Quit Your Job And Move Abroad: The Cheapest Places To Live In 2018
Quit Your Job And Move Abroad: The Cheapest Places To Live In 2018
It’s the ultimate fantasy: Escape the 9-5 by moving to a place where it’s so cheap you barely need to work — and could even retire early. The Panama-based Live and Invest Overseas advise people on how to do just that, and the company has just announced its list of the ten best places in the world where you can move in 2018 and live very well for very little.
We caught up with Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of Live and Invest Overseas, who told us why each of these places made the coveted list.
1. Lisbon, Portugal
Topping the list of places where you can live on the cheap — Lisbon. “This is an enjoyable place to be and our top pick,” says Peddicord, who describes Lisbon as a “noble and elegant city” full of “awe-inspiring landmarks that constructed during the Golden Age of Discovery.”
According to Peddicord, Lisbon — and all of Portugal, for that matter — offers a competitive cost of living that is among the lowest in Western Europe, thanks to an “enviable tax situation” and plenty of real estate bargains. It’s possible to live here comfortably but modestly on a budget of as little as $1,300 a month, including rent, food and more. If you want to buy, a 538-square-foot apartment in one of the lowest-cost neighborhoods can sell for $90,000.
2. Cali, Colombia
Medellín ranked near the top of last year’s list. This year, Cali has taken the spotlight, thanks to rental rates that are 25% to 30% less than in Medellín, making it an extra-attractive bargain. “For so long the world has been too afraid to spend time or money here,” says Peddicord. And that has helped made Cali, a city of 2.5 million inhabitants in Colombia’s Valle del Cauca, a steal. Plus, it’s now safe.
Just how affordable is Cali? A couple can live here for as little as $987 a month, including rent. And you can buy a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment in an excellent location for as low as $45,100.
3. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, and its capital, Santo Domingo, is the place to be. Established in 1496, this is the oldest European city in the Americas, and its charms run deep. “The structures at the heart of this old town are classic Spanish colonial but simpler, statelier and somehow more refined than their counterparts across the region,” says Peddicord.
All of this tourist growth translates into better infrastructure and modern conveniences like five-star restaurants, shopping malls, and movie theaters. A couple can expect to spend about $1,450 a month to live here, including rent and food.
4. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
Are you Looking for well-priced Caribbean beach living in a cozy and welcoming community? The fishing village of San Pedro town on Ambergris Caye is where you’ll find it.
On this tiny island in Belize, golf carts are the preferred means of transportation, and the coast dotted with five-star hotels, along with high-end condo communities, restaurants, art galleries, supermarkets and wine shops. Peddicord says that she wouldn’t describe property prices as a steal, but she says that “they can be a bargain compared with elsewhere in the Caribbean.” A rental off the beach can run as low as $1,000 a month, and expats can expect to spend about $1,965 a month total on rent and living expenses.
5. Saint-Chinian, France
Provence is well-known, but it’s expensive. South of France alternative is the Languedoc, home to Saint-Chinian, which Peddicord describes as a “quintessential French country village where everyday life is like something out of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.”
This town is notable for burgeoning wine industry, as well as its property prices, which half of those of Provence and the Côte d’Azur. (A couple will spend about $1,628 on rent and living expenses.) One advantage: It’s possible to live in Saint-Chinian without a car, due to high train and bus service.
6. Abruzzo, Italy
“Abruzzo has everything Tuscany offers and more — at a fraction the cost,” says Peddicord. A couple could live here comfortably on $1,400 per month or less, including rent.
7. Ljubljana, Slovenia
What’s the cost to combine this Old World charm and real-world infrastructure? Peddicord says that a penny-pinching couple could live in Ljubljana for as little as $1,059 a month.
8. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
“When it comes to day-to-day living, you’d have no trouble finding anything you’d want or need,” says Peddicord. This little town has 12 supermarkets and two Walmarts. The cost of living the beach life in Playa is more than reasonable and one of the many attractions for the large expat population. A couple could spend well under $2,000 per month, including rent, utilities, and transportation.
9. Bali, Indonesia
“Bali enjoys a well-deserved reputation as one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world,” says Peddicord. “Multi-tiered Balinese temples adorn even the smallest villages. The locals are unfailingly friendly and some of the most serene and pleasant people you are likely to find anywhere.”
Adding to its appeal: a picture-postcard coastline with world-class diving, surfing and more. And for expats, Bali is heaven. There are plenty of bars, cultural events and dining options that range from excellent street food (for a pittance) to white-glove restaurants. You can also visit galleries, study yoga and go golfing. “There are always many interesting options for how to fill your days.”
Southern of Bali, Uluwatu is an unpretentious suburb of the more substantial city of Denpasar. “Quiet and laid-back, Uluwatu feels far removed from the crowds of tourists who flock to Bali for vacations and honeymoons.”
It’s possible to live affordably in Uluwatu — and to indulge in a five-star, luxury lifestyle. “Whatever your budget, you’ll find that you can live substantially better for less money in Uluwatu” And you’ll meet plenty of like-minded foreigners “who have become enchanted with the laid-back lifestyle this town excels in.”
What’s the cost of paradise? On Bali, a couple can live well for about $900 a month.
10. Da Nang, Vietnam
The appeal to expats? A beautiful lifestyle that will cost a couple $1,175 a month — or less. Plus, it’s a place with “economy on fire, led by forward-thinking executives, many educated overseas, with an entrepreneurial spirit unparalleled in the region,” says Peddicord.