Expatriotic
If you enjoy the post, throw a few sats to help this dissatisfied employee of the rat race.
Disillusioned with the country you're in?
Want to live somewhere else?
Can't seem to save at a reasonable rate?
In debt due to high cost of living?
Ready to retire but worried you don't have enough money?
I would argue that a lot of these problems could be solved by moving to a different country.
Expatriate: one who leaves their country to work abroad. Often called "expats" for short.
Consider moving to a country with a lower cost of living. Bring your skills and talents. Earn a wage while working remotely. Or find a job abroad that values your labor more than back home, like being an international school teacher (that's what I do).
Instead of waiting until you're 65 to retire. Earn and save in a stronger currency, making a higher income in NYC, LA, Nashville, etc., then abscond to the beaches of Indonesia, Thailand, or Ecuador where your money stretches way further.
None of this needs to be permanent. Some people work domestically for 6 months and travel for 6 months. Or work for a year and travel for a year.
Speaking from experience as an international school teacher, the math works out pretty well. Competitive salary + lower living costs = serious saving potential, all while living a great life.
There are costs to leaving the country you know. Culture gaps. Language gaps. So you really need to assess your own situation.
I recommend reading the book "Vagabonding" by Rolf Potts. Listen to the "Radical Personal Finance" podcast by Joshua Sheats, who moved his family to Mexico.
Basically, you're not trapped.
You're free.
Go where you like, do what you like.
But please, don't think you need to work til you're 65 at a job you hate just to finally live your dreams sipping martinis on a beach in Thailand or golfing/fishing all day.
You can do that right now.
The table should help you visualize the cost of living in various countries.
Table 1: Examples of countries relative purchasing power using the US as base 100.
| Rank | Country/Region | Cost index | Monthly income | Purchasing power index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 131.4 | 7,958 USD | 94.6 |
| 6 | Ireland | 110.6 | 6,644 USD | 93.9 |
| 9 | Australia | 107.0 | 5,070 USD | 74.1 |
| 15 | United States | 100.0 | 6,398 USD | 100.0 |
| 16 | United Kingdom | 98.5 | 4,103 USD | 65.1 |
| 18 | Sweden | 93.9 | 5,292 USD | 88.1 |
| 21 | Japan | 84.9 | 3,537 USD | 65.1 |
| 22 | France | 83.2 | 3,774 USD | 70.9 |
| 24 | Germany | 82.3 | 4,503 USD | 85.6 |
| 29 | Singapore | 72.1 | 5,600 USD | 121.3 |
| 31 | Portugal | 67.9 | 2,163 USD | 49.8 |
| 32 | United Arab Emirates | 67.2 | 4,097 USD | 95.3 |
| 39 | Chile | 58.3 | 1,280 USD | 34.3 |
| 40 | China | 57.6 | 1,071 USD | 29.1 |
| 44 | Brazil | 49.8 | 678 USD | 21.3 |
| 45 | Ecuador | 49.7 | 525 USD | 16.5 |
| 48 | El Salvador | 48.2 | 393 USD | 12.7 |
| 49 | Honduras | 47.5 | 229 USD | 7.5 |
| 63 | Colombia | 38.2 | 542 USD | 22.2 |
| 67 | Philippines | 36.5 | 329 USD | 14.1 |
| 75 | Thailand | 34.7 | 603 USD | 27.2 |
| 77 | Indonesia | 33.1 | 382 USD | 18.0 |
| 79 | Vietnam | 32.4 | 334 USD | 16.1 |
Source: https://www.worlddata.info/cost-of-living.php
Source: International Cost of Living Calculator
I probably had my toddler screaming in the background as I wrote this.
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