5 Low-Cost Countries Where You Can Live on $1,500 a Month or Less

[FLPanhandle]

https://internationalliving.com/2016/02/5-low-cost-countries-where-you-can-live-on-1500-a-month-or-less/

“I can easily afford to indulge myself whenever I want,” says expat Rob Schneider. “Between breakfast, renting a catamaran, and dinner for two, I came away with change out of the $25 I had in my pocket this morning.

“What would I have back home? The best I can imagine is a small apartment far from the beach and a nine-to-five job or—now that I’m in my late 60s—a pension that would barely cover my basic expenses. Maybe I could scrape enough money together to take a bus to the beach on weekends, but I certainly couldn’t afford to go sailing.”

By choosing to retire in one of the world’s best bang-for-your-buck destinations, Rob enjoys a lifestyle well beyond his reach if he had stayed in the U.S. Every day he can choose to relax on the beaches around his home in the town of Sihanoukville, on the Cambodian coast, dine on fresh French croissants…rent a sailboat or go fishing on an offshore charter…


Peru: Low-Cost Living in the Andes

Stretching from the high Andes to the vast Pacific Ocean, Peru is a country of extremes. With its colonial cities, ancient ruins stretching back to antiquity, and long stretches of pristine beach, Peru has a wide diversity of lifestyles to offer you. But the one constant you can be guaranteed anywhere here is affordability.

“Peru is amazingly affordable,” says IL’s David Hammond, who explored the country last year. David—a longtime expat who has traveled across Latin America—found in Peru the most affordable country he’s yet been to in the region.

“The cities I visited in Peru offer the highest standard of living for the lowest price that I’ve seen, especially for singles. Granted, there are places you may be able live for less, but not on the same levels of convenience and comfort. Several single expats I met in the cities of Cusco and Arequipa report living comfortably on $500 to $600 a month. That includes everything—all rent and utilities, WiFi service at home, eating out regularly, and a local pre-pay cell phone. Expat couples can live comfortably in Peru for $1,000 to $1,200 a month, including everything.”


Cambodia: Southeast Asia’s Most Affordable Haven

Sandwiched between Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and the Gulf of Thailand, Cambodia offers a truly fantastic retirement experience, whether you’re thirsting for adventure or just want laidback beach living. Lush rainforests teem with exotic animal life. There’s no shortage of resplendent Buddhist temples to see. And at spots like Sihanoukville, you have some of the best beaches in Southeast Asia.

“The cost of living in Cambodia is so low that my bills only total around $1,200 a month, without having to budget,” says Brett Dvoretz, who lives in Sihanoukville. “I eat out wherever and whenever I want; a drink runs you $2, and I can have a fresh-cooked meal at a restaurant for as little as $2.50.”

“You can dine on $3 barbecues and 50-cent beers in a lounge chair on the beach at sunset, instead of inside a covered restaurant,” says Rob Schneider, who, like Brett, also found his ideal retirement in Sihanoukville.
In cities like Phnom Penh, you’ll find plenty of modern conveniences and delicious food that draws on Chinese and Khmer cuisine, as well as on Cambodia’s French colonial heritage.


Guatemala: Healthy Living on $1,500 a Month

“I really love my life in Guatemala. The low cost of living makes me feel that the opportunities here are endless, and I feel like I can really carve out my little spot here in paradise,” says expat Tara Tiedemann of her life in colonial Antigua, a gem at the heart of Guatemala.

“It’s amazing how far your money goes in Guatemala. For $500 a month, I can rent a beautiful apartment in a colonial-style building right in Antigua. I’m within walking distance of the Central Park and my favorite bakery for fresh banana bread. I spend less in one month on fresh groceries from the local market than I used to spend in one trip to the supermarket in the States.”



Colombia: First-World Comforts for Pennies on the Dollar

For decades, all that seemed to come out of Colombia was bad news. But in more recent times, peace (and the prosperity that has stemmed from it) is transforming this country into one of Latin America’s top retirement hot-spots.

In today’s Colombia, you’ll find healthcare on a par with North America—for pennies on the dollar, to boot. Vibrant metropolises like Medellín teem with terrific dining options and a coffee culture, plus all the amenities a retiree would need. The highlands are home to striking colonial cities to match any you’ll find in South America. Its range of elevations and equatorial location ensures you’ll find a climate perfect for you. And all this can be yours for as little as $1,200 a month (for a couple), all in.

“Life is very enjoyable when dinner for two at delicious restaurants costs only around $25, going to the movies is $5 per person, great haircuts are $18, mani/pedis at a nice salon are $7, and treating myself to weekly, 75-minute massages only costs $30,” says expat Elizabeth Brown, who lives with her partner in Medellín. “I have never taken better care of myself than now, and I do all this without breaking the bank. These little luxuries are astronomical back home in San Francisco.


Nicaragua: Best-Value Retreat in Central America

“It really is so cheap to live here. I knew that before I got here, but when you actually live it, it’s incredible,” says Dawn Noel of her life in Nicaragua.

Long overshadowed by its neighbors to the south (Costa Rica and Panama), Nicaragua offers many of the same benefits (healthy lifestyle, great food, terrific beach living) for an even lower cost. This great value has seen thousands of U.S. expats pursue a retirement here in recent years. After all, in this country a complete meal with wine will set you back only $16. And for less than $8 a day, you can get yourself cleaning and gardening help to maintain that beachside apartment or colonial house you now call home.

“One great thing is that I don’t have to think twice about eating out, because the prices are so reasonable,” says Dawn, who lives in the beach town of San Juan del Sur. “I can go to town and have anything from a $1 taco or mini fish carpaccio to $12 for a lobster meal, seafood soup, or filet mignon. I’m actually able to do more here than I did in the States, just because things are so cheap.”

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Upon retiring (or if Cruz ever wins the presidency), these look like nice options. I'm sure being distant from extended family would keep people from considering it and health care.

[RichGirl]

1. Wouldn't it be funny if...

...Trump becomes president and people start escaping TO MEXICO! Maybe that's why he wants THE WALL...to keep us in.

[FLPanhandle]

2. Putin could come over and make a speech in front of it.

"Mr Trump, Tear down this wall!"

[GeorgeGist]

3. That's why Mexico WILL pay for it.

[Orangepeel]

4. if you move to where you're the rich person, you can live like a rich person

[pipoman]

5. And help improve the economy and quality of life there..

[LiberalElite]

6. Heh. Reading this OP made

me wonder why people THERE want to come HERE. I live in Queens Co., NY which is the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S.A. Plenty of immigrants from South America and S.E. Asia here. They didn't know how good they had it? Hmmm..

[lunamagica]

10. The decision to emmigrate to another country is a very hard thing to do. I doubt anyone does it

Last edited Sat Mar 5, 2016, 12:19 PM - Edit history (2)

lightly, or because they don't know "how good they had it".

I's a world of difference to live in one of those countries earning dollars. Did you see how they get gardening and housekeeping for less than $8.00 a day? Or a gourmet meal for $2.50? That's what the locals have to live on.. Look at it from the other side, to what the locals earn. Big difference, right?

More often than not, people emigrate because they don't think they have another choice.

[LiberalElite]

25. I meant it as a bit of sarcasm nt

[lunamagica]

34. OK

[FLPanhandle]

21. You need to make your money here, then spend it there.

It's hard to make it there.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

7. The best news out of all this is that Rob Schneider has left the country.

[Blus4u]

28. Pretty sure that is a different Rob Schneider.

EOM

Peace

[Gidney N Cloyd]

31. Ya think?

[mountain grammy]

8. We've been looking at the Baja.

I love it there, from Rosarito to Cabo and back. What a magical place.

[melm00se]

9. crime assessment

Guatemala
Nicaragua
Columbia
Peru
Cambodia

[lunasun]

11. Oh noes a pair of dice reality check. plus I imagine corruption

to be worse on local levels than most of the US.

[dembotoz]

13. corruption??? scotty walker is trying to catch up

[melm00se]

17. corruption is a matter of perception

take a look at this report specifically the TABLE OF RESULTS: CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX 2015 (about 1/3 of the way down the page).

Peru: #88 of 167
Cambodia: #150 of 167
Guatemala: #123 of 167
Colombia: #83 of 167
Nicaragua: #130 of 167










and the USA? #16 (and trending towards less corrupt)
then, look at the top countries in regards to their enforcement of OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

but of course it is far too easy to sling ideological mud.

[lunasun]

40. +1 grass greener outlook,may be cheaper but at what price

[IDemo]

14. The first criminals who came to mind upon viewing this list

were Kissinger, Reagan and Oliver North.

[jehop61]

12. Did this in Mexico

for a few years. Then our village was discovered! Hordes of Americans came there, jacked up the cost of everything and generally made the place unaffordable for us expats. One example....our home with 450 ft of beach, we bought for $65,000. We sold it for a nice profit three years later. Last I heard, it had sold again for $985,000. Plus, living where the culture is so different becomes very difficult after a while, and loses its early charm. The U.S. , with all its faults, looks wonderful again. Not something to undertake lightly.

[FLPanhandle]

19. It sounds exciting for a while

Are you glad you did it, or do you regret it?

[jehop61]

22. We have great memories

Glad we did it, but after four years, there was no place like home. Infrastructure, government and law enforcement were very different. Intestinal problems because of lack of food refrigation can be scary. They don't mention that in the original post. And medical treatment can be lacking the standards here. My advice.....visit and enjoy the differences. Hasta la vista😎

[1939]

15. You go to one of these places with your social security check or retirement check

and you become the equivalent of a trust fund baby in the US.

[flamingdem]

16. Problemo in those location - crime and subpar healthcare

It's important to understand that a foreigner sticks out like a sore thumb in the third world and thus has a target on their back for crime. I think that this was not so bad a couple of decades ago but now with the web and global media every criminal knows that foreigners are bound to have iphones, cash, thus smash and grab activity. A two week trip is fine but when one lives in a place, one gets to be known and can be a target.

Canada is a better idea but... cold, boring and costly.

Beware those who want to sell you a retirement dream in the third world - Medallin? Really? The cartel still operates there. Guatemala? Some of the highest crime due to drug gangs in the hemisphere.

[Kang Colby]

18. Sad. Do you know why things are so cheap in those countries?

It's disgusting that some expat from San Fran is delighted that she can travel to the third world and pay slave wages for what she considers luxuries.

[FLPanhandle]

20. Ex Pats are bringing money into a community

It's about living in the community and paying what everyone else does for food, services, etc.

[Kang Colby]

24. That's all fine and dandy. Undoubtedly the local residents are better off.

But, the reason everyone pays those low prices is due to extreme poverty. My position is nuanced. I think those ex-pats are helping out the local populations which is good. My point is that I don't believe we should be celebrating such levels of poverty, simply because it provides a benefit to westerners. Of course, when we buy our iPhones and Nikes we are receiving the same type of benefit due to the imbalance.

[closeupready]

23. You have to be a little cold hearted to witness the suffering

around you due to the relative poverty, and then with the knowledge that you have the means to alleviate the suffering, you do nothing.

I've traveled to poor places, and it's no fun, in large part because as I've just said, the suffering is heartbreaking.

[treestar]

38. you'd be spending some money there and that would add

to the local economy. As opposed to staying here and being the one suffering (I'm assuming people who would do this wouldn't have a lot of retirement income).

[haikugal]

26. Hell I could live here pretty well with that income...

I think people have no idea how many of us live on less than $1,000 a month.

[jwirr]

29. Excellent point.

[tazkcmo]

32. I do.

Lots do.

[haikugal]

33. I know there are a lot of us especially women.

It's just hard to take some times.

[PasadenaTrudy]

27. Most are hot and humid. No thanks! n/t

[AgerolanAmerican]

30. You can live in South Carolina on $1500/month or less

could be reasonably comfortable too, though you wouldn't have a lot of discretionary spend

[Kaleva]

35. I can live comfortably here in Michigan for $1158 a month

But that's going without a car. For transportation I got a ride with a friend, used public transit or drove the scooter.

[madville]

37. I'm in a rural Florida county

With my house and car paid for, my total monthly bills for taxes, utilities, and insurances are around $700. Add another $500 a month for food and gas. That would leave $300 for miscellaneous. It's doable on $1500 a month but not much room for error/emergencies if one doesn't have a savings.

I'm lucky I have two separate pensions, social security, and relatively good health though. I have visited Costa Rica and with my pensions could live pretty well down there I guess, wouldn't really want to but others do find it appealing.

[Initech]

36. Aren't at least 3 of these countries run by crazy dictators?

[JI7]

39. some can do that in the US also

But they have to be certain types where a certain type of lifestyle appeals to them.

This would not work for most people.

No car would be one of the things.

[Shandris]

41. So...just to make sure I've got this right...

What you're suggesting is that there are these really neat places most people have never seen filled with poor people with no money (especially US dollars) who can perform services at such a cheap price that you can live like a king among them. You're doing a good thing because you're helping to introduce them to other cultures (and intend on importing your own), and it's just an outstanding way to 'make it'. There's no laws against it, and tons of other people are doing it too (and we'll totally overlook all the negatives to flooding an area with money that didn't exist before just to keep it nice and simple).

Did I get all that right?

Because what I described is pretty much 1492 through the early 1900's. We call it the Era of Colonialization.

[jmowreader]

42. It's cheap to get someone whacked in those places too...

Hell, there are people in half those countries who'll murder someone for free just to say they did it.