Comments on: The Cheapest Places to Live, 2009

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:56:19 +0000

The world is now so intermingled that we are beginning to realize the extent to which we can value what we have and where we are, but… that there are other ways, places, customs, cultures, that we might very much appreciate…if we were to attempt to experience them. Our world, globalized as it is becomming, is full of the best and the worst that life can offer. The best is what should be strived for.

By: James

James — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:37:48 +0000

Yeah, I have to agree with Tim–most people who want out of their countries want that purely for financial reasons. And the majority of the time the ones who actually do think there is a better life in America find they are miserable when they get there.

I’ve been living in Thailand for the past year and a half. I can’t speak for many of these other countries, but it’s a well-known fact that the vast majority of the population here would never consider leaving their country for a minute, regardless of how bad things got. It’s not even in their reality,

and the expat who drags a Thai wife home soon finds he’s got a lonely, miserable wife on his hands. To these people, their country is without a doubt the best in the world.

I never felt at home in America–always wanted to go. People told me I was nuts–there’s nothing more that you can’t find here. But now I have to yank myself out of town to go anywhere.

I feel so comfortable I just want to kick back, and back home I couldn’t sit still. I could rant all day about good things here and I could rant all day about bad things too–but what really draws me and captivates me (usually without me even noticing) is the overall mindset and pace of life. It permeates everything they do, and you stay long enough it starts to permeate you.

I’m 28 years old, and I feel like I should have done this 8 years ago. Why wait to retire? Why not move overseas when you’re young and live the luxury life on pennies while making overseas money online?

That’s what I do–I run an outsourcing business, and with companies doing everything they can to stay afloat, this is an industry that is actually GROWING in a recession.

I pay $60 per month for my apartment. Don’t get me wrong, it’s far from luxury, but I did have a luxurious place for a while at $150. For $300 you could have a fully furnished 3Bd house with a pool–and that’s in one of the most popular cities in Thailand.

And I feel safer in a poor neighborhood here than I ever did back in California. No doubt about it.

I think soultraveler3 has some good points, and renting is a great option if you’re not sure what the future will bring for you personally A little time in paradise might bring you to the conclusion you just want to see more of the world, and it’s nice to have the choice to move on. And also because who knows what these times will bring.

Nothing is liberating like mobility. I recommend to anyone out there thinking of international living to just do it. I sold everything I owned to come here–my business, my truck, my furniture–nothing to go back to, and there hasn’t been a day when I looked back.

Maybe you won’t like it. You never know until you go, and they say the choices you regret in life are more likely to be about the things you never gathered the gumption to do than the things that didn’t work. What will you regret?

Or stay home if you want. Paradise will be paradise a whole lot longer if everyone back home stays scared. ;)

By: abendkleider

abendkleider — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:21:03 +0000

great information, very interesting…

By: tim

tim — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:29:15 +0000

Thanks Peter for reminding us why the opportunities outside one’s first-world home country are so great. Many people like you have an irrational fear of the unknown. And some people have trouble looking up and reading crime statistics—even those generated by the State Department showing the U.S. has one of the worst homicide rates and the very highest incarceration rate.

As a person who owns real estate in Mexico and has lived in four foreign countries, I know a fair bit about the real situation on the ground. I can safely say most places an expat would move to are safer than your average U.S. city—a fact that almost any expat living abroad will verify if you bother to ask them.

People don’t want to leave Mexico, Ecuador, or Panama because they don’t like their homeland or they’re scared. They want to make more money—simple as that. (Witness the drop in immigration when a recession hits.) Again, ask a few and you’ll see.

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:50:18 +0000

Like so many of these EXPAT promotional sites, they leave out the important and often gory details. One: if so many people living in that country will do damned near anything to get out, what does that really tell you about life and safety there? The reality: except for Costa Rica (and there stay OUT OF PUERTO LIMON IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE) The Caribbean, Central American and Andean countries have a crime rate that makes New Orleans look like a convent. In Sao Paulo Brazil, the apt buildings of the upper middle classes have heliports on the roof as the only safe way to get to and from their offices. As a foreigner in Nicaragua your house deed is worth toilet paper, and Danny Ortega is getting 1980’s flashbacks. South Africa has a 25% (25 NOT PER 100,000) rate of rape in a country with a 28% HIV infection rate, and a rate of invasions and murder that make the South Bronx in the 70’s look like Switzerland. Mexico’s corruption and drug violence has degenerated into a semi failed nation. The only functional EXPAT countries to even think of are Chile, Uruguay,and Argentina…Reality Check!!!!

By: tim

tim — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:26:22 +0000

William, I guess you’d prefer uneducated dumb Brits instead? Spain and Greece await you.

By: William Wallace

William Wallace — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:47:35 +0000

I would chose any place that wasn’t full of uneducated dumb Yanks to live.

By: Mario

Mario — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:11:02 +0000

Just read through all these comments. Look at a chart of the stock market this year and one of the gold price this year. Anyone in the latter investment has seen nada appreciation. And compare real estate bought in 1980 (anywhere in this hemisphere) to gold bought in 1980 (when it was $850). No contest. You can fight history or you can ride it to profit. Just don’t get greedy!

By: lrm

lrm — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:05:40 +0000

I’ve also heard/researched that China offers a great quality of life for an inexpensive cost. [ie,depends on what you're looking for,but it IS safe and food is plentiful.]
New Zealand,on the other hand,has really changed and grown. And,it is NOT so ‘cheap’ anymore-in reference to the comment by someone above. It is still safer than the US,but cheap,no. Sure,you could go to a very rural area with a depressed economy,but then again,you could do that in the USA-in almost every state-and find the same thing.
People’s comments span the gamut here: some seem to be interested in quality of life,low cost,and some seem to be interested in making money via real estate.
Two VERY different interests.
For myself,I’d say there are regions in france that are due to rise in popularity [won't say,want to keep it a secret for now],as well as parts of NE Canada and Chile. All safe,very moderately priced. Though,harder perhaps to ‘retire’ on an average pension,but certainly worth looking into for the quality of life available.
Mexico’s been ‘done’ in my opinion. Either expensive or unsafe,OR loaded with americans or tourists.
Then again,you could find an area still remote and with traditional values,but that depends on your geographic preference. I personally don’t care for semi arid or desert environs,nor steaming jungles.
Oh yea,and Portugal has been up and coming for awhile. Outside of the resort south,you could find fantastic locations…though not many english speakers.

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:53:01 +0000

Great Note!

I have lived and worked in Mexico for twelve years. I have lived in Monterrey in the North, on the beach in Chiapas, Mexico City and now in Merida, Yucatan, close to the Author´s beach home in Progreso.

The hype over drug lords controlling Mexico is just that. In the North there is more of this type of activity but very little here. Drug use in general and definitley in this part of the country is non-existent compared to the US. Families stay together.

Yucatan is a wonderful place to live with a thriving ex-pat community and a beautiful colonial city with more cultural activities, Mayan ruins, underground and open springfed pools (cenotes), beaches, fishing, haciendas and nice people than you can count, all within an hour´s drive.

We routinely get resident visas in ten working days for our foreign clients and you can get it in one day at the Texas border. Bank accounts can be opened in one day and owning a house in not at all insecure as many would have you believe. Renting is a good option also. Annual property taxes are less than your electric bill for a month at home. It is safer here than anywhere I have been, in large part thanks to the State Government that makes sure it stays that way.

We routinely invest in realestate her and have NEVER lost money and usually have no less that 20% annual return on our land investments. You have to know what you are doing to do this, we have been at it for a long time…..

Building here is infinitely more simple than in the US as long as you contract with a reputable contractor. (They are hard to find anywhere!)

There are negatives, three months of HOT summer, this is a culture of distrust, you do not trust people you do not know with money or other valuables. You do not put a check in the mail. If you leave something of value out in plain site, it will be swiped. The first answer to any question is often no. Accept and adjust to these negatives and the positives will just wash you away.

You just have to know HOW to get things done. There are people that can help you learn the ropes and avoid pitfalls. Our group does that for people all the time. Moving your houshold belongings, importing your car, all that stuff can be done and is routine and not terribly difficult if you know how.

It will not get cheaper to buy in the future.

Saludos, Ed

For Isa: this is a great place for active retired ladies. We have many friends in this category that have come here and absolutely blossomed and enjoy very active lives in and about the city. The Merida International Women´s Club is a great organization that gets the ladies together for a great variety of activities and charitable efforts. There is always something to do!