms that cover a wide range of groceries and daily necessities become the most practical option, effectively serving as a substitute for early grocery shopping.
Amazon Japan → Go to link
Japan’s largest online shopping platform, offering groceries, household goods, electronics, books, and more. Digital gift cards can be used immediately, even before a permanent address is confirmed, making it one of the most useful options during early settlement.
Rakuten
A leading Japanese platform that connects online shopping with a wide range of lifestyle services. Available through points and gift card formats, allowing flexible use beyond basic shopping.
🍽 Dining — Representative Japanese Meal Brands
In Japan, people tend to dine out rather than rely on delivery. Especially during the early days, choosing reliable nationwide chains helps ensure simple, stress-free meals.
Yoshinoya → Go to link
One of Japan’s most iconic beef bowl chains, found throughout the country. Quick, simple, and affordable, making it one of the most practical dining options early on.
Ichiran → Go to link
A well-known ramen chain with strong recognition both in Japan and abroad. With simple ordering and consistent taste, it’s easy to use even for first-time visitors.
☕ Cafés — Small Everyday Comforts
During early settlement, having even one familiar place can make a big difference emotionally. In Japan, cafés often serve as practical spaces for short breaks while moving around.
Starbucks Japan → Go to link
A globally familiar café chain that’s easy to find throughout Japan. Digital gift cards make it a safe and reliable café gift, offering a small but meaningful sense of comfort.
In Summary
The most helpful gift for a friend moving abroad isn’t something special — it’s something that helps them start life in that country right away.
No matter where they go, the first needs are usually the same: a place to buy groceries, a way to eat today, transportation, and a place to rest. This guide organizes the brands that serve as that starting point, by country and lifestyle category.
Being able to quickly recognize and use familiar, essential brands in an unfamiliar place can make a real difference. Hopefully, this guide helps your friend begin their new life abroad just a little more smoothly.