Mobility quietly sets the ceiling on everything else in expat life, because a difficult commute or an isolated home taxes work, family, and friendships every day. Reliability depends on destination type: many expat cities have public transport far better than arrivals from car dependent countries expect, while suburban and small town postings often make a car non negotiable.
If a car is likely, address licensing early, since some countries convert foreign licences easily while others require full local testing that can take months, and insurance for newcomers without local history can start expensive. Ride hailing bridges gaps but is costly as a daily solution.
Plan the effects deliberately. Choose housing on total commute plus rent, test the journey at rush hour before signing, and for families remember proximity to school matters twice daily. Factor transport into the social calculus too; people attend what is easy to reach, so living near the life you want beats commuting to it.