Bargain destinations, vacation values, and international travel adventures.


The Cheapest Places to Live, Part 2

March 8th, 2005 Posted in International living/working, Work/Life/Travel Balance

[Editor's note: This post is OLD! Don't treat it as current gospel and ask why prices have gone up. For a new version, see this post: Cheapest Places to Live late 2008.]

In an earlier entry, I waxed philosophical about how to answer the difficult question, “Where are the Cheapest Places to Live?” After all, my book is a good primer on where to travel for cheap, but what if you want to put down roots?

Where Convenience Rules
If you’re an American who wants to stay in the US, or are looking to move here, check out this report from Forbes. It features a rundown on 60 places in the US where the living is fairly easy, depending on your situation. This is a subjective and rather odd list (St. Louis but not Kansas City? Birmingham but not Nashville?), but food for thought anyway.

But of course the US is not really all that cheap, no matter where you live. Yes, once you get outside of places like New York and San Francisco, it’s certainly cheaper than most of western Europe, especially when it comes to housing, gas, and food. This was true even before the Euro appreciated so much. But some things, like health care costs, will really sock it to you. To live well on a small amount of money, you’ll have to look abroad.

Casting a Wide “Cheap Living” Net
This link takes you to to two some publications that examine living abroad on a regular basis. I especially recommend International Living if you’re serious. I’ve written for them, so call me biased, but before that I was a subscriber and probably will be for many years to come. Different newsletters and web sites are good at covering different parts of the world, but IL does an admirable job of comparing places around the globe with perspective.

Their 2005 Quality of Life Index just came out recently and one issue that figures into the index is the cost of living in different countries. Unfortunately, they fall into the easy trap of using US State Department cost of living figures–fine if you’re living like a cosseted diplomat, but a bit skewed if you don’t need a huge house with a dishwasher and clothes dryer. Keeping that caveat in mind, the places that offer a relatively good quality of life and a low cost of living include the following:

- New Zealand
- Uraguay
- Mexico
- Argentina
- Slovakia
- Romania
- Panama
- Hungary
- Ecuador
- Paraguay (cheapest of all, in their opinion)
- Bolivia
- Sechelles
- Belize
- Dominican Republic
- Honduras

Other Options
If you’re not all that concerned about maintaining a cushy lifestyle, or you’re good at adapting to the local norms, options open up considerably. Nearly all of Central America and South America is relatively foreigner-friendly, especially if you’re living on income or a pension from your home country.

remote
Lots of remote islands are cheap, if you’re not too concerned about being isolated. Maldives, Vanuatu, Micronesia–got a boat?

Why so few countries in Asia? Most of the countries of Southeast Asia are cheap, beautiful, and filled with good food. They just don’t want you hanging around too long, that’s all. It’s next to impossible to buy land or a house in any of these places without a local controlling partner or through a spouse. Even then it’s a royal pain. Thailand has opened up the door a crack, however, allowing foreigners to buy condos at least. But one consideration is how easy it is to get a residency permit. You can’t settle down somewhere without the security of knowing you can stay. Making a border run every month or two gets pretty suspicious after a while. For whatever reason, it’s generally tough throughout much of Asia unless you have a work permit from your employer.

The best way to find your perfect spot that’s in your budget? Travel a lot, read a lot, and ask for advice. Pay for advice when it will save you from making the wrong move or spending far more than you have to.

Just remember that one man’s cheap paradise is another man’s third-world hellhole. One woman’s shopping paradise is another woman’s sterile glut of commercialism. Figure out what your parameters are, then start narrowing down the options. Rent for a while and see if the place really floats your boat or not.

ProgressoAs for me, I straddle the US and Mexico. I live in the US to work hard, make money, and save. I go to my little beach house in the Yucatan to kick back in a hammock and live the cheap and easy life.

Before I bought a place there, my parameters were a place that’s easy to get to, always warm, with good real estate prices, good food, and a language that pays some dividends from learning it. (I’ve lived in Turkey and Korea and promptly forgot both languages almost entirely.) So for me, Mexico works–for now anyway. Maybe when the nest is empty and I really settle down overseas, who knows…

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  1. 59 Responses to “The Cheapest Places to Live, Part 2”

  2. By Richard on Jun 6, 2006

    where on the Yucatan did you find your beach house. Maybe I’ll get the one just down the road.

  3. By Tim L. on Jun 6, 2006

    In Chuburna, near Progreso. Closest city is Merida, about 40 minutes away, with flights on Continental and Delta. It’s not for everyone–very few gringos–but the price is right!

  4. By Daryl on Jun 8, 2006

    I just spent a month in Istanbul Turkey, I thought it was a very nice place that had both the rural areas and city life, what were your pros and cons about living there?

  5. By Tim L. on Jun 8, 2006

    I loved living there, so lots of pros. Great place to go sightseeing whether you have an afternoon in the city or a week to get out of it. Every city has its cons. The ones there are that it’s terrible for your lungs (coal smoke in winter, cigarette smoke all year) and like many countries still getting their act together, government services are far from efficient–the postal service, for example. Not the best place for vegetarians either, but I’m not one so I really liked the food. I’d do it all over again, for sure.

  6. By chuck on Jul 19, 2006

    thanks for the note about chuburna,am working hard to relocate there by the end of this year.I am under the impression that more gringos are moving there but that may not be accurate,your additional comments are most welcomed.am sorry to report i really cant afford to keep house in the northeast,taxes and heating 7 months of the year are eating up all my salary.

  7. By Lakshman Dalpadado on Aug 20, 2006

    One of the most useful artices I’ve read on the subject. As you mentioned - I am a burnt-out professional wanting to live inc country with intersting architecture , Stylish people, good food and fab houses. Italy, France , Morocco and Mexico are my favourites - and there should be canary palms. I just love Rome but its far too expensive. I am planning to visit Mexico - I hear that San miguel de Allende is very interesting!

  8. By Lakshman Dalpadado on Aug 20, 2006

    One of the most useful artices I’ve read on the subject. As you mentioned - I am a burnt-out professional wanting to live in a country with intersting architecture , Stylish people, good food and fab houses - Oh I forgot and Canary Palms. Italy, France , Morocco and Mexico are my favourites . I just love Rome but its far too expensive. I am planning to visit Mexico - I hear that San miguel de Allende is very interesting!

  9. By Cyndi Davis on Nov 26, 2006

    Thanx for the advice. I need all I can get. Im looking at Costa Rica right now as a potential life choice. Prices seem to be fairly low ( one bdrm.rentals as low as $225.00 per month )
    I just sold my home in Canada, and altho I didnt earn enuff to retire, I would be satisfied with the role of perpetual tourist for a few years. Anything to get out of this -33 C. weather!!

  10. By Bill T on Dec 4, 2006

    Yucatan is a wonderful destination [for my month there] though most Gringos flee the May heat - so use traditional building wisdom there. Mérida has a dignity, rotating events in the plazas nightly, ruins to see or the coast in all directions, Mayan people a good population. Outlying towns should pick up in interest, colonial zones nice for restoration.

    I’m commited in Chile but don’t recommend it - too criminal down to its soul. Argentina to me has past “culture” and education but is over-ridingly insubstantial and fluff. As said above, easily another man’s paradise.

  11. By Khaki on Dec 9, 2006

    Hold onto your hats folks… Its the end of 2006 - and the gringos who are retiring first are about to price the rest of us all out of the market in Yucatan. I just saw a house I know for a fact was built for less than $17K on the market for $90K - in Chuburna! HOW??? Have you ever BEEN to Chuburna??? You could put that whole house on the head of a pin!!! But - its on the beach and that seems to be all it needs.

  12. By tim on Dec 10, 2006

    That’s always the way it works–anywhere. Since I have a house in Chuburna, I’m glad to hear about the appreciation. But here’s the thing: at this moment I am in Puerto Vallarta, where that same house you mention would probably fetch $150,000 without even being on the beach. Most of the advertisements here for condominiums say “starting at $250,000″ or “units from $350,000.” Those are condos! Yet the people who bought here in the beginning are loaded. Same thing in Costa Rica.

    The population is growing and more people are retiring with money. This is going to be a worldwide trend for all but the most godforsaken places–as long as there’s warm weather and a beach it’s a pretty safe bet for real estate. All it takes is an up front investment and a little patience. Hey, buy some land and then build your own house for $17K…

  13. By Samson on Feb 7, 2007

    Where woudyo say out of theplaces u have lived were i ca take my money and live the cheapest for vacations and future retirement situation? Next 2 nothing wouldb great. I am not that green.:)

  14. By tim on Feb 8, 2007

    Samson–If you’re willing to live like a local, you can get by for a couple hundred dollars a month in dozens of places like Nepal, India, Indonesia, or Nicaragua. But most westerners aren’t willing to step that far down into poverty. Your best bet is to start doing research through EscapeArtist, International Living, and the book The World’s Cheapest Destinations. There are no easy answers to this question–it depends on where you’re from, what you want, how you intend to support yourself, etc.

  15. By Rob Thomas on Feb 13, 2007

    I have a pension of about $3,200.00 a month and would like to move somewhere that offers accomaditons for 4, is warm year round, that is safe, which I can afford on my pension. Any suggestions?

    Thanks

  16. By tim on Feb 14, 2007

    Almost anywhere in Latin America you can get by fine on that amount if you don’t live extravagantly, especially if you’re renting and not buying. Dig into the resources in the post above or at http://www.WorldsCheapestDestinations.com.

    Plenty of places in Asia are even cheaper, but the visa situation is stricter. One exception is Malaysia. They’re luring expats with the “My Second Home” program.

  17. By Robin on Feb 16, 2007

    I am wondering if there are any little border towns in Mexico that would be just a short trip back to the US to shop, etc., and how viable that would be. I’d like to rent a little place in a quiet little town.

  18. By tim on Feb 16, 2007

    Robin, Mexican border towns are the most dangerous spots in the country unfortunately. It’s where the drug smuggling and people smuggling gangs are active and in control.

    You don’t need to be near the U.S. to shop though. Wal-mart is the biggest retailer in Mexico and near where I have a house, in Merida, there’s Office Max, Sam’s, Costco, and Home Depot–for a start. You’ll pay more for some items, like electronics, but almost anything you can get at home you can get there apart from a vast English language book selection. You just need to be striking distance to a decent-sized city.

  19. By Virgie on Mar 28, 2007

    Tim: Need to get out of this air contaminated city! Husband & I have allergies (getting worst) daily. Need clean breathing air, somewhat warm climate (not lower than 50 degrees), but like Rob only have 3200.00 monthly for both to live on. Mexico sounds good, but how does one go about buying a house? Thanks for your help. Have done some research myself…what do you know about Socorro, NM?

  20. By Theo on Apr 6, 2007

    First Tim, Thank you for the post.

    My wife and I are thinking about moving to mexico. I am 34, she is 33 and we have a 1 year old. We have 220k in savings and would like to know if that is a fair amount to hold us over for 5 years or so. The work situation in mexico is my major concern (as we will home school our child). My wife has a Bachlor degree and is a teacher, and I have an Associates in Business Administration (my occupation is sales). With those facts, is it realistic to think that our trade skills will be transferable (ie. useful in mexico…can we get simple employment to augment our financial and living arrangements)? How does personal credit (credit fico scoring) work in mexico?

  21. By tim on Apr 6, 2007

    Theo, I’m not the guy to ask about this as I don’t live there full-time. Start networking with people who do through message boards and pick up the kinds of books and magazines that will help provide the answers. With your skill sets though, it sounds like you’d need to work within the expat-serving community unless you’re really fluent in Spanish. Or you’d be an export broker/rep for someone, which would take time to set up. But again, I don’t have the answers on this. Devote your time to some serious reading–the ink on pages kind.

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  23. By patty on Apr 30, 2007

    Hi,

    Anyone know where Xcalak,Mexico is? What is the town like and how are the beaches?

  24. By Shelley Reason on May 6, 2007

    Hi Tim,
    Am interested in getting out of Canada. Currently live in Edmonton, AB. Crime rate here has gone through the roof. Am working for a property management co. and have lots of office experience, as well as renovation experience. Looking for somewhere cheap and SAFE to live. Have property I can sell for purchasing and getting established. Looking for somewhere warm. Any suggestions?

  25. By dean on May 23, 2007

    wondering if any body new anything abouy ghana in africa and if that would make the list and in general what it was like thanks dean

  26. By wayne on May 27, 2007

    Hi Tim, when I was living and working in Mexico the police would come around at least every thirty days to extort money. Do they still do the same thing. My Mexican professional contacts tell me the same thing still happens. Do the Mexican police still stop your car on the highway for no reason and put a gun to your head for money? Have any of the major crimes against gringo’s ( like murder, home invasion, rape) been solved in your area recently. I always got the idea that I would not want to retire in Mexico because my wife and I would be too vulnerable to crime as we got older.
    Wayne

  27. By tim on May 27, 2007

    This kind of crime seems mainly confined to Mexico City and the border areas where smugglers are active. I know dozens of people who have moved to Mexico and have never ever dealt with anything like this. I almost never see anything on the expat message boards either. Do your own due diligence, but Mexico is a big country and the Yucatan is very different from the capital and Puerto Vallarta and Lake Chapala are very different than Tijuana. Just like retiring in Scottsdale, Arizona is nothing like retiring in urban Detroit.

  28. By Belina Garcia on May 28, 2007

    Tim,
    Been reading your entries and it occurred to me you might be a good source for me, let me tell you what I mean:
    We live in Merida (Santiago) we like it fine, husband and 2 older kids and me. I rebuilt a space on the Remate de Montejo for a Cafe/Gallery and come to find my husband’s health is compromised and insurance won’t cover here so we have to go to the US to get care so I am selling (traspaso).
    I’ve put an ad everywhere but need more exposure so I can sell quickly. I’ve got to get us back as soon as I can and I need help. Realtors only want to see homes so I need people who want to relocate but still need to work (like me!) My Cafe is equipped and ready to be working, it even has a phone with WiFi and the stationary tank is full!
    Photos at http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s126/quintabelina/quintaapril2007/
    everything included for $30,000USD (negotiable) and I can also introduce to my home’s owner in case they need a rental for $6800 (3br,2.5baths, front & back gardens, carport, large home, furnished w/phone & dsl, will you help me get the word out, please? My family would appreciate it.

  29. By Marci Gonzalez on Jun 9, 2007

    Tim,
    I work from home and have been searching for an inexpensive beach front place to buy or lease in another country. Time to leave the US. Do you know if there is internet access in some of these islands and is it dial up, high speed, etc.. How safe is it for a single woman?

  30. By tim on Jun 13, 2007

    Marci, you really need to read up on individual destinations to find that out. There’s is no easy answer as it can vary by country and even by town. Spend some time on expat websites for specific areas and you will get the inside scoop, or buy one of the many reports and e-books out there. Some places are totally wired, others aren’t. Safety is relevant, but for the most part this fear is overblown almost everywhere if you follow common sense rules and don’t flash too much money (or skin).

  31. By Rob on Aug 26, 2007

    I`m wondering if Belina Garcis`s home in Merida Santiago is still on the market? I`d like more info if it is still available Rob in RI, USA

  32. By tim on Aug 26, 2007

    I posted more info about it here after she posted that note above and we corresponded. Get in touch with her directly as her e-mail is listed on the following post:
    http://travel.booklocker.com/2007/06/13/turnkey-business-for-sale-in-merida-mexico/

  33. By savodj on Aug 27, 2007

    I am a Canadian working and living in Mexico, it is a great place to live and work can be found. There are some paperwork issues to work out but they are not unsurmountable.
    I am a sales manager for a large housing project just outside of Merida. It has almost 0% crime, yes that is a correnct percentile I posted.
    feel free to contact me via my website if you need any info. I left Vancouver, Canada about three years ago and my wife and I just love it here in Mexico. Merida is a very beautiful city, very friendly people, beaches are close by. I drove my car with Canadian plates all over the country on three different trips and never one bit of trouble except in Mexico city where I was extorted by the police and than i only paid half of what they demanded.

    Savo
    http://www.savodj.com

  34. By Dmitry on Oct 2, 2007

    Greetings ! I am a bilingual Russian living in Moscow. A recommendation that I can offer is Armenia or Azerbaijan: cheap placs to stay, decent climate, great food…Other possibilities can be Southern Russia but it’s not very safe - except, maybe Kislovodsk/Pyatigorsk mountenous areas that traditional cheap resorts/spas. You can live comfortably there for ca. 700-800 USD /month (including accommodation).

  35. By DENNISO7 on Oct 8, 2007

    Great investment opportunity in Costa Rica: costa rica beach, costa rica beach condos,Jaco Beach Apartment. Visit us for more info at: http://www.jaco-bay.com/

  36. By Ron on Oct 27, 2007

    Some very interesting ideas here Tim. I have arrived at the point where I could cash out of my job and move with about $700k in assets that I think could manage 9% returns in the long term. That’s about $63K per year gross. I estimate taxes and inflation would deduct 30% less (25% tax bracket and 3-5% inflation) from that which would leave me about $44k per year or $3600 per month to live without touching my principal barring any market or economic disaster.

    What standard of living do you think that would give me at most of the places you are writing about? I prefer to assimilate with the local culture and enjoy simple living. I’d rather ride a motorbike than a drive a car and would like to work in a volunteer job that helps people. A decent safe place to live, good food, friendly people and good reasonable heath care is what I am after. Thanks

  37. By Ron on Oct 28, 2007

    Tim - I also wanted to add (to above) that I prefer rural living to big cities. Thanks again. -Ronn

  38. By tim on Oct 29, 2007

    Ron, there are dozens of places where you could live very very well on that amount. Subscribe to International Living or nose around EscapeArtist.com and buy reports of places that look interesting. Spend a little on research and it will save you lots of time and hassle later.

  39. By Debora on Nov 4, 2007

    Costa Rica is really nice but getting very expensive. For example bread has doubled in price in the last 2 weeks. Eggs ditto. There are cheap rentals outside the areas where Gringos gather such as Turbialba etc. Schools are a tad expensive if you have children. If one is careful it is relatively safe here. The people are good folks and the climate is okay. It rains a lot and can be dreary in the rainy season.

  40. By Sandy Spencer on Nov 6, 2007

    Hi Tim,
    I’ve been looking at Ajijic because of it’s colonial environment and temperatures. I live on a fixed income of about $1500USD/mo.
    I’m a single woman and do you think with this income I would be able to retire there or do you have some other suggestions, or does anyone else have ideas? I just subscribed to International Living.
    Muchas gracias,
    Sandy

  41. By tim on Nov 6, 2007

    Sandy (and anyone else asking about a specific area),

    There are numerous e-books, reports, and dedicated websites for these spots that are full of gringos who have already blazed the path you’re seeking. I’m a generalist, but there are plenty of people who have done it already and have a good handle on costs. Naturally, a town that’s full of foreigners already is going to cost more than one that isn’t, but partly because there are more diversions and houses built more to resemble what you are already used to in your current home.

  42. By Hope on Nov 10, 2007

    Hi Tim,
    I have been doing my research on Merida and it looks good but as with all places you have the good with the bad which would be hurricanes. I understand you only live there part time but what has your experience been so far, especially living on the beach, with hurricane season ?

  43. By tim on Nov 10, 2007

    A fairly major hurricane hit there about six years ago I think, but main damage was just knocked down trees. A few houses too close to the water got hit on the beachfront, but most others were fine. In general though, Cancun, the Riviera Maya, and Belize are far more likely to get hit by a hurricane than a city four hours inland. Hardly anywhere in Mexico or Central America is really safe from natural disasters though–as the most recent hurricane and Tabasco floods demonstrated. Most of Florida is in a high-risk zone as well, but that hasn’t stopped people from buying there…

  44. By Ron on Dec 29, 2007

    My Wife and I are both retired. We are going to cancun in 11/29/08 for two weeks and the n would love to stay a few months in Merida. Do you know ifwe could find any place there in Merida for $800.00? We now live in Washington state dance8u@netzero.net

  45. By tim on Jan 6, 2008

    Ron, you would probably have trouble working out a deal in advance at that price through the Internet, but it would likely be easy to arrange after you arrived. You will just need to put feet on the street and start asking around. That’s a huge monthly rent in local terms, so it’s just a matter of finding a place that’s available and willing to rent to gringos.

  46. By Lisa on Feb 1, 2008

    Tim,
    I am an American that wants to leave the US for someplace with good weather, safe, inexpensive and tropical. I would need to work, so a job market would be helpful. We originally considered New Zealand but the weather scared us off. Do you know if the South Pacific Islands are tolerant of transplants? How is Guam’s cost of living and real estate?

  47. By tim on Feb 6, 2008

    Lisa, Guam and Saipan are U.S. territories, so no residency issues there. They’re not all that inexpensive though; not much in the South Pacific is. Keep in mind too you’ll spend a fortune on airfare every time you leave unless you’re going to Japan. I’m sure there are books or eBooks out there on living in this area. Check David Stanley’s site:
    http://www.southpacific.org/

  48. By Megan on Feb 13, 2008

    Hi Tim! I don’t know how many 22 year olds are responding to your posts, but hopefully I can be the first! I used to live on a boat with my family and we traveled with some other boater friends for about two years down to the Keys from Mobile, AL. The best experience I’ve ever had! We ended up coming back to Mobile so that my younger brother and I could finish school, since we had home schooled while on the boat. I have a sister who is 24 and married living in Maine, my brother who is now about to graduate from high school, and myself- and I am currently two years deep in a local university. WELL now, we’re all ready to pretty much drop all else again and make a more serious move down south. My parents ,obviously, could afford to buy property somewhere, but for my boyfriend and I, and my sister and her husband- how realistic is it that we would be able to rent something cheap and find jobs nearby? I’m just wondering, from what you’ve seen, if it’s possible to find affordable places while trying to get adjusted or is one my best options at this time to buy an affordable sailboat? Any information would help. I’ve just got to make a change for the better in my life and that’s going to come from being on the beach with some laid back people and a care-free atmosphere….

  49. By tim on Feb 18, 2008

    Megan, Naturally if you go to a country where labor is cheap, making good money without specific skills isn’t easy. Apart from teaching English or working for a tourist bar, your best bet is to do what you did at home virtually from another location. Otherwise, settle into a cheap rental apartment and start nosing around. Lining up something ahead of time is next to impossible, but opportunities come up a lot once you live somewhere.

  50. By sportsbook on Mar 6, 2008

    With the economy topsy-turvy these days, a cheaper place to live may be just what the doctor ordered. But we’re not just talking mortgages and rent. Cheap cost of living includes everything from the average price of a hamburger in a city to the price of a three-bedroom house there. These top 10 cheapest places have it all: affordable housing, food, transportation and healthcare. See how these places stack up to where you live.
    http://www.enterbet.com

  51. By Tamara on Mar 17, 2008

    I’m a 39 y.o female registered nurse wanting to move out of the US. I have little savings and would have to rent. Where are the cheapest and safest places I could live and work?

  52. By pat king on Mar 21, 2008

    where can i find a resonable beach for next winter in a beautiful yucatan town. thankyou

  53. By Julie Hope on Mar 23, 2008

    Tim,
    I am a 50 year old single woman and have a internet business that brings in about $5000 a month. I am interested in finding somewhere to retire where I can continue to run my business. I am interested in a coastal town that has a temperate climate. I would want to rent a place at first and would be looking for something that is comfortable and in line with the local architecture. Do you have any suggestions?

  54. By Tony on Apr 9, 2008

    Hi Tamara, et. al.

    I’m a 51 year-old and have been looking for a while now. South America looks like it’s my destination; specifically, Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador. Pretty sure I’ll be there by year’s end.

    Other good countries are Bolivia, Uraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Venezeula (a little more pricey, though). In Venezuela, just don’t do Caracus right now - too much crime. CIA’s probably behind most of it. Maracaibo and anywhere else, though, is cool.

    Ecuador’s got beautiful beaches and an ocean sunset. Can’t wait!

  55. By Lakshman Dalpadado on Apr 27, 2008

    The title should read ‘best places to live’ not the cheapest. There are plenty of cheap places to live - but you wouldn’t want to send a stray dog for a vacation in most the places that are mentioned in International living.
    What’s the point in going to places like Bulgaria If you can’t buy a newspaper you can read, have a conversation with someone or call your neighbor for help when your husband or wife has just collapsed in the bathroom? Worse - do they have emergency helicopter evacuation if you happen to get knocked down by one of many errant motorist that seems to hold sway on most roads in third world countries? Can you survive a day in one of those filthy jails if you are unfortunate enough to get arrested for a minor offense or misunderstanding ? Read about the German aristocrat who was arrested in Thailand and later jailed for just shouting at a immigration official and altered the visa date because they were taking such a long time to see him. He died a few days later under mysterious circumstances. Caveat Emptor is the motto when buying property in places where the language is different from your mother tongue.

  56. By tim on Apr 27, 2008

    Laksham,

    There are somewhere between 300,000 and 450,000 Americans living in Mexico, about four times that number living elsewhere abroad. The kinds of troubles you mention are so infrequent that most expats wouldn’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve lived in three developing countries and have never had a problem communicating when it mattered or finding a newspaper to read. Stay home and worry about the language barrier. Less competition for housing for the rest of us.

  57. By Rae on Jul 23, 2008

    I was wondering if you knew the cheapest place in africa to live.

  58. By M Wintz on Jul 30, 2008

    I am recently widowed and am thinking of moving out of the US to an island somewhere. I am a simple kinda gal the only thing I need is a roof over my head and internet for my PC. The VA is giving me a widowers pension as my husband was a Viet Nam Vet, but it is very small less than 1,000 per month. Although I am just about to finish college my arthritis makes any type of serious work hard for me. So I want to follow my dream and write my stories. Can you give me a few ideas of where to start my search.

  59. By Kent on Aug 1, 2008

    Ahoy,
    I live aboard my 39 foot sailboat in St Petersburg, Florida and I am interested in leaving the US and finding a place to live a few years to wait for the Recession to pass. I have been to the South Pacific, but Tahiti was too expensive. Is there a more affordable area to consider, where I can find work and it is reasonably safe. Any South Pacific Recommendations?

  60. By Mike on Aug 21, 2008

    If your looking to live in a great city…. Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is worth looking at. The city is very well kept, hardly any litter anywhere. Even the airport is like a palace. Cigarettes, food, petrol, accomodation, taxis all compare very very well compared to UK prices.

    The police are v.good and the authorities want British and Americans to settle there. Crime is low. I’m not sure about US workers but Brits pay no income tax.

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