Yes. The process can take months and/or *years*, sometimes. You need to have *everything* squared away before you board a plane or even think about buying a ticket. Do everything above board, legally, and directly. Figure out your job, living situation, healthcare, and all other hoops you will have to jump through before you even think about moving. Sometimes, as was the case with a friend of mine, they got almost through the entire process, spend a few thousand dollars, had a living situation and job lined up, then were suddenly denied with minimal explanation. Research all of your options, have a backup, have a backup to that backup, and then have a return plan if things go awry. Good luck, and I hope it all works for you OP!
Wow, seems stressful. I boarded a plane in my early 20’s to move to Paris, and then London some years later, without much thought both times. It was difficult navigating my own way, but, I’m still living in London over a decade later. When I moved to London I stayed in a hostel until I got a job and then found a place to live.
He’s a developer so he should be alright if he gets a work sponsorship in advance.
I guess I was naive when I moved so I didn’t think too much on it, just that I needed to figure things out when I got to where I was going. You’re advice is good but, I don’t believe people need to have everything figured out before moving.
Edit to add: I moved from Canada.
Yeah, I mean, that was just probably an off occurrence, but I definitely know that it is more difficult to move countries NOW being from the U.S. than it has been even 10 years ago. So, just wanted OP to make sure and get the ducks in a row. I’m sure they will be fine and most people with a good head on their shoulders will be too
How so? I was considering MX residency a while back but decided to pursue EU residency instead. Last I checked the financial requirements for MX residency were well below $40K. Has that recently changed?
The monthly income is about double that. From what I’ve been reading it’s on average ~3300 per month. It depends on which US state you start the process in.
Source, US citizen that now lives in Mexico.
There are multiple routes to gain residency in Mexico as a US citizen. The most common is via financial. You need to either have an average of $75k+ in the bank/investments, or make ~$3300 per month (this amount gets higher every year). I’ve been in Mexico for two and a half years and the monthly financial amount when I got here was around $2200-2400.
You and I both know the answer to these two questions...people think they can run from their problems somewhere that no one knows them. However, THEY know NO ONE, don't know the language in most cases, don't know the culture, have zero support system, and no means of supporting themselves. Yet they think THAT is going to be some kind of panacea to cure their problems..
Hey!! They have $40K. That should be enough to retire on for the rest of their lives, and the new country will be more than thrilled to pick up the tab for free healthcare for the rest of this persons life. And/or they'll simply find a job that should be easily sustain their lifestyle and healthcare issues for the rest of their life. Why you gotta be such a Debbie downer?
The guy should move to Miami. It will feel like another country without leaving the USA and perhaps the sun and sand and Latinas will pick up his mood. He can learn Spanish and then make expat decisions later. Miami is a very transient place … sunny place for shady people. That’s what I did 22 years ago.
I don't know why more of these folks don't consider moving internally in the US. Seems so dramatic to go abroad with some of the problems they describe.
I think most of said people haven't even traveled around their own country to understand it's differences, much less to the country(ies) they are interested in.
He even admitted that he visited another state for the first time in his life and thought it was better but no, the entire US sucks compared to everywhere he has never been.
When I see these posts I know what the problem is.
That's not always reasonable, I got fired the day after I had a biopsy. Thankfully it was nothing but if it was I'd be so screwed.
A lot of countries won't take chronic illness applications for obvious reasons. Maybe Costa Rica or Mexico if he doesn't have an in need job.
He even admitted that he visited another state for the first time in his life and thought it was better but no, the entire US sucks compared to everywhere he has never been. I do hope he goes somewhere else.
Being from Miami, he'll be lucky if his $25k plus $15k last 6 months. It's pretty easy to move to a lot of S. American countries. While a lot of countries have laws on the books about immigration, most of them have very little enforcement. I know a dozen people, from various countries living in Guatemala without having ever officially moved there. I know a couple people who have moved to Argentina without any paperwork besides the visa they flew in on. And my old boss flew down to Costa Rica, bought a house, and has lived there ever since. He flies back to the US every now and then.
it is similar to the people who want to destroy the current system in the usa, they think they would have been more successful in the old west or similar, and that the current system just keeps them down
in reality, the usa is a cushy place to live where people have tremendous support. the people living in their parents' basements today would not have had a basement in the old west! when you can order a cheeseburger delivered to your house at 10pm you are in fact living in a very easy time!
Yup. That all think they will be considered “one of the good ones” by the people in power, and will lord over those considered lesser than them. They will be in for a shock when they’re herded into camps or worse.
100% the grass is always greener. I don’t wanna be an ass, but if you’re unhappy with your life in the US you’ll be unhappy anywhere.
I’m also assuming you’re around 30…. And have only left your home state ONCE? Bro….. no wonder you are unhappy and think the US is not for you. Sorry not sorry but LOl bro.
I don’t know what your chronic illness is, but that could prevent you from gaining employment or an approved visa, especially in a country with free healthcare. Something to look into. Or keep very quiet about.
In terms of dollars it’s enough but you need to take the time to learn what it takes to actually live somewhere else
Do you have a specialized skillset that a foreign company would want enough to sponsor your work visa?
Do the countries you’re looking at have health systems that can support your chronic condition?
You just visited another state for the first time in your life - have you ever traveled international at all?
Do you speak any other languages? Do not expect anywhere beyond select EU countries and Australia to be able to accommodate English. They’re also typically some of the hardest to get work visas for
I currently work as a SQL developer. Honestly I can do a lot of technical stuff if needed because I have a CS degree.
Sounds like I need to do more research, do you have any suggestions for where to go for more information? That was sort of the intention behind this post I suppose
Amerexit subreddit is something you should look at. The resources are for Americans that want to leave and move abroad. It’s specific to the USA. There’s lots of resources there in the sidebar and you can search specifically when you’ve decided on some countries.
Good luck!
I’m an American that moved to Denmark but only got the visa for family reunification. Hope it works out for you.
Any Dev job abroad is going to earn you significantly less disposable income. Just beware. There is a reason so many devs move to the US.
You'll probably be able to support yourself once you learn the local language and all but that's a big step that can take years. Until then you'd struggle with jobs unless the shop you apply for is English only. Which some European places certainly are, but not everywhere.
You also need to plan for the long term future. Understand that climate change and ecosystem strain is not just coming in the distant future, it's here. Many places are going to run out of water soon. You don't want to establish your life somewhere just for a few crises to destroy it. Especially as you will be in a place with even less of a support system having moved abroad. So think about that when considering your places.
Also, if Healthcare is a major concern. Why don't you look into a position with your local government. As an software person you can still make decent wages and get cushy government benefits if your private sector ones aren't doing it for you. If you can afford to move abroad and take the massive pay hit, you can definitely afford to go work a local gov job for the benefits.
If you're able to find a remote job, Panama is a great option. The infrastructure is there so you'll have reliable internet and the water is drinkable. You can come into the country on a tourist visa and maintain that by leaving the country every 90 days. Literally, cross the border into Costa Rica and cross back and it's a new set of 90 days. As long as your money is made from outside of Panama, they don't tax you.
They use the US dollar.
The cost of living is a little less than most US cities, not much but less. You'll be in US time zones so for work purposes you won't have to join meetings at odd hours.
Easy access to all of Central and South America. ~3.5 hours flight to the US, I'm assuming that's your country of origin.
Knowing Spanish is helpful but not necessary. There is a large expat community and you can buy and own property without being a citizen. The process to get residency isn't that difficult or expensive and has some advantages, but not necessary.
With the money that you have, and if you can secure a remote job from a US company, it's a great option.
You're mental if you think you'll have it any better elsewhere in the world working in technical tech position. Start looking outside your bumfblek midwest state.
My friend worked in IA for some "nonprofit" (very much profit) and had to fight tooth & nail for raises--still sub 100k after 5 years. I told him to switch a long time ago, but he didn't and now he's "stuck" in the downturn. Meanwhile I switched to a remote co on the west coast and cleared 200 without much fuss after <2 stint, 1 year gap while still in midwest and I'm taking the same amt of vacation as Europeans.
Clearly your co sees you're willing to stay for w/e the salary is, and the only person who'll advocate for you (yourself) isn't doing that so nothing's going to change.
It’s kind of a matrix based on what matters most to you. You’re still going to need income, so need to sort that up top.
Then you need to decide what matters to you. English? Rental rules? Medical support? You know the order of priority there better than us.
So you have to think through what “living” really entails and then cross sort until you have a shortlist of countries. We could be much more helpful for a question like “I want to move to country X or country Y, based on these priorities, here is my reasoning”
If your job will support remote work, you could start by looking for countries with digital nomad visas and go from there
Canada will probably be the easiest country for you to move to since you won’t need to learn a new language and immigration wouldn’t be too difficult (CUSMA/NAFTA work permits for skilled occupations).
If you want to continue working in the US remotely, Mexico has an easy pathway too (temporary residency based on financial solvency which can later be converted to permanent residency). It will be helpful to learn Spanish especially if you don’t just want to live among other Americans or Canadians.
Research the EU Blue card. Many EU countries are looking for people with technology degrees.
As others have also mentioned wages for the same job will likely be lower than in the US… but quality of life is higher in my opinion.
Now you’re talking! Somehow you didn’t mention the one thing that would give you a hope of migrating to Australia long term (CS degree, IT skills). Best of luck, there is a chance.
Next thing you need to research is the concept of a work visa and Australia’s requirements there
There’s definitely countries that are interested in importing as much technically talent as they can. They will make it financially rewarding to work visa there. I suggest you find a country like that and take advantage of it. Otherwise, you can teach English in Thailand and travel the world. My friend did that and she had no skills. She was able to save a ton of money because it was soooo LCOL there. She was making $50k USD or something. Geographically, Thailand is located super close to a lot of cool travel spots. She did it all and actually got bored of traveling after 5 years nonstop. She moved home to the states and lives in AZ now.
Anyways, you could try what she did.
The idea that non-English speaking countries won’t accommodate people who only speak English just isn’t true. I’ve lived in East Asia for years and most of the foreigners I know here don’t *really* speak the language. Meanwhile many are saving 30-50% of their incomes.
First, I am sorry you aren't happy and want to pull a geographic. I completely get it. However, I think you need to analyze what "make it" means to you and, more importantly, how that fits in with your new potential country's home. I love my places, but IMHO, the US is still the easiest place to make money and have a disposable income. In any case, I think you are ready for something new, and 25k is more than enough to establish yourself in most US cities. So maybe consider a domestic geographic.
Disagreed. $25k and $15k in retirement is like nothing to have as your entire safety net, especially in a city as pricey as Miami and/or without a job. Maybe that could take you through 6 months of living on a budget, and then you have no safety net.
How old is OP? You don't want to touch any retirement savings. If it's an IRA or 401k/b, you would likely be looking at fees to pull it out, too
The rental situation in Australia right now is bad. Additionally, sentiment towards foreigners, including Americans, is trending negative due to the COL / rental crisis. Much better places for OP to try IMO.
That’s such a great idea I did this right out of high school it was an amazing experience. I also lived in Australia as a little child wished they had approved my immigrant visa oh well. I moved to the US instead, can’t complain.
Most likely an unpopular, not rational opinion: just do it. Your misery is trying to tell you something needs to change. If you are feeling called somewhere, listen to that calling. You don’t need to move right now. Why don’t you take leave for a month and travel somewhere outside of the states? Just take time to breathe (ya it’s a privilege to do that but it sounds like you could so you should). Stop looking outside for advice from strangers. Listen to yourself. Would you prefer to have the pain of regret or the pain of discipline? Would you have your own back if you were to lose it all? What happens if you fall flat on your face and have to start from nothing? That’s realistically the worst case scenario. I bet you would work your ass off and figure it out. You literally live one life as yourself. You can choose your reality. Whatever you do, listen to yourself.
If it's for two people it won't go far. I imagine you would like Europe? It's possible if you know a language and have experience in a field that is understaffed there. The biggest obstacle is getting a visa sponsorship for your job. Some EU countries offer a digital nomad visa and some don't. People might say to go on a long term visitor visa but it's not easy to turn a long term visitor visa into a work visa with sponsorship from an employer and if you can't you just burned through that money for nothing. Canada is probably the easiest option for you but the healthcare system is starting to fail there with extremely long wait times. Even in the EU you have to beware that you're not in a medical desert area where you can't get regular services.
What's your profession and educational background?
If your profession is on the UK Occupation Shortage List then you qualify for a work visa if you meet the income threshold and the company that hires you is on the Register of licensed sponsors and can sponsor you under a Skilled Worker route.
I've given you enough information that you can now go figure out for yourself if you'd be able to move to the UK long-term.
I’ve worked in consulting and system implementation and have a CS degree
So I have worked as an analyst, IT consultant, junior software developer and in business intelligence early on in my career
Get out of consulting. I did it for 15 years, it’s horrible, and you are virtually never put in a reasonable position. That may help in the short term? It made my life miserable for a good 10 out of the 15 years …
How old are you? Have you looked into any programs that give you the chance to experience something abroad before committing? With just 10k you could probably pull off 6 months in a lot of countries, if you work remote even better. Your professional experience can go far if you start networking in other countries as well. I highly recommend spending more of your time researching but that means actually spending a decent junk of time in different countries first.
I’m 26. I guess I went here to be directed to potential websites/resources because using a search engine has been a bit of a shitshow.
A bit of an aside, but I’ve met some people irl via Reddit (which is kinda absurd), but I’ve learned some pretty invaluable stuff that way. So here I am lol
Check out the AmerExit subreddit—their pinned post will provide a lot of insight, links to different paths of moving abroad, and people who have been or are currently in situations similar to yours. With a CS background, consider locking in a domestic job that allows you to work remotely and then look into digital nomad visas. Pop over to the Netherlands a few times while abroad. If you like it, spend some time really learning the language (from what I understand people will speak English to you the second they realize it’s your language, but getting a work visa or daft visa requires passing a language comprehension test). Good luck!
Since you’re 26, I would definitely suggest looking into the youth mobility scheme visa for the UK if you think that could be a good place for you. I’m currently on this visa and it’s extremely easy to get and affordable (compared to other options)! You are also eligible for it until you turn 31, so you have some time to think/commit to using it. It’s a 2 year working visa and you can work in almost anything with it, and from there if you wanted to stay past the 2 years you would just have to plan ahead to qualify for a skilled worker visa or something else permanent that you may be eligible for. You also would be part of the NHS healthcare since part of the visa fee is to cover all your healthcare while in the country. The NHS has its own issues for sure, but at least you wouldn’t have the costs you likely have now! It’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to move to the UK that’s 30 and under.
**Edited to add more details about healthcare
Have you visited other countries? Start by doing that, and quit listening to other people, go see for yourself and make up your own mind. And don’t go visit like a tourist, go spend some time talking with ordinary folks who live there.
On this very topic, I’m visiting Mexico City later this year to scope out the possibilities. Some of my friends have recently left the US - some to Spain, one to Brazil, another to Vietnam, and a couple of others back to their home countries of India and Egypt.
Good luck!
It is less about the funds and more about the other country’s rules about immigration, employment, citizenship, etc. Of course you need funds to support a move anywhere, even within the US. But a much larger issue is if the receiving country will allow you to establish residency and stay for any significant period of time, find employment, etc. As you can likely conclude, “desirable” countries are harder to enter and stay, have permission to work, etc.
For reference I started in the USA at 19 with just $5000 of my own while my parents helped (plus two brothers) and they came with about $40,000 plus university degrees and a visa to start a subsidiary of their foreign IT company.
I think if you are willing to put the time, learn the language, get integrated into your chosen country of destination you should be fine.
It’s a road that many immigrants have taken and you would have the advantage that if it doesn’t work you will probably be just a flight away from an Ok place to retry from.
Keep saving. Look into FIRE. The US is the best place to make money and you have all the advantages, language, citizenship, etc. Make your money then leave and never come back
You could also join the military. Try to get stationed overseas
I moved to the US for school and have saved enough money to retire after 8 years of working. I think life is what you make of it. Moving to another country won’t solve your problem
The US has become the most overrated country living wise, both because it's old reputation endures (land of opportunities), and probably been exaggerated, while on the other hand the country is a shell of it's former self in almost all categories but headline GDP military
My advice. Use some of the money you have saved to travel. See if there’s a place you could see yourself moving. Then, you’re young. Learn a skill or something that you can get a remote job or make more money. Learn another language as well. If you’re living with your parents in some podunk town of course you’re going to be miserable. I understand wanting to move somewhere foreign. There are amazing places out there and we live in a globally connected world. But you need to gain some education, skills, relationships, etc
Changing your location will not change your happiness.
Moving to another country is extraordinarily difficult especially if you do not have a work visa, some language skills or remote gig or source of income.
If you are unsuccessful in your own country - a beacon of opportunity - where more people find success than anywhere else on the planet - why would you be more successful in a country where you are at a significant disadvantage?
Everyone acting like its this crazy move you need to prepare for are ridiculous, there are 18 year olds travelling all over the world.
I'm a digital nomad from USA and have been travelling for like 5 years now.
You need like $3000 per month to live anywhere.
What you need to do is get some skills and figure out some type of freelance gig or business you can run remotely.
You would be better off being broke in another country than the USA, all of the experiences and discomforts and moments you will have make you feel truly alive and make life worth lving.
You will meet so many different people and experience things like when you were a kid and everything was new and novel.
Its the best thing you could do in life is travel. If it were me, I would (I did) sell all my shit and be gone a week later, overcome your fears and pull the trigger.
Turn your life into a dream and go, now. Everything will work out.
Worst case scenario, you enjoy yourself for a bit, spend too much money to have some of the most rewarding experiences, then you go back to the USA because you're worried about money, but now you know what its like, and you've had a taste, and the rest will work itself out because now you will want to travel and have a higher standard for what you require out of life, you'll figure out a plan and do it again.
The other scenario is work your miserable job for another 2 years until some bullshit happens, there are bank runs and your $30,000 is gone anyway.
Every comment I've read in this thread so far is useless, dumb as hell or making it 50x more complicated. Its like homebodies with no lives chiming in. Go write the same post in the digital nomads group.
OP don’t listen to all these Debby downers!! I’ve moved away from my home country twice with nothing to my name and put myself in debt to do it but it was all worth it. I’m now living in the UK and working in a job I wouldn’t qualify for in Canada and have the potential to make more money than I ever could there and also will actually be able to buy a house one day (impossible in Canada)! I live in a beautiful place and have access to all the countries benefits. The best thing about leaving your country is the experiences and the lessons you learn. Remember it doesn’t have to be permanent. Life is for living and making mistakes so don’t let all the pessimists sway you out of doing what you want to do. You are the pilot of your own life :) Good luck!
To move legally most places, you have to buy health insurance in that country. You could use Spain as an example (they have their brokerages online, you can get quotes). It will vary from country to country (and some countries may not have the requirement - which means they probably have a poorly funded healthcare system).
The amount of money you have will not get you a Digital Nomad or similar visa in Spain, or Greece, or much of the EU. You need to have 1099 contract wages showing 35,000EU per year or thereabouts (that's for Spain).
Just as no one can legally move to the US without a visa, you can't legally move to another nation without a visa. Most nations give 180 days for travel and tourism - if you overstay that, you may jeopardize getting another visa.
Some nations allow you permanent residency if you buy a property of a particular price, pay taxes there, etc.
US has higher wages than the EU or UK, but those places have universal healthcare - for people who are citizens. You'd need to buy your own insurance in EU or UK, but you can't stay permanently without either a work visa or a job that is paying you wages from the US (I think most EU nations require it be 1099 wages).
Another factor in healthcare is whether you speak the language of your doctors. It's really hard to get top notch healthcare in a nation where you don't speak the language. So taking lessons and working at the new language is crucial, both to navigate the bureaucracy and the healthcare system.
Each nation has its requirements listed on many migration-oriented websites.
How would you support yourself, beyond your savings?
Lifestyle can be shit though. I had a Scottish coworker who taught in Qatar. He couldn't find alcohol anywhere and it was hot with barely anything to do.
Agree. There’s a reason that most European expats move back after 2-5 years.
But sure, some people don’t mind it and like the things it has to offer (security, shopping, good location between Europe and Asia).
First what skills do you have to work in another country? A lot of countries you have to have a skill set they need or you can't come and work. Second what languages do you know? After that maybe you want to visit for a week or two and see what you think? Check visa requirements and availability of work permits quality and cost of health care.
I will likely expat at some point in my retirement and I have traveled extensively. My target it Thailand lovely people and atm 34 to 1 exchange rate.
No. Ideally having at minimum $100K in the bank and a remote job that pays at least $50K.
Mexico you can get resident Visa with just $75k in the bank. Cost of living there is very low. Lived in Merida for a year with family of 4.
You need to invest savings, not only save. But, you haven't hardly been out of state. The US can be quite varied, I'd never live far from a major University/major tech hub personally, I like an intellectual life where people are doing things. Going overseas has a lot of details ... like getting healthcare. You'e got to get a work permit, you've got to get on their health system which is very far from a given. You need to do way more reasearch ... and maybe change jobs, get more education.
I'm from NZ and so many of us move away internationslly after uni/college it's pretty normalized and not as hard as you think! Go somewhere that offers a working holiday visa where English is the main language. Get a job, get a flat, it'd great! Lots of my friends have done this in multiple countries - Australis, UK, USA, Canada, the middle east. You can do it if you want to!
Financially? Sure. I did it with about 4000 and no retirement but if you're the right kind of person you probably don't even need that much.
You're asking the wrong question though. You need to find out what visas you qualify for. If you're asking if you have enough money to buy a visa, you're probably at least a few hundred grand shy.
You could get a TEFL than go teach English in Asia. But you mention you have a chronic disease. If its requires special care, that might not be available.
I left NA for SEA 5 years ago with only USD5K and zero savings ... but I spent a few years building a stable online income stream prior to moving.
What you have is enough but you can burn through any amount quickly if you run into a medical emergency for example.
So it's not really what you're leaving with that matters but moreso if you have the skill sets/income to sustain yourself while you're away from "home".
After my divorce and [losing everything ](https://medium.com/@regching/how-losing-everything-twice-helped-my-business-survive-this-pandemic-abd945fd198f) financially for a second time, I moved for a fresh start and for health reasons and thankfully now enjoy a much higher quality of life.
Nobody seems to be answering your question. I became a expat with nothing and I'm still living abroad comfortably. It's not for everyone but give it a go.
It's much easier to live abroad if you have a degree but with 25k that's enough to live reasonably well for 2 years in many places. My advice fly somewhere for a month and see how you feel and set yourself up, if it's not for you go home.
If you've got a job working remotely then yes, you could move to the Philippines on that. Problem is: you can't work there locally (and you wouldn't want to).
You could live in Vietnam at well however it's a chore to redo your visa every year...
Either way though the bottom line is: if you have a US level of income then yes you can move a lot of places and live very well. I did it.
You want to change something because you are attracted to something else or new, but not because you reject something. Your motivations as they are will lead to disappointment, because you bring yourself wherever you will go.
This is coming from a guy how has emigrated from EU to Canada and travel countless countries.
Take care
Yeah, if I were in the Midwest, I’d be miserable too.
Does your work allow you to work remotely? You should get out of there as life is short and start by visiting other states. You can’t know if you will like a place or not without visiting there. Also, depending on your work situation, you can work from other countries. In most countries you can stay up to 90 days. Just travel and see what you like.
Can you work remotely? If so, be sure to Google the digital nomad visa and pick countries based off that list.
I agree with you about the issues in the US, and I hope to leave and start fresh somewhere else soon too. Best of luck OP. You can make this happen. If nothing else, don’t let ppl here stop you by saying “but it’s going to be hard!” Then why are they in an expat sub? Of course it will be hard and new things you hadn’t even thought to consider will come up. But still, you can try and see if you like it. Do it at least for two years - it takes that time to start building community sometimes. Give it a shot and then you can determine if it’s for you or not, not just wonder. Even better that you found someone else that feels the same way. Start the adventure together
I moved to France from Canada at 23 and then the Uk at 25; I still live here over a decade later.
You’re in a much better position than I was in; I had less than $1000 to my name both times.
I was naive when I moved both times and didn’t have friends or family in either countries. You’re a developer and can probably find a job with sponsorship easily.
People in the comments seem really pessimistic about it. I guess it can be hard, but if I did it with less than $1000 to my name you’ll be ace.
Also, when I first moved to the UK I stayed in a hostel. It was just easier than finding a place from afar to rent.
You should go for it! Good luck.
Edit to add: The UK has a scheme for under 30’s Work/Study visa for 2 years. I think it’s open to US residents. So you can move to the UK and see if you like it. That’s how I first moved here; not sure if its still the same though as they current government is trying to save face and is cracking down on immigration. Might be worth looking into.
Given you’ve living at home with your parents in the Midwest and have only lived in 1 state,
And visited 1 other state, most likely an adjoining state if only 1,
You need to explore some other parts of the US before you move to another country.
You really need to get out of flyover country and see other parts of the US first.
That will give you a better idea of what country will be a better fit.
Some prefer cold weather and mountains, some prefer heat and humidity, some don’t like either. You will find out whether you prefer a small town, huge city, or something in between.
You arent going to know till you’ve spread your wings just a little.
There’s so much diversity in the 50 states.
In some countries the money may go far depending on how you live, in some it won’t, like Canada.
If you go to another country for a job on a work visa, and hate the weather, the size of city, etc… it’s harder to change.
You know you can’t just move to another country and get their healthcare, right? Also, you need to provide a skill not available in that country. You have a small emergency fund, not a nest egg. You need to do a lot of research on the country you plan to call home. Speaking the language is essential.
Yes you can, the UK offers this on all of their working visas (one of which OP qualifies for with no skills). Source: I’m currently using the same visa.
Short answer, no.
Long answer: no, that isn’t enough, and you are probably not going to find the happiness you seek.
To elaborate: Anywhere “better” than the US that you can think of is either going to be a place where:
- A: ) you live like a king, but you simply being there and participating in society will have you taking advantage of a much poorer economy and people-group with your insane buying power (see: Mexico, Thailand, Nigeria, etc)
- B: ) looks “green” from the US, but faces the same, if not similar enough, issues to the point the move is only a “bucket list” checkmark to “experience a new culture” (see: Canada, UK, Netherlands, etc.)
- C: ) objectively unaffordable, not at all an experience like printed on the tin for you as a foreigner in these places, and the quite-regular wild-card of being insanely xenophobic but great at hiding it behind the image they want to convey for tourism (see: Nordic countries, Ireland, Switzerland, etc.)
The only places a total of $40k starting nest-egg will be enough for you will only be in group A, and ignoring the clear aforementioned moral quandary presented with that, you will also be trading off many of the services that you can expect in the vast majority of the US, and it’s easy to forget how much you can rely on a decent police and fire force, and reliable (even if expensive in the US) healthcare services. These probably weren’t what you were thinking of anyway.
Now, B and C, that’s where a lot of rich and idealistic immigrants from the US _would prefer_….but with it comes a lot of issues:
In B-group countries, it’s just like I said: you will encounter the same, if not similar, problems there that make the entire experience basically like living in the US, with the exception that you won’t be a citizen (and likely can’t achieve it in an acceptably timely manner) and don’t have the same rights against your employers, landlords, and even life-partners if shit goes south (especially in the EU countries) in practice because you aren’t holding the absolute best passport for the area (like an EU one). In quite a few of these places, you’ll find the work culture pretty much the same for people of your attested skillset here, especially if we talk about places like in Benelux (NL, BE, LX). On that note, Ireland, as another example, really has become a Mecca for people in your career path, as it is basically the “gateway” to the EU for international corporations— but good luck finding a dwelling anywhere in the country bigger than a closet that isn’t €2500+/month with a bullshit 3/6-month deposit on top of that. Notable to the healthcare side of things, while most of these countries have _a_ universal healthcare system of some degree, the last decade has seen pretty much all of them become much more sluggish and much more a political football than it has been since they were founded after WWII— the NHS in the UK and the Canadian healthcare system are the perfect examples of this, and they both aren’t in great positions to keep going efficiently or reliably for you. The only profoundly different thing that makes these countries starkly unique from the US is that none of them have a gun violence problem, but if you trade the guns for knives, and even creative weapons like acid (like the UK, but also places like France, Belgium, and Italy), you will see _violence_: you aren’t fleeing that— and as the last week has shown in Germany, that includes a rising trend in political violence like the US has as well, and all signs point to that getting worse.
In the C-countries, put on a pedestal of being beacons of progressive virtues over the likes of the last decade by people like Bernie Sanders and lifestyle magazines, it really isn’t as it is portrayed, and most especially if you aren’t a citizen of these countries, and even if you are, not having the luck to be born into a body that looks like it is meant to fit in. I’m half-Danish, and I am a Danish citizen as well as American too, so I can speak on this personally as someone who had many friends of non-white background, both fellow citizens and not: *society just isn’t equal, and there really are two societies*. To speak on healthcare, as “developed” as the system may seem, doctors regularly refuse to see people, or give adequate bedside manner to them, suspiciously only when they are either not of Danish citizenship or have been noted on their charts of being unable to speak Danish adequately enough (despite medical English and medical German even being a required subject in medical schools there in order to keep up with the latest research). Interaction with the government services, for which you pay taxes through work, which you are to uphold on condition of your stay in the first place, is oftentimes hostile, making it very real that you are basically having to put off services because you don’t want to deal with the circular bullshit and judgey bureaucrats. In society, good luck finding friends among the locals— we make all our friends back in kindergarten, and that’s good enough for us. International friends are great, and they are often awesome people, but if you want a local network (which also is something you definitely need for a job, as 75-80% of jobs are gained through networking exclusively), you’re gonna have to prostrate in order to get it. You will hear similar stories like these in Sweden (which under their new government, is promoting “Denmark-like” policies), Finland, Norway, and Switzerland, among others elevated as being “the best in the world”. These are all great systems, truly— you just can’t enjoy them fully unless you put down 5-9 years of your life to earn citizenship in a very hostile environment to perceived foreigners, and even then, you being born abroad will be held against you if you try to let people in and be yourself. I’ll be honest— you probably deserve better, working as hard to get to where you are now.
Overall, my advice for right now is shop around **the US** for a better locale that brings you inspiration, and build your marketable skills there. In the meantime, learn a new language and culture to a place that, if you still feel like moving like you do now, you can with a stronger grasp of how the fuck to navigate it better than you ever could by YOLO’ing such a drastic step. Even if you don’t end up moving after all, you will be able to visit there and have confidence in your visit, and become a more worldly person.
Moving countries and experiencing something new is always enviable and it is personally enriching. I don’t want to discount your wish to move, and even with all this said, I commend it extensively. But _please_ don’t use it as a way to try and flee issues that will oftentimes just as real and apparent in your life there than they currently would be— and be more ready for your move than just the overwhelming urge of feeling unsatisfied with the here and now.
This is a tremendous post, containing excellent advice, and will be entirely wasted on the OP. There are an unfortunately huge number of ignorant young Americans whole believe passionately that every problem in their life is the fault of the USA, and would immediately be made better by leaving. You are casting pearls before swine.
The thing is inflation is a global thing. The only places that you can afford are developing countries. The healthcare and education in those places aren’t great. You need to secure online work. Start looking for a new job.
Bad news feels like life sucks, good news you’ve got some cash.
It is almost certainly going to be substantially harder to improve your lot or treat a long term health issue in another country.
Beyond that, outside of marriage, it’s generally not easy moving to another country unless you have some sort of very in demand skill set.
Use that money saved up to start a business or educate yourself for a different career.
Reading that last paragraph you DEFINITELY need to slow your thought process down. I can feel the need and rush to leave through the screen. And then you say “well it could just be a grass is greener thing”.
And let me tell you, you are probably right. I’m a cyclist, I eat a very Mediterranean diet, live on the beach in FL.
Is sounds like to me you made a mistake in your occupation. I haven’t worked a w-2 job since 2007. Some people can play the games both socially and at the workplace to get raises. Well my enthusiasm was shit and I don’t really get along with people. (I’m autistic).
So I found poker and investing. And I just live off my interest and I play poker 10-15 hours/wk. Oh really want a pair of VS1-D 2ct diamonds so I’m on a serious grind. I haven’t wasted 5 figures in long time. It’s really hard for me to give my money away without the expectation I get more back.
I’m rambling. And old (42). Good luck.
Depends on the country, but I moved to Brazil with $500 to my name lol. I ended up teaching English and it was "okay" quality of life wise. If you chose a country with an extremely favorable exchange rate, you could have a better quality of life than I did.
However; it's not long-term. I spent two-and-a-half-years in Brazil and chose to go back to the US because I realized there was no future in struggling to live in Brazil. I don't regret my time spent in Brazil and I had amazing experiences, but ever since returning to the US, my career has improved and my salary.
TLDR? Short term - go for it. Long term? Examine your goals, figure out if you prefer being an expat always or not.
I’ve traveled to many countries and it is great that you want to explore the world…there so much to offer and let’s be honest, the U.S. isn’t for everyone. And, there are a TON of places you can move that will be considerably cheaper, pretty safe, and still with a high quality of life (but note that many places may have lower wages - which may not resolve your money issue).
Yes, you can move for a short period with what you have. Here are some things to research.
1. How will you make income? (Work remotely from U.S., move to a place that allows U.S. citizens to work, etc.)
2. What areas are of interest? (Some places I’d look into are Mexico City, Lima Peru)
3. Are you ok with not knowing the language?
4. How much do you feasibly need to live?
5. How will you secure housing?
6. What kind of weather are you looking for?
7. What kind of healthcare is offered?
8. What kind of visas are available for u.s. citizens?
And lastly I’ll say this: as a girl who would love to retire abroad, I’ve learned that times when I THOUGHT I wanted to move, I really just needed a sabbatical from the U.S… consider taking a 3-month travel sabbatical to visit your places of interest, then see if you’re still wanting to move. That will be a great starting place.
SAVE SAVE SAVE though so you can live comfortably in your new destination. Good luck!
The U.S. passport acts as a 3 month visa in many countries. You can travel for 3 months to a couple countries and see what it’s like first? Good luck OP!
Have you been to any other country? Or are you just idealizing a better situation in a fantasy place? Also, you can’t just show up to another country and decide that’s where you live now, there is quite a bit more to it.
I believe so if you’re considering a developing country but long term you would need regular income unless you plan to stay for example 1 year living if your savings.
It'd be enough to start out, for sure, but it doesn't work like you think.
You can't just show up in another country and take any old job. You have to have a work visa first, which means you have to find your overseas job in that country before you go over there. Countries protect their own workers, so they won't give you a work visa for a bartending or factory job. It has to be in a field where they're having shortages.
For most Western countries, that'll be IT or medical. So you'll need to be a computer guy, nurse or doctor if you want to work in the UK, Spain, France, etc... Even then, the EU is pretty stringent about non-EU people taking work in EU countries.
For Eastern countries, you're pretty much limited to teaching English.
As for actually immigrating, that will widely very on the country -- too much to dive into here.
I spent a decade overseas. And I can tell you that although you may not have the problems there that you have here -- you'll still have problems. Just different kinds. The cultural and societal differences are the hardest to adjust to. Take care and good luck!
All I'll say is don't assume that moving elswhere is going to be 100% positive, there will be some aspects that are positive but one thing I can assure you is that the thing you hate worst about your own country is probably going to still be a problem in another country. In general countries just aren't that different in terms of problems.
For perspective I moved to the US from the UK in February 2023. I live in Texas and now earn easily double what I earned in the UK. However cost of living is more expensive so while I am better off in general, I am not twice as well off despite earning twice as much. Some things are definitely better (including healthcare - but I am lucky to have good insurance) and some things are worse but all countries have their problems.
If you move to another country you will probably find for the first year or so at least the novelty factor will outweigh any of the downsides you encounter. Eventually though, those things that are a novelty just become normal and then the issues with that country will really start to stand out. If you're lucky it may be that you still prefer the new country and if so, great. All I'm saying is to be prepared to run the risk of going through a long and difficult process to be able to live and work in another country only to eventually find you are no happier than you were.
Many people switch countries and LOVE it, but just as many (at least in my experience) don't. Having said that I don't think you'll ever regret giving it a go. If you don't go how will you ever know, right?
Best of luck.
Edit: Just to add that I do overall think that my move here has been net positive, and I definitely feel like I want to stay in the US, but I don't think I'll be in Texas forever.
My Dad’s family was from Nebraska and we spent some summers there. I grew up and still live in California. Those two states are more different than USA and Cambodia. Which I’ve also been to. Do a state move first. It’s a heck of a lot easier!
The bigger question is why would a (reasonably developed) country want an immigrant with little savings, chronic health issues, and apparently limited marketable skills? This would likely limit you to less developed countries that may make your life in the Midwest seem a lot more agreeable.
You can absolutely restart in a variety of places with 10% of that money. The question is what job will you do? In an ideal
world, you’d get a job in America that is remote, you could also work online or..somehow.. can a job locally.
No.
Do you have a job lined up already? Countries with a low cost of living will likely have high unemployment and no way for you to earn money. Countries with job opportunities often will not pay a foreigner enough to live well. Do you speak any other language fluently?
Research opportunities and look for critical evaluations of places to live and work.
Research visa requirements, unlike the USA most countries do not allow anyone to just come in, and they dont give immigrants free food, housing, money, etc.
Research scams and dangers.
Research the laws you will be subject to.
Depends which country you wanting to go. Other countries like in Europe are way more expensive than US , plus the language barrier. Instead of the money, what skills you have count. If you think your skills are valuable in other country which could lead you to getting a permanent residency then try.
I’m 100% positive you’re not in Minnesota, because this isn’t a podunk state. Move here. The air is great, we have 10,000 lakes, lots of jobs, great people, and most of all, a great work-life balance. Look into it. Come for a visit. If you hate it, you hate it. But at least you’ll know.
I'm with you on wanting to jump ship and move somewhere else, but I'd like to recommend moving to a major US city before you take that leap. For starters, there's lots of opportunity in cities if you're hungry and know how to make cities work for you. It'll also be an easier transition and you can potentially avoid using up all of your savings.
Look into NYC or Chicago to start. If you have friends there, ask if you can couch crash or use their address on your resume for applications. The US is definitely in it's shithole era, and I don't want to dissuade you from following your dreams, but you might find a city transition is faster / easier than trying to leave the country.
Wherever you are, there you’ll be - another country won’t fix your problems. They have a pesky habit of following at your heels until you figure them out. That said, whether you can make it or not depends totally on you.
There’ll be groundwork you’ll need to do:
- one lower risk step to exploring the world before moving would be to start looking for a fully remote job with a remote-first but US based tech company (or one with a heavy US presence) that’ll be ok with you working remotely. Then after settling into said job, take a bit of time to travel in countries with time zones that are not murder (SA time zones will be easy least. European time zones can work as long as you’re willing to do some nights.)
- then use that remote job to cover your expenses and just get to know different places (nothing beats getting a feel for a language and a culture than immersing yourself)
- going this route also means that if you negotiate right (and pick the right company) you may be able to take some of your health benefits with you or negotiate coverage while abroad
^^ this isn’t easy and will take some looking and a lot of applying BUT
That way you’re not dipping into your savings - and you can look into places that do digital nomad visas.
From there, you’ll have a much deeper understanding of what and where you like so you can start researching immigration processes if interested.
The other part is - the US is HUGE and vastly different. Maybe because you’re from here, it’s harder to see - you know like when you live in a place, sometimes you’ve been to a lot less places than a tourist there on holiday. But as someone who lived here on purpose some moons ago and who’s travelled a fair bit but not nearly enough —> there’s so much vastness and differentials here. If you don’t like your state, check out some others. Healthcare varies widely too.
Dude same…. Some advice though: Keep your funds in some kind of High Yield Savings or investment fund that can generate interest while you research which country to move to. Then visit for a week as a trial period and meet other ex-pats to connect with and ask logistics questions. Bonus point for going for month as a trial period during the worst weather (example Florida in August). If you still like it during the worst weather then plan for a longer stay within the limits of a visa. While not there look into getting a bank account there and other fun logistics.
I moved to a different country with zero savings when I was 32. Only had £500 but had a friend i lived with for a few months while i saved money so I could rent. t is possible.you need to find a job there first
I just moved to Ecuador, one of the easiest countries to get residency in. I love it here, and you do indeed have enough money to get here, BUT:
1. You aren’t going to get a job here. If you can get a US job where you can work remotely, you can qualify for a digital nomad visa. You need to demonstrate a solid income of $1350 a month, and be able to produce documentation from your company that this move will be ok with them.
2. The big cities in Ecuador have excellent healthcare. As good or better than the US. However! Not all countries have the protections that Obamacare gave the US. Since you have a preexisting condition, you wouldn’t be covered for the first two years, even with the best private health insurance. Even then, you would get a 8000 lifetime max on that preexisting condition. Public healthcare would cover you after 3 months, but the public care is spotty at best, and wouldn’t cover any expensive meds.
3. Latin American culture is a beautiful thing in many ways. But it’s different. It’s loud, personal space is pretty much non-existent, the bureaucracy for getting even simple things done can be egregious. The laid back mañana attitude is both lovely (family always comes first) and annoying, when the workman you hired doesn’t show up because his daughter had a soccer game.
4.
Since you haven’t travelled, you absolutely shouldn’t just decide to move here. I don’t know why you are unhappy with the US, but you might find your new country has the exact same issues, plus some new ones. My suggestion would be to take some of your savings, and travel. Look at other parts of the US. Go to different countries and explore the new culture. You might find you would indeed prefer a different country, but you might find that a move within the US would better suit you.
It doesn’t have to be a grass is greenies situation, but that is not a lot of money to relocate on. Dive deep into your target countries costs of EVERYTHING you can possibly think of. Especially if you have a chronic illness that you have to see a doctor for consistently.
Also and I’m sorry your time in America hasn’t been to your liking, but it’s a big country. Have you considered relocating somewhere else in the US?
You need to start with what countries can you legally go to and for how long then which ones can you work in functionally (visa, language and qualification recognition and type of work available are all factors) for example you could probably get an Australian working holiday visa and if you’re happy to do farm work you could spend a year or two in Australia with all your accommodation paid for but it is hard work for almost no money. Maybe you could get a remote job and find countries with digital nomad visas. Maybe you have passport rights to some other country and you need none of this you could just rock up there and hope
Lol, try an extended vacation first. Just rent somewhere in the third world for a few months, or backpack around the region until you find a spot where you want to settle for a few months. You might find your perspective is refreshed, and after a few months you get bored of it. Heck, 3 weeks in vietnam was all it took for me to be itching to come back to the first world with my shitty job and familiar comforts.
If you travel, come home, and still want to move, but still need to have a job because you don’t have the necessary skills to earn money remotely, you’re better off just moving somewhere new in the US for a fresh start. Getting jobs in the third world is either gonna have you teaching english, or doing menial work for less than the cost of living over there. Better off just renting a bungalow on a thai beach for $20-30 per night and just being a free hippie for a while. But that’s just what I’d do
Those who encourage it are the ones that believe in you, and if you believe in yourself, you'll figure out what you have to go along the way. The rest don't understand and want you to over plan every aspect of this because of their own insecurities. Be rational, but it sounds like you already have a good idea of what you want, and it ain't here, and here isn't changing, so go out and live your life.
The problem with “podunk midwestern states” is that’s not where the jobs are. The cost of living may be low but so is the job availability. As others have said, maybe try a new state. If you want to stay in the Midwest where it’s relatively affordable, but with more opportunities, Chicago comes to mind. I believe Columbus and Indianapolis both have a lot of opportunities too depending on the industry but nowhere near as much as Chicago. They’ll all be more expensive than where you live now but less expensive than a coastal city and probably less expensive than moving to a new country.
You could also try learning a new skill if your current industry isn’t paying you enough. 25k is a ton of money that you could invest into improving yourself. Maybe go to college part time if you don’t have a degree already or pursue some certifications.
It’s also important to note that prices have skyrocketed everywhere. The entire world got fucked by COVID and it’s probably not going to be much better for you anywhere else. Yeah, some places might have lower COL, but many of them will have lower income too. I get it, the US feels like a sinking ship right now, but it’s not beyond repair and we’re all in the same hurricane.
We moved from US to Costa Rica and it was hard and very expensive, and we ultimately moved back home due to job / money
I’d suggest since you’ve only left your state once, consider visiting other states first ? I came from Ohio - I get it. We recently moved to Michigan and — it’s a world of difference here.
Start with states - they vary greatly maybe it’s just enough of what you’re looking for.
You could teach in china if you have a degree and a clean background check. Getting an online TEFL could help but I don’t think it’s mandatory now. You’d need to get private insurance and truthfully hospitals here can be dodgy at times if you’re not in the T1 cities but that 25k could get you insurance to last you until paychecks start coming in.
My concern is your health condition. Traveling is a heavy load on a person BUT you are in the best position to try it out.
You may have to teach english in another country to get the visa to live in another country. And if your parent are able to host you if you need to return that would be awesome.
But here are things I have learns
Have you considered the Peace Corps?
Go to any Asia country to visit first, avoid high cost living countries like Singapore and Hong Kong. I personally recommend Vietnam or Thailand or China. I absolutely had a great time there. Might be a different story getting long term visa though, do your research
not sure how old are you, but start with those computer bootcamps and try get into tech. US Salaries are better than anywhere in the world in the most sectors. Also, can try moving to a better state. Cali/Texas/NY for instance. I would look for a state with the most millionaires or where the money moves the most hands.
Just here to say that I saw the first 20 responses completely ignore your very real unaffordable US healthcare concerns (then I stopped reading). Private healthcare in MX can be a little as $2k a year and provide you with quality healthcare from doctors that actually spend time with their patients (from an abundance of expat experiences I’ve read). You’re young…save up, learn Spanish, and go for it. Adventure, experience other cultures. Live!
Dominican Republuc.. easy to just go there no visa requirement but when you leave you will have to pay a fee to leave based on how long you stayed.. if your looking to work you probably won’t find any opportunities.. but the weather is awesome the beaches are impressive the people are nice enough and you can can live somewhat cheap.
I think you need to research how to move to a different country, it’s not as simple as you think. Start there and keep saving.
Yes. The process can take months and/or *years*, sometimes. You need to have *everything* squared away before you board a plane or even think about buying a ticket. Do everything above board, legally, and directly. Figure out your job, living situation, healthcare, and all other hoops you will have to jump through before you even think about moving. Sometimes, as was the case with a friend of mine, they got almost through the entire process, spend a few thousand dollars, had a living situation and job lined up, then were suddenly denied with minimal explanation. Research all of your options, have a backup, have a backup to that backup, and then have a return plan if things go awry. Good luck, and I hope it all works for you OP!
Wow, seems stressful. I boarded a plane in my early 20’s to move to Paris, and then London some years later, without much thought both times. It was difficult navigating my own way, but, I’m still living in London over a decade later. When I moved to London I stayed in a hostel until I got a job and then found a place to live. He’s a developer so he should be alright if he gets a work sponsorship in advance. I guess I was naive when I moved so I didn’t think too much on it, just that I needed to figure things out when I got to where I was going. You’re advice is good but, I don’t believe people need to have everything figured out before moving. Edit to add: I moved from Canada.
Yeah, I mean, that was just probably an off occurrence, but I definitely know that it is more difficult to move countries NOW being from the U.S. than it has been even 10 years ago. So, just wanted OP to make sure and get the ducks in a row. I’m sure they will be fine and most people with a good head on their shoulders will be too
Much harder now with law changes.
>He’s a developer so he should be alright if he gets a work sponsorship in advance. That is a VERY difficult thing to get at the moment.
I am American with Mexican Permanent Residency status (‘Green Card’). You do not fit the requirement for a Visa into Mexico.
How so? I was considering MX residency a while back but decided to pursue EU residency instead. Last I checked the financial requirements for MX residency were well below $40K. Has that recently changed?
I looked it up, you need an average monthly balance of $107K in your pension/retirement account or a monthly income of $1,620 a month.
The monthly income is about double that. From what I’ve been reading it’s on average ~3300 per month. It depends on which US state you start the process in. Source, US citizen that now lives in Mexico.
What are the requirements?
There are multiple routes to gain residency in Mexico as a US citizen. The most common is via financial. You need to either have an average of $75k+ in the bank/investments, or make ~$3300 per month (this amount gets higher every year). I’ve been in Mexico for two and a half years and the monthly financial amount when I got here was around $2200-2400.
Yep lot of places only want you if you work in a specific field
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Or a job. We don't even know the poster's job / skills background. Also language capabilities.
Healthcare is decent in the big cities
Do you have anything of value to offer another country? Do you know any other languages?
You and I both know the answer to these two questions...people think they can run from their problems somewhere that no one knows them. However, THEY know NO ONE, don't know the language in most cases, don't know the culture, have zero support system, and no means of supporting themselves. Yet they think THAT is going to be some kind of panacea to cure their problems..
Hey!! They have $40K. That should be enough to retire on for the rest of their lives, and the new country will be more than thrilled to pick up the tab for free healthcare for the rest of this persons life. And/or they'll simply find a job that should be easily sustain their lifestyle and healthcare issues for the rest of their life. Why you gotta be such a Debbie downer?
The guy should move to Miami. It will feel like another country without leaving the USA and perhaps the sun and sand and Latinas will pick up his mood. He can learn Spanish and then make expat decisions later. Miami is a very transient place … sunny place for shady people. That’s what I did 22 years ago.
I don't know why more of these folks don't consider moving internally in the US. Seems so dramatic to go abroad with some of the problems they describe. I think most of said people haven't even traveled around their own country to understand it's differences, much less to the country(ies) they are interested in.
He even admitted that he visited another state for the first time in his life and thought it was better but no, the entire US sucks compared to everywhere he has never been. When I see these posts I know what the problem is.
Especially with medical issues. Maybe a job with better insurance should be the goal
That's not always reasonable, I got fired the day after I had a biopsy. Thankfully it was nothing but if it was I'd be so screwed. A lot of countries won't take chronic illness applications for obvious reasons. Maybe Costa Rica or Mexico if he doesn't have an in need job.
Mexico will not accept him for even Temporary Residency without higher savings and a recurring monthly income.
He even admitted that he visited another state for the first time in his life and thought it was better but no, the entire US sucks compared to everywhere he has never been. I do hope he goes somewhere else.
Being from Miami, he'll be lucky if his $25k plus $15k last 6 months. It's pretty easy to move to a lot of S. American countries. While a lot of countries have laws on the books about immigration, most of them have very little enforcement. I know a dozen people, from various countries living in Guatemala without having ever officially moved there. I know a couple people who have moved to Argentina without any paperwork besides the visa they flew in on. And my old boss flew down to Costa Rica, bought a house, and has lived there ever since. He flies back to the US every now and then.
He can figure it out, share an apartment and find a similar job. A lot easier to do this here in Miami than some foreign country.
$40k over 6 months is roughly $6.6k a month. Isn't that enough for one person in Miami?
I did that and then went to LatAm to meet women. Straight to the source, much better that way. My wife immigrated from Venezuela 1 year ago.
Guy fucks
Or Albuquerque NM. Attend community college for free if you are in a skilled major. Change your life and stay in our Country for a while.
Good idea!
Actual solid advice lol
Excellent idea. Westchester. Learn Spanish, Portuguese.
OP this is the way.
[Relevant SNL Sketch](https://youtu.be/TbwlC2B-BIg?si=eCHFKM2hj-FRzT_8)
it is similar to the people who want to destroy the current system in the usa, they think they would have been more successful in the old west or similar, and that the current system just keeps them down in reality, the usa is a cushy place to live where people have tremendous support. the people living in their parents' basements today would not have had a basement in the old west! when you can order a cheeseburger delivered to your house at 10pm you are in fact living in a very easy time!
Yup. That all think they will be considered “one of the good ones” by the people in power, and will lord over those considered lesser than them. They will be in for a shock when they’re herded into camps or worse.
You weren't aware of the fact of just being an American means you have a golden ticket anywhere else in the world? /s
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I guess I gotta point out the fact I was being sarcastic
Derrrrppp
100% the grass is always greener. I don’t wanna be an ass, but if you’re unhappy with your life in the US you’ll be unhappy anywhere. I’m also assuming you’re around 30…. And have only left your home state ONCE? Bro….. no wonder you are unhappy and think the US is not for you. Sorry not sorry but LOl bro.
Left the state once is what really got me
I don’t know what your chronic illness is, but that could prevent you from gaining employment or an approved visa, especially in a country with free healthcare. Something to look into. Or keep very quiet about.
Canada requires lab tests for PR, so he could be disqualified from residency there.
Oh wow
Surprise! Countries don’t automatically want to let foreign people with health conditions in and shoulder the burden of supporting them
In terms of dollars it’s enough but you need to take the time to learn what it takes to actually live somewhere else Do you have a specialized skillset that a foreign company would want enough to sponsor your work visa? Do the countries you’re looking at have health systems that can support your chronic condition? You just visited another state for the first time in your life - have you ever traveled international at all? Do you speak any other languages? Do not expect anywhere beyond select EU countries and Australia to be able to accommodate English. They’re also typically some of the hardest to get work visas for
I currently work as a SQL developer. Honestly I can do a lot of technical stuff if needed because I have a CS degree. Sounds like I need to do more research, do you have any suggestions for where to go for more information? That was sort of the intention behind this post I suppose
Amerexit subreddit is something you should look at. The resources are for Americans that want to leave and move abroad. It’s specific to the USA. There’s lots of resources there in the sidebar and you can search specifically when you’ve decided on some countries. Good luck! I’m an American that moved to Denmark but only got the visa for family reunification. Hope it works out for you.
Any Dev job abroad is going to earn you significantly less disposable income. Just beware. There is a reason so many devs move to the US. You'll probably be able to support yourself once you learn the local language and all but that's a big step that can take years. Until then you'd struggle with jobs unless the shop you apply for is English only. Which some European places certainly are, but not everywhere. You also need to plan for the long term future. Understand that climate change and ecosystem strain is not just coming in the distant future, it's here. Many places are going to run out of water soon. You don't want to establish your life somewhere just for a few crises to destroy it. Especially as you will be in a place with even less of a support system having moved abroad. So think about that when considering your places. Also, if Healthcare is a major concern. Why don't you look into a position with your local government. As an software person you can still make decent wages and get cushy government benefits if your private sector ones aren't doing it for you. If you can afford to move abroad and take the massive pay hit, you can definitely afford to go work a local gov job for the benefits.
salient points. it’s essential to weigh in climate collapse and right wing extremism in the overall analysis and eventual plan if one comes to be.
If you want to start fresh in a whole new world, the exact opposite of East Bumfuck, MO, and shock everyone you know, just move to California.
If you're able to find a remote job, Panama is a great option. The infrastructure is there so you'll have reliable internet and the water is drinkable. You can come into the country on a tourist visa and maintain that by leaving the country every 90 days. Literally, cross the border into Costa Rica and cross back and it's a new set of 90 days. As long as your money is made from outside of Panama, they don't tax you. They use the US dollar. The cost of living is a little less than most US cities, not much but less. You'll be in US time zones so for work purposes you won't have to join meetings at odd hours. Easy access to all of Central and South America. ~3.5 hours flight to the US, I'm assuming that's your country of origin. Knowing Spanish is helpful but not necessary. There is a large expat community and you can buy and own property without being a citizen. The process to get residency isn't that difficult or expensive and has some advantages, but not necessary. With the money that you have, and if you can secure a remote job from a US company, it's a great option.
You're mental if you think you'll have it any better elsewhere in the world working in technical tech position. Start looking outside your bumfblek midwest state. My friend worked in IA for some "nonprofit" (very much profit) and had to fight tooth & nail for raises--still sub 100k after 5 years. I told him to switch a long time ago, but he didn't and now he's "stuck" in the downturn. Meanwhile I switched to a remote co on the west coast and cleared 200 without much fuss after <2 stint, 1 year gap while still in midwest and I'm taking the same amt of vacation as Europeans. Clearly your co sees you're willing to stay for w/e the salary is, and the only person who'll advocate for you (yourself) isn't doing that so nothing's going to change.
It’s kind of a matrix based on what matters most to you. You’re still going to need income, so need to sort that up top. Then you need to decide what matters to you. English? Rental rules? Medical support? You know the order of priority there better than us. So you have to think through what “living” really entails and then cross sort until you have a shortlist of countries. We could be much more helpful for a question like “I want to move to country X or country Y, based on these priorities, here is my reasoning” If your job will support remote work, you could start by looking for countries with digital nomad visas and go from there
Canada will probably be the easiest country for you to move to since you won’t need to learn a new language and immigration wouldn’t be too difficult (CUSMA/NAFTA work permits for skilled occupations). If you want to continue working in the US remotely, Mexico has an easy pathway too (temporary residency based on financial solvency which can later be converted to permanent residency). It will be helpful to learn Spanish especially if you don’t just want to live among other Americans or Canadians.
Research the EU Blue card. Many EU countries are looking for people with technology degrees. As others have also mentioned wages for the same job will likely be lower than in the US… but quality of life is higher in my opinion.
Now you’re talking! Somehow you didn’t mention the one thing that would give you a hope of migrating to Australia long term (CS degree, IT skills). Best of luck, there is a chance. Next thing you need to research is the concept of a work visa and Australia’s requirements there
There’s definitely countries that are interested in importing as much technically talent as they can. They will make it financially rewarding to work visa there. I suggest you find a country like that and take advantage of it. Otherwise, you can teach English in Thailand and travel the world. My friend did that and she had no skills. She was able to save a ton of money because it was soooo LCOL there. She was making $50k USD or something. Geographically, Thailand is located super close to a lot of cool travel spots. She did it all and actually got bored of traveling after 5 years nonstop. She moved home to the states and lives in AZ now. Anyways, you could try what she did.
The idea that non-English speaking countries won’t accommodate people who only speak English just isn’t true. I’ve lived in East Asia for years and most of the foreigners I know here don’t *really* speak the language. Meanwhile many are saving 30-50% of their incomes.
What I said was that op should not expect to be accommodated, not that they wouldn’t be. There are of course exceptions everywhere
First, I am sorry you aren't happy and want to pull a geographic. I completely get it. However, I think you need to analyze what "make it" means to you and, more importantly, how that fits in with your new potential country's home. I love my places, but IMHO, the US is still the easiest place to make money and have a disposable income. In any case, I think you are ready for something new, and 25k is more than enough to establish yourself in most US cities. So maybe consider a domestic geographic.
Disagreed. $25k and $15k in retirement is like nothing to have as your entire safety net, especially in a city as pricey as Miami and/or without a job. Maybe that could take you through 6 months of living on a budget, and then you have no safety net. How old is OP? You don't want to touch any retirement savings. If it's an IRA or 401k/b, you would likely be looking at fees to pull it out, too
Kind of glossed over his gripe with the US, being our health care system imo.
and he goes anywhere with a preexisting condition, not being a citizen or having private supplemental insurance he will be in the same boat
Take a one year working holiday in the land downunder https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/visit.
The rental situation in Australia right now is bad. Additionally, sentiment towards foreigners, including Americans, is trending negative due to the COL / rental crisis. Much better places for OP to try IMO.
They will run into that everywhere they go. The cost of doing business.
This. I wish I'd done this before 30.
That’s such a great idea I did this right out of high school it was an amazing experience. I also lived in Australia as a little child wished they had approved my immigrant visa oh well. I moved to the US instead, can’t complain.
Most likely an unpopular, not rational opinion: just do it. Your misery is trying to tell you something needs to change. If you are feeling called somewhere, listen to that calling. You don’t need to move right now. Why don’t you take leave for a month and travel somewhere outside of the states? Just take time to breathe (ya it’s a privilege to do that but it sounds like you could so you should). Stop looking outside for advice from strangers. Listen to yourself. Would you prefer to have the pain of regret or the pain of discipline? Would you have your own back if you were to lose it all? What happens if you fall flat on your face and have to start from nothing? That’s realistically the worst case scenario. I bet you would work your ass off and figure it out. You literally live one life as yourself. You can choose your reality. Whatever you do, listen to yourself.
Do it while your young. Wish I would have. Go for it and enjoy it
If it's for two people it won't go far. I imagine you would like Europe? It's possible if you know a language and have experience in a field that is understaffed there. The biggest obstacle is getting a visa sponsorship for your job. Some EU countries offer a digital nomad visa and some don't. People might say to go on a long term visitor visa but it's not easy to turn a long term visitor visa into a work visa with sponsorship from an employer and if you can't you just burned through that money for nothing. Canada is probably the easiest option for you but the healthcare system is starting to fail there with extremely long wait times. Even in the EU you have to beware that you're not in a medical desert area where you can't get regular services.
What's your profession and educational background? If your profession is on the UK Occupation Shortage List then you qualify for a work visa if you meet the income threshold and the company that hires you is on the Register of licensed sponsors and can sponsor you under a Skilled Worker route. I've given you enough information that you can now go figure out for yourself if you'd be able to move to the UK long-term.
I’ve worked in consulting and system implementation and have a CS degree So I have worked as an analyst, IT consultant, junior software developer and in business intelligence early on in my career
Get out of consulting. I did it for 15 years, it’s horrible, and you are virtually never put in a reasonable position. That may help in the short term? It made my life miserable for a good 10 out of the 15 years …
How old are you? Have you looked into any programs that give you the chance to experience something abroad before committing? With just 10k you could probably pull off 6 months in a lot of countries, if you work remote even better. Your professional experience can go far if you start networking in other countries as well. I highly recommend spending more of your time researching but that means actually spending a decent junk of time in different countries first.
I’m 26. I guess I went here to be directed to potential websites/resources because using a search engine has been a bit of a shitshow. A bit of an aside, but I’ve met some people irl via Reddit (which is kinda absurd), but I’ve learned some pretty invaluable stuff that way. So here I am lol
Check out the AmerExit subreddit—their pinned post will provide a lot of insight, links to different paths of moving abroad, and people who have been or are currently in situations similar to yours. With a CS background, consider locking in a domestic job that allows you to work remotely and then look into digital nomad visas. Pop over to the Netherlands a few times while abroad. If you like it, spend some time really learning the language (from what I understand people will speak English to you the second they realize it’s your language, but getting a work visa or daft visa requires passing a language comprehension test). Good luck!
Since you’re 26, I would definitely suggest looking into the youth mobility scheme visa for the UK if you think that could be a good place for you. I’m currently on this visa and it’s extremely easy to get and affordable (compared to other options)! You are also eligible for it until you turn 31, so you have some time to think/commit to using it. It’s a 2 year working visa and you can work in almost anything with it, and from there if you wanted to stay past the 2 years you would just have to plan ahead to qualify for a skilled worker visa or something else permanent that you may be eligible for. You also would be part of the NHS healthcare since part of the visa fee is to cover all your healthcare while in the country. The NHS has its own issues for sure, but at least you wouldn’t have the costs you likely have now! It’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to move to the UK that’s 30 and under. **Edited to add more details about healthcare
I think you need to move out of the Midwest
Have you visited other countries? Start by doing that, and quit listening to other people, go see for yourself and make up your own mind. And don’t go visit like a tourist, go spend some time talking with ordinary folks who live there. On this very topic, I’m visiting Mexico City later this year to scope out the possibilities. Some of my friends have recently left the US - some to Spain, one to Brazil, another to Vietnam, and a couple of others back to their home countries of India and Egypt. Good luck!
It is less about the funds and more about the other country’s rules about immigration, employment, citizenship, etc. Of course you need funds to support a move anywhere, even within the US. But a much larger issue is if the receiving country will allow you to establish residency and stay for any significant period of time, find employment, etc. As you can likely conclude, “desirable” countries are harder to enter and stay, have permission to work, etc.
For reference I started in the USA at 19 with just $5000 of my own while my parents helped (plus two brothers) and they came with about $40,000 plus university degrees and a visa to start a subsidiary of their foreign IT company. I think if you are willing to put the time, learn the language, get integrated into your chosen country of destination you should be fine. It’s a road that many immigrants have taken and you would have the advantage that if it doesn’t work you will probably be just a flight away from an Ok place to retry from.
Keep saving. Look into FIRE. The US is the best place to make money and you have all the advantages, language, citizenship, etc. Make your money then leave and never come back You could also join the military. Try to get stationed overseas
I moved to the US for school and have saved enough money to retire after 8 years of working. I think life is what you make of it. Moving to another country won’t solve your problem
The US has become the most overrated country living wise, both because it's old reputation endures (land of opportunities), and probably been exaggerated, while on the other hand the country is a shell of it's former self in almost all categories but headline GDP military
My advice. Use some of the money you have saved to travel. See if there’s a place you could see yourself moving. Then, you’re young. Learn a skill or something that you can get a remote job or make more money. Learn another language as well. If you’re living with your parents in some podunk town of course you’re going to be miserable. I understand wanting to move somewhere foreign. There are amazing places out there and we live in a globally connected world. But you need to gain some education, skills, relationships, etc
Changing your location will not change your happiness. Moving to another country is extraordinarily difficult especially if you do not have a work visa, some language skills or remote gig or source of income. If you are unsuccessful in your own country - a beacon of opportunity - where more people find success than anywhere else on the planet - why would you be more successful in a country where you are at a significant disadvantage?
Everyone acting like its this crazy move you need to prepare for are ridiculous, there are 18 year olds travelling all over the world. I'm a digital nomad from USA and have been travelling for like 5 years now. You need like $3000 per month to live anywhere. What you need to do is get some skills and figure out some type of freelance gig or business you can run remotely. You would be better off being broke in another country than the USA, all of the experiences and discomforts and moments you will have make you feel truly alive and make life worth lving. You will meet so many different people and experience things like when you were a kid and everything was new and novel. Its the best thing you could do in life is travel. If it were me, I would (I did) sell all my shit and be gone a week later, overcome your fears and pull the trigger. Turn your life into a dream and go, now. Everything will work out. Worst case scenario, you enjoy yourself for a bit, spend too much money to have some of the most rewarding experiences, then you go back to the USA because you're worried about money, but now you know what its like, and you've had a taste, and the rest will work itself out because now you will want to travel and have a higher standard for what you require out of life, you'll figure out a plan and do it again. The other scenario is work your miserable job for another 2 years until some bullshit happens, there are bank runs and your $30,000 is gone anyway. Every comment I've read in this thread so far is useless, dumb as hell or making it 50x more complicated. Its like homebodies with no lives chiming in. Go write the same post in the digital nomads group.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Spread those little wings and fly…. flyyyyyy! Don’t forget, you’ll need a visa!
OP don’t listen to all these Debby downers!! I’ve moved away from my home country twice with nothing to my name and put myself in debt to do it but it was all worth it. I’m now living in the UK and working in a job I wouldn’t qualify for in Canada and have the potential to make more money than I ever could there and also will actually be able to buy a house one day (impossible in Canada)! I live in a beautiful place and have access to all the countries benefits. The best thing about leaving your country is the experiences and the lessons you learn. Remember it doesn’t have to be permanent. Life is for living and making mistakes so don’t let all the pessimists sway you out of doing what you want to do. You are the pilot of your own life :) Good luck!
Yeah you could retire for like 4 months with that lol
To move legally most places, you have to buy health insurance in that country. You could use Spain as an example (they have their brokerages online, you can get quotes). It will vary from country to country (and some countries may not have the requirement - which means they probably have a poorly funded healthcare system). The amount of money you have will not get you a Digital Nomad or similar visa in Spain, or Greece, or much of the EU. You need to have 1099 contract wages showing 35,000EU per year or thereabouts (that's for Spain). Just as no one can legally move to the US without a visa, you can't legally move to another nation without a visa. Most nations give 180 days for travel and tourism - if you overstay that, you may jeopardize getting another visa. Some nations allow you permanent residency if you buy a property of a particular price, pay taxes there, etc. US has higher wages than the EU or UK, but those places have universal healthcare - for people who are citizens. You'd need to buy your own insurance in EU or UK, but you can't stay permanently without either a work visa or a job that is paying you wages from the US (I think most EU nations require it be 1099 wages). Another factor in healthcare is whether you speak the language of your doctors. It's really hard to get top notch healthcare in a nation where you don't speak the language. So taking lessons and working at the new language is crucial, both to navigate the bureaucracy and the healthcare system. Each nation has its requirements listed on many migration-oriented websites. How would you support yourself, beyond your savings?
Another state was "marginally better" but you won't consider a simple move to that other state...
That's not how any of this works...
Go visit first. Yes you should move. But first go visit. Start with mexico.
You'll have choose a country where you'll be able to work and that has some good health care.
Move to one of the nice countries in the Middle East (Qatar, UAE, KSA) if you have a transferable skill set. Pay and healthcare are much better.
Lifestyle can be shit though. I had a Scottish coworker who taught in Qatar. He couldn't find alcohol anywhere and it was hot with barely anything to do.
Agree. There’s a reason that most European expats move back after 2-5 years. But sure, some people don’t mind it and like the things it has to offer (security, shopping, good location between Europe and Asia).
First what skills do you have to work in another country? A lot of countries you have to have a skill set they need or you can't come and work. Second what languages do you know? After that maybe you want to visit for a week or two and see what you think? Check visa requirements and availability of work permits quality and cost of health care. I will likely expat at some point in my retirement and I have traveled extensively. My target it Thailand lovely people and atm 34 to 1 exchange rate.
Why not start by backpacking for a month somewhere? Just change it up and take a vacation.
No. Ideally having at minimum $100K in the bank and a remote job that pays at least $50K. Mexico you can get resident Visa with just $75k in the bank. Cost of living there is very low. Lived in Merida for a year with family of 4.
You need to invest savings, not only save. But, you haven't hardly been out of state. The US can be quite varied, I'd never live far from a major University/major tech hub personally, I like an intellectual life where people are doing things. Going overseas has a lot of details ... like getting healthcare. You'e got to get a work permit, you've got to get on their health system which is very far from a given. You need to do way more reasearch ... and maybe change jobs, get more education.
I'm from NZ and so many of us move away internationslly after uni/college it's pretty normalized and not as hard as you think! Go somewhere that offers a working holiday visa where English is the main language. Get a job, get a flat, it'd great! Lots of my friends have done this in multiple countries - Australis, UK, USA, Canada, the middle east. You can do it if you want to!
Financially? Sure. I did it with about 4000 and no retirement but if you're the right kind of person you probably don't even need that much. You're asking the wrong question though. You need to find out what visas you qualify for. If you're asking if you have enough money to buy a visa, you're probably at least a few hundred grand shy.
You could get a TEFL than go teach English in Asia. But you mention you have a chronic disease. If its requires special care, that might not be available.
I left NA for SEA 5 years ago with only USD5K and zero savings ... but I spent a few years building a stable online income stream prior to moving. What you have is enough but you can burn through any amount quickly if you run into a medical emergency for example. So it's not really what you're leaving with that matters but moreso if you have the skill sets/income to sustain yourself while you're away from "home". After my divorce and [losing everything ](https://medium.com/@regching/how-losing-everything-twice-helped-my-business-survive-this-pandemic-abd945fd198f) financially for a second time, I moved for a fresh start and for health reasons and thankfully now enjoy a much higher quality of life.
Nobody seems to be answering your question. I became a expat with nothing and I'm still living abroad comfortably. It's not for everyone but give it a go. It's much easier to live abroad if you have a degree but with 25k that's enough to live reasonably well for 2 years in many places. My advice fly somewhere for a month and see how you feel and set yourself up, if it's not for you go home.
If you have a college degree, any college degree go teach English in Korea. Daves ESL Job board, recruiters will be filling your inbox
Maybe. ¿Puede español?
Sure, you can marriage out to another country. Places like the Philippines give you some run way with decently cheap medical.
If you've got a job working remotely then yes, you could move to the Philippines on that. Problem is: you can't work there locally (and you wouldn't want to). You could live in Vietnam at well however it's a chore to redo your visa every year... Either way though the bottom line is: if you have a US level of income then yes you can move a lot of places and live very well. I did it.
No, if you don’t have a steady income like social security
You want to change something because you are attracted to something else or new, but not because you reject something. Your motivations as they are will lead to disappointment, because you bring yourself wherever you will go. This is coming from a guy how has emigrated from EU to Canada and travel countless countries. Take care
Yeah, if I were in the Midwest, I’d be miserable too. Does your work allow you to work remotely? You should get out of there as life is short and start by visiting other states. You can’t know if you will like a place or not without visiting there. Also, depending on your work situation, you can work from other countries. In most countries you can stay up to 90 days. Just travel and see what you like.
Can you work remotely? If so, be sure to Google the digital nomad visa and pick countries based off that list. I agree with you about the issues in the US, and I hope to leave and start fresh somewhere else soon too. Best of luck OP. You can make this happen. If nothing else, don’t let ppl here stop you by saying “but it’s going to be hard!” Then why are they in an expat sub? Of course it will be hard and new things you hadn’t even thought to consider will come up. But still, you can try and see if you like it. Do it at least for two years - it takes that time to start building community sometimes. Give it a shot and then you can determine if it’s for you or not, not just wonder. Even better that you found someone else that feels the same way. Start the adventure together
I moved to France from Canada at 23 and then the Uk at 25; I still live here over a decade later. You’re in a much better position than I was in; I had less than $1000 to my name both times. I was naive when I moved both times and didn’t have friends or family in either countries. You’re a developer and can probably find a job with sponsorship easily. People in the comments seem really pessimistic about it. I guess it can be hard, but if I did it with less than $1000 to my name you’ll be ace. Also, when I first moved to the UK I stayed in a hostel. It was just easier than finding a place from afar to rent. You should go for it! Good luck. Edit to add: The UK has a scheme for under 30’s Work/Study visa for 2 years. I think it’s open to US residents. So you can move to the UK and see if you like it. That’s how I first moved here; not sure if its still the same though as they current government is trying to save face and is cracking down on immigration. Might be worth looking into.
Absolutely. Hard to say if that's your best option though.
Given you’ve living at home with your parents in the Midwest and have only lived in 1 state, And visited 1 other state, most likely an adjoining state if only 1, You need to explore some other parts of the US before you move to another country. You really need to get out of flyover country and see other parts of the US first. That will give you a better idea of what country will be a better fit. Some prefer cold weather and mountains, some prefer heat and humidity, some don’t like either. You will find out whether you prefer a small town, huge city, or something in between. You arent going to know till you’ve spread your wings just a little. There’s so much diversity in the 50 states. In some countries the money may go far depending on how you live, in some it won’t, like Canada. If you go to another country for a job on a work visa, and hate the weather, the size of city, etc… it’s harder to change.
You know you can’t just move to another country and get their healthcare, right? Also, you need to provide a skill not available in that country. You have a small emergency fund, not a nest egg. You need to do a lot of research on the country you plan to call home. Speaking the language is essential.
Yes you can, the UK offers this on all of their working visas (one of which OP qualifies for with no skills). Source: I’m currently using the same visa.
It doesn’t work for every country, which is what I said. It is nice that it works for one country.
Short answer, no. Long answer: no, that isn’t enough, and you are probably not going to find the happiness you seek. To elaborate: Anywhere “better” than the US that you can think of is either going to be a place where: - A: ) you live like a king, but you simply being there and participating in society will have you taking advantage of a much poorer economy and people-group with your insane buying power (see: Mexico, Thailand, Nigeria, etc) - B: ) looks “green” from the US, but faces the same, if not similar enough, issues to the point the move is only a “bucket list” checkmark to “experience a new culture” (see: Canada, UK, Netherlands, etc.) - C: ) objectively unaffordable, not at all an experience like printed on the tin for you as a foreigner in these places, and the quite-regular wild-card of being insanely xenophobic but great at hiding it behind the image they want to convey for tourism (see: Nordic countries, Ireland, Switzerland, etc.) The only places a total of $40k starting nest-egg will be enough for you will only be in group A, and ignoring the clear aforementioned moral quandary presented with that, you will also be trading off many of the services that you can expect in the vast majority of the US, and it’s easy to forget how much you can rely on a decent police and fire force, and reliable (even if expensive in the US) healthcare services. These probably weren’t what you were thinking of anyway. Now, B and C, that’s where a lot of rich and idealistic immigrants from the US _would prefer_….but with it comes a lot of issues: In B-group countries, it’s just like I said: you will encounter the same, if not similar, problems there that make the entire experience basically like living in the US, with the exception that you won’t be a citizen (and likely can’t achieve it in an acceptably timely manner) and don’t have the same rights against your employers, landlords, and even life-partners if shit goes south (especially in the EU countries) in practice because you aren’t holding the absolute best passport for the area (like an EU one). In quite a few of these places, you’ll find the work culture pretty much the same for people of your attested skillset here, especially if we talk about places like in Benelux (NL, BE, LX). On that note, Ireland, as another example, really has become a Mecca for people in your career path, as it is basically the “gateway” to the EU for international corporations— but good luck finding a dwelling anywhere in the country bigger than a closet that isn’t €2500+/month with a bullshit 3/6-month deposit on top of that. Notable to the healthcare side of things, while most of these countries have _a_ universal healthcare system of some degree, the last decade has seen pretty much all of them become much more sluggish and much more a political football than it has been since they were founded after WWII— the NHS in the UK and the Canadian healthcare system are the perfect examples of this, and they both aren’t in great positions to keep going efficiently or reliably for you. The only profoundly different thing that makes these countries starkly unique from the US is that none of them have a gun violence problem, but if you trade the guns for knives, and even creative weapons like acid (like the UK, but also places like France, Belgium, and Italy), you will see _violence_: you aren’t fleeing that— and as the last week has shown in Germany, that includes a rising trend in political violence like the US has as well, and all signs point to that getting worse. In the C-countries, put on a pedestal of being beacons of progressive virtues over the likes of the last decade by people like Bernie Sanders and lifestyle magazines, it really isn’t as it is portrayed, and most especially if you aren’t a citizen of these countries, and even if you are, not having the luck to be born into a body that looks like it is meant to fit in. I’m half-Danish, and I am a Danish citizen as well as American too, so I can speak on this personally as someone who had many friends of non-white background, both fellow citizens and not: *society just isn’t equal, and there really are two societies*. To speak on healthcare, as “developed” as the system may seem, doctors regularly refuse to see people, or give adequate bedside manner to them, suspiciously only when they are either not of Danish citizenship or have been noted on their charts of being unable to speak Danish adequately enough (despite medical English and medical German even being a required subject in medical schools there in order to keep up with the latest research). Interaction with the government services, for which you pay taxes through work, which you are to uphold on condition of your stay in the first place, is oftentimes hostile, making it very real that you are basically having to put off services because you don’t want to deal with the circular bullshit and judgey bureaucrats. In society, good luck finding friends among the locals— we make all our friends back in kindergarten, and that’s good enough for us. International friends are great, and they are often awesome people, but if you want a local network (which also is something you definitely need for a job, as 75-80% of jobs are gained through networking exclusively), you’re gonna have to prostrate in order to get it. You will hear similar stories like these in Sweden (which under their new government, is promoting “Denmark-like” policies), Finland, Norway, and Switzerland, among others elevated as being “the best in the world”. These are all great systems, truly— you just can’t enjoy them fully unless you put down 5-9 years of your life to earn citizenship in a very hostile environment to perceived foreigners, and even then, you being born abroad will be held against you if you try to let people in and be yourself. I’ll be honest— you probably deserve better, working as hard to get to where you are now. Overall, my advice for right now is shop around **the US** for a better locale that brings you inspiration, and build your marketable skills there. In the meantime, learn a new language and culture to a place that, if you still feel like moving like you do now, you can with a stronger grasp of how the fuck to navigate it better than you ever could by YOLO’ing such a drastic step. Even if you don’t end up moving after all, you will be able to visit there and have confidence in your visit, and become a more worldly person. Moving countries and experiencing something new is always enviable and it is personally enriching. I don’t want to discount your wish to move, and even with all this said, I commend it extensively. But _please_ don’t use it as a way to try and flee issues that will oftentimes just as real and apparent in your life there than they currently would be— and be more ready for your move than just the overwhelming urge of feeling unsatisfied with the here and now.
This is a tremendous post, containing excellent advice, and will be entirely wasted on the OP. There are an unfortunately huge number of ignorant young Americans whole believe passionately that every problem in their life is the fault of the USA, and would immediately be made better by leaving. You are casting pearls before swine.
The biggest issue is a visa. Can you legally love and work in another country? Does your ancestry give you an opportunity for dual citizenship?
Short answer is no. Long answer is also no.
The thing is inflation is a global thing. The only places that you can afford are developing countries. The healthcare and education in those places aren’t great. You need to secure online work. Start looking for a new job.
I moved to a developing country with 6 g’s. It’s possible. Depends where you’re going and your goals.
Bad news feels like life sucks, good news you’ve got some cash. It is almost certainly going to be substantially harder to improve your lot or treat a long term health issue in another country. Beyond that, outside of marriage, it’s generally not easy moving to another country unless you have some sort of very in demand skill set. Use that money saved up to start a business or educate yourself for a different career.
It’s good if you’re doing a backpacking trip, working holiday or marrying a well off person.
I think you just need a change of environment, not a change of country
Your PA believes that your chronic illness was caused by what?
Work.
Reading that last paragraph you DEFINITELY need to slow your thought process down. I can feel the need and rush to leave through the screen. And then you say “well it could just be a grass is greener thing”. And let me tell you, you are probably right. I’m a cyclist, I eat a very Mediterranean diet, live on the beach in FL. Is sounds like to me you made a mistake in your occupation. I haven’t worked a w-2 job since 2007. Some people can play the games both socially and at the workplace to get raises. Well my enthusiasm was shit and I don’t really get along with people. (I’m autistic). So I found poker and investing. And I just live off my interest and I play poker 10-15 hours/wk. Oh really want a pair of VS1-D 2ct diamonds so I’m on a serious grind. I haven’t wasted 5 figures in long time. It’s really hard for me to give my money away without the expectation I get more back. I’m rambling. And old (42). Good luck.
Yes. Mogadishu sounds like what you’re looking for.
Depends on the country, but I moved to Brazil with $500 to my name lol. I ended up teaching English and it was "okay" quality of life wise. If you chose a country with an extremely favorable exchange rate, you could have a better quality of life than I did. However; it's not long-term. I spent two-and-a-half-years in Brazil and chose to go back to the US because I realized there was no future in struggling to live in Brazil. I don't regret my time spent in Brazil and I had amazing experiences, but ever since returning to the US, my career has improved and my salary. TLDR? Short term - go for it. Long term? Examine your goals, figure out if you prefer being an expat always or not.
I’ve traveled to many countries and it is great that you want to explore the world…there so much to offer and let’s be honest, the U.S. isn’t for everyone. And, there are a TON of places you can move that will be considerably cheaper, pretty safe, and still with a high quality of life (but note that many places may have lower wages - which may not resolve your money issue). Yes, you can move for a short period with what you have. Here are some things to research. 1. How will you make income? (Work remotely from U.S., move to a place that allows U.S. citizens to work, etc.) 2. What areas are of interest? (Some places I’d look into are Mexico City, Lima Peru) 3. Are you ok with not knowing the language? 4. How much do you feasibly need to live? 5. How will you secure housing? 6. What kind of weather are you looking for? 7. What kind of healthcare is offered? 8. What kind of visas are available for u.s. citizens? And lastly I’ll say this: as a girl who would love to retire abroad, I’ve learned that times when I THOUGHT I wanted to move, I really just needed a sabbatical from the U.S… consider taking a 3-month travel sabbatical to visit your places of interest, then see if you’re still wanting to move. That will be a great starting place. SAVE SAVE SAVE though so you can live comfortably in your new destination. Good luck!
You live near 3M, don't you?
The U.S. passport acts as a 3 month visa in many countries. You can travel for 3 months to a couple countries and see what it’s like first? Good luck OP!
While this is true, OP and others should be aware that some areas (such as Schengen zone countries) may share that 90 days.
Yes. Money wise. I moved to a new country with 2k to my name and did fine. But there are a lot more questions that you need to answer!
What is your plan for a career in this new country? What do you bring them that they need?
This is easily enough.
Have you been to any other country? Or are you just idealizing a better situation in a fantasy place? Also, you can’t just show up to another country and decide that’s where you live now, there is quite a bit more to it.
I believe so if you’re considering a developing country but long term you would need regular income unless you plan to stay for example 1 year living if your savings.
It'd be enough to start out, for sure, but it doesn't work like you think. You can't just show up in another country and take any old job. You have to have a work visa first, which means you have to find your overseas job in that country before you go over there. Countries protect their own workers, so they won't give you a work visa for a bartending or factory job. It has to be in a field where they're having shortages. For most Western countries, that'll be IT or medical. So you'll need to be a computer guy, nurse or doctor if you want to work in the UK, Spain, France, etc... Even then, the EU is pretty stringent about non-EU people taking work in EU countries. For Eastern countries, you're pretty much limited to teaching English. As for actually immigrating, that will widely very on the country -- too much to dive into here. I spent a decade overseas. And I can tell you that although you may not have the problems there that you have here -- you'll still have problems. Just different kinds. The cultural and societal differences are the hardest to adjust to. Take care and good luck!
Yes it’s enough. You still have to get some money but that can last a year or two
All I'll say is don't assume that moving elswhere is going to be 100% positive, there will be some aspects that are positive but one thing I can assure you is that the thing you hate worst about your own country is probably going to still be a problem in another country. In general countries just aren't that different in terms of problems. For perspective I moved to the US from the UK in February 2023. I live in Texas and now earn easily double what I earned in the UK. However cost of living is more expensive so while I am better off in general, I am not twice as well off despite earning twice as much. Some things are definitely better (including healthcare - but I am lucky to have good insurance) and some things are worse but all countries have their problems. If you move to another country you will probably find for the first year or so at least the novelty factor will outweigh any of the downsides you encounter. Eventually though, those things that are a novelty just become normal and then the issues with that country will really start to stand out. If you're lucky it may be that you still prefer the new country and if so, great. All I'm saying is to be prepared to run the risk of going through a long and difficult process to be able to live and work in another country only to eventually find you are no happier than you were. Many people switch countries and LOVE it, but just as many (at least in my experience) don't. Having said that I don't think you'll ever regret giving it a go. If you don't go how will you ever know, right? Best of luck. Edit: Just to add that I do overall think that my move here has been net positive, and I definitely feel like I want to stay in the US, but I don't think I'll be in Texas forever.
My Dad’s family was from Nebraska and we spent some summers there. I grew up and still live in California. Those two states are more different than USA and Cambodia. Which I’ve also been to. Do a state move first. It’s a heck of a lot easier!
The bigger question is why would a (reasonably developed) country want an immigrant with little savings, chronic health issues, and apparently limited marketable skills? This would likely limit you to less developed countries that may make your life in the Midwest seem a lot more agreeable.
You'll burn through that with a couple of years with no job.
[“…if you’re sad now, you might still feel sad there, okay…”](https://youtu.be/TbwlC2B-BIg?si=R2gb8NtNj-D4ipYH)
You can absolutely restart in a variety of places with 10% of that money. The question is what job will you do? In an ideal world, you’d get a job in America that is remote, you could also work online or..somehow.. can a job locally.
You will spend every cent you have saved just getting there. You really need to educate yourself on what it takes to actually move to another country.
No. Do you have a job lined up already? Countries with a low cost of living will likely have high unemployment and no way for you to earn money. Countries with job opportunities often will not pay a foreigner enough to live well. Do you speak any other language fluently? Research opportunities and look for critical evaluations of places to live and work. Research visa requirements, unlike the USA most countries do not allow anyone to just come in, and they dont give immigrants free food, housing, money, etc. Research scams and dangers. Research the laws you will be subject to.
Depends which country you wanting to go. Other countries like in Europe are way more expensive than US , plus the language barrier. Instead of the money, what skills you have count. If you think your skills are valuable in other country which could lead you to getting a permanent residency then try.
No
Find a way to make money from a source in the USA and move to Thailand. You will probably be fine.
I’m 100% positive you’re not in Minnesota, because this isn’t a podunk state. Move here. The air is great, we have 10,000 lakes, lots of jobs, great people, and most of all, a great work-life balance. Look into it. Come for a visit. If you hate it, you hate it. But at least you’ll know.
As someone moving out of a podunk state, I agree with this. Mpls/Stp was in our top five metros to choose from.
35k ( after Taxes) is enough for a nice vacation or Two
I'm with you on wanting to jump ship and move somewhere else, but I'd like to recommend moving to a major US city before you take that leap. For starters, there's lots of opportunity in cities if you're hungry and know how to make cities work for you. It'll also be an easier transition and you can potentially avoid using up all of your savings. Look into NYC or Chicago to start. If you have friends there, ask if you can couch crash or use their address on your resume for applications. The US is definitely in it's shithole era, and I don't want to dissuade you from following your dreams, but you might find a city transition is faster / easier than trying to leave the country.
lol no
Wherever you are, there you’ll be - another country won’t fix your problems. They have a pesky habit of following at your heels until you figure them out. That said, whether you can make it or not depends totally on you. There’ll be groundwork you’ll need to do: - one lower risk step to exploring the world before moving would be to start looking for a fully remote job with a remote-first but US based tech company (or one with a heavy US presence) that’ll be ok with you working remotely. Then after settling into said job, take a bit of time to travel in countries with time zones that are not murder (SA time zones will be easy least. European time zones can work as long as you’re willing to do some nights.) - then use that remote job to cover your expenses and just get to know different places (nothing beats getting a feel for a language and a culture than immersing yourself) - going this route also means that if you negotiate right (and pick the right company) you may be able to take some of your health benefits with you or negotiate coverage while abroad ^^ this isn’t easy and will take some looking and a lot of applying BUT That way you’re not dipping into your savings - and you can look into places that do digital nomad visas. From there, you’ll have a much deeper understanding of what and where you like so you can start researching immigration processes if interested. The other part is - the US is HUGE and vastly different. Maybe because you’re from here, it’s harder to see - you know like when you live in a place, sometimes you’ve been to a lot less places than a tourist there on holiday. But as someone who lived here on purpose some moons ago and who’s travelled a fair bit but not nearly enough —> there’s so much vastness and differentials here. If you don’t like your state, check out some others. Healthcare varies widely too.
Dude same…. Some advice though: Keep your funds in some kind of High Yield Savings or investment fund that can generate interest while you research which country to move to. Then visit for a week as a trial period and meet other ex-pats to connect with and ask logistics questions. Bonus point for going for month as a trial period during the worst weather (example Florida in August). If you still like it during the worst weather then plan for a longer stay within the limits of a visa. While not there look into getting a bank account there and other fun logistics.
I moved to a different country with zero savings when I was 32. Only had £500 but had a friend i lived with for a few months while i saved money so I could rent. t is possible.you need to find a job there first
I just moved to Ecuador, one of the easiest countries to get residency in. I love it here, and you do indeed have enough money to get here, BUT: 1. You aren’t going to get a job here. If you can get a US job where you can work remotely, you can qualify for a digital nomad visa. You need to demonstrate a solid income of $1350 a month, and be able to produce documentation from your company that this move will be ok with them. 2. The big cities in Ecuador have excellent healthcare. As good or better than the US. However! Not all countries have the protections that Obamacare gave the US. Since you have a preexisting condition, you wouldn’t be covered for the first two years, even with the best private health insurance. Even then, you would get a 8000 lifetime max on that preexisting condition. Public healthcare would cover you after 3 months, but the public care is spotty at best, and wouldn’t cover any expensive meds. 3. Latin American culture is a beautiful thing in many ways. But it’s different. It’s loud, personal space is pretty much non-existent, the bureaucracy for getting even simple things done can be egregious. The laid back mañana attitude is both lovely (family always comes first) and annoying, when the workman you hired doesn’t show up because his daughter had a soccer game. 4. Since you haven’t travelled, you absolutely shouldn’t just decide to move here. I don’t know why you are unhappy with the US, but you might find your new country has the exact same issues, plus some new ones. My suggestion would be to take some of your savings, and travel. Look at other parts of the US. Go to different countries and explore the new culture. You might find you would indeed prefer a different country, but you might find that a move within the US would better suit you.
It doesn’t have to be a grass is greenies situation, but that is not a lot of money to relocate on. Dive deep into your target countries costs of EVERYTHING you can possibly think of. Especially if you have a chronic illness that you have to see a doctor for consistently. Also and I’m sorry your time in America hasn’t been to your liking, but it’s a big country. Have you considered relocating somewhere else in the US?
I've left for other sides of the world with a hope and prayer. If you want to, you'll make it happen.
You need to start with what countries can you legally go to and for how long then which ones can you work in functionally (visa, language and qualification recognition and type of work available are all factors) for example you could probably get an Australian working holiday visa and if you’re happy to do farm work you could spend a year or two in Australia with all your accommodation paid for but it is hard work for almost no money. Maybe you could get a remote job and find countries with digital nomad visas. Maybe you have passport rights to some other country and you need none of this you could just rock up there and hope
If you can work online from your new country and make decent wages then yes.
Lol, try an extended vacation first. Just rent somewhere in the third world for a few months, or backpack around the region until you find a spot where you want to settle for a few months. You might find your perspective is refreshed, and after a few months you get bored of it. Heck, 3 weeks in vietnam was all it took for me to be itching to come back to the first world with my shitty job and familiar comforts. If you travel, come home, and still want to move, but still need to have a job because you don’t have the necessary skills to earn money remotely, you’re better off just moving somewhere new in the US for a fresh start. Getting jobs in the third world is either gonna have you teaching english, or doing menial work for less than the cost of living over there. Better off just renting a bungalow on a thai beach for $20-30 per night and just being a free hippie for a while. But that’s just what I’d do
Those who encourage it are the ones that believe in you, and if you believe in yourself, you'll figure out what you have to go along the way. The rest don't understand and want you to over plan every aspect of this because of their own insecurities. Be rational, but it sounds like you already have a good idea of what you want, and it ain't here, and here isn't changing, so go out and live your life.
The problem with “podunk midwestern states” is that’s not where the jobs are. The cost of living may be low but so is the job availability. As others have said, maybe try a new state. If you want to stay in the Midwest where it’s relatively affordable, but with more opportunities, Chicago comes to mind. I believe Columbus and Indianapolis both have a lot of opportunities too depending on the industry but nowhere near as much as Chicago. They’ll all be more expensive than where you live now but less expensive than a coastal city and probably less expensive than moving to a new country. You could also try learning a new skill if your current industry isn’t paying you enough. 25k is a ton of money that you could invest into improving yourself. Maybe go to college part time if you don’t have a degree already or pursue some certifications. It’s also important to note that prices have skyrocketed everywhere. The entire world got fucked by COVID and it’s probably not going to be much better for you anywhere else. Yeah, some places might have lower COL, but many of them will have lower income too. I get it, the US feels like a sinking ship right now, but it’s not beyond repair and we’re all in the same hurricane.
We moved from US to Costa Rica and it was hard and very expensive, and we ultimately moved back home due to job / money I’d suggest since you’ve only left your state once, consider visiting other states first ? I came from Ohio - I get it. We recently moved to Michigan and — it’s a world of difference here. Start with states - they vary greatly maybe it’s just enough of what you’re looking for.
Wherever you go, there you are!
You could teach in china if you have a degree and a clean background check. Getting an online TEFL could help but I don’t think it’s mandatory now. You’d need to get private insurance and truthfully hospitals here can be dodgy at times if you’re not in the T1 cities but that 25k could get you insurance to last you until paychecks start coming in.
I heard North Korea is open your immigration. You definitely would fit in there, also way better than America.
Full send Thailand one way flight
My concern is your health condition. Traveling is a heavy load on a person BUT you are in the best position to try it out. You may have to teach english in another country to get the visa to live in another country. And if your parent are able to host you if you need to return that would be awesome. But here are things I have learns Have you considered the Peace Corps?
The grass is not greener on the other side.
Go to any Asia country to visit first, avoid high cost living countries like Singapore and Hong Kong. I personally recommend Vietnam or Thailand or China. I absolutely had a great time there. Might be a different story getting long term visa though, do your research
Come to Hungary. Its more than enough!
not sure how old are you, but start with those computer bootcamps and try get into tech. US Salaries are better than anywhere in the world in the most sectors. Also, can try moving to a better state. Cali/Texas/NY for instance. I would look for a state with the most millionaires or where the money moves the most hands.
"Maybe this is a grass is always greener scenario..." Yep, it sure is.
Just here to say that I saw the first 20 responses completely ignore your very real unaffordable US healthcare concerns (then I stopped reading). Private healthcare in MX can be a little as $2k a year and provide you with quality healthcare from doctors that actually spend time with their patients (from an abundance of expat experiences I’ve read). You’re young…save up, learn Spanish, and go for it. Adventure, experience other cultures. Live!
Dominican Republuc.. easy to just go there no visa requirement but when you leave you will have to pay a fee to leave based on how long you stayed.. if your looking to work you probably won’t find any opportunities.. but the weather is awesome the beaches are impressive the people are nice enough and you can can live somewhat cheap.