Love your sponsors. Great stuff for travelers. Now I am NOT a traveler anymore. But some of these companies belong in the toolkit of determined nomads. This is the esim, right? Varieties for a country all the way up to "global"?
The only thing I would add is that the Georgian government has recently moved closer to Russia - some people claim the current government was installed by Russia. That has caused quite a bit of political turmoil there, as the Georgian people are not happy with the situation at all. It's hard to say how that is all going to play out.
First off I'm not planning to depart the frozen prairies to live anywhere else. Most of the countries on your list are sort of on my list of places I would like to visit as a tourist. However, none have yet risen to must travel go to yet. I did take advantage of a 90 day tourist visa to stay in Japan earlier this year. Wasn't long enough, so I'll just be forced to return again and again. I've taken advantage of some of Alina's suggestions on how to make traveling to and being able to stay more economically viable. Her advice was sound. So, if I was looking at relocating, I would definitely be following this lady's advice cause she knows of what she speaks.
Long ago I wanted nothing more than to visit Japan. I was so into it, I was hunting for all the Japanese movies I could find. Lost Paradise. Ringu. Anyone know Ringu?
@JimMork-r9u Yeah Sadako, she was scary. 🤦♀️🦹♂️ I've only watched the Japanese version (not the US one) - ppl said the Jap version is better. Cheers!
Thailand is now 60 days visa exempt with a 30 day extension available. You can do a border run for another 60 day visa exemption with a 30 day extension. Whether you can do that a third time in the same year is up to the discretion of the immigration officer. If you want an O retirement visa, it is possible to do it by yourself, but I highly recommend using a visa agent, they make things go much more smoothly. When I talked to one, a multi entry O visa will be about $1000 for the initial visa and about $500 for annual renewals. They can also make it really easy to open a bank account and get a drivers license.
I moved to NYC 20 years ago, and despite all the ups and downs, NYC is still the most amazing, intellectually stimulating, walkable, and physically appealing, with the most interesting and amazing people worldwide. Living a good life here is a privilege and a pleasure. I have been to more than 70 countries and have spent extended periods across many great cities worldwide. I was in Sofia last year also. The more I travel the world, the more I love returning to NYC. I know it is not for everyone, but no city is. To each its own. Wish you all the best with your move. Eastern Europe has an incredible charm of its own. Cheers.
How many people even Americans can afford to live in NYC, Manhattan, Hoboken NJ or that area? What's your income? How can anyone live in a city or country they can't afford to live comfortably?
@Resmith18SR NYC has more than 8 million people living in it. The Greater NY area has about 20 million people living in it. You have a pick of a city that you can afford to live in. It goes for all cities in the world.
@rameshpratap20 You didn't say what your approximate income was there? I would venture to say that living a decent quality of life there in NYC or Boston one would need a substantial amount of money or income. Of course there are people there that bought their homes years ago for much less or are on welfare or in Section 8 housing.
Hello, Alina. I'm glad to see your new video. Unfortunately, I have not been to Bulgaria and Romania. This summer I traveled to European countries. From Eastern European countries, I visited Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. It was easiest in Poland, where the locals also know English. I was also saved by knowing Russian and a little Ukrainian, so I partially understood Polish and Czech. Thanks for the video and for the code. Happy New Year to you.😘♥️👍✌️🎊 Your Huseyn is from Los Angeles 🇺🇸
Definitely try Panama. I love it, especially the gorgeous town of El Valle de Anton, hidden away in a volcanic crater but only 30 minutes from beach resorts.
If you are not born in the USSR, that Latin alphabet could be a real boon. I TRIED in 2007 to grasp Cyrillic without much success. Wish I were a traveler to just do a couple weeks in Romania.
Personally I wouldn't say Bulgaria or Romania is 'easy' for Canadians or Americans to move to (though retirement visa options are relatively straight forward). For EU people, of course, super easy :)
@JimMork-r9u Bulgaria is the origin of the Cyrillic alphabet and wasn't part of the USSR.... BTW I have struggled too and thought I'll never get it until I found the right method on you tube. I think coming from the latin script the only way to "re" or unlearn (because of the similar looking letters) is by way of association. The letter Г for example stands for g like in golf. Think of it as a gallow..... Or the letter Р is R in our script (so confusing) it helps to think of a wilted Rose, which drops its head, and so forth... Once I got the knack and started reading/recognising words (to my great regret I don't speak Russian or any other slavic language) it was so much fun....and really helps when travelling.....
Thanks for the video Alina. I really like Vlora in Albania. The Lungomare is lovely as well as the old town in the centre. An airport will be in operation from the spring of 2025 so exciting times ahead for this city.
Thanks Alina for that informative video .I thought you might be moving to the US .Have a Happy Holiday Season with mom and dad and Happy New Year .Thought you might do a video over the Holidays .
I agree that in the US it's a widespread idea that you can just move somewhere. People will say stuff like if x happens I'm moving to Canada. And genuinely believe you can just move to Canada. They are clueless about immigration.
lol exactly! Like I don't know what they think is going to happen when they overstay their tourist visa and won't be able to be hired for a job because they don't have the proper paperwork.
I'm one of those retirees living on my Social Security and pension income. But we seniors get trapped in the healthcare system in America, so that's another item that factors into our residency decision. After age 65, Medicare covers a lot of our medical expenses but only in the US, not abroad. And we have to pay extra for prescription drug coverage, dental, vision care and other services. It would be interesting to compare the cost and quality of healthcare in these countries to the US and Canada.
Yeah fair enough. I guess it all depends how serious of health issues you have an if all your family and friends in the US. Much harder for most people to move abroad if they don't have a social support system in the new place.
Panama is very nice, especially the new town, modern and clean. But the cost of living is not among the lowest in the region. In any case, good luck to you and happy holidays!🎄🧑🎄🎉
It truly is nice as a U.S. citizen to be able to stay in both Albania and Georgia for up to a year. I've stayed in both for more than 90 days, and it is so much less stressful than having to leave everywhere else I'm visiting within three months. (I'm slow traveling visa-free, mostly in Europe.) Unfortunately, I don't like either of them enough to stay there for a year, but that's just personal taste, as I completely understand why others do.
I just watched her Tirana video. She looked just RAVISHING in that video! She never looks "ordinary" but the light or something just was so flattering.
Great to hear from you during the holidays, Alina : ) Just landed in 'stoon for the holidays! Wondering if you will be in town before you head out? P.S. I am leaving for my world tour in Jan 2025 starting with South East Asia. Can't wait to re-watch your SEA videos as I keep traveling : D
Actually as of a few months ago visa free status was raised to sixty days in Thailand for Canada the United States and many other countries. I am there at present, arriving about two weeks ago and received 60 days visa free. At the airport they asked me the length oof my visit and I stated sixty days and was given that amount. You can extend by another month by paying 1,900 Bhat at an immigration office. You can do one border run in a 12 month period and start this process over. There is another recent visa option I am looking into for Thailand called the LTR, long term resident but I may not quite meet the income requirement. It is apparently a ten year visa if you can meet the requirements
Was planning to finally move to Thailand last year after numerous visits, but fell in love with Cambodia...certainly less developed than Thailand though not as backward as I'd imagined..a great deal of English is spoken, the US dollar is used and the cost of living can be super reasonable...as a retiree I got a 1 year visa which can be renewed for 360 through an agent - surprisingly with no questions re finances asked at all...I would say though that Cambodia is probably for the more adventurous retiree.
Great info Alina. I have friends who moved there from Ontario to Panama, 1.5 yrs now and they love it there ,1/2 the cost to live and stress free living they have told me. And Wife and I will be going next yr after our Italy trip. Italy also is one the best places to retire or relocate, but please learn Italian language it will benefit you 100%. Also please keep in mind there are other ways to travel with out passports, think outside the box , the earth doesn't belong to Government it belongs to the people. Ask the amish ,secrets you are not told .Cheers
For me if it were between Panama City and Bangkok, no question, Bangkok. What about shuffling between Albania, Georgia, Turkey, Italy, and Greece? If I were in Bangkok I could shuffle between Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin Thailand, and Da Nang or Nha Trang in Vietnam.
The list of places are wonderful. . We are love Georgia. Have you heard that Georgia Police are cracking down on protesting ,violating human rights. What is happening to a country we love? Nevertheless, Alina you do your homework. Thank you for the great info. Want to take this time to wish you Happy Holidays !🎄🎄 to you and your family Hopefully , Santa 🎅 will be good to you and help clear the way to Bulgaria .As always, sending you much love❤ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki
I'm one of the lucky ones that can move, but dating is a priority for me, so those countries are great, but I also need to consider the dating market there.
Georgia is definately not straight forward right now, But if it keeps stabilizing from the 20th onward then in a year absolutely. If The Prices keep rising is a good sign lol
@@AlinaMcleod political unrest - which should be mostly over with by the 20th, if nothing big happens. so technically just clean up after the 20th - but i personally would wait atleast 6 months before permanently moving (wait and see.)
Plan B, I was considering georgia, montenegro, malaysia, and for plan C to add residency in the future, paraguay offers a lot for working expats like us
@@nathalie_batumi1327 I like your thinking!, Im in batumi 7 months, malaysia 3months, travelling around for 2. Paraguay is definately on the bucket list!
Thanks! I'll have to look into some of your location-specific content, but was curious about language barrier in the other countries (except Philippines, which you noted) for English speakers.
Yes, the language barrier would certainly be there in any destination that doesn't have English as a dominant language, but in all the countries I listed it is widely enough spoken. Ideally you should try to learn the local language of any country you move to.
My dear Alina, did you ever think about the TN visa and going to States? I recently travelled all the way to Floria and life was much cheaper than Toronto 😢 we spend so much money in this city… Also, please share your gorgeous creamy / beige eye shadow 😍🙏🏻🙏🏻 what brand is it ? (You always looks so pretty)
I would love to move out of Canada to somewhere affordable. I have a work from home job. But my employer wants me to work in Canada, although - most of my team, including my manager, works from the US.
Alina - Always informative! I noticed in an early shot the Thai blogger Tah Jetymon; curious, do you know if she still creates content as she seems to have nothing posted in ages? Thanks.
Good morning god's mother I'm happy to see you good health and safe and thanks for sharing this video God bless you all ways and your family merry Christmas and Slava Ukraine from Philippines ❤😊
Shit easy to move to.. Svalbard.. You just go. Svalbard is special, since a citizen of any country that signed the Svalbard treaty can just move there... But, maybe not the nicest warmest place you can go to? :D
@@AlinaMcleod We can laugh, but I've watched videos with the destination of Svalbard. Not "walking videos" per se. More aviation videos where pilots fly there.
Even Australia is the largest country for mining, agriculture, and farming, and living there is at a very high standard, I think, my respected lady Alina Mcleod?!?
I am really interested in relocating to Georgia or Bulgaria in the eastern European countries. I am from India and i really feel that relocating is the best option.
Lol we hear that all the time too about tourist visas. No matter how many times we keep telling people Mexico is starting to crack down on people living off of tourist visas (and an actual residency is a useful thing to have more multiple reasons) , they don't believe us.
For those of us who cannot handle very hot and very humid climate, Panama, Thailand and Philippines are out of the question. It's a shame because South East Asia is such an amazing place !!
My personal downsides to the Philipeans; cyclones, earthquakes, volcanos, & tsunamis. You can have multiple events annually! Other than those naturally occurring disasters I have heard that it is fantastic. 😮 Downside to Albania for me is that it is a Islamic country & that it is developing. ( outhouses, electric grid reliability is a ??? In my mind, never heard anything about it having good public transportation) Downside of Panama in my opinion; it's stinking hot in many places, it's just little less expensive than living in the Upper Midwestern USA, it rains alot there. ( may as well stay in the Upper Midwestern USA on that note, lived near & in the Upper Midwest all my life & never knew that I lived in a temperate rain forest until the last 3 years ago) Thialand has too much plus heat, lots of steaming hot weather. Georgia is currently too Russian friendly for me. Other than Putin friendliness, it sounds like a great place. ( let's face it the man does have a good looking hair cut) With that I got to get ready for work.
Actually, I love visiting and staying in Islamic countries (I always avoid touristy areas) the warmest, most helpful people imaginable. I am a Westerner, female....I was like this decades ago; then I was sent on a survey mission to Algeria (civil war just had started) and was healed from my prejudices..... I consider myself very lucky.
"No sweetie, that's not how it works!" This sweetie doesn't know how it works either--I have had to use the student visa and 2 MAs and 4 PhD ruse to stay in my spiritual home on the North American range for 20+years. How about that?
I don't have to pay a departure tax because I never bought real estate, incorporated and any major investments I had are in a TFSA. But no, I won't have to pay Canadian taxes for the coming years because I'll be a resident of Bulgaria and set up my business there.
Fair enough. There's just so many factors to consider when moving to a place, least of all personal preference and experience. There's people that would say the USA has amazing healthcare and others that say they've had a horrible experience, so it's difficult to fully give direct advice on, especially when I haven't experienced it myself in all places. Before a person moves to a country I would recommend they try the healthcare in the country by just paying out of pocket for some things and see what it's like.
@@AlinaMcleod There are some places that have better care for expats than others. There are some like Mexico that have great basic healthcare, but if you have a heart attack, stroke, or severe accident it can be really expensive. It's one of the biggest factors even for young people, but really important for middle aged or older people as pre existing conditions can be as basic as having High blood pressure.
Good review! Besides economic and logistical considerations, ease of cultural assimilation should also be on the list. Monocultural/monoracial societies like China and Japan and much of Sub Saharan Africa may not suit you if you look like you don’t belong there, you will have a hard time being accepted and feeling at home there. Make sure you will be happy living in your target country because quality of life is about intangibles people don’t stop to consider that affect how you will spend your life abroad. If you have weighed the pro and cons and are happy with your choice, it might turn out to be your field of dreams! Don’t go into a move blindly and like Alina suggests, some places may be a better fit for you than others. Best wishes! 😊
Isn’t Bulgaria the country where one of their largest issues is the educated under 30 are leaving and not coming back? Govt corruption is also a major issue. It’s a place to visit, not live.
Of course it has its problems and I wouldn't really recommend it for someone who wants to work for a company in the local economy. But if you are a remote worker or you want to start your own company and employ locals for a good wage (who a lot of times are highly educated and speak fluent English), very attractive.
@ I really do wish you the very best and I find your channel to be very interesting and informative, however I firmly believe Canada is the best country on the planet to live and raise a family if that’s in your future. I realize I’m “old school” in my thinking. That being said I graduated from university in the mid 80’s and was faced with a terrible job market after a decade of hyperinflation. I chose to go north to remote Canadian communities because there were good paying jobs and tax breaks. Within 2 years I was offered a phenomenal (for my age and experience) job offer in Toronto that I refused due to the high cost of housing
I did not want to be a slave to the banks for the rest of my working life to own a home. Instead I met my future wife, we worked together in a remote community and established a great down payment for a home and we initially settled down in Ottawa where housing was much more affordable. We are now retired and enjoy travelling. To summarize there are a lot of opportunities in Canada for people like yourself who are mobile and enjoy something different.
Bulgarian/American currently living in Panamá.If not a pensionado one need to buy property and obtain residency here.Good airport in Panamá city,gasoline is 82 cents a litre,electricity is 25-30 $ a month,rent is much cheaper outside Panama City.
Download the Airalo app HERE: try.airalo.com/Alina
Use code ALINA3 to get $3 OFF your next eSIM purchase!
Love your sponsors. Great stuff for travelers. Now I am NOT a traveler anymore. But some of these companies belong in the toolkit of determined nomads. This is the esim, right? Varieties for a country all the way up to "global"?
@@JimMork-r9uglad you’ve found them helpful! Yes eSIMs are great visiting multiple destinations.
The only thing I would add is that the Georgian government has recently moved closer to Russia - some people claim the current government was installed by Russia. That has caused quite a bit of political turmoil there, as the Georgian people are not happy with the situation at all. It's hard to say how that is all going to play out.
Beautiful country indeed, but about to be enslaved by RuZZia again.
Russia! Russia! Russia! Oh, no!!! 😮 My goodness, the brainwashing runs deep. 😂
I'm a Filipino Canadian, so me and my wife has the Philippines in mind when we retire. Good Video, keep up the good work.
Happy new year Alina!!
How lucky we are that you have chosen our Bulgaria ❤❤❤
Aw thank you so much!
Thanks for taking the time to assemble this valuable information.
My pleasure! I hope it helps.
Alina, one week to go before Christmas!🎄🎄
Happy holidays!
@@AlinaMcleod Merry Christmas!
@@AlinaMcleodMerry Christmas 🎅 🎄
Starting the video with Plovdiv centre is just amazing! Thank you, Alina. ❤😊
Great city!
@@AlinaMcleod Absolutely! You should visit it again.
@@DanN-x6f I second that. Bulgaria had many great stops, but some of my best memories were in Plovdiv.
First off I'm not planning to depart the frozen prairies to live anywhere else. Most of the countries on your list are sort of on my list of places I would like to visit as a tourist. However, none have yet risen to must travel go to yet. I did take advantage of a 90 day tourist visa to stay in Japan earlier this year. Wasn't long enough, so I'll just be forced to return again and again. I've taken advantage of some of Alina's suggestions on how to make traveling to and being able to stay more economically viable. Her advice was sound. So, if I was looking at relocating, I would definitely be following this lady's advice cause she knows of what she speaks.
Aw thanks for the confidence vote, Jim!
Long ago I wanted nothing more than to visit Japan. I was so into it, I was hunting for all the Japanese movies I could find. Lost Paradise. Ringu. Anyone know Ringu?
@@JimMork-r9uRingu = The Ring? Sadako?
@@kitty_s23456 Nanako Matsushima in The Ring (or "Ringu")
@JimMork-r9u Yeah Sadako, she was scary. 🤦♀️🦹♂️ I've only watched the Japanese version (not the US one) - ppl said the Jap version is better. Cheers!
Georgia is experiencing significant political instability at present, relating to - what else - relations with Russia.
Yeh, before Ukraine, Russia "rescued" northern Georgia.
@@JimMork-r9uyes from America!
Thailand is now 60 days visa exempt with a 30 day extension available. You can do a border run for another 60 day visa exemption with a 30 day extension. Whether you can do that a third time in the same year is up to the discretion of the immigration officer. If you want an O retirement visa, it is possible to do it by yourself, but I highly recommend using a visa agent, they make things go much more smoothly. When I talked to one, a multi entry O visa will be about $1000 for the initial visa and about $500 for annual renewals. They can also make it really easy to open a bank account and get a drivers license.
Good to know!
All the best this holiday season, and a new beginning in 2025!
Thank you so much and likewise!
That is so correct about doing trial runs, even among different cities and neighborhoods in your preferred country.
I moved to NYC 20 years ago, and despite all the ups and downs, NYC is still the most amazing, intellectually stimulating, walkable, and physically appealing, with the most interesting and amazing people worldwide. Living a good life here is a privilege and a pleasure. I have been to more than 70 countries and have spent extended periods across many great cities worldwide. I was in Sofia last year also. The more I travel the world, the more I love returning to NYC. I know it is not for everyone, but no city is. To each its own. Wish you all the best with your move. Eastern Europe has an incredible charm of its own. Cheers.
How many people even Americans can afford to live in NYC, Manhattan, Hoboken NJ or that area? What's your income? How can anyone live in a city or country they can't afford to live comfortably?
@Resmith18SR NYC has more than 8 million people living in it. The Greater NY area has about 20 million people living in it. You have a pick of a city that you can afford to live in. It goes for all cities in the world.
@rameshpratap20 You didn't say what your approximate income was there? I would venture to say that living a decent quality of life there in NYC or Boston one would need a substantial amount of money or income. Of course there are people there that bought their homes years ago for much less or are on welfare or in Section 8 housing.
@Resmith18SR my personal information is none of your business. Have a good one. Cheers.
@@rameshpratap20 Giving an approximate income is personal information? Typical New Yorker. 😂😂😂
I've already found my retirement country, Bulgaria! Looking forward to meeting you here in Sofia, Alina. Merry Christmas.
Love your videos Alina! ❤ interesting to see your process of moving
Thank You, Good Luck, Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays to you as well!
interesting info Alina . Hope you have a great Xmas
Hello, Alina. I'm glad to see your new video. Unfortunately, I have not been to Bulgaria and Romania. This summer I traveled to European countries. From Eastern European countries, I visited Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. It was easiest in Poland, where the locals also know English. I was also saved by knowing Russian and a little Ukrainian, so I partially understood Polish and Czech. Thanks for the video and for the code. Happy New Year to you.😘♥️👍✌️🎊 Your Huseyn is from Los Angeles 🇺🇸
Thank you Ania for the excellent video
Merry Christmas to you and your family
My pleasure and happy holidays to you as well!
Hi Alina! You're the bomb 🌻
These are great options, I like those countries. Thank you so much, I hope you have a great 2025, Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you so much! Happy Holidays to you as well!
Albania is developing quickly right now, and Tirana is pretty nice and affordable.😊
It sure is!
Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄
Nice video. Merry Christmas and Happy New year from Sydney, Australia from me to you🎄🎄
Thank you!
if u follow the news , Georgia atm is going through rough times..
Happy new year lots of love from Montreal
Definitely try Panama. I love it, especially the gorgeous town of El Valle de Anton, hidden away in a volcanic crater but only 30 minutes from beach resorts.
The 365 day stay in Albania for Americans is true, but what was left out is the need to leave for 90 days after you’ve resided there for the 365 days.
That's wonderful! Wishing you a happy holiday season as well!
I'd leave for a 90 day stretch during their summer months anyway. Its BRUTAL
As well as Bulgaria,Romania is very easy to settle in as they have a latin alphabet and everybody speaks English anyway!
If you are not born in the USSR, that Latin alphabet could be a real boon. I TRIED in 2007 to grasp Cyrillic without much success. Wish I were a traveler to just do a couple weeks in Romania.
Personally I wouldn't say Bulgaria or Romania is 'easy' for Canadians or Americans to move to (though retirement visa options are relatively straight forward). For EU people, of course, super easy :)
For Romania: Canadians have several options!
@@AlinaMcleod Yes,I meant easy to settling in,rather than than to get there via the visa!
Merry Xmas and Happy New year Alina!
@JimMork-r9u Bulgaria is the origin of the Cyrillic alphabet and wasn't part of the USSR.... BTW I have struggled too and thought I'll never get it until I found the right method on you tube. I think coming from the latin script the only way to "re" or unlearn (because of the similar looking letters) is by way of association. The letter Г for example stands for g like in golf. Think of it as a gallow..... Or the letter Р is R in our script (so confusing) it helps to think of a wilted Rose, which drops its head, and so forth... Once I got the knack and started reading/recognising words (to my great regret I don't speak Russian or any other slavic language) it was so much fun....and really helps when travelling.....
wow didn't even know there were 365 day visa free countries, Panama 180 days is great too, thanks for sharing :)
Best wishes on the move to Bulgaria
Thanks for the video Alina. I really like Vlora in Albania. The Lungomare is lovely as well as the old town in the centre. An airport will be in operation from the spring of 2025 so exciting times ahead for this city.
Yes, I agree that Vlora is lovely!
Amazes me that Tirana is no bigger than where I live.
Albania has worked for me. I wanted proximity to the rest of Europe and wanted to be not too far from North America.
Her many videos of Albania were so interesting. I knew nothing about Albania, but the cities were interesting.
Glad you're enjoying it!
A fascinating as well as informative presentation 👍
Thanks, glad you found it helpful!
merry Christmas and happy new year 2025. We wish you healthy life and wellness.
Thank you and Happy Holidays to you as well!
Merry Christmas and all the best.🌲
merry christmas and happy 2025
Thanks Alina for that informative video .I thought you might be moving to the US .Have a Happy Holiday Season with mom and dad and Happy New Year .Thought you might do a video over the Holidays .
Wow very amazing thanks for sharing this beautiful video 📹 ❤️
Georgis was my number one guess for you to move. You liked it very much and the food and culture are very similar to yours.
everybody just comes to america and stays. nothing is done. good luck young lady. i hope everything works out for you. merry christmas.
I am getting closer to retire early. Your video is very helpful. Thank you for sharing the video
You are so welcome!
I agree that in the US it's a widespread idea that you can just move somewhere. People will say stuff like if x happens I'm moving to Canada. And genuinely believe you can just move to Canada. They are clueless about immigration.
lol exactly! Like I don't know what they think is going to happen when they overstay their tourist visa and won't be able to be hired for a job because they don't have the proper paperwork.
I'm one of those retirees living on my Social Security and pension income. But we seniors get trapped in the healthcare system in America, so that's another item that factors into our residency decision. After age 65, Medicare covers a lot of our medical expenses but only in the US, not abroad. And we have to pay extra for prescription drug coverage, dental, vision care and other services. It would be interesting to compare the cost and quality of healthcare in these countries to the US and Canada.
Yeah fair enough. I guess it all depends how serious of health issues you have an if all your family and friends in the US. Much harder for most people to move abroad if they don't have a social support system in the new place.
@@AlinaMcleod That is what fascinates me about you. What "system" supported you as a 15 year old model?
Panama is very nice, especially the new town, modern and clean. But the cost of living is not among the lowest in the region. In any case, good luck to you and happy holidays!🎄🧑🎄🎉
It’s cheaper than Costa Rica.Everything is cheaper and better.
It truly is nice as a U.S. citizen to be able to stay in both Albania and Georgia for up to a year. I've stayed in both for more than 90 days, and it is so much less stressful than having to leave everywhere else I'm visiting within three months. (I'm slow traveling visa-free, mostly in Europe.) Unfortunately, I don't like either of them enough to stay there for a year, but that's just personal taste, as I completely understand why others do.
HELLO,GORGEOUS ALINA! Awesome video 👍 good luck 👍 💓
I just watched her Tirana video. She looked just RAVISHING in that video! She never looks "ordinary" but the light or something just was so flattering.
I have been living in Albania fora month now and I love it!
That's wonderful!
Great to hear from you during the holidays, Alina : ) Just landed in 'stoon for the holidays! Wondering if you will be in town before you head out?
P.S. I am leaving for my world tour in Jan 2025 starting with South East Asia. Can't wait to re-watch your SEA videos as I keep traveling : D
Actually as of a few months ago visa free status was raised to sixty days in Thailand for Canada the United States and many other countries. I am there at present, arriving about two weeks ago and received 60 days visa free. At the airport they asked me the length oof my visit and I stated sixty days and was given that amount. You can extend by another month by paying 1,900 Bhat at an immigration office. You can do one border run in a 12 month period and start this process over. There is another recent visa option I am looking into for Thailand called the LTR, long term resident but I may not quite meet the income requirement. It is apparently a ten year visa if you can meet the requirements
Was planning to finally move to Thailand last year after numerous visits, but fell in love with Cambodia...certainly less developed than Thailand though not as backward as I'd imagined..a great deal of English is spoken, the US dollar is used and the cost of living can be super reasonable...as a retiree I got a 1 year visa which can be renewed for 360 through an agent - surprisingly with no questions re finances asked at all...I would say though that Cambodia is probably for the more adventurous retiree.
Yeah absolutely a good option!
Be nice to live with seasons and less humidity.
We shall miss you.
You definitely chose the right time to move! Strikes, chaos in government, crazy housing and grocery prices...
Yeah what a crazy month it has been!
Great info Alina. I have friends who moved there from Ontario to Panama, 1.5 yrs now and they love it there ,1/2 the cost to live and stress free living they have told me. And Wife and I will be going next yr after our Italy trip. Italy also is one the best places to retire or relocate, but please learn Italian language it will benefit you 100%. Also please keep in mind there are other ways to travel with out passports, think outside the box , the earth doesn't belong to Government it belongs to the people. Ask the amish ,secrets you are not told .Cheers
That's wonderful to hear!
I am an american and moved to Austria. It was not easy but possible.
That’s awesome!
For me if it were between Panama City and Bangkok, no question, Bangkok. What about shuffling between Albania, Georgia, Turkey, Italy, and Greece? If I were in Bangkok I could shuffle between Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin Thailand, and Da Nang or Nha Trang in Vietnam.
The list of places are wonderful. . We are love Georgia. Have you heard that Georgia Police are cracking down on protesting ,violating human rights. What is happening to a country we love?
Nevertheless, Alina you do your homework. Thank you for the great info. Want to take this time to wish you Happy Holidays !🎄🎄 to you and your family
Hopefully , Santa 🎅 will be good to you and help clear the way to Bulgaria .As always, sending you much love❤ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki
Yeah it's very sad the political tension that has been going on in Georgia. I hope things get better. Wishing you all a very happy holiday season!
I'm one of the lucky ones that can move, but dating is a priority for me, so those countries are great, but I also need to consider the dating market there.
Georgia is definately not straight forward right now, But if it keeps stabilizing from the 20th onward then in a year absolutely.
If The Prices keep rising is a good sign lol
Oh really? Why is immigration not straight forward right now?
@@AlinaMcleod political unrest - which should be mostly over with by the 20th, if nothing big happens. so technically just clean up after the 20th -
but i personally would wait atleast 6 months before permanently moving (wait and see.)
there are only manifestations in Tbilisi. the rest of Georgia is quiet as usual.
Plan B, I was considering georgia, montenegro, malaysia, and for plan C to add residency in the future, paraguay offers a lot for working expats like us
Great options!
I am already in Georgia and Brasil, in Asia it would have been Malaysia and South America Paraguay.😉
@@nathalie_batumi1327 I like your thinking!, Im in batumi 7 months, malaysia 3months, travelling around for 2. Paraguay is definately on the bucket list!
Spasiba daragaya Alina.Thanks from Sofia,BG.❤.
I learned it as blagodarya. Isn't that the regular "thank you" in Bulgarian?
Thanks! I'll have to look into some of your location-specific content, but was curious about language barrier in the other countries (except Philippines, which you noted) for English speakers.
Yes, the language barrier would certainly be there in any destination that doesn't have English as a dominant language, but in all the countries I listed it is widely enough spoken. Ideally you should try to learn the local language of any country you move to.
Thank you so much for you recommendation Thailand ❤❤❤❤❤
My pleasure!
My dear Alina, did you ever think about the TN visa and going to States? I recently travelled all the way to Floria and life was much cheaper than Toronto 😢 we spend so much money in this city… Also, please share your gorgeous creamy / beige eye shadow 😍🙏🏻🙏🏻 what brand is it ? (You always looks so pretty)
The states is actually quite complicated to move to even as a Canadian. My eyeshadow is actually a Japanese brand called Excel! :)
I would love to move out of Canada to somewhere affordable. I have a work from home job. But my employer wants me to work in Canada, although - most of my team, including my manager, works from the US.
For me the top two are either Albania or Cambodia as far as being easy.
Georgia (and Armenia) are amazing countries but they both neighbour a big and a bunch of small aggressors
Alina - Always informative!
I noticed in an early shot the Thai blogger Tah Jetymon; curious, do you know if she still creates content as she seems to have nothing posted in ages? Thanks.
Tahstory or tah 2.0 she started posting e little bit again.
Yeah Tah isn't posting as much as she used to, but she has a lot of other cool businesses going on last time I spoke with her.
Good morning god's mother I'm happy to see you good health and safe and thanks for sharing this video God bless you all ways and your family merry Christmas and Slava Ukraine from Philippines ❤😊
Thank you and happy holidays to you as well!
Shit easy to move to.. Svalbard.. You just go. Svalbard is special, since a citizen of any country that signed the Svalbard treaty can just move there... But, maybe not the nicest warmest place you can go to? :D
OK that is HILARIOUS! The absolute "far north". Imagine thousands of new residents!
Alright, gonna put Svalbard on my next list lol
@@AlinaMcleod We can laugh, but I've watched videos with the destination of Svalbard. Not "walking videos" per se. More aviation videos where pilots fly there.
Even Australia is the largest country for mining, agriculture, and farming, and living there is at a very high standard, I think, my respected lady Alina Mcleod?!?
I am really interested in relocating to Georgia or Bulgaria in the eastern European countries. I am from India and i really feel that relocating is the best option.
I like people who do "air quotes." It usually means that they're "sincere" and have "strong moral character." Could this be anyone we know?
For us non-Canadians, I’m sure that Canada was a runner-up 😗
So EXPENSIVE! Great if you have a ton of money.
Canada has changed.
U r SO much👍
I suggest Portugal specially for retiree prove of income monthly 1500 $ , merry Christmas 🎄
Lol we hear that all the time too about tourist visas. No matter how many times we keep telling people Mexico is starting to crack down on people living off of tourist visas (and an actual residency is a useful thing to have more multiple reasons) , they don't believe us.
Yeah if you're actually looking to settle down somewhere you may as well go about it the right way from the beginning.
Thailand is now 60 days visa free
你可以去，丽贝岛是个不错的地方
Oh really? It still says 30 days on most websites. Is that just a temporary thing like they did last year?
For those of us who cannot handle very hot and very humid climate, Panama, Thailand and Philippines are out of the question. It's a shame because South East Asia is such an amazing place !!
I think Panama has some mountainous areas that are cooler.
@@marcosreal11 Yes, but most larger cities, specially Panama City are way too humid and hot. Some people prefer living in the cities or capitals....
My personal downsides to the Philipeans; cyclones, earthquakes, volcanos, & tsunamis. You can have multiple events annually! Other than those naturally occurring disasters I have heard that it is fantastic. 😮 Downside to Albania for me is that it is a Islamic country & that it is developing. ( outhouses, electric grid reliability is a ??? In my mind, never heard anything about it having good public transportation) Downside of Panama in my opinion; it's stinking hot in many places, it's just little less expensive than living in the Upper Midwestern USA, it rains alot there. ( may as well stay in the Upper Midwestern USA on that note, lived near & in the Upper Midwest all my life & never knew that I lived in a temperate rain forest until the last 3 years ago) Thialand has too much plus heat, lots of steaming hot weather. Georgia is currently too Russian friendly for me. Other than Putin friendliness, it sounds like a great place. ( let's face it the man does have a good looking hair cut) With that I got to get ready for work.
Actually, I love visiting and staying in Islamic countries (I always avoid touristy areas) the warmest, most helpful people imaginable. I am a Westerner, female....I was like this decades ago; then I was sent on a survey mission to Algeria (civil war just had started) and was healed from my prejudices..... I consider myself very lucky.
You forgot Belize. Beautiful weather and English speaking, safer than Panama.
"No sweetie, that's not how it works!" This sweetie doesn't know how it works either--I have had to use the student visa and 2 MAs and 4 PhD ruse to stay in my spiritual home on the North American range for 20+years. How about that?
U should also visit Helsinki Finland 🇫🇮😀😃
I would love to!
miss mcleod has good taste for contending countries to move in, off the grid, great value, way better quality of life, than the typical western europe
Landed on Thailand last night. Bangkok is great. Too bad I’m only here for 3 days.
Are you actually "departing" Canada, meaning that you'll pay a departure tax and then be free of any income tax obligations forever?
I don't have to pay a departure tax because I never bought real estate, incorporated and any major investments I had are in a TFSA. But no, I won't have to pay Canadian taxes for the coming years because I'll be a resident of Bulgaria and set up my business there.
The last option argentina also cheap to migrate
Will Lobby for Albania to offer the same benefit of 365 days to Canada also not just the USA. I have government contacts.
Any word on your Bulgarian Visa?
Video coming next week :)
Done it from Germany to the USA
Great video I'm looking at Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina but Panama looks good too.. Meanwhile Canada is imploding politically in real time
I like your hair 😎.
Thank you!
You don't focus on healthcare which is critical, especially for us older travellers.
Fair enough. There's just so many factors to consider when moving to a place, least of all personal preference and experience. There's people that would say the USA has amazing healthcare and others that say they've had a horrible experience, so it's difficult to fully give direct advice on, especially when I haven't experienced it myself in all places. Before a person moves to a country I would recommend they try the healthcare in the country by just paying out of pocket for some things and see what it's like.
@@AlinaMcleod There are some places that have better care for expats than others. There are some like Mexico that have great basic healthcare, but if you have a heart attack, stroke, or severe accident it can be really expensive. It's one of the biggest factors even for young people, but really important for middle aged or older people as pre existing conditions can be as basic as having High blood pressure.
Guatemala is a great country to live.
Good review! Besides economic and logistical considerations, ease of cultural assimilation should also be on the list. Monocultural/monoracial societies like China and Japan and much of Sub Saharan Africa may not suit you if you look like you don’t belong there, you will have a hard time being accepted and feeling at home there. Make sure you will be happy living in your target country because quality of life is about intangibles people don’t stop to consider that affect how you will spend your life abroad. If you have weighed the pro and cons and are happy with your choice, it might turn out to be your field of dreams! Don’t go into a move blindly and like Alina suggests, some places may be a better fit for you than others. Best wishes! 😊
Which African country can you suggest Americans or Canadians can move to
Huh. I always thought Georgia was a state!
Isn’t Bulgaria the country where one of their largest issues is the educated under 30 are leaving and not coming back? Govt corruption is also a major issue. It’s a place to visit, not live.
Of course it has its problems and I wouldn't really recommend it for someone who wants to work for a company in the local economy. But if you are a remote worker or you want to start your own company and employ locals for a good wage (who a lot of times are highly educated and speak fluent English), very attractive.
@ I really do wish you the very best and I find your channel to be very interesting and informative, however I firmly believe Canada is the best country on the planet to live and raise a family if that’s in your future. I realize I’m “old school” in my thinking. That being said I graduated from university in the mid 80’s and was faced with a terrible job market after a decade of hyperinflation. I chose to go north to remote Canadian communities because there were good paying jobs and tax breaks. Within 2 years I was offered a phenomenal (for my age and experience) job offer in Toronto that I refused due to the high cost of housing
I did not want to be a slave to the banks for the rest of my working life to own a home. Instead I met my future wife, we worked together in a remote community and established a great down payment for a home and we initially settled down in Ottawa where housing was much more affordable. We are now retired and enjoy travelling. To summarize there are a lot of opportunities in Canada for people like yourself who are mobile and enjoy something different.
Bulgarian/American currently living in Panamá.If not a pensionado one need to buy property and obtain residency here.Good airport in Panamá city,gasoline is 82 cents a litre,electricity is 25-30 $ a month,rent is much cheaper outside Panama City.