Relocating to Armenia: how to settle in
Armenia is an affordable Caucasus base for a long stay: a low cost of living, fast internet, a large Russian- and English-speaking community, and easy entry for many nationalities. This section is a practical guide to settling in on the ground - and it’s being prepared.
We start with the non-regulatory things everyone needs: housing, connectivity, banking, transport, insurance. Documents, residence permits, and taxes are regulated by the state and change periodically - for those we give direct links to official sources rather than passing off old facts as current.
Documents and taxes change - verify with the primary source
The rules for entry, residence permits, company registration, and taxes in Armenia are revised periodically. Don’t rely on retellings in chats and outdated articles - verify the terms as of the time of your move directly with the government bodies (links below).
That’s why we don’t fix specific deadlines, amounts, and requirements here as unchanging, but point you to the official sites - they always have the current version.
Where to start on the ground
Housing for your first weeks
For the first weeks it’s convenient to stay in a hotel or apart-hotel, and look for a long-term rental on the ground, having seen the neighborhood in person. The main local listings board is list.am (rentals and real estate).
SIM card and internet
A local SIM is sold with a passport at operators’ offices - the main networks are Team, Ucom and Viva-MTS. Mobile internet is inexpensive and Wi-Fi is widespread in the cities.
Bank account
Accounts for foreigners are opened by the major banks. Requirements and check times vary, so verify the document set and terms at a branch in advance.
Long-term rental
Leases usually run 6-12 months, with a deposit most often equal to one month. Prices depend on the city and area - central Yerevan is the priciest. Check the meters, the internet, and who pays for utilities.
Transport and getting around
In the cities there’s cheap public transport; between cities - intercity buses. For freedom of movement many rent a car - how that works is in our rental section.
Health and insurance
There are public and private clinics. For the move and for trips, medical insurance with coverage abroad is convenient - options are in our insurance section.
Daily life and money
The currency is the Armenian dram (AMD), pegged to the euro (about 61.5 AMD per €1). Cards are accepted in the cities; cash is handy in smaller towns. English gets you a long way in tourist areas.
Detailed guides
In-depth, non-regulatory how-tos for settling in - coming as the section is built out.
- Armenia Residence Permit: A Guide How to get an Armenia residence permit: the temporary, permanent and special types, the grounds, documents, fees and timeline, and the 2026 reform.
- Taxes for Foreigners in Armenia Taxes for foreigners in Armenia: the 183-day residency rule, the 20% income tax, sole-trader and micro-business regimes, and the IT tax break.
- Cost of Living in Yerevan What it costs to live in Yerevan as a nomad or expat: rent, groceries and markets, transport, coworking and mobile, with realistic monthly budget ranges.
- Living in Yerevan as a Digital Nomad Yerevan for digital nomads: coworking and cafe-working, internet speed, the 180-day visa-free stay, the community, districts and honest trade-offs.
- Opening a Bank Account in Armenia How to open a bank account in Armenia as a foreigner: the documents, the social card, in person vs remote, foreigner-friendly banks and multi-currency.
Services for living in Armenia
What’s already on the site
Practical sections that come in handy when relocating:
Documents, visas, and taxes: official sources
For these topics we point you straight to government sites - they have the current rules, deadlines, and amounts. We’ll prepare separate breakdowns relying on these same sources.
- Visa, visa-free entry, and length of stay MFA of Armenia
- Residence permit Migration and Citizenship Service
- Taxes State Revenue Committee
- Registering a company State Register (e-register)
- Government services e-Government of Armenia
Nuances people ask about
- The official language is Armenian, but Russian is widely spoken and English gets you a long way in tourist areas and Yerevan.
- The money is the Armenian dram (AMD). We show the current rate on the home page in the “Right now in Armenia” block.
- Internet and connectivity are inexpensive and fast in the cities - a strong point for remote work.
- Housing in central Yerevan is the most expensive; prices ease in the regions and outside the summer season.