10 Countries Where You Can Live for $1,000/mo (or less)

If you want to escape a high cost of living and live a higher quality of life it is completely doable if you move abroad. So today we're going to talk about 10 countries where a single person can live on a thousand dollars per month and a couple can live on about fifteen hundred dollars per month. For a lot of people housing is the biggest monthly expense and you can rent a small apartment in all of these places for three to five hundred dollars a month. Food and utilities are also a lot more affordable than in the U.S. and Canada and you don't need a car because a lot of these places offer really good public transportation. And they have affordable health care so you won't have to choose between debt and death like so many U.S. Americans do. These also have visas available for tourists as well as retirees and digital nomads. And finally they are all popular with people from all around the world who want to live a higher quality of life without breaking the bank. Before we dive in if you're thinking about working online or living abroad hit that subscribe button because that's what we talk about. And now here are our 10 countries where a single person can live for a thousand dollars a month and a couple can live for fifteen hundred a month starting with Mexico. We almost did not include Mexico on our list because the prices have gone up there in recent years however we've heard from several other YouTubers and people that we know who live there on a low budget and it is possible to live there on a thousand dollars a month as a single person. Popular and affordable areas include Oaxaca, Huatulco, Puebla, Ensenada and there's lots of others. Some of the pros of Mexico are that it's huge so you have a lot of different options to choose from depending on what is important to you. You can live in the beach, in the mountains, you can choose a small town or a big city. Really it's just up to you what matters to you most. It's got great weather you don't have to deal with winter, no snow, no shoveling sidewalks. It's close to the U.S. which is really important to a lot of you so you can get back home easily and quickly. It's well known for its reliable and affordable health care and food is fantastic there. But no place is perfect and some of the downsides are that there is crime and this has been in the news a lot. I don't think this is anything revolutionary to any of you out there. We experience some bad air pollution in some of the big cities. You also cannot drink the water throughout the country which is really a bummer and gentrification has definitely become an issue in some of the more popular areas. Number nine is Malaysia. This makes the top of a lot of lists. It's located between Thailand and Singapore and Indonesia. Some of the popular areas include Georgetown, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Ipoh. And now for the pros and the first is that Malaysia has a tropical climate which means it is going to be consistently warm and sunny year round. It has a unique blend of culture and diversity and the nature is just stunning. There's also a lot of English speakers especially in areas like Georgetown so that'll make settling in a little bit easier. The country has modern and reliable infrastructure and it has several UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the historic city of Georgetown. Some of the cons of Malaysia are that they have crazy drivers but I think that's kind of common worldwide based on everywhere we've been and the air pollution is pretty bad. That's also pretty common especially in large cities. And it is far so if you're wanting to get home quickly to the United States or Canada you're going to have a long trip. Number eight is Thailand and this is on our short list. It's located north of Malaysia and is known as the land of smiles. Fun fact it is home to the world's largest gold Buddha statue. Popular areas include Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Pattaya. Some of the pros of Thailand are that it's known for its warm and tropical climate. Again you're gonna have a lot of sun and no snow. People are friendly and welcoming. It's got excellent affordable health care and as of 2022 weed is legal. Some of the cons are that because they have legalized marijuana we have heard that prices are going up including rent and some food costs have gone up in some popular areas so that's certainly something to factor into your budgeting. They also have a big problem with air pollution. This has been in the news recently especially in areas such as Chiang Mai which is really unfortunate and those cities can be very crowded. Number seven is Vietnam. It's known for its rich culture and history and amazing food. We just watched a cute movie that was based in Vietnam called a tourist guide to love and it really made us want to go visit Vietnam. Yeah it looks so cool. Some of the popular areas are Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and others. And the pros of Vietnam is that the country has an extensive public transportation system so you can get throughout the country using buses, taxis and trains and airplanes. They got it all. Major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also have modern metro systems and it is known to be a very safe country. Some of the cons are that it is hot and humid. In fact I just saw in the news they set a record at 111 degrees Fahrenheit. That is really hot especially when you factor in the humidity. Also dealing with the government bureaucracy especially with your visa process can be a challenge so you're gonna have a little bit of frustration there if you go the visa route. Number six is Cambodia. The country is located right next door to Vietnam and it is known for its rich and complex history. There are so many historical sites for you to explore. There are museums, temples, colonial architecture. You are going to have so much to experience. Some of the popular areas include Phnom Penh, One of the challenges I think is pronouncing all the city names. Some of the pros of Cambodia are the laid-back lifestyle, the people are super friendly and as I said there's lots to do because there's besides all of that history there's so much natural beauty. You've got the beaches, you've got the jungle and of course you have incredible food. Some of the cons are the language barrier as you can tell from my butchered pronunciation of a few of the popular cities. It's also really hot and humid being right next to Vietnam in that same area. You're gonna have high temperatures and tons of humidity and the public transportation can be lacking in some areas but you will find buses and tuk-tuks in the major cities but they are working on improving that. Number five is the Philippines. This country is made up of over 7,000 islands and it is known for its stunning beaches, crystal clear waters and colorful coral reefs. Some popular areas include Manila, Cebu City and Dubao City. The pros of the Philippines is that it has a reliable public transportation and there is also a lot to do. As a former U.S. colony, English is widely spoken making it a really easy place for you to navigate, learn your way around and settle in quickly. Some cons are the heavy traffic and the culture shock can be significant. We've also heard that the prices have been going up over the past few years so that might be an issue. Number four is Albania. This is a small country located in southern Europe bordering Greece and Montenegro. Some of the popular areas include Tirana, Saranda and Durres. Some of the pros of Albania is that they have a one-year tourist visa. One year! That's incredible. It has stunning natural beauty including amazing beaches and there are Albanian Alps and it also has a lot of lakes and rivers and quite little towns. There's a lot of history and archaeological sites and it is a safe country and known for its hospitality. One of the major cons is the transportation system. They don't have a rail system like most of the rest of Europe but you can travel by bus. However, the arrival and departure times are not as reliable as you would hope so you're going to need some patience. You also have to contend with the language barrier because Albania has its own language although a lot of people do speak English and it's a developing country still so it does have a few economic challenges and lacks some of the modern infrastructure that you might find in other European countries. Number three on our list is Nicaragua. This country is located just north of Costa Rica and is becoming more popular with foreign residents because it is just so affordable and beautiful. Let's talk about the pros of Nicaragua starting with the stunning natural beauty. There is so much diversity too. You've got beaches, volcanoes and rainforests. There is a lot to do especially if you're an outdoor enthusiast. It's got a laid-back lifestyle and a nice slow pace of life especially compared to the United States. Some of the cons are that it's lacking public transportation and infrastructure in general. Political instability is kind of common there. Also you're going to have issues with safety especially compared to some of the other countries we mentioned and health care options are very limited. You may have to go to Costa Rica or Mexico for better quality health care. Number two is Colombia. This country is located on the northwest corner of South America south of Panama and it is much more than just coffee and Pablo Escobar. The country has a mix of modern cities and natural beauty. You're going to find mountains, coast both in the Pacific and the Caribbean. It has a rich history of music, dance, coffee. We love our coffee and of course art. Then popular areas include Medellin, Bogota and Santa Marta. Some of the pros are that the food is amazing and delicious. We have awesome weather especially in the mountains. I guess if you like beach life you're going to appreciate the warm and humid weather there but in the mountains it's like spring year round. People are really great. They're warm and welcoming and there's multiple international airports so you can get back to the U.S. and a lot of other countries very easily. And now for the cons and one of them are the cities are very crowded. We were shocked by the amount of people and the amount of motorcycles throughout Medellin. It was overwhelming and sadly they are still dealing with a lot of crime. Before we share number one on our list if you're thinking about moving abroad or working online then join our newsletter list and you can get access to our new five countries report that showcases our top five picks for best places to live work and retire in Latin America. So check below for a link to that and join more than 8,000 other subscribers. And now for our number one country and it is Ecuador. This probably isn't a big surprise to some of you out there. We love Ecuador and we know how affordable it is. Ecuador is located just south of Colombia. They are our neighbors to the north and this country has everything. Some of the popular areas include Cuenca, Salinas, Manta, Don Kabamba, Cotacachi and lots of others. Yeah there are a lot of places where you can come here and settle easily. There is just so much to see and do here. The natural diversity is incredible. The food is amazing and the health care is superior. Plus Ecuador is on the U.S. dollar so it makes a lot easier for us Americans so we don't have to convert money in our heads. I do not do well with that. Some of the cons are the crime has increased dramatically since the pandemic. Dealing with a lot of violent crime now in some of the areas especially on the coastal region. But theft has also increased kind of throughout the country. The bureaucracy can be a real pain in the rear especially when you're trying to get your visa done. We always recommend working with a visa agent but you're still going to have to expect some frustration with that process. And it can be cloudy a lot. A lot of people comment in our videos does the sun ever shine there? Well thanks to the Amazon to our east and the Andes mountain range it forces a lot of clouds up into the atmosphere. So it is cloudy quite a bit but it's also spring-like year-round. The temperatures are really nice so you don't have that hot humid unless you're on the coast but it's still nothing like Mexico. We could go on and on about Ecuador but then this video would go on forever and we have lots of other videos that you could watch about Ecuador. All right Amelia which one of these countries was the most interesting or intriguing to you? I'm going to say Albania because I had never researched it before and I can't believe they have a one-year tourist visa. That just opens up so many possibilities for Europe. Yeah I really like that it's right next to Greece. That's been on Amelia's bucket list forever. It's also close to a lot of the other European countries that I would love to visit including my homeland if Austria of my family's homeland. So I would really be interested in taking up that one-year visa. That would be pretty cool. But honestly I think all these countries on the list are incredible and I would like to visit all of them. Let us know in the comments which is your favorite or if you have any others that you would like to add to this list. All right that's all we have for this video. Hopefully you found it helpful and we will see you all in the next one. Ciao!