I've been meaning to bring something up. If you're getting
VA benefits, you should consider getting out of the US to push that
money further. I don't mean flying to Laos, since the culture shock and
heat may be too much, but what about going to Mexico or Ecuador? I have
an American friend who's paying $360 a month for rent in Cuenca.
In
Southeast Asia, you can get away with even less. I'm staying in a
comfortable hotel room for just over $9 a night. If I'm willing to sign a
year lease, I'm certain I can pay around $200 a month.
On that Don Det island, I was paying $4 a day, but the heat was too much even for me. I had no AC.
I
have a good friend in North Macedonia who can get you an apartment for
under $400 a month easy, and a super nice one, too, with a working
kitchen and your own living room, and you'll be right downtown in goofy
Skopje.
North Macedonia is a laid back country populated by
Bulgarians, basically, but with a visible Albanian population, and some
gypsies.
Since it is in the heart of Europe, it won't be as safe as elsewhere when WWIII flares up. Even if it's not hit, it will be flooded with refugees.
4 comments:
Affordable living is one thing, but what about a visa that allows you live long-term in a foreign country? A three-month or less tourist visa is not going to do it, even though I guess you could keep renewing it. Work visa? Business visa? Financial investment in the country of your choice so you could be allowed a long stay? Could you advise?
An American can enter North Macedonia without a visa and stay for up to 90 days. Last I checked, he can enter Albania without a visa and stay for a year! Since those two countries are adjacent, an American can easily bounce back and forth between them. Visa rules can change at any moment, though.
When borders nearly everywhere were closed in 2020, I went to Serbia, then entered North Macedonia. I was in the Balkans because there was a cluster of countries still open with extended stays allowed for Americans. Turkey was also open.
Borders everywhere have been reopened, so it's much easier to stay long term in many places.
During Covid, Georgia was also open for Americans to stay long term.
Just days ago, a French friend who had been living in Vietnam was kicked out, so he returned to France, with the intention of moving soon to Nicaragua. From him, I learnt a long stay there for many nationalities is possible.
The first step is to decide which regions you're comfortable with, then do the research.
Laos, where I'm now, only allows for a one month visa for an American, but once you're in, two extensions are possible for $50 each, done through an agent, so you basically get 90 days before having to leave. That is not a problem, however, because you can just go to Thailand then return for 90 more days.
In short, it is possible to stay long term in many places. Vietnam, however, is no longer an option for that. About seven months ago, it tightened its visa rules, so many foreigners have been kicked out. I suspect it's doing this because it knows war between the US and China is imminent. When this happens, Vietnam will side with China, notwithstanding widespread animosity against China among ordinary Vietnamese.
I want to leave the USA but we have five small children and I have no clue where we could go that would be realistic or even have us. I pray for guidance but I just don’t know. I’m a provincial Southern redneck, not a world traveler. The opportunity to check out El Salvador is possibly presenting itself but five little blonde güeros and their parents in El Salvador seems….dangerous. But I feel it so strongly to “come out of her, my people, lest ye partake in her sins”. Scary times.
Hi Anonymous,
You should seriously check out El Salvador. I'm sure there are already many Americans down there to help you settle. Coming there with kids will actually make you more welcomed, I'd think.
Crime statistics coming out of Central America are alarming, but I can't imagine a normal family not living in a slum should have problems.
Linh
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