A quick search of “best places to live abroad” nets you pretty close to nothing. Since my house burned down I’ve known that I’m going to go abroad again, but am having a tough time narrowing it down. I tend to go for the long haul rather than a couple of weeks, so when I buy my ticket, it will be one-way. So, where to go? What are the criteria?
It will vary from person to person, but there are some standard questions you’ll probably want to ask before you leave. Here are my biggies.
How far will I have to go to get wi-fi? Will said wi-fi be reliable and fast? (I am not going the “unplug & leave it all behind route” as you may have already ascertained.)
How long will my dollars last me? In other words, how long will the amount of money I currently have in the bank sustain me at my current spending rate?
How close will I be to the equator?
Seems like I’d have no trouble making up my mind with so few requirements, right? Solid wireless access, good dollar to ___ ratio and warmth. Here are the sites that have helped me narrow it down. (What I’d really like is another copy of Elizabeth Kruempelmann’s book The Global Citizen which is chock full of friendly, focused and highly relevant advice and quizzes for going to the place that suits your personality and dreamscape. It’s out of print. Pity.)
First, there are the old standbys. At Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree, a forum dedicated to all things travel, they have a branch specific to long haul travel. Your question will get answered quickly and by the pros, usually. Give it a try! Ask something off the wall like, “I only have a budget for twenty dollars a day. Where in the world should I go?” They love that one.
Tim Leffel’s site isn’t terribly pretty, but it’s got a lot of good advice on cheap places to live abroad.
Next up on the list is Expatica. Specific to expats looking to move to Europe, this site grows daily and may inspire you to move to Germany. Or something. If you like the cold. Okay, and really nice people. Actually, I started school there and the only thing I can remember is how we had to put our feet in the oven to stay warm. What can I say, being a military brat has its perks! (Side note: I <3 Expatica’s tagline: I am not a tourist. ‘Nuff said).
For stats heavy sites, check City Mayors and Which Country is Best For Me?
The current front runners for my relocation project (oh yeah, forgot to mention I plan to fly out September 1) are as follows:
-Buenos Aires
-E. Europe (Budapest, Prague, or…?)
-Dubai
-Singapore
-Thailand/Bangkok
-Sao Paolo, Brazil
-Uruguay
Sound off! If you want to vote people over to a city near you, holler in the comments. If you think there’s something missing on this list, let us know.
Footnote, or Supplemental Reading
A short list of a few other sites that may prove helpful as you research your transition abroad (I had my research monkeys help me with this and I’ve narrowed it down to the ones that are, even if not the most exciting aesthetically, plow throughable at least).
TONS of Forums: ****
AlloExpat
Most connected cities:***
Daily Wireless
Website Optimization
What’s the next Prague? **
Transitions Abroad on The Next Prague
Taxes, banking, insurance, etc ********
Expat Intelligence And trust me, you don’t want to mess this part up. I did. Not pretty.
E Books
Escape Artist
Checklist for moving abroad: **
International Living
Helpia Moving
3 comments ↓
Budapest is gorgeous, but not very warm at times. Dubai was way too hot for me, but both are very connected.
Go to Thailand and then blog about it with pictures!
I’m not quite sure how Sao Paolo made it onto the list… BA and Montevideo are interesting places, and you might give some thought to Panama in terms of ‘easy to live’.
Thailand would be a far better bet than Singapore, especially on the financial side. In the region you might also consider Bali.
In North Africa, Morocco is warm and easy, as is southern Turkey…
An alternative to the Lonely Planet forums would be the Boots’n All forums, which has several long-haul threads going.
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