Want to Leave the USA and Retire Early? Here Are My Top 3 Countries For Expats

I’m a big believer in voting with your feet. It’s all about expressing your preferences through action. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. And what action could possibly speak louder about your personal preferences than where you live?

I first moved from Michigan to Florida back in 2009 for a variety of reasons that were economic and non-economic in nature. No state income tax, healthy economy, warm weather, beaches?

Yeah, life isn’t too bad in the Sunshine State. Well, I guess I was ahead of the curve there, because Florida has exploded in popularity over the last two or so years.

After living in Florida for eight years and becoming financially free there, I moved abroad in 2017. I did this in order to take advantage of geographic arbitrage.

I earn in a strong currency, spend in a relatively weaker currency, and get a lot of lifestyle for very little money. I’ve been living abroad for nearly five years now.

Well, I think I was ahead of the curve again, as I foresee a combination of high inflation and the recent rise in remote work giving way to a wave of expatriation over the coming years. But not every country is created equal.

I’ve done a ton of research, which has obviously included putting boots on the ground and living this lifestyle for myself. Some countries are particularly appealing and advantageous when it comes to the idea of long-term relocation.

Today, I want to tell you my top three countries for American expatriation in 2022. Ready? Let’s dig in.

Before I get into this, I want to note that I’ve selected three countries in three different regions of the world. And I did that on purpose. These three countries offer totally different dynamics, which means you get a little something for everyone here. Because we’re all different, right? We all have different tastes when it comes to climate, food, culture, amenities, etc. I’m not you. And you’re not me. But before we dive in, keep one important point in mind.

You will never find a perfect place.

To paraphrase and readopt a Thomas Sowell quote: “There are no perfect locations. There are only trade-offs.” If you’re looking for some perfect paradise with perfect people, you’re going to be very disappointed. Instead, it’s up to you to find the trade-offs in a place that are acceptable for you after you look at the big picture.

Every country in the world has its benefits and drawbacks.

But when you do an in-depth cost-benefit analysis, I think you’ll find that these three specific locations offer more benefits than drawbacks, especially as it relates to the quality of life relative to the cost of living. That’s really what we’re all after. Maximum QOL at the minimum COL. It’s about getting great value for money and living the lifestyle we want at a price tag we can be happy with and afford.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about the first country.

The first country I want to tell you about is Mexico.

Viva Mexico. We all know about the issues down at the southern border of the US. But guess what? A lot of Americans are actually leaving and moving to Mexico. In fact, CNBC recently covered this, highlighting how Californians have been getting priced out and heading down to Mexico for better lives on smaller budgets. It’s hard to strongly dislike Mexico. Great food, lively culture, low costs.

One huge benefit to living in Mexico? Location, location, location.

Mexico is in North America. So if you’re coming from the States, it’s perfect. You’ll have minimum issues with time zones. And flying back to the States to visit people or pick up a few things you might need is easy peasy. Another thing great about Mexico’s location, of course, relates to climate.

You’re looking at warm weather year round almost everywhere in the country. And you have plenty of choices in terms of lifestyle and setting. Want the fast pace of a big city? Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the entire world. Want to chill out by the beach? Playa del Carmen is calling. If you like the small-town feel, San Miguel de Allende could work.

Mexico isn’t the cheapest country in the world, but it’s significantly cheaper than the US on an apples-to-apples basis.

For example, the closest proxy to Mexico City in the States is New York City. Both cities have somewhere around 9 million people. Well, using Numbeo as our source, a one-bedroom apartment in NYC, averaging approximately $3,400/month is almost five times more expensive than the $720/month you’d average for a one-bedroom apartment in Mexico City.

Since housing is usually one’s largest single expense in any given month, knocking it down by a significant amount has a disproportionate effect on your entire budget and frees you up to spend more in other areas – like, say, travel or eating out. Safety in some of Mexico’s cities can be an issue, especially near the border. But visas can be acquired fairly easily for Americans, including permanent residency. And I think the QOL-to-COL ratio is very favorable.

Let’s now get into country #2.

The next country on today’s list is Georgia. 

No. Not the state. The country. We’re now heading way east here, as Georgia is located in the Caucasus. We covered a North American option. Well, Georgia gives you a quasi-European option, since it straddles Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Georgia flies way under the radar, which isn’t surprising – the population of the entire country is less than 4 million people. However, I think it’s a fantastic spot to consider for potential American expats. Its biggest city and capital, Tbilisi, is a hidden gem, which is why I’ve talked about it in prior videos. I’m back at it again, covering it once more.

The bang for buck here is among the best I know of.

I like getting a good deal. That certainly goes for the stocks I buy. But it also goes for everything else I spend money on. Well, Tbilisi offers some of the cheapest prices and best deals of anywhere on the planet. For instance, a one-bedroom apartment in the city center averages $650/month, per Numbeo.
What will $650/month get you in any decent city in the States? I doubt you could even rent a room in someone’s house for that.

Before I relocated abroad in 2017, I did a deep dive into Georgia, in general, and Tbilisi, in particular. Inflation has taken a bite. Back then, I was finding apartments left and right for about $450/month. Still, these current numbers are very low. And, anyway, housing in the States has gone through the roof since I left. Again, I’m focusing on rent here, because that’s almost always one’s largest single monthly expense. Using that as a proxy for all costs, though, you can see that Tbilisi will be substantially cheaper than any equivalent in the States.

Mild four-season climate, easy visa, advantageous tax situation, and pleasant culture.

What’s there to complain about here? Because the city is bounded by mountain ranges and is in close proximity to large bodies of water, the city experiences a more mild climate than its latitude would suggest. It averages nearly 50 degrees for its daily high in December, for instance. The visa situation is outstanding.

Americans get a free 365-day entry stamp on arrival. Can’t beat it. Georgia has territorial taxation. And the people are known to be warm and inviting. Tbilisi’s natural setting, with the river, the rolling hills, and the ancient architecture is picturesque. Being able to live a nice lifestyle on a fraction of what it would cost in the States makes the whole thing rather enchanting.

Last but not least, we’ve got one more country to talk about.

Let’s now talk about Thailand. My personal favorite. 

We now move even further east. We’re now squarely in South East Asia. If you want an option in Asia, I don’t think you can do better than Thailand. They don’t call it the Land of Smiles for nothing. While the mask wearing over the last couple of years has been an unfortunate reality, which has covered up the legendary smiles of Thai people, you just can’t shake the friendliness of Thais.

There’s a gregarious approach to life here, striving to achieve satisfaction in everything that you do. The Thai word for it is “sanuk”. This is a big reason why I decided to relocate to Thailand in 2017 after searching the whole world for the right place for my next chapter in life. But that’s not all there is. Thailand offers so, so much more.

How about great food, sunshine, warm year-round weather, beaches, mountains, and everything in-between?

Thailand isn’t perfect. Don’t get me wrong. But if you had to draw up a place that had just about everything you could want, it would probably look at least something like Thailand. It’s safe. The people are super nice. Their cuisine is widely regarded as one of the world’s best. It never gets cold. You get nature galore. You can live in a big city like Bangkok, on an island over in Phuket, or up in the mountains in Chiang Mai. The nightlife is legendary, for those interested. The country has a fantastic coffee scene. There are excellent internet speeds for connectivity. So on and so forth.

The QOL/COL ratio in Thailand cannot be beat.

I don’t know of anywhere on the planet that beats Thailand when it comes to value for money, and I’ve looked everywhere. The quality you get for the price is almost unbelievable. It’s something you have to see with your own eyes to believe. I’ll give you an example. I highlighted the apartment I live in some months ago. Based on the current exchange rate, my luxury, furnished one-bedroom apartment in the northern city of Chiang Mai costs me $370/month. And my place is actually near the top of the local market. You can go cheaper. Numbeo has the average one-bedroom apartment in Chiang Mai at about $313/month.

My daily lunch runs about $2. Transportation across town runs $1. So on and so forth. Visas can be tricky. And the high heat and humidity can wear you down. But if you’re looking to vote with your feet, take advantage of geographic arbitrage, and experience the most favorable intersection of quality of life and cost of living on the planet, Thailand has to be strongly considered.

— Jason Fieber

P.S. If you’d like access to my entire six-figure dividend growth stock portfolio, as well as stock trades I make with my own money, I’ve made all of that available exclusively through Patreon.