I lived and worked in Santiago and $1000 is not enough unless you wanted to flat share with numerous people. I flat shared when i arrived and that was roughly US$350 , then i moved to a small 1 bed flat which cost US$770 near the large shopping mall. After I moved into a 3 bed penthouse which cost around US $1820 in a nice area. This is all without paying different fees that the properties charge. Its a very safe city and beautiful but I wouldn't recommend moving their if your budget was $1000. Hope that helps people out a little. Great video as always !
US expat here living on SS. Left Costa Rica as it was getting pricey. Live in the mountains in northern Nicaragua now. I can’t imagine more perfect weather. No earthquakes, no hurricanes or tornadoes. Almost zero crime. Health care is free. For a year, I spent 1 week per month in a hotel that would have been $300/ month, including all the things hotels provide, wifi, cable, maid service. I built a concrete home for $13/sf. (It was over budget). Public transportation is readily available even at my new home, which is lakefront property 20 minutes to the nearest town.
@@nomadcapitalist Thanks. I have already seen those videos. I want to see some Czech, Hungary and Poland videos. More Central Europe really strikes my interest.
I lived in a beach community in Costa Rica (in Guanacaste), rent was $500 for a 1 bedroom apartment in the jungle 5 min walk from the beach. Had 2 extra "rooms" of terrace living space, as common there; I didn't really eat out (I generally love cooking from scratch), I was there to get well from a major injury hence I didn't really drive either - just sleep, eat, do physical therapy and be on the beach. Even with this schedule, it was difficult to stay within 1k and I was more around the 1200-1500 range. I found the food in the store to be Whole Foods plus then some, and the farmers' market week's worth of produce was like 60 bucks on top of that. In cases I ate out, it was cheap only for low-quality local food (no offense, but I don't find any rice and beans dishes to be high-quality nutrition but to each their own). Good restaurants were like 40 bucks a dish, 10 dollar juices, and 5 buck pastry. The reason why my rent was so cheap was because I rented from locals, not through a tourist setup. Tourists I met there were paying like 2-3k/mth for a crappy little apartment with no terrace, pool, and often with a longer walk to the beach. In South America, speaking Spanish, or at least trying your best to speak Spanish, will open many doors and thus bring the cost down. Like it or not, there is a two-tear system there: one for the locals and the other for the gringos.
Mexico!! Merida in the Yucatan is an incredible place with a great location, tons of cultural offerings and very affordable too for many expats. Guadalajara is what some would argue to be the most livable big city in Mexico. On the other hand, it's nice to see the likes of Colombia, Ecuador and Brasil mentioned. There is also Curitiba in Brasil!! Cali in Colombia is great value! Santa Marta is too. Another place in Colombia is Pereira, which is like a mini Medellin. Please do more videos on the places that you mentioned!
You have great taste. I was recently in Merida and Guad. Merida is an underrated gem, the only place I could live in Mexico and I'm not a fan of Mexico. Guad has a great food scene. I love Colombia, had some nice times in Pereria, need to get over to Santa Marta...
An often overlooked region of Colombia are the 3 coffee-growing departments of Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindio (referred to as "El Eje Cafetero"). The 3 departments are joined together in central Colombia and are rich in natural beauty, bustling cities, great affordability.
@@martincarr4204 those guerilla groups are primarily limited to very specific areas of the country, generally areas of the amazon and not the coffee growing region. The FARC and other groups have significantly been reduced in power in the last 10 years. I can tell you I've been to Colombia over a dozen times, traveled extensively throughout it and have never once felt unsafe. In fact, there's many more places in the U.S. that I am much more afraid to go into.
So true. But San Francisco Bay Area has a fantastic job market for tech employees. Do you work remotely? I would imagine that Bucaramanga has a terrible job market.
$4000/month should qualify you for food stamps in SF Bay area. Renting a room in someone else's place is like $1500 month. Not really a great recommendation.
Brazilian here. Joao Pessoa is probably the biggest hidden gem in Brazil. Nice beaches, great cost of living (compared to the capitals in the south, like sao paulo and rio de janeiro), great laid back lifestyle and relatively safe (for Brazil's standards)
Chia, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Living in a furnished 2 story, 4 bedroom house that goes for $600 a month. Rooms are rented out between $150-$200 including utilities. About 30-45 minutes away from Bogota, depending the traffic. 'Plato del dia' anywhere from $3-$6 a meal You can walk to most areas, or take a bus, or a cab. Relieved being here after getting locked down in the US.
Zona J, Lisbon. La Cañada Real, Madrid Barbès, Paris Barking, London Mitte, Berlin Cheap to live and exciting to be in. And if you're willing to deal drugs, can even rake a profit.
@@l.k.0235 They're only unsafe if you're donning the wrong clothes, driving the wrong car or walk too straight... mingle, just mingle and you'll be fine.
I've lived here for the last five years, and Santiago is doable on $1000 per person, as long as you're fine with not splurging at all. 1-bedroom apartments start at $400-ish, health insurance for a healthy 30-something goes for about $150. It would work much better on a larger budget, though.
So nice to see Cordoba featured in the channel! Tourists love Cordoba city and province, very affordable, nice food, a lot of things to do, nightlife, nature, a lot of history, museums. Anyone can live comfortably with $500 usd, and if you have 1k to spend per month, you are going to have a very nice time here. Also, its considerably more safe than Buenos Aires. I've met digital nomads planning to be on Cordoba for a week or two, and they ended up staying for a year and even longer, it's that kind of place.
@@belle42 yes, currently one of the worst infection rates in the world at 600+ ppl per 100.000 daily. Yesterday a total lockdown was declared again. Argentina will keep struggling with coronavirus all 2021 and even in 2022 too. A lot of corruption on how vaccination and test are handled. So a word of advice to everyone, stay away from Argentina and south america for a year or two.
Cajamarca, Peru is an inexpensive beautiful historic city, has a good altitude, and has the baths of the Inca. I visited several times. Spent a year in beautiful Arequipa, and nearly all of my13 years in Peru in Lima, which has been very affordable with a modest lifestyle. I have visited around 15 provinces and I have really enjoyed all of Peru.
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!! Trying hard to change my thoughts, to change my outcomes, and future. I gain so much binging on your videos. I had one EU assignment to Heidelberg Ge for 3 1/2 years as an ARMY RN, and can't wait to bust loose from US again. "Spin the Globe", and move Internationally is my favorite pastime. I want a totally different retirement than I previously planned.
@@tecoloko Yeah that was my comment. I live in Vina. Its still Valpariso region. Valpo sucks. Vina and ConCon are good. Aside from this quarantine BS which will hopefully subside someday.
I am from Argentina, let me give you some important advice, 1- do not buy properties, they will kill you with entry and exit taxes, 2- bring cash and exchange it in exchange houses that leaves a lot of margin in favor, 3- do not forget the point 1
@@patricksweeney5308 yes i know is overpriced that is why i told you do not buy any real state , there is a lot of other things worse here but are to long to explain ;P
I was born in Cali and I was raised in Murcia Spain. Both are very affordable places. Of course Cali is cheaper; there many diferente private condos you can find there. Safe as well close to the Alfonso Bonilla Airport if you have more than one residence permit. Pretty women all over the country. Cali is well known for its Salsa music and Culture. The Eternal Summer and long rainy seasons for whose don't like cold temperatures and love Tropical fruits. I recommend to look for private condos close to Farallones a Nature National Park
I would either pick Arequipa or Cali from the places that I know. Arequipa might be less dangerous and with a more chilled climate, great for outdoorsy ppl, good food, hospitals etc. Cali is hot and sweaty and has this Caribeean feel, great for partying and meeting ppl. Still would probably pick Arequipa.
I lived in the Chapinero neighborhood of Bogotá for four years from 2014-18 and lived very well off of a budget of $1k-$1200 a month. And when I say budget, I mean spending pretty liberally, not really counting expenses at all. That being said, I was a late 20s bachelor without any big expenses like a family or anything, just myself. But it is definitely doable. I was the best time of my life and am counting the days to making my triumphant return once this stupid pandemic ends.
@@wanderingdoc5075 a friendly advise for you and anyone willing to move to ANY South American country ( visiting fir a few weeks is a different story ...) : you MUST learn at least some form of a basic Spanish in order to survive , particularly if you plan to stay out of the main cities ! Locals do not know English nor they care to learn it . And rightly so since the WHOLE continent - with the exception of Belize and Brazil - from Mexico all the way to the Tierra del Fuego speaks one language and one language only : Spanish . If you travel alone , particularly in the most rural areas , and your Spanish is ZERO you are basically fucked in case of an accident / emergency . Do not assume someone will come up to help you just because you are a tourist / visitor who doesn’t speak Spanish .....
Argentina takes the cake, getting married there this year and with 10k I can easily spend 8 to 10 years doing nothing but eating well, and traveling the country. My fiancé is of Buenos Aires and every time I go and come back I come back with money. Can ANYONE say they have EVER come back with money from a "vacation" within the states?
Skip Santo Domingo in the DR and go to Santiago de los Caballeros. Cleaner, better organized, cheaper and nicer ppl. Direct access to the USA, Puerto Rico, Panama and several Caribbean islands.
I would love to see a video just on the different parts of mexico and with the fall of the peso in Argentina maybe a more in depth update of all the main cities there and how long can you live there each year without having to pay taxes there.
Hungary! I moved 23 years ago - living on SS only. Own my own city center apartment and a country home - purchased with my 401k. Beautiful country, great food, SAFE - what more could one ask for.
Costa Rica, I live in San Isidro de General and have for the last 3 years. Now I have been on a strict budget of $350 month due to personal investment goals and I can tell you that if I increased my monthly budget to $1000 I would feel as if I were living like a king. Mind you that includes using the public bus system to get around and shopping for locally sourced food. Where things get pricy is when you include a car and shopping for imported products.
Andrew, the very best person to talk with on this issue, is Andy Lee Graham, on the Hobo Traveler. Andy's 20 year insight, living in over 100++ countries, as a value traveler is interesting. His insights and experience would be beneficial to you.
In Brazil, when you go more than 50Km away from the state capitals, usually the cost of living drops by half or even more. If you don’t have to go often to the capitals, you can pick a relatively safe place and live.
@@danthadon87 Santos is one of the safest cities in the country. Really close to São Paulo. Not the greatest of the beaches, but really is close of some of them.
Sao Paulo is expensive, but if you move to the Interior of the state you get good quality of life and cheaply. with 500 USD you can rent a house on a condo or live in a nice city with all what you need: nature, good food, fast internet, sport amenities, near shopping-centers, restaurants and supermarkets, and it is safe. Fintech services are good here, digital banks and investments apps. Real estate is still cheap. For political reasons the media is exagerating the situation in Brazil but vaccinations, Covid and lockdown situation are just like in Europe, not worse. Cities in the interior of Campinas (Vinhedo, Paulinia, Holambra..) are some good examples. You will be 3h from the beach (Ubatuba). Another good alternative closer to the beach is Atibaia.
We currently live in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, in the mountains…city of about 200,000. Without budgeting at all we spend about $1100/month. Soon moving to Xela, Guatemala, for even cooler weather and expect costa to be similar.
10 years ago I lived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I obtained residency there. At the time the population was a million people. Now their are almost 2 million. Santa Cruz is much different than La Paz and the Altiplano. I enjoyed my time there and can easily live on less than $1000 dollars a month. But one of my favorite cities in Bolivia is Sucre.
I have been binge watching your channel. Amazing! Your videos are like travel guides with insightful and valuable financial lessons included. But I have not seen any for someone looking to move to a more rural destination, away from cities. Have you made any guides for people like me?
In Costa Rica right now, no way you can live off $1000 anymore unless you're in some really poor interior city far from the beach. Food costs are still relatively low, you can live off street food and $2 beers, but property values and rent, and home prices have gone through the roof in the last few years. I'm looking more at Columbia and Ecuador where prices seem to be low enough.
Andrew should do Asia next. I'd recommend Colombo, Sri Lanka. English is widely spoken, it's cheap, safe, and clean, it has excellent weather, amazing food (love the kottu) and it has a government that's embracing more and more pro-market reforms and it gets easier and easier to invest there. Once the travel restrictions are over Sri Lanka will probably go back to being a more and more popular destination for digital nomads and expats as places like Bali get more expensive and overcrowded. The only issue is the Port City China is building. It may turn out good or bad or maybe even awful if it ends up empty like that airport the Chinese built in the southern city of Hambantota
@@alisyd5876 I haven't heard that, but at the moment Sri Lanka is kind of a mess so it wouldn't be surprising. In a year or two things will even out again. They were about to unveil a "digital nomad visa", but the pandemic upended and delayed some things. However, I'm pretty sure that once the current issues end it'll be booming again in a year or two. There is even a rumor that they're looking into making some crypto legal tender.
You are missing a couple of great communities in western Panama, close to the Costa Rica border. They are Boquete and Volcan. A single person can get a one bedroom place furnished for $500-600 a month with maid and gardener service. Utilities are practically nothing because the weather is so perfect you don't need heat or AC. The currency is the US dollar and everything is inexpensive.
I'd like to add Quito in particular and Ecuador in general. Quito for a thousand bucks or dólares is very possible, either in the center or colonial section or in the South or in Calderon, North of Quito. Transportation is cheap, less then fifty cents per trip. Food can be cheap, a full meal can cost you $5.00 in a mom and pop comedor. Rent can be around $250 a month. Avoid the fashionable areas such Parque Carolina where rents are about $700 and up. Another advantage in Ecuador is transportation between provinces. Ten dollars can get you from Quito to the coast, the jungle or Oriente and the high sierras of the Andean cities. Flying from the USA is cheaper in January, after New Year's. In Ecuador, people like to say that God created the world in seven days and he rested the seventh day in Ecuador.
I live in Chile (Santiago area, hoping to move to a town in a different region soon). I have a family and we live on around $1500 USD per month. It can be a struggle. $1000 no way with a family, maybe as a single person. Also I would not recommend Valparaiso, it's ugly, not always safe, has seen better days. There are some better, nearby options on that part of the Chilean coast (for example Con con). Valdivia is nice (from what I'm told, haven't been there personally), just very rainy with its oceanic climate. I have also been to Sao Paulo and Florianopolis in Brazil as a tourist. Sao Paulo is MASSIVE, so not my cup of tea (not a fan of mega cities, Santiago Chile is already a bit too big). Florianopolis is quite nice though, it's a smallish city on a island with a semitropical climate, and a bit more developed and safe than other places in Brazil. And also, Peruvian food is really good, it's true, and better than your average Chilean food (hence it's easy to find Peruvian restaurants here).
@@2020-q1p Local people have told me that Barranquila is only good during the Carnival. Some places are dangerous. Santa Marta has a lot to offer : beaches, mountains, national parks.
Hi, I am from Chile and I know Valdivia well. It is a charming city, well connected to Santiago and the rest of the country. It is possible to live well for $1,000 per month, maybe in winter you would spend a bit more in heating, depending on the type of home you choose. One thing, though, you need to like rain and don't mind cold too much, or, spend some part of the winter on a different place. Cheers!
I lived in Santo Domingo for two years about 20 years ago. I enjoyed my time there but $1000 per month would not give a person a very comfortable lifestyle. If a person enjoys some nice amenities like premium cigars and Captain Morgan or Johnnie Walker and the pleasure of some nightlife $1500-$2,000 per month is more in line.
I second Salta. Been there for 9 months. Not necessarily Sata city but the whole Region is great. With the inflation, everything is basically “half off”.
Well just a two center from someone who has lived in a few Latin American countries. Some paint a romantic picture of them in general but there are many factors at play to make a place livable. But if you are only concerned with living next to nothing you are losing some aspects of life too. You might even get bored in 6 months. It’s a very big topic here and hard to cover in a couple of phrases. In some of these places as Andrew mentioned I doubt if you can get a semi decent quality of life under a $1000
There are definite possibilities in Mexico, based on other vloggers. Tangerine Travels has quite a few videos on living affordably in various parts of Mexico Eternal Expat is an up and coming Mexico channel Two Expats Mexico tells you *how* to move to and live in Mexico Amelia and JP are experts on Ecuador Maybe contact these folks, possibly even do an interview video?
Puerto Vallarta Mexico is expensive but we live on $1600/month (2 people) with a car. Rent was reduced to around 700/month for a 2+2 with dipping pool, laundry room, gas bbq, maid weekly, water gas, internet and parks no space included. This condo was $1,200 but due to construction of a condo building blocking part of our ocean view, it was reduced. You can find cheaper places with one or two bedroom around $400-600 but won’t be near the beach.
@@DreamyTee123 There are nicer, safer places in the world. But it's just my opinion. Spend at least a month if you can in short term rentals before you make a longer term commitment. For lower cost of living places, I prefer SEA.
More Places to Live for $1,000 per Month in Latin America Thanks for sharing it with us, as always we enjoyed watching, hope your all keeping well & having a nice day 👍🤩
9+ happy years and counting here in the Dominican Republic. I've lived in Santo Domingo in past. Very doable for $1,000 a month if you are single and want to live like a local as average salary down here is currently around $450 USD per month.
I love Guatemala...Antigua you could rent in a small town near there and live on $1,000 a month simply. With a budget twice that you could live well. If you had capital to buy a place $100,000 or more to spend on a property, real estate taxes are around $100. Then $1,000 a month would be comfortable. If you had a property and $30,000 a year, life would be extremely comfortable...restaurant meals, servants should you buy a house and want them, food, utilities, money for in country travel dental care medical care prescriptions for most people..villages around Lake Atitlan you could live on $1,000 USD a month there are expats there as well as Antigua.
Panama, restaurants are very expensive, hotels cheap (good location ~$65) , ubers are cheap. Panama, you are going to have to spend at least $3k a month, including lodging if it's Panama City.
@nomad capitalist you mentioned mexico deserving a video of its own but perhaps a series on Mexico would be appropriate with nomad live coming up. Cheap places to live, high end places to live, banking, passports and all the normal topics.
El Retiro, Colombia near Medellin and the airport. I was there in 2019, a new two-bedroom apartment for about $500.00. The old town has many stores and restaurants. My friend Andres edits the local on-line news site "El Retiro Don Guarzo"
i lived in Playa Del Carmen in 2019/2020 for 20,000 pesos a month. That was my entire lifestyle for under $1000 usd. I dined out 5 nights a week, lived in a nice condo about 10 minute walk to the beach. Not sure why there were 0 places in Mexico talked about in either videos, but PDC you can definitely live for under $1000
I stayed in Lima, PE in 2011 for a few months. A thousand a month was achievable then in Miraflores. With the current world health situation, I’m willing to bet the cost of living there is low.
@@l.k.0235 Peru was very safe when I was there. There are parts of the Lima with more crime than others. If you stick to the areas around Miraflores, you’re probably pretty safe. When in doubt, ask a local. Many people there are very friendly and many of them speak English.
I was there two years ago, and I don’t think it’s possible to get by on $1,000 a month. At least not in the nicer areas while still having money left for a nice life.
@@BasedInBrazil It may have changed since I’ve been there. I remember almost everyone I encountered there was really nice and the better neighborhoods there were very clean. Yes there are bad neighborhoods in disrepair. I was never made fun of for speaking Spanish. Although being from Texas I’m conditioned to speak English to everyone first until I know they don’t understand it. Some people of Mexican and Spanish origin get highly offended if you start off speaking Spanish to them. It’s the equivalent of telling them you think they too stupid to learn English. Most of people I met in Lima spoke at least at an elementary level of English. I agree with you on the statement that there are many beautiful and low cost cities to live in Latin America. It just boils down to preference.
Based on my Feb. 2020 visit, I would add Acapulco, Mexico to your list. The cartels have kept everything super cheap, so much so, this "jet set" city, is a true Mexican bargain. Depending on your budget, the beach is very reasonable, as is both Diamante & Las Brisas developments.
I've lived in Florianópolis for over a decade, definitely not livable for under $1000 anymore unless you're back packing and sharing rooms. Perhaps $1,500 would work if you live pretty bare bones. Portuguese is essential though.
Salta sounds great, being so near the incredible landscapes of Jujuy which rival the western US landscapes for drama and beauty. I'm a little scared of Argentina's monetary unpredictability, though. It sounds wild.
Nadia Boulanger: I live in Argentina, let me tell you that five years ago one dollar was equivalent to $ 15 "Argentine pesos", today (in 2021) one dollar = $ 200 "Argentine pesos"... Inflation in Argentina is crazy !!!
When considering a city or country, you should take into account the crime or safety level and the quality and affordability of healthcare. To me, those would be the most important aspects to consider. Plus weather. Not too hot and humid and not too cold.
US expat Web 2.0 entrepreneur with 25 years living on my own terms in LatinAm checking in from Caracas....before hyperinflation hit Venezuela in late 2017 i was living very comfortably with under $300USD expenses... Nowadays i do fine with $600-700USD total expenses, which allows a few thrills such as eating out in restaurants everyday and taxis to get around the city.
@Nomad Capitalist hi Andrew, well, I don't know what we could do together ...i am just a fly-under-the-radar-away-from-Uncle Sam (or any authoritarian government) quiet agorist running some small enterprises from Caracas, which have included (and I still do currently) rural adventure tours for a niche men's market and communications training for Spanish-speaking business pros in the region.
I LIKE URUGUAY (stable) & ARGENTINA (unstable). Unfortunately Uruguay seems to be closed for now. Argentina I can go, I'm Arg. Citizen & have Passport!!!
Very good overview. I am from the US, am multilingual & have spent significant time in the EU & South America. Having an affimity for Brazil & Colombia I'd also suggest for this budget range João Pessoa in Brazil. I would vouch for the suggestion on Medellín Colombia.
7:10 not really, prices skyrocketed along with the dollar and many locals can't afford red meat or even chicken, for example. But yes, a single person can basically live anywhere in the country with $1k including private health insurance (though not the best ones).
For R$ 5,500 reais a single person has a low middle class life. Impossible to pay a good health insurance, a car, rent, food. A nice house with a garden is at least R$ 3 k in very cheap cities... a apartment in São Paulo in Jardins, Vila Madalena, Perdizes is more than that when you add condominium fees!!!
Besides you think about how much you're going to spend per month you have to think seriously about SECURITY and healthcare and walkability when you go to Brazil.
Andrew, Bucaramanga is certainly and option where you can live frugally for $1k. Also Manizales can fit the bill, small city but very safe, and definitely cheaper than bigger cities in Colombia. Forget about Bogota or Medellin, they are expensive cities, for instance, rent for a two bedroom apartment in a middle class neighborhood in Bogota can cost as much as $700+. Cali is a fun city to visit, however, be aware that it has a high crime rate. Cheers
To live with some comfort anywhere in Brazil, it'll cost you at least $2,000 monthly. If you have kids, add to that another $600 to $1000 per capita, depending on age.
I lived and worked in Santiago and $1000 is not enough unless you wanted to flat share with numerous people. I flat shared when i arrived and that was roughly US$350 , then i moved to a small 1 bed flat which cost US$770 near the large shopping mall. After I moved into a 3 bed penthouse which cost around US $1820 in a nice area. This is all without paying different fees that the properties charge. Its a very safe city and beautiful but I wouldn't recommend moving their if your budget was $1000. Hope that helps people out a little. Great video as always !
So many other beautiful towns and cities in Chile that I bet would be a lot cheaper than Santiago. What do you think boss?
US expat here living on SS. Left Costa Rica as it was getting pricey. Live in the mountains in northern Nicaragua now. I can’t imagine more perfect weather. No earthquakes, no hurricanes or tornadoes. Almost zero crime. Health care is free. For a year, I spent 1 week per month in a hotel that would have been $300/ month, including all the things hotels provide, wifi, cable, maid service. I built a concrete home for $13/sf. (It was over budget). Public transportation is readily available even at my new home, which is lakefront property 20 minutes to the nearest town.
Can I be your neighbor? Haha. Sounds perfect! On a lake with perfect weather. Sigh...
Always love seeing Nomad Capitalist videos. Pleasd do some more videos on Eastern Europe.
Hey Roberto, great suggestion! Please check these videos also: ruclips.net/video/4XRAzQhTfWw/видео.html ruclips.net/video/Co00gtVf4CM/видео.html ruclips.net/video/h860CX83Y2E/видео.html
@@nomadcapitalist Thanks. I have already seen those videos. I want to see some Czech, Hungary and Poland videos. More Central Europe really strikes my interest.
Check out Warren and Julies videos they are currently living in Serbia
I'm from Rosario, Argentina. It's like Buenos Aires with all its benefits but smaller. You can easily live here with 500 dollars per month.
I lived in a beach community in Costa Rica (in Guanacaste), rent was $500 for a 1 bedroom apartment in the jungle 5 min walk from the beach. Had 2 extra "rooms" of terrace living space, as common there; I didn't really eat out (I generally love cooking from scratch), I was there to get well from a major injury hence I didn't really drive either - just sleep, eat, do physical therapy and be on the beach. Even with this schedule, it was difficult to stay within 1k and I was more around the 1200-1500 range. I found the food in the store to be Whole Foods plus then some, and the farmers' market week's worth of produce was like 60 bucks on top of that. In cases I ate out, it was cheap only for low-quality local food (no offense, but I don't find any rice and beans dishes to be high-quality nutrition but to each their own). Good restaurants were like 40 bucks a dish, 10 dollar juices, and 5 buck pastry.
The reason why my rent was so cheap was because I rented from locals, not through a tourist setup.
Tourists I met there were paying like 2-3k/mth for a crappy little apartment with no terrace, pool, and often with a longer walk to the beach.
In South America, speaking Spanish, or at least trying your best to speak Spanish, will open many doors and thus bring the cost down. Like it or not, there is a two-tear system there: one for the locals and the other for the gringos.
Thank you.
Mexico!! Merida in the Yucatan is an incredible place with a great location, tons of cultural offerings and very affordable too for many expats. Guadalajara is what some would argue to be the most livable big city in Mexico. On the other hand, it's nice to see the likes of Colombia, Ecuador and Brasil mentioned. There is also Curitiba in Brasil!! Cali in Colombia is great value! Santa Marta is too. Another place in Colombia is Pereira, which is like a mini Medellin. Please do more videos on the places that you mentioned!
You have great taste. I was recently in Merida and Guad. Merida is an underrated gem, the only place I could live in Mexico and I'm not a fan of Mexico. Guad has a great food scene. I love Colombia, had some nice times in Pereria, need to get over to Santa Marta...
Awesome! Appreciate giving us “getting started” guys some attention as well!
An often overlooked region of Colombia are the 3 coffee-growing departments of Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindio (referred to as "El Eje Cafetero"). The 3 departments are joined together in central Colombia and are rich in natural beauty, bustling cities, great affordability.
what about those armed guerilla groups, I heard they hide in the countryside and being a foreigner could get you in trouble
@@martincarr4204 those guerilla groups are primarily limited to very specific areas of the country, generally areas of the amazon and not the coffee growing region. The FARC and other groups have significantly been reduced in power in the last 10 years. I can tell you I've been to Colombia over a dozen times, traveled extensively throughout it and have never once felt unsafe. In fact, there's many more places in the U.S. that I am much more afraid to go into.
@@Sam66305 Ouch, good point. A white nationalist is the bigger threat
I’m living in Bucaramanga for $500-$750/month with a similar lifestyle to a $4000/month income in San Francisco!
So true. But San Francisco Bay Area has a fantastic job market for tech employees. Do you work remotely? I would imagine that Bucaramanga has a terrible job market.
$4000/month should qualify you for food stamps in SF Bay area. Renting a room in someone else's place is like $1500 month. Not really a great recommendation.
Been all over Colombia and Bucaramanga is the highest on my Colombia bucket list, good for you.
@@Dividenddream As long as you stay less than 183 days, no Colombian tax
Brazilian here. Joao Pessoa is probably the biggest hidden gem in Brazil. Nice beaches, great cost of living (compared to the capitals in the south, like sao paulo and rio de janeiro), great laid back lifestyle and relatively safe (for Brazil's standards)
João Pessoa where I long to live soon. Great place, nice beaches, good weather, amazing people. Cheap place. Clean and beautiful town. Love it!
Thanks for your post. What is your suggestion for an English speaker with a school age child?
de rocha!
@@holisticcoachingservices8766 Santa Catarina or any mid-size city in São Paulo State.
Obrigado. Hey I am in São Paulo. It’s been difficult learning Portuguese very. It’s had an impact on my social life big time.
Awesome video as always! Would love one about Mexico and one on some Bali alternatives in South East Asia as well!
Great suggestion!
Yes exactly
Chia, Cundinamarca, Colombia.
Living in a furnished 2 story, 4 bedroom house that goes for $600 a month.
Rooms are rented out between $150-$200 including utilities.
About 30-45 minutes away from Bogota, depending the traffic.
'Plato del dia' anywhere from $3-$6 a meal
You can walk to most areas, or take a bus, or a cab.
Relieved being here after getting locked down in the US.
Great idea for a video! Please do one for Europe too.
Zona J, Lisbon.
La Cañada Real, Madrid
Barbès, Paris
Barking, London
Mitte, Berlin
Cheap to live and exciting to be in. And if you're willing to deal drugs, can even rake a profit.
@@panaceiasuberes6464 so in other words, unsafe neighborhoods.
@@l.k.0235 They're only unsafe if you're donning the wrong clothes, driving the wrong car or walk too straight... mingle, just mingle and you'll be fine.
He talks about Europe a lot already.
I love seeing all the different locations you upload from. As always great content and education of other places that treat you better. Thanks!
I've lived here for the last five years, and Santiago is doable on $1000 per person, as long as you're fine with not splurging at all. 1-bedroom apartments start at $400-ish, health insurance for a healthy 30-something goes for about $150. It would work much better on a larger budget, though.
Yeah as a single person it can be feasible, but not luxurious at all.
Sounds like $1500 would open up alot of possibilities!
@Joe Barone of course it did, lol.
So nice to see Cordoba featured in the channel! Tourists love Cordoba city and province, very affordable, nice food, a lot of things to do, nightlife, nature, a lot of history, museums. Anyone can live comfortably with $500 usd, and if you have 1k to spend per month, you are going to have a very nice time here. Also, its considerably more safe than Buenos Aires. I've met digital nomads planning to be on Cordoba for a week or two, and they ended up staying for a year and even longer, it's that kind of place.
I have read that Argentina is not allowing tourists yet. Seems like it's been under heavy lockdown.
@@belle42 yes, currently one of the worst infection rates in the world at 600+ ppl per 100.000 daily. Yesterday a total lockdown was declared again. Argentina will keep struggling with coronavirus all 2021 and even in 2022 too. A lot of corruption on how vaccination and test are handled. So a word of advice to everyone, stay away from Argentina and south america for a year or two.
Amazing you covered Florianopolis, it's a secret gem!
@@BasedInBrazil Where you living in? I live in Santa Rosa de Lima 3hrs from Floripa. Working as a relocation agent here.
Secret definitely. I've never heard of it until now!
Love this man's work 👍
Much appreciated
Can't wait for the video on Mexico ;)
Thank you Andrew for making this video for those of us who are just getting started.
Much appreciated.
Glad it was helpful!
Cajamarca, Peru is an inexpensive beautiful historic city, has a good altitude, and has the baths of the Inca. I visited several times. Spent a year in beautiful Arequipa, and nearly all of my13 years in Peru in Lima, which has been very affordable with a modest lifestyle. I have visited around 15 provinces and I have really enjoyed all of Peru.
Did you get temporary or permanent residency?
Medellin is 100% a target destination for us as our company begins to work through Nomad Capitalist to reduce Cap Gains taxes here in the U.S.
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!! Trying hard to change my thoughts, to change my outcomes, and future. I gain so much binging on your videos.
I had one EU assignment to Heidelberg Ge for 3 1/2 years as an ARMY RN, and can't wait to bust loose from US again. "Spin the Globe", and move Internationally is my favorite pastime. I want a totally different retirement than I previously planned.
Santiago it's a super expensive city. Probably the most expensive city in latinamerica with São Paulo.
And Valparaíso unfortunately is disgusting (dirty and unsafe) .... Viña del Mar that is a neighbor city it's a much better option.
Indeed. In Santiago you cannot live for less than a thousand dollars, at least not well. Not in the East part of the city.
@@tecoloko Yeah that was my comment. I live in Vina. Its still Valpariso region. Valpo sucks. Vina and ConCon are good. Aside from this quarantine BS which will hopefully subside someday.
@@BasedInBrazil What areas do you think are the best for English speakers?
Check out La Serena.
I am from Argentina, let me give you some important advice, 1- do not buy properties, they will kill you with entry and exit taxes, 2- bring cash and exchange it in exchange houses that leaves a lot of margin in favor, 3- do not forget the point 1
@@patricksweeney5308 yes i know is overpriced that is why i told you do not buy any real state , there is a lot of other things worse here but are to long to explain ;P
I was born in Cali and I was raised in Murcia Spain. Both are very affordable places. Of course Cali is cheaper; there many diferente private condos you can find there. Safe as well close to the Alfonso Bonilla Airport if you have more than one residence permit. Pretty women all over the country. Cali is well known for its Salsa music and Culture. The Eternal Summer and long rainy seasons for whose don't like cold temperatures and love Tropical fruits. I recommend to look for private condos close to Farallones a Nature National Park
I would either pick Arequipa or Cali from the places that I know. Arequipa might be less dangerous and with a more chilled climate, great for outdoorsy ppl, good food, hospitals etc. Cali is hot and sweaty and has this Caribeean feel, great for partying and meeting ppl. Still would probably pick Arequipa.
I lived in the Chapinero neighborhood of Bogotá for four years from 2014-18 and lived very well off of a budget of $1k-$1200 a month. And when I say budget, I mean spending pretty liberally, not really counting expenses at all. That being said, I was a late 20s bachelor without any big expenses like a family or anything, just myself. But it is definitely doable. I was the best time of my life and am counting the days to making my triumphant return once this stupid pandemic ends.
This has been my experience exactly very true
Great content as always !
Glad you enjoyed it Miguel😊
im so bummed i missed the live... cant wait to watch i loved the first installment of this one
Do more like this with other continents! Also it would be cool if you made a forum for nomads to talk
Antarctica!
Far from your select club of high figure earners but working on making better decisions, I enjoy your videos very much. Thank you
Cali CO gets a mention ;) very underrated. All of Colombia wins in my book and South of Brasil.
How are the women? I moved on from Western feminism and entitled women long ago
@@wanderingdoc5075 9/10
@@danielj3010 I only speak Russian English and Mandarin. I guess I'll need to brush up on Spanish beforehand
@@wanderingdoc5075 a friendly advise for you and anyone willing to move to ANY South American country ( visiting fir a few weeks is a different story ...) : you MUST learn at least some form of a basic Spanish in order to survive , particularly if you plan to stay out of the main cities ! Locals do not know English nor they care to learn it . And rightly so since the WHOLE continent - with the exception of Belize and Brazil - from Mexico all the way to the Tierra del Fuego speaks one language and one language only : Spanish . If you travel alone , particularly in the most rural areas , and your Spanish is ZERO you are basically fucked in case of an accident / emergency . Do not assume someone will come up to help you just because you are a tourist / visitor who doesn’t speak Spanish .....
@@itadrummer1 which Latin America countries know most English?
Argentina takes the cake, getting married there this year and with 10k I can easily spend 8 to 10 years doing nothing but eating well, and traveling the country. My fiancé is of Buenos Aires and every time I go and come back I come back with money. Can ANYONE say they have EVER come back with money from a "vacation" within the states?
10k for ten years? That's $1000 per year. Impossible.
@@belle42 missed a 0.. 100k ... basically 10k per year
Arequipa certainly is sunny and 70 degrees in city centre.. Fantastic ceviche in Peru.. Lima has a Hooters on the coast, for what that's worth..
Maceio - Alagoas (North East of Brazil) beautiful and affordable. The culinary is just amazing.
Skip Santo Domingo in the DR and go to Santiago de los Caballeros. Cleaner, better organized, cheaper and nicer ppl. Direct access to the USA, Puerto Rico, Panama and several Caribbean islands.
I would love to see a video just on the different parts of mexico and with the fall of the peso in Argentina maybe a more in depth update of all the main cities there and how long can you live there each year without having to pay taxes there.
Great suggestion!
Ares Jack, check out tangerine travels on youtube. Young couple have been traveling mexico for a few yrs and have done tons of vids.
@@grandmalovesmebest Thanks heaps have subscribed and will go through the videos as I get time :)
If you have the proper visas or residency you can stay in Argentina 9 months without them taxing your worldwide income.
Argentina is interesting. It might be a good time for investment.
man i love your contents !!!!!!
Great video as always… I absolutely agree with everything you mention, especially about Chile… well done!
Eternal spring sounds pretty awesome
Please make the Mexico list! Thanks for these videos 😊
would suggest Cancun area and Puerto Vallarta, but not sure how safety revolves in Mexico.
@@l.k.0235 my mexican friends say stay away from the touristy areas. High crime there. Ppl disappear.
Hungary! I moved 23 years ago - living on SS only. Own my own city center apartment and a country home - purchased with my 401k. Beautiful country, great food, SAFE - what more could one ask for.
There you are !!!!
Finally someone with common sense.
How are your elections?
Costa Rica, I live in San Isidro de General and have for the last 3 years. Now I have been on a strict budget of $350 month due to personal investment goals and I can tell you that if I increased my monthly budget to $1000 I would feel as if I were living like a king. Mind you that includes using the public bus system to get around and shopping for locally sourced food. Where things get pricy is when you include a car and shopping for imported products.
Andrew, the very best person to talk with on this issue, is Andy Lee Graham, on the Hobo Traveler. Andy's 20 year insight, living in over 100++ countries, as a value traveler is interesting. His insights and experience would be beneficial to you.
Love your videos! Would you please do a video on countries safest for single women?
In Brazil, when you go more than 50Km away from the state capitals, usually the cost of living drops by half or even more. If you don’t have to go often to the capitals, you can pick a relatively safe place and live.
Great advice, Brazil’s beaches are world class. Do you recommend a safe beach city that’s relatively affordable with upper middle class neighborhoods?
What areas would you suggest for a person with a school age child?
@@danthadon87 Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina
@@danthadon87 Vitoria, ES
@@danthadon87 Santos is one of the safest cities in the country. Really close to São Paulo.
Not the greatest of the beaches, but really is close of some of them.
Sao Paulo is expensive, but if you move to the Interior of the state you get good quality of life and cheaply. with 500 USD you can rent a house on a condo or live in a nice city with all what you need: nature, good food, fast internet, sport amenities, near shopping-centers, restaurants and supermarkets, and it is safe. Fintech services are good here, digital banks and investments apps. Real estate is still cheap. For political reasons the media is exagerating the situation in Brazil but vaccinations, Covid and lockdown situation are just like in Europe, not worse.
Cities in the interior of Campinas (Vinhedo, Paulinia, Holambra..) are some good examples. You will be 3h from the beach (Ubatuba). Another good alternative closer to the beach is Atibaia.
Great info. Thank you !
My pleasure!
I have been to florionapolis it’s awesome. I also have been to San Juan Del sur. Also awesome. Both good choices
We currently live in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, in the mountains…city of about 200,000. Without budgeting at all we spend about $1100/month.
Soon moving to Xela, Guatemala, for even cooler weather and expect costa to be similar.
10 years ago I lived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I obtained residency there. At the time the population was a million people. Now their are almost 2 million. Santa Cruz is much different than La Paz and the Altiplano. I enjoyed my time there and can easily live on less than $1000 dollars a month. But one of my favorite cities in Bolivia is Sucre.
I have been binge watching your channel. Amazing! Your videos are like travel guides with insightful and valuable financial lessons included. But I have not seen any for someone looking to move to a more rural destination, away from cities. Have you made any guides for people like me?
In Costa Rica right now, no way you can live off $1000 anymore unless you're in some really poor interior city far from the beach.
Food costs are still relatively low, you can live off street food and $2 beers, but property values and rent, and home prices have gone through the roof in the last few years.
I'm looking more at Columbia and Ecuador where prices seem to be low enough.
Andrew should do Asia next. I'd recommend Colombo, Sri Lanka. English is widely spoken, it's cheap, safe, and clean, it has excellent weather, amazing food (love the kottu) and it has a government that's embracing more and more pro-market reforms and it gets easier and easier to invest there. Once the travel restrictions are over Sri Lanka will probably go back to being a more and more popular destination for digital nomads and expats as places like Bali get more expensive and overcrowded. The only issue is the Port City China is building. It may turn out good or bad or maybe even awful if it ends up empty like that airport the Chinese built in the southern city of Hambantota
How's the wifi/Internet access in Sri Lanka?
@@matthewpage70 Very good, especially in Colombo.
Did they crack down on visa requirements and work permits for digital nomads? Like Bali did?
@@rumrunner8019 Rum runner... Did they SriLanka, crack down on visa requirements and work permits for digital nomads? Like Bali did?
@@alisyd5876 I haven't heard that, but at the moment Sri Lanka is kind of a mess so it wouldn't be surprising. In a year or two things will even out again. They were about to unveil a "digital nomad visa", but the pandemic upended and delayed some things. However, I'm pretty sure that once the current issues end it'll be booming again in a year or two. There is even a rumor that they're looking into making some crypto legal tender.
Living in Sao Paulo, you'd spend $1000 / month on ammunition keeping yourself safe! You might as well be in Baghdad!
People would break in to steal your ammo.
You are missing a couple of great communities in western Panama, close to the Costa Rica border. They are Boquete and Volcan. A single person can get a one bedroom place furnished for $500-600 a month with maid and gardener service. Utilities are practically nothing because the weather is so perfect you don't need heat or AC. The currency is the US dollar and everything is inexpensive.
You are correct. My friend has a panama relocation tour company.
David Patton, if it is Jackie Lange, I am a member, haha.
I'm scheduled to take a relocation tour there next year, and I watch Jackie's videos all the time.
@@billhennessey6374 She’s great!
Isn’t Bouquete Panama dangerous because the locals can’t really afford it anymore?
I'd like to add Quito in particular and Ecuador in general. Quito for a thousand bucks or dólares is very possible, either in the center or colonial section or in the South or in Calderon, North of Quito.
Transportation is cheap, less then fifty cents per trip. Food can be cheap, a full meal can cost you $5.00 in a mom and pop comedor.
Rent can be around $250 a month. Avoid the fashionable areas such Parque Carolina where rents are about $700 and up. Another advantage in Ecuador is transportation between provinces. Ten dollars can get you from Quito to the coast, the jungle or Oriente and the high sierras of the Andean cities.
Flying from the USA is cheaper in January, after New Year's.
In Ecuador, people like to say that God created the world in seven days and he rested the seventh day in Ecuador.
Quito was too cold fore. Cumbayá too busy. I liked Cuenca. I decided on Cotacachi. Small town but has everything I need.
In some of these places one must consider the hassle of the visa situation as well as mandatory health insurance costs.
Please do a separate video on places in Mexico
I live in Chile (Santiago area, hoping to move to a town in a different region soon). I have a family and we live on around $1500 USD per month. It can be a struggle. $1000 no way with a family, maybe as a single person. Also I would not recommend Valparaiso, it's ugly, not always safe, has seen better days. There are some better, nearby options on that part of the Chilean coast (for example Con con). Valdivia is nice (from what I'm told, haven't been there personally), just very rainy with its oceanic climate. I have also been to Sao Paulo and Florianopolis in Brazil as a tourist. Sao Paulo is MASSIVE, so not my cup of tea (not a fan of mega cities, Santiago Chile is already a bit too big). Florianopolis is quite nice though, it's a smallish city on a island with a semitropical climate, and a bit more developed and safe than other places in Brazil. And also, Peruvian food is really good, it's true, and better than your average Chilean food (hence it's easy to find Peruvian restaurants here).
I approve of Valparaiso, Santa Marta and Arequipa! They are very different from each other but the people will make you feel at home.
If I wanted to go cheap, Barranquilla would be high on my list. Disliked Cartagena, wish I tried Santa Marta instead.
@@2020-q1p Local people have told me that Barranquila is only good during the Carnival. Some places are dangerous. Santa Marta has a lot to offer : beaches, mountains, national parks.
Hi, I am from Chile and I know Valdivia well. It is a charming city, well connected to Santiago and the rest of the country. It is possible to live well for $1,000 per month, maybe in winter you would spend a bit more in heating, depending on the type of home you choose. One thing, though, you need to like rain and don't mind cold too much, or, spend some part of the winter on a different place. Cheers!
I lived in Santo Domingo for two years about 20 years ago. I enjoyed my time there but $1000 per month would not give a person a very comfortable lifestyle. If a person enjoys some nice amenities like premium cigars and Captain Morgan or Johnnie Walker and the pleasure of some nightlife $1500-$2,000 per month is more in line.
I second Salta. Been there for 9 months. Not necessarily Sata city but the whole Region is great. With the inflation, everything is basically “half off”.
Manizales, Colombia
Well just a two center from someone who has lived in a few Latin American countries. Some paint a romantic picture of them in general but there are many factors at play to make a place livable. But if you are only concerned with living next to nothing you are losing some aspects of life too. You might even get bored in 6 months. It’s a very big topic here and hard to cover in a couple of phrases. In some of these places as Andrew mentioned I doubt if you can get a semi decent quality of life under a $1000
There are definite possibilities in Mexico, based on other vloggers.
Tangerine Travels has quite a few videos on living affordably in various parts of Mexico
Eternal Expat is an up and coming Mexico channel
Two Expats Mexico tells you *how* to move to and live in Mexico
Amelia and JP are experts on Ecuador
Maybe contact these folks, possibly even do an interview video?
Please avoid SCAMMERS! Nomad Capitalist never posts his number
Some interesting pronunciations lol thanks for the video.
Puerto Vallarta Mexico is expensive but we live on $1600/month (2 people) with a car. Rent was reduced to around 700/month for a 2+2 with dipping pool, laundry room, gas bbq, maid weekly, water gas, internet and parks no space included. This condo was $1,200 but due to construction of a condo building blocking part of our ocean view, it was reduced. You can find cheaper places with one or two bedroom around $400-600 but won’t be near the beach.
Definitely do a video about 1k/mo towns in Mexico with fast internet.
Merida is the only city I would consider living in Mexico. A bit undervalued, otherwise Mexico is too sketchy.
@@2020-q1p what do you mean by sketchy?
@@2020-q1p I was thinking of going to playa del Carmen 😬
@@DreamyTee123 There are nicer, safer places in the world. But it's just my opinion. Spend at least a month if you can in short term rentals before you make a longer term commitment. For lower cost of living places, I prefer SEA.
More Places to Live for $1,000 per Month in Latin America
Thanks for sharing it with us, as always we enjoyed watching, hope your all keeping well & having a nice day 👍🤩
9+ happy years and counting here in the Dominican Republic. I've lived in Santo Domingo in past. Very doable for $1,000 a month if you are single and want to live like a local as average salary down here is currently around $450 USD per month.
I agree. But, live like an American with imported American foods and amenities...cost is much higher.
@@forestgreensmile You are correct.
I love Guatemala...Antigua you could rent in a small town near there and live on $1,000 a month simply. With a budget twice that you could live well. If you had capital to buy a place $100,000 or more to spend on a property, real estate taxes are around $100. Then $1,000 a month would be comfortable. If you had a property and $30,000 a year, life would be extremely comfortable...restaurant meals, servants should you buy a house and want them, food, utilities, money for in country travel dental care medical care prescriptions for most people..villages around Lake Atitlan you could live on $1,000 USD a month there are expats there as well as Antigua.
It's Central America but I'd love to hear thoughts on Panama.
Panama, restaurants are very expensive, hotels cheap (good location ~$65) , ubers are cheap. Panama, you are going to have to spend at least $3k a month, including lodging if it's Panama City.
@K S I agree for the most part, but Panama has good weather about 3.5 months out of the year. You don't want to be in Panama in July...
@nomad capitalist you mentioned mexico deserving a video of its own but perhaps a series on Mexico would be appropriate with nomad live coming up. Cheap places to live, high end places to live, banking, passports and all the normal topics.
i live in Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina for 200usd a month
Great vid!
El Retiro, Colombia near Medellin and the airport. I was there in 2019, a new two-bedroom apartment for about $500.00. The old town has many stores and restaurants. My friend Andres edits the local on-line news site "El Retiro Don Guarzo"
Great info for me solo female making under 50k a yr looking to lower expenses
Very interesting, can you do more research in Dominica Republic ?
Belo Horizonte, Brasil
It's easy to throw out name and places that sound glamorous, It's another thing to go their and prove it.
i lived in Playa Del Carmen in 2019/2020 for 20,000 pesos a month. That was my entire lifestyle for under $1000 usd. I dined out 5 nights a week, lived in a nice condo about 10 minute walk to the beach. Not sure why there were 0 places in Mexico talked about in either videos, but PDC you can definitely live for under $1000
I stayed in Lima, PE in 2011 for a few months. A thousand a month was achievable then in Miraflores. With the current world health situation, I’m willing to bet the cost of living there is low.
Peru not safe in general, is it?
@@l.k.0235 Peru was very safe when I was there. There are parts of the Lima with more crime than others. If you stick to the areas around Miraflores, you’re probably pretty safe. When in doubt, ask a local. Many people there are very friendly and many of them speak English.
I was there two years ago, and I don’t think it’s possible to get by on $1,000 a month. At least not in the nicer areas while still having money left for a nice life.
Lima has great weather on paper, but it's lack of sunlight is a much bigger deal than people think.
@@BasedInBrazil It may have changed since I’ve been there. I remember almost everyone I encountered there was really nice and the better neighborhoods there were very clean. Yes there are bad neighborhoods in disrepair. I was never made fun of for speaking Spanish. Although being from Texas I’m conditioned to speak English to everyone first until I know they don’t understand it. Some people of Mexican and Spanish origin get highly offended if you start off speaking Spanish to them. It’s the equivalent of telling them you think they too stupid to learn English. Most of people I met in Lima spoke at least at an elementary level of English. I agree with you on the statement that there are many beautiful and low cost cities to live in Latin America. It just boils down to preference.
Based on my Feb. 2020 visit, I would add Acapulco, Mexico to your list. The cartels have kept everything super cheap, so much so, this "jet set" city, is a true Mexican bargain. Depending on your budget, the beach is very reasonable, as is both Diamante & Las Brisas developments.
Secret #1
Get off the internet, go there, walk the streets, look at real estate prices there at a physical office.
I've lived in Florianópolis for over a decade, definitely not livable for under $1000 anymore unless you're back packing and sharing rooms. Perhaps $1,500 would work if you live pretty bare bones. Portuguese is essential though.
Salta sounds great, being so near the incredible landscapes of Jujuy which rival the western US landscapes for drama and beauty. I'm a little scared of Argentina's monetary unpredictability, though. It sounds wild.
Nadia Boulanger: I live in Argentina, let me tell you that five years ago one dollar was equivalent to $ 15 "Argentine pesos", today (in 2021) one dollar = $ 200 "Argentine pesos"... Inflation in Argentina is crazy !!!
When considering a city or country, you should take into account the crime or safety level and the quality and affordability of healthcare. To me, those would be the most important aspects to consider. Plus weather. Not too hot and humid and not too cold.
Luis, Colombia has excellent healthcare, much higher up global rankings than US. Great climates too
Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Thanks 😊
US expat Web 2.0 entrepreneur with 25 years living on my own terms in LatinAm checking in from Caracas....before hyperinflation hit Venezuela in late 2017 i was living very comfortably with under $300USD expenses... Nowadays i do fine with $600-700USD total expenses, which allows a few thrills such as eating out in restaurants everyday and taxis to get around the city.
@Nomad Capitalist hi Andrew, well, I don't know what we could do together ...i am just a fly-under-the-radar-away-from-Uncle Sam (or any authoritarian government) quiet agorist running some small enterprises from Caracas, which have included (and I still do currently) rural adventure tours for a niche men's market and communications training for Spanish-speaking business pros in the region.
I LIKE URUGUAY (stable) & ARGENTINA (unstable). Unfortunately Uruguay seems to be closed for now. Argentina I can go, I'm Arg. Citizen & have Passport!!!
Very good overview. I am from the US, am multilingual & have spent significant time in the EU & South America. Having an affimity for Brazil & Colombia I'd also suggest for this budget range João Pessoa in Brazil. I would vouch for the suggestion on Medellín Colombia.
7:10 not really, prices skyrocketed along with the dollar and many locals can't afford red meat or even chicken, for example. But yes, a single person can basically live anywhere in the country with $1k including private health insurance (though not the best ones).
For R$ 5,500 reais a single person has a low middle class life. Impossible to pay a good health insurance, a car, rent, food. A nice house with a garden is at least R$ 3 k in very cheap cities... a apartment in São Paulo in Jardins, Vila Madalena, Perdizes is more than that when you add condominium fees!!!
Besides you think about how much you're going to spend per month you have to think seriously about SECURITY and healthcare and walkability when you go to Brazil.
I have been to 50 countries with Rio and Manila being the only 2 places I had to keep my head on a swivel
Andrew,
Bucaramanga is certainly and option where you can live frugally for $1k.
Also Manizales can fit the bill, small city but very safe, and definitely cheaper than bigger cities in Colombia.
Forget about Bogota or Medellin, they are expensive cities, for instance, rent for a two bedroom apartment in a middle class neighborhood in Bogota can cost as much as $700+. Cali is a fun city to visit, however, be aware that it has a high crime rate.
Cheers
Shh, keep Colombia a secret please
To live with some comfort anywhere in Brazil, it'll cost you at least $2,000 monthly. If you have kids, add to that another $600 to $1000 per capita, depending on age.
As a single Brazilian student, $1000 dollars seem like *a lot* to me. I live with under $300 a month.