I've lived in Thailand for 11 months now. Entered on a 30-day tourist visa and immediately hired a Visa Agent for a retirement "O" visa. Yes, you can live here on $1000/mo as a single person. * I avoid commenting, but you two are so helpful and you requested help.❤
I recently traveled to my home country, Nicaragua, after 8 years. With $1,000 you will be merely surviving. It used to be that 1K would go a long way, not anymore. You won't find a nice apartment or house in a good neighborhood for less than $300. Add utilities, food, and cell service. In addition, you will need a car because public transportation sucks unless you live in a city like Granada and walk most places. Not to mention a gallon of regular gasoline is almost $5. It is cheaper than most large US cities and with 2K a month is doable. Living in a poor country like mine with $1,000 or less doesn't seem attainable.
That is super sad to hear; thank you for sharing that and I'm so sorry. I can imagine how disappointed I'd be if I were in your shoes. That does surprise me, having some experience from that area in earlier years. You make excellent points about how you need that infrastructure in order to not bleed out in terms of daily nickel and dime costs.
Ijust turned 44 and realized I haven't done much to prepare for healthcare costs in retirement. With rising medical expenses, I'm starting to worry about how to manage those expenses later in life. My goal is to retire by 55, but I feel behind when it comes to planning for healthcare
Healthcare costs in retirement are no joke. It's one of the biggest challenges retirees face today. Balancing your savings while accounting for potential medical expenses is crucial. I think consulting with a professional could help ensure you're factoring these costs into your retirement plan
Absolutely agree. I learned the hard way during the early pandemic when unexpected healthcare expenses wiped out a good chunk of my savings. Now I'm semi-retired, working part-time, and trying to rebuild my financial safety net while planning for future medical needs
Thanks for sharing your story. I've been trying to figure this out on my own, but it's overwhelming. Do you have any suggestions for a reliable financial advisor who can guide me on incorporating healthcare costs into my retirement strategy?
I've worked with Joseph Nick Cahill before, and he's been fantastic. He showed me how to budget for long-term healthcare needs without sacrificing my retirement goals. His practical approach makes navigating these complex issues much easier
I appreciate this. After curiously searching his name online and reviewing his credentials, I'm quite impressed. l've contacted him as I could use all the help I can get. A call has been scheduled
Health care quality is a big problem with Cambodia. I would also point out that in all the countries in that region (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines...been to all of them) that while your risk of violent crime is low, you have a much higher risk than in developed western countries of stupid, ordinary accidents. Getting hit by a reckless motorcycle driver, slips & falls, car accidents, fires in places that aren't nearly up to western fire-safety standards, and so on.
I’m not disagreeing but a lot of those examples result from a lightly regulated society. Living here in Thailand feels remarkably free compared to life in the US. Of course personal responsibility is important. It’s a question of values and trade offs.
I used to follow your channel when I had friends living in Cuenca and was considering retirement there. I too was a Coloradan and after 40+ years in the mountains I felt I wanted some tropical beach time. I have fairly low income not much more than the numbers you are talking about. I’ve spent lots of time in Mexico and love it there, but crime is a constant under lying issue there in some areas. And as you mentioned, costs are skyrocketing in Mexico for visas. I then spent 6 months in the Philippines. In the Philippines you can get a tourist visa and renew every few months. After 3 years on extensions you must exit the country for 24 hours. Shampoo, rinse, repeat, good for another 3 years…. Not a lover of the foods there, there is also a fair amount of crime in and out of the cities. And if you need health care there good luck unless you’re minutes away from a major hospital in Manila or Iloilo City. I am currently in Thailand and enjoying myself on a relatively low budget. The food is wonderful, cost of housing is extremely reasonable, the only real criminal element comes from foreigners. Due to the Buddhist culture and the belief of Karma ,theft and violent crime is super low. The medical care here is 2nd to none, just top shelf…!!! Visa costs are a little on the high side, but if you balance the pros and cons…. not a bad overall choice.
@@KP99 Many here in Thailand only speak their native tongue And can get along. I Will start taking Thai languages lessons soon to enhance my rxperience here …..
I live in Mexico and it has become very expensive down here with the super pesos constantly raising in value and higher inflation. And the visas requirements are now unachievable for most.
Agreed - when I watch expat videos about what folks are paying for basic groceries and thinking it's cheap, I'm like "Eek. That is more than we're paying up here." Certainly not in every case and the country is so vast it certainly varies on price and availability, but your point is very well made.
Albania is not as cheap as it was two years ago. I spent last summer on the coast there and spent about the same as I do in Bucharest. Still less than $1600 a month for a couple! It is also pretty dirty and hot in the summer. I love the country, especially the nature and history, but it is somewhere that you need to visit first before deciding if it is for you
9 месяцев назад+6
I spent a month there recently and I completely agree with your comment
In the Philippines there is no “three year” visa. You can renew a regular tourist visa periodically and you don’t have to leave until 3 years are up. I did that in 2019. After that I got a permanent resident by marriage visa (13-A). If you want to find that on the bureau of immigration site look for tourist visa renewal not visa type. There is no requirement to return to your home country. There is no time limit to remain outside the Philippines. I got a super budget round trip ticket to Taipei and got right back on the plane after 4 hours. You still need an additional ticket to exit the Philippines just like going there for the first time.
I have been visiting Philippines for decades so I'm hardly objective. To me, there are 3 'parts' - the northern peninsula has Bagiuo City, with snowy mountains, beautiful terrain, friendly locals, a great variety of northern P.I cuisine. Then there's Manila. Ugh. A massive, sprawling big city. Ugh. But it has all the advantages, too - far superior healthcare for retirees, large ethnic areas and ex-pat groups. And it's the center of all travel - everyone gets to know a bit of Manila. Then there's the middle of the country - Cebu, etc. - with great island hopping adventures. AND piracy-at-sea. I no longer go there to sail because of that threat. But Cebu is a big city with most resources.
Here's the secret to the Sarawak option. Get in using their version and you can use it to live on mainland Malaysia. You just have to come back to Sarawak a couple weeks a year.
One issue with Malaysia is they've changed the terms of their visa program several times since suspending MM2H in 2022 and the approval process has been transferred back and forth from immigration and tourism departments. I know people who waited for a year to get approved, only to have their application denied or terms changed. Also, why would anyone deposit $100K into a Malaysian bank and forego interest rate growth from high yield savings accounts, stock market or real estate investments in the US?
I am not sure what is in the mind of the legislators in Malaysia with regard to retirement immigration. I assume that such immigration is a boom to the economy but perhaps there are other considerations. Malaysia seems like a great country to retire in or spend a lot of time in.
@vanhalen45 I've talked to expat lawyers. Several have remarked that the economic power of immigrants is not as important to a country as most immigrants estimate. To put it another way ,they really don't want us or care about us.
Absolutely correct: they've moved the goal posts in an attempt to attract wealthy foreigners and instead just hurt themselves. They also have a high income requirement along with expensive required health insurance. Some of the steeper requirements came after COVID requirements were relaxed and it's as though they're trying to make up for lost income during that time period. Pity: Penang would be at the top of my list if there were reasonable requirements.
Vietnam gives you 90 days, Thailand , gives you 90 days, Malaysia gives you 90 days , then go to Cambodia or Indonesia. Or both for 90 more. Lather , rinse , repeat. All short flights. All very affordable. Just pack light. You’re gonna be wearing shorts and tshirts and flip flops. One suitcase. One backpack. That’s all you need. Rent. Don’t buy. SE Asia has real value. It’s safe. Good medical care that’s affordable either in the country you’re in or a short flight to Thailand , Malaysia or Singapore. Call it slow travel or whatever. You just have to keep moving if you don’t want to deal with all the rules to get the retirement visa. For me that’s good anyway. Thailand is great. Fun. Beautiful women. Party vibe. And all that. But Malaysia is very cool as well. Completely different and it’s right near door. English speaking. Kuala Lumpur is a great city to visit. Different kind of nightlife. But still fun. Very conservative compared to Thailand. I’m in Thailand now. My time is running out here. Gonna pack up the condo and check out Vietnam next. Da Nang and Na Trang areas first. I’ve heard you can keep renewing the 90 day e visa. Also have heard you can just keep renewing the 30 day visa on arrival or whatever. You just gotta keep moving. Since Covid and with the rise of remote work/digital nomad these countries frankly do not want Americans scraping by on social security. They want wealthy people who did well with 401ks and all that. So if youre blue collar like me you got to keep moving. Which I don’t mind doing.
I like the way you think. Honest and to the point. 401k wealth means that an American stuck to a job and contributed like hell. Of course, many retirees get by on just SS payments... maybe enough to have a better life in a place like Phils or Vietnem or Cambodia. Part of me really wants to wish that all Americans and others had enough resources in retirement. Keep on moving.
Thailand's geriatric medical care is way overrated. Long wait times, poor medical education and very limited awareness of pharmaceuticals. Thai's medical system consistently is GIVEN high marks but I don't know why. PATIENTS don't claim it to be 'high' either.
Two years ago we have retired to Bulgaria with my wife and two cats and live quite lavishly on 1,800 USD per month. So if we are talking about $1,000 budget per family it is a stretch, but for $1,000 per person - your are getting incredible lifestyle in one of the safest EU countries that is a NATO, EU, and Schengen-zone member. Bulgaria provides a specific retirement visa. Internet here is all fiberoptic and actually is much faster and more reliable than we had in US. We heard a lot about southern part of Albania (Saranda) and are going to check it out next month. We love a 1-year visa for Americans in Albania, but not sure we will be happy in a country which is not EU or NATO member and where you must mostly pay cash because CC are not widely accepted. Everybody is different and is looking for different things in their retirement. I like swimming in a warm water, so we have seriously considered retiring to Cozumel, or to Costa Rica, or to Ecuador, or to Thailand, or to Malaysia, or to Indonesia. But we found a place that better fits that (swimming) and visa requirements and/or our budget. Here we can swim in a crystal clear sea water (not as turquoise as in Saranda, Albania or in Ko Samui, Thailand, but still very nice) for 4 months, and for the rest of the year in a swimming pool with warm mineral (smell-free and healing) water that are located in our condo complex and is free for residents, or in one of the spa centers located nearby. There is no absolutely perfect place on the earth, especially if you have $1,000 per month limitation, but so far we are quite satisfied about our decision to retire cheap to Europe
You really don’t need to live in a gated community to feel yourself 100% safe in Bulgaria or other Balkan countries like Greece, Croatia, Romania or Albania. Extremely safe, beautiful and friendly countries. Some of them also extremely affordable. Unfortunately some of the Western Europe countries now looks more like Afghanistan or Iraq, but Eastern European countries are completely different
Hello! It depends on your situation. If it is for a retirement then two Bulgarian riviera cities, first is Varna (especially nice is upscale suburb and resort called Saints Constantine and Helena), and second is Burgas (also two neighboring cities Pomorie and Nesebar are very nice). If you are looking for potential business and employment than the best are: capital and the largest city Sofia, or second largest city Plovdiv. If you like colder winters with excellent skiing slopes then look at city Bansko. Each of the cities are very safe, provides excellent connectivity, private English-speaking schools, but most of the best private hospitals are in capital Sofia. If you are looking for the best international flights connections then again Sofia is the best with Varna coming in a distant second place
@@mactravel112 I already have a baseline of Spanish and I don’t want to be on that side of the world. Besides I lived in Florida for a decade. Heat and humidity is not a good combo for my issues. I can deal with rain as long as it’s not oppressive heat. I’m more after elevation and a predictable weather pattern.
@@TheRockInnRobin I'm similar with a very good baseline in Spanish, Mexican permanent residency and a home, but overall the more time I spend in SE Asia, the more I understand they have a higher quality of life. There is a lot to love about central and south america though.
Love your channel. I live in Philippines comfortably on less than $1000/month but I do own my own home. I live a good life, eat well (away from any tourist areas and expat hotspots) Visas are fairly easy to get and there is good healthcare available in Manila. I think you can qualify for the SRRV for $10,000 now. English isn't widely spoken in the province though, I speak enough Tagalog. I have residency it requires a "check-in" once a year and a small fee like $20 but you have to pay to leave!!! They are always changing the tourist visa requirements, you used to have to renew it every 2 months and leave every year. I think you can get 6 months now and leave every two years as a tourist. I know people who have been here 20 years on tourist visas. The SRRV Visa is actually better than the 13A spousal visa as I don't think you have to pay to leave. I like your channel as you guys dared to "look behind the curtain" and see the USA for what it is and you had the balls to leave. A lot don't even see it. The wage slaves living in the rat-race and healthcare hostages. Good job.
Thanks for sharing! I prefer to call it a hamster wheel because rat race implies you have a chance of winning. It felt more like we were running around in circles and not going anywhere. If we had stayed, I would have needed to go back to corporate to get health insurance and been another healthcare hostage. We’re so glad we chose a more unconventional life! 🥳
@@AmeliaAndJP I hear you loud and clear. Healthcare was the #1 reason I left the USA, closely followed by extortionate property taxes and the general cost of living. Ironically the lack of freedom in "Land of the Free" was also high on my list. You need a license to go to the bathroom there and insurance in case someone smells it. The least free country I have ever visited actually.
@@johnyoungieyoung123 What other countries have you visited, that are also more free than the US? I genuinely am curious. Living in the US, we sometimes assume it's the land of the free, but maybe we're so used to all the regulations that are meant for the common good, that we actually don't realize that all those regulations make us much less free.
have you ever considered Argentina? We were there a little more than a year ago and loved it. The cost of living was extremely low and the people were really nice. they have a variety of visas, including the digital nomad and I believe a pensionado visa. The cost of living for them is really high right now due to the devaluation of their peso, but for us, it makes the cost of living less due to the strength of the dollar. More Americans coming down there, even for tourism, would help these people a lot.
The quality of health care in the Philippines varies from good to substandard.....or less. Always choose a place that is close to good healthcare, which is mostly in a big city. We have a winter home on Cebu Island and get our healthcare in Cebu city, over a million people.
Lucky you heading to Cambodia! You will love Siem Reip with Angkor Wat (jaw dropping) and other nearby temples. The Cambodian people are so welcoming, and the food is terrific!
My wife and I spent most of this winter in Portugal and I can't see living there on ~1000 Euros/month, and not even close in Lisbon. Which is sad when you look at average incomes of people there - the cost of living is quickly becoming a real burden on locals. If you were a couple and had an income of 1000Euros each, then it might be doable, but you'd be scraping by.
2:05 I thought it depends on which consulate you go to. At the New Orleans consulate, the monthly minimum income requirement was $3,737 as of January 2024.
Thanks guys! I do want to "slow travel" for a while, but eventually WE ALL have to have a place to "retire" and live long term. I don't want to have to do a visa run or continue to country hop after 70. Any chance you could do a review of affordable countries that have: 1) retirement/senior homes for people that need to be taken care of (dementia, etc.) AND 2) good affordable medical care (so affordable medical insurance since U.S. Medicare doesn't cover retirees in other countries)? So many Americans won't be able to afford to be in a quality home here in the U.S. (why do we "warehouse" older people here?).
These folks give an excellant, classy, informed introduction . Now , do your homework , and get moving . There's a whole different life out there , away from your home country . Gentrification is real , and when it comes to spending your own money, you best learn how slow travel is done. Put your passport on the table , in sight all the time . Then use it ! I think asking someone to provide all the details for you is a sign of being stuck in your own culture to long. Break that habit, and work out of that type life. You have the ability, to study on everything , and make it come true for yourself . The long term expats do not engage on these platforms . They are living totally different lives, than you imagine when you are stuck to your own countries, and the idiot beliefs of your countrymen. Break out !
@@garthkelly1668 I would love to, but my mother has early onset Dementia and I am the only caregiver...so I need to gather as much information before I can spend time away from caring for her. I'm not financially in the position of hiring caregivers here in the U.S.
You might try checking on the costs, since my opinion is that health insurance simply is not worth it overseas (provided that one has at least 10K USD set aside as an emergency fund). In fact, not the time now, but when the time does come I am going to decline Medicare part B. The $174/mo will instead go into a high yield savings account (add-on(s) to my emergency fund). How much do you have for your mom? Since she might live in the PI for 1K/mo. The one soul here will not like it, but check out Vagabond Awake's: Cost of Assisted Living in the Philippines. Dan's latest vid is on cancer treatment. His guest was treated for cancer in Viet Nam (less than $5K). The vid is: Health Insurance Vietnam Cancer Cure Costs Dan makes the same point that I did aka no insurance for pre-existing conditions, your deductible (his was $10K, he says), etc. I have a slightly elevated BP, cue indapamide, and am taking a statin as well, and so no coverage for heart attack or stroke, and so what's the point? Can have cancer treatment in Da Nang for less than $5K. Humans in the US well and truly need to grasp that the cost of our medical care is obscene. Is a vid somewhere here on RUclips re the fella in Thailand who had an accident, cue doctor visit, to include an MRI, and his total cost was the cost in the US for a radiologist reading the MRI (a few hundred dollars). Lastly, as Dan's guest relates, he was treated at a public hospital. If you want to know private costs, try Googling, Hospital charges at Vinmec Nha Trang. Vinmec is a private chain with hospitals in Saigon, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hanoi, etc. Picture having a stroke. ER observation = 1.6 mil dong (1-4 hours), a week in the neuro ICU at 7 mil dong a day/night (includes med care and meals), and then a week in the regular ward (your very own private VIP room) at 5 mil dong a day/night, again, med care and meals included. So that's 85.6 mil dong, or 3373.73 USD. Or you might simply try using an online estimator and compare the cost of insurance with US included versus US excluded. And, sorry, but up the cost for a stroke by another 1.8 mil dong (the emergency medical examination)($70.95). To be safe, let's make it 4K USD. Then add on what Vinmec does not do, which is the post-hospital occupational and physical rehab. Again, to be safe, perhaps another $1K USD. So can pay for all of your post-stroke care for $5K. Then a few months later another $5K for your cancer treatment. The a few months after that another $5K for your heart attack. So 15K takes care of cancer, heart attack and stroke. That's not even the cost of a half-day for the ER visit and time in the neuro ICU here in the US. And I know since in 2020 I had a left ACA stroke. Taken to Queen's (HNL) and transferred to my provider's hospital (Kaiser Moanalua). Was at Queen's right around 12 PM on a Friday and then transferred the next night (Saturday) around 8 PM. Kaiser paid for most of the charges, but I know owing to Queen's sending me a bill for just over $63K, with Kaiser paying for all but $270-some dollars, which I paid. For all in the US, try checking on your copays even with Medicare, see how many days it is for you to be hospitalized, then you start paying, then a bit later on, you start paying 100%. Trust me, there are more than enough humans who have all the Medicare available who still end up with a medical bankruptcy. Now well and truly lastly, you don't know me from Adam but you can see my name. If I ever get dementia can you do me a solid and put two large caliber rounds into my brainstem? My own mom was just starting that journey when she had her MCA stroke (she lived another 3.5 months). Not speaking for your mom and you, only me, but when it gets to the point where I stop remembering who I am, who my family and friends are, then time to check out of the net, as it were (I'd do it myself but I might forget). Take care my new friend and tell your mom that crazy Paul from HNL says hello.
Absolutely right about the importance of easy and long visas. I lived for years abroad and the whole hassle of visas, the capriciousness of those deciding your future, it’s too stressful. Glad I had Irish grandparents, wink, wink. Makes Europe, even the UK the place to look.
I am in the Philippines. The rule for Americans, western countries, and some other countries. Visa upon Arrival for 30 days, then 29 days. After that, you can extend from 1, 2, or 6 months (6 months not guaranteed) up to a total of 3 years. The reason you don't see it on the government website is on a tourist visa, the LIMIT is 3 years. You must do a visa run at the end of the 3 years. I have been here almost 2 years, thus far.
The slow travel option expands the list of potential countries enormously. House sitting is one approach that can make otherwise expensive countries very affordable.
Can't wait to hear your reports on these countries when you visit. I've got my eye on the Philippines! Thank you thank you thank you for your awesome videos.
Thailand has introduced a new tax law directed at foreigners, which is driving foreigners out, and I know many of them are moving to nearby Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Bali.
I won’t call these countries “cheapest”. Real cheapest are African, in Western Hemisphere it’s Bolivia, Nicaragua, Haiti (but don’t go there), Paraguay. ... also Vietnam (you’re right), Sri Lanka, Venezuela. Argentina is also pretty cheap.
Considering the great variety if low cost towns across Europe, I was surprised that only Albania and Portugal were included. Also, even you guys mentioned the income requirement tightening for the D7 so it is a wonder that Portugal is still an option. What about Bulgaria, which some information out there claims is the cheapest and best option in Europe to live?
I have two big problems with most of these countries. First are the temperatures (and humidity) in most of these countries. My second issue is how difficult it is to learn the languages that are commonly used in each country.. Spanish is relatively easy, but when you get to Thai (a tonal language) it's way above my abilities.
I've been living in Chiangmai Thailand for 8 years now and do not speak Thai. It's not a problem 👌. Also, Chiangmai is pretty low humidity most of the year and 6 or 7 months it's not hot. If you live in a tropical country, there's no heat bill. I'm from KCMO, and summers here aren't as bad as the Midwest summers. I LOVE ❤️ THAILAND 🇹🇭
No need to speak Thai if you move to the expat havens. You will find English speakers everywhere in those places. Not high level speakers usually but good enough. Websites for everything you need will have English versions. Countries often have cooler weather areas. Philippines has Baguio. Malaysia has highlands. Mexico has the mild weather colonial interior.
@DavidWilliams-qr5yj I've been going to Chiang Mai for 2-3 months during USA winter months for 20 years. The Major problem is the smoky season now extends for December through March with the aqi frequently in the unhealthy zone. I got rid of my stuff and won't go back. If you look at the NASA fire maps you'll see it's a regional problem unlikely to be solved in my lifetime.
@LawrenceStevens01 yea yea yea ,we travel during March and April. For 8 years we enjoy living there. My Thai inlaws are in their 80's and healthy. My Brother a non smoker is dieing of lung cancer living all his life inKCMO He is 71 years. Sorry you don't like Chiangmai but thousands of us do. And we understand your concerns. Also see lots of smokers and lots of Obesity complaining about smoky air. So to each his own. We own 4 condos and 2 houses for rent. As real estate investors and our properties are occupied all year long.
I got my permanent resident visa in October 2023. I had to show an overall savings and investments of $310,000 CAD total. I believe it's up $100k from that for 2024. You can get a temp. res. visa that is much much cheaper and you have to renew after 1 year and you can renew for 4 years and get your perm. res. visa after that without the bigger number savings income requirements. I just got back from Mexico and it was 40-50% more expensive than it was just 4 years ago. I don't know if I can retire there until I start collecting CPP and OAS.
Thanks for the informative video. I was surprised to see Albania on your “consider” list. Having visited Albania and over forty other countries, I would consider Albania to be a developing country with a challenging language and a wildly varying culture. We found truly wonderful, warm, and helpful people during our stay but often strong distrust and even distaste for foreigners. We were nakedly charged 10x local prices, had rocks thrown at our vehicle twice while driving through a town (German plates), which caused $1,000 in damage, and were occasionally completely ignored in service interactions. If you have a sense of adventure and put in the effort, I’m sure you can make it work but I would take Ecuador or Peru well before considering Albania.
We’ve been in Albania for over 2 months. Mostly in Tirana. It feels very similar to Ecuador in our opinion. The service isn’t great whether you’re a foreigner or not. It’s the downside of a non-tipping culture. And gringo pricing can happen. Outside Tirana it’s much more like you described.
So glad to hear you are enjoying Tirana! I hadn’t realized that’s where you were lately (sorry if I missed that 😊). Your information on Albania is much more up to date than mine and I trust your judgement so I’ll have to give it another go. We spent most of our time in Berat and Gjirokaster a few years ago but not Tirana so happy things seem much better there. BTW - loved your video on Andalucia as we just came through Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, and Ronda in the last 10 days. Thanks for all the great content and perspectives!
I always scroll past any video regarding retiring for less than $1K. Thanks you for proving legit information. BTW, Thailand is amazing. I have been there multiple times and I never get tired of it. The north is my favorite area, but the south is where some of the most amazing beaches are.
Philippines: You can renew the Tourist Visa, multiple times for 60 Days, for a total stay of Three years. I'm headed over Cebu City [IT or Business Park Area] in October or November for a Six to Eight Month post-Retirement Vacation. The Retirement Visa with a $10k USD Deposit towards a Condo does appeal to me.
Thank you for sharing your info. If you come to Thailand and Cambodia, please don't forget to visit a tiny laid-back country "Laos" one of the most beautiful landscapes in Southeast Asia, much more affordable cost of living & less crowded.
I lived in Malaysia for 4 years on a tourist visa and just kept exiting to Singapore, and Thailand until immigration told me I couldn't keep doing that. Malaysia always have my heart. I had my daughter there. The healthcare is the best. I lived in a gated community and paid only 300 USD for rent 4Br 3 bath Gated Townhome. I miss Malaysia
Lot people have "retired" to the Philippines on a tourist visa, renewing it every 60 days until they reach a 3-year limit, then they do a visa run and restart the process. Avoids the financial and background check requirements, which I suspect many of them cannot pass.
Thank you for another great video. But why Ecuador is no longer on your list? You made quite a few videos showing the cost of living there in the past, and 2 people can live well in Ecuador on 2K per month.
The retirement visa income requirement is currently $1380/mo and expected to increase again next year. We only included countries that required $1K or less for the retiree visa because that was the premise of the original article.
Peru has changed their tourist visa, now if you're from North America you MIGHT get 180 days visa free, or not. It's up to the immigration officer. Also, if you DO stay for 180 days, you're considered a resident for tax purposes---and you have to leave for the next 180 days. But Miraflores and Barranco are very nice and you should hang out there, plus the food is great! You just can't border hop there no mo.
@@marcd1981Yes. I sure hope some positive changes are in sight for these two countries - especially Ecuador which definitely is and, always was, my number one.... Hope is green 💚💚💚
@@Jetmab04I would have loved to retire in Ecuador. I had plans originally from back in the 1990's that I was going to retire there. Unfortunately, life didn't go well and I figured Ecuador was off.
marcd, I live in Peru and there is ZERO cartels causing troubles here. You are confusing Peru with Colombia . Peru has drug zones but so far from civilization, Very deep in the jungle. No cartels shooting each other in cities as in Mexico, Ecuador or Colombia.
Good information in the video. Finally glad to see other countries such as Philippines, Cambodia and Albania included. Looking forward to your visits in those countries. Countries change their visa requirements so often that the slow travel is starting to make sense. They should stabilize retirement visas. I watched the slow travel video. Hope to see more videos about slow travel.
@@AmeliaAndJP I'm excited to hear you have plans to travel to the Philippines in the future. A number of people have given you the correct information on a tourist visa being extendable for up to 3 years without leaving the country. My wife ( a former Filipino citizen) and I were given what is commonly called a Balikbayan visa which is good for 1 year when we visited last September and there are several variations as you mentioned on a retirement visa also worth considering. The real purpose of my comment, however, is to predict that you will be quite impressed with the friendliness and kindness of the Philippine people on your visit- I have never had a greater experience than I had spending time with them. I hope you have a great time on your visit.
I planned to live in Thailand for 1-2 years until I could start pulling Social Security, but instead I went there for 2 months (early 2022) and then continued traveling around the world. I then went back to work for 1.5 years & now have retired for good. You can really live in Chiang Mai, Thailand (I think in Chiang Rai too) for $1000 a month (or even less) and have quite a nice life. After 1 month on the auto entry visa, I went to the visa office and easily got it extended. If I decide to go back there longer term, I wouldn't mind a bit taking a quick, cheap flight to Siem Reap, Kuala Lumpur, etc. for a short visit every couple of months.
The Philippines also has a special visa for retired military as well. The SSRV. As retired military the cost of the Visa drops to $1500 dollars with an annual renewal of only about 100 pesos.
I do not usually comment on your wonderful videos, but I must recommend this one. Love the flow and specific facts you provide. I am looking at Manila, Philippines as a base of operations for retirement. From there the world of opportunities in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam open up. Great work and best to you both.
I've been in the Philippines for two years now. You can extent your tourist visa up to 3 years, but at present the extensions are only 1 or 2 months at a time.
There is no 3yr tourist visa in the Philippines. Once you enter you can however continue to extend your tourist visa for up to 3yrs. The longest extension is 6 months but you don't always get that long. Common extensions are 2 months so you will be frequently extending your tourist visa. At the end of 3yrs just leave for 24 hrs and re-enter and start all over again. Some expats have stayed in the Philippines for up to 20 yrs by extending their tourist visa's.
Thanks guys. With Ecuador now taxing US Social Security, I'm looking at Peru. I lived there many years ago, and it's doable if you know where to go in Lima, Arequipa, or Cuzco. Sad what's happening in Ecuador. Taxing the gringos will dry up investment and harm their economy.
Buenas tardes, qué quieres decir con que los gringos gravan en Ecuador? Te refieres a que si cobran pensión pagan impuestos en Ecuador? Por favor aclárame esto porque hemos pensado en Ecuador para vivir
Touring is one thing, living there is quite another. My wife and I had plans to retire in Panama, and had a week long tour planned last year. However, after the latest changes in Panama, we have changed our minds. The biggest issue we see is the drought conditions there. The canal has been running at about 1/3 capacity as the fresh water lake used ti fill the locks is drying up. This means drinking water for the country is drying up as well. There is also a lot of political turmoil right now, and we were getting worried about the cartels moving their drugs through Central America right now. Costa Rica has had problems with this already, and Ecuador (our #2 choice to retire) has been devastated by the cartels infiltrating government positions, and the coastal cities have become deadly at the ports.
@@marcd1981 Things in Ecuador are improving very quickly, it was more dangerous a few years ago when the previous government didn't do anything, the new government has imprisoned over 7,000 gang members and is taking corrupt officials either directly to jail, court or finding them with the Interpol. If the country was not on fire and people were able to lead normal lives back then, it is much better today. News in English about Ecuador are either old, are using outdated information, are very sensationalized or plain wrong. I am more worried about living in the US where kids can get shot in schools anywhere in the country, which would be extremely unusual in Ecuador, US news makes it seem like everywhere is dangerous when many cities here are worse than anywhere else in the world (San Francisco tent cities😢) doesn't even compare.
@@LiMuBaiThank you for your reply. I understand there have been changes made with the new president, but I think it will take more time to know how new policies are working. And no one knows if Noboa will be president in a year and a half, as that is when the next election will be.
Thank you for the video, Amelia and JP. I have seen several places to retire lists that have Vietnam on them, but never checked into it. That is very strange it seems to be so highly recommended when there is no retirement Visa there.
Thousands of expats live in the Philippines on the tourist visa that you can keep extending legally up to 3 years. I'm on a Facebook group for PH expats and I hear daily stories of people doing that. They don't call it 3 year tourist visa, but effectively it is since you do not need to leave the country for up to 3 years by doing these 30 to 60 day extensions (for a fee).
From what I heard about Vietnam I don't think you can rely on coming and going to reset tourist visa. And they do provide working visa like if you are an English teacher hired by school
I posted on your other video by mistake. I want to recommend you to take 6 weeks to travel upper and West and South England by train and bus. Bath was only tourist crowded city.
Philippines isn't a 3 year visa, it is that you can do those extension for up to 36 months. First is 30 days, first extension can be 60 days after that I'm not sure how often you go. Either way this is an extra cost as well as your time for every extension application.
Helpful video - with regard to the Philippines, I believe you can simply continue to extend your tourist visa up until you've been there three years. At that point you much leave but you can come back after as little as one day and reset the clock.
I'm living in the Philippines on the SRRV Classic Visa. I am looking forward to your visit and the following videos. If you have any questions, look me up!
The Philippines you can keep extending the tourist visa up to 3 years you can’t get 3 years all at once. After 3 years you have to leave and then you can come back and start it all over again.
My understanding is that Sarawak Malaysia in addition to the requirements for long term visa you listed also has a requirement for a Fixed Bank Deposit; 150,000 MYR for individuals or 300,000 MYR for couples.
Hi, I always enjoy watching your videos. I am from the US. I am very interested in moving to Albania, but continue to see different amounts for financial requirements in retiring there?? 120,000 Lek which comes to over 1300 usd monthly from what I have found. Could you please tell me where you are getting your info. Thank you so much! Have a nice day!!
You can live in the Philippines like I do just getting two months extensions at the immigration department. I live in the Philippines like that. I also live in Portugal on my 3 month visa allowances. I will eventually apply for the D7 visa and make that my base. Spending the winters in Portugal
I live in the Philippines as a 35 year old who works remotely in cybersecurity. I think the issue with all these “can you retire on $1,000 a month” videos is that many people don’t actually break it all down. $1,000 a month in most places isn’t really “living”… it’s “surviving”. Oftentimes you’re living in a small space with a much lower quality of life than in the west. People are here living in the province, in a house that isn’t even sealed, eating low quality food… basically doing nothing all day… Then they say “you can live in the Philippines for less than $1,000 a month”… Or you’ll have expats say they’re “living like kings”… But don’t mention that they’re in a 30 sqm condo. Kings aren’t living in places like that. Also, healthcare here is pretty bad. There are a handful of private hospitals, mostly in the metro Manila area, that are pretty good. Not cheap though. My wife gave birth at the Medical City Ortigas and we paid $6,700 out of pocket. Not terrible, but a bit more than I would have paid in the US with my insurance. As for the 3 year tourist visa… Yes, this is common. You get a 30 day tourist visa. You do an initial extension for 30 days. You’re then allowed to extend another 60 days. From there, you can extend for 6 months at a time… Up to a maximum of 3 years without leaving the country. You leave, you start this process over. Really, this is just a way to get money from expats, but hey, just like everything in the Philippines, money can get you anything… even up to a 3 year continuous stay
I totally agree with you. Now if you are an expat working remotely, earning a US salary with no debt at home, and living in a country like mine, Nicaragua, you would live like a king. With a $1,000, I'd be scrapping by.
FINALLY!!! A reality list! I recommend you remember that some folks don’t have the minimum 10k in the bank to qualify for a visa. so for those who are economically needy and barely meet the 1k per month, even 10k as a deposit may not be doable. That’s why they are leaving the U.S., to save money and live.
In Vietnam there are companies who will do your border run for you and it only cost $100.00 a month. If you live in Da Nang it's a three hour drive one way. And it takes about 45 minutes to cross the border and come back in.
*Special info for US Veterans retiring to the Philippines.* We get a special class of retirement visa. "SRRV Expanded Courtesy" if you area a RETIRED MILITARY OFFICER. I don't know if that means retired from the military but the "officer" part is for sure. The amount of your deposit into a Philippine bank is only $1,500. The other factor -- *the Philippines has the only VA Clinic outside the US, "Manila VA Outpatient Clinic."* It's a clinic NOT a hospital. You can get all your medicine mailed to you anywhere in the Philippines and they have a limited number of Doctors you can see in house. *You can get reimbursed for all care (depending on what level of care you are eligible for), but there are between 10 and 20 hospitals that do directly bill the VA.* Also note that if you get your care from the Manila clinic -- and that can mean one visit a year -- you will maintain your VA eligibility in the US as well should you ever return. See both the VA website and the clinics own website for further information.
Thailand is definitely yes on 1000 a month Vietnam will be extending to 90 days that is the rumor but still you have to get a visa to go to Vietnam. The food in both is excellent Cambodia imports a good amount of produce from both countries Malaysia also imports a lot of its food from Thailand .Food is a lot more affordable and better quality everywhere in Southeast Asia. Like you said about Malaysia Sabah and Sarawak is easier and cheaper then mainland Malaysia to get the visa they give you a special visa to go there last time I went before covid.
Before I left Thailand in January there was talk about Thailand taxing money transferred into the country. Don't know the current status. It seems to me that fewer countries desire low income foreigners moving into their country for extended periods.
The topic here is living on $1,000/mo which generally means (for US citizens) living off of Social Security. There is a dual tax treaty between Thailand and the US and Thailand won’t tax Social Security even with the new rules.
@@martypoll When I left, your interpretation of the Thai law wasn’t clear. Many people are hoping you’re right. The Thai government is searching for new revenue sources due to the poor state of the economy. The expat community is a tempting target like in Portugal.
@@LawrenceStevens01 Or they are closing a loophole for Thai businesses avoiding taxes on overseas earnings. I don’t think this is specifically targeted towards expats though there may be collateral effects. There aren’t enough of us to contribute any significant funds to the economy through taxes. Foreign income contributing to the economy comes from tourism.
A question that I have is: in the event of a medical emergency are there concerns with communication if the people attending to you aren't fluent in English?
I live in rural Thailand. If you live in an popular expat area you can expect local medical staff to have learn enough English to ask about medical issues but you aren’t going to be having an extended conversation. Once in a hospital you will find someone who speaks English. I’m not so sure about the people working in an ambulance. In the end though a language barrier is a barrier.
Hi Amelia and JP. Thank you for this wonderful informative video and I really am excited to see you guys visiting the Philippines. ❤ I bet the food is heavenly there, environment, and such a beautiful culture.
Many people are struggling with retirement, and it’s becoming even harder for workers to save due to low wages, rising inflation, and the burden of high rents. Middle-class Americans are also finding it increasingly difficult to own homes, leaving them without a place to retire to.
The amount you need for a visa in Mexico varies from consulate to consulate. In Raleigh, NC for 2024 it’s $2,200. Other consulates go up to $4,500. Odd but true.
![8 Reasons Why Americans LEAVE Costa Rica [Why I Left]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cbGMngGx2xk/mqdefault.jpg)
I've lived in Thailand for 11 months now. Entered on a 30-day tourist visa and immediately hired a Visa Agent for a retirement "O" visa.
Yes, you can live here on $1000/mo as a single person.
* I avoid commenting, but you two are so helpful and you requested help.❤
Thanks!
Welcome to Thailand, I've been here 8 years, and it's great.
You Can not Live in Thailand on $1000.00 per month. You can only exist
The flights look so expensive these days to test out some areas. Any tips?
@@SheepSociety sounds like u need to work some more and save. 😞
I recently traveled to my home country, Nicaragua, after 8 years. With $1,000 you will be merely surviving. It used to be that 1K would go a long way, not anymore. You won't find a nice apartment or house in a good neighborhood for less than $300. Add utilities, food, and cell service. In addition, you will need a car because public transportation sucks unless you live in a city like Granada and walk most places. Not to mention a gallon of regular gasoline is almost $5. It is cheaper than most large US cities and with 2K a month is doable. Living in a poor country like mine with $1,000 or less doesn't seem attainable.
That is super sad to hear; thank you for sharing that and I'm so sorry. I can imagine how disappointed I'd be if I were in your shoes. That does surprise me, having some experience from that area in earlier years. You make excellent points about how you need that infrastructure in order to not bleed out in terms of daily nickel and dime costs.
Ijust turned 44 and realized I haven't done much to prepare for healthcare costs in retirement. With rising medical expenses, I'm starting to worry about how to manage those expenses later in life. My goal is to retire by 55, but I feel behind when it comes to planning for healthcare
Healthcare costs in retirement are no joke. It's one of the biggest challenges retirees face today. Balancing your savings while accounting for potential medical expenses is crucial. I think consulting with a professional could help ensure you're factoring these costs into your retirement plan
Absolutely agree. I learned the hard way during the early pandemic when unexpected healthcare expenses wiped out a good chunk of my savings.
Now I'm semi-retired, working part-time, and trying to rebuild my financial safety net while planning for future medical needs
Thanks for sharing your story. I've been trying to figure this out on my own, but it's overwhelming. Do you have any suggestions for a reliable financial advisor who can guide me on incorporating healthcare costs into my retirement strategy?
I've worked with Joseph Nick Cahill before, and he's been fantastic. He showed me how to budget for long-term healthcare needs without sacrificing my retirement goals. His practical approach makes navigating these complex issues much easier
I appreciate this. After curiously searching his name online and reviewing his credentials, I'm quite impressed. l've contacted him as I could use all the help I can get. A call has been scheduled
Health care quality is a big problem with Cambodia. I would also point out that in all the countries in that region (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines...been to all of them) that while your risk of violent crime is low, you have a much higher risk than in developed western countries of stupid, ordinary accidents. Getting hit by a reckless motorcycle driver, slips & falls, car accidents, fires in places that aren't nearly up to western fire-safety standards, and so on.
I’m not disagreeing but a lot of those examples result from a lightly regulated society. Living here in Thailand feels remarkably free compared to life in the US. Of course personal responsibility is important. It’s a question of values and trade offs.
I used to follow your channel when I had friends living in Cuenca and was considering retirement there. I too was a Coloradan and after 40+ years in the mountains I felt I wanted some tropical beach time. I have fairly low income not much more than the numbers you are talking about. I’ve spent lots of time in Mexico and love it there, but crime is a constant under lying issue there in some areas. And as you mentioned, costs are skyrocketing in Mexico for visas. I then spent 6 months in the Philippines. In the Philippines you can get a tourist visa and renew every few months. After 3 years on extensions you must exit the country for 24 hours. Shampoo, rinse, repeat, good for another 3 years…. Not a lover of the foods there, there is also a fair amount of crime in and out of the cities. And if you need health care there good luck unless you’re minutes away from a major hospital in Manila or Iloilo City. I am currently in Thailand and enjoying myself on a relatively low budget. The food is wonderful, cost of housing is extremely reasonable, the only real criminal element comes from foreigners. Due to the Buddhist culture and the belief of Karma ,theft and violent crime is super low. The medical care here is 2nd to none, just top shelf…!!! Visa costs are a little on the high side, but if you balance the pros and cons…. not a bad overall choice.
@@jackeisman8029 How important is it to speak the language? Can you live a decent life if you only speak English?
@@KP99 Many here in Thailand only speak their native tongue And can get along. I Will start taking Thai languages lessons soon to enhance my rxperience here …..
If Cambodia health care is low. You can always go to Thailand for better health care.
I live in Mexico and it has become very expensive down here with the super pesos constantly raising in value and higher inflation. And the visas requirements are now unachievable for most.
that's true, the strength of peso relative to many currencies, is very strong. And the annual rise in financial requirements is quite extreme.
You need about 20000p to buy the regularization visas! I have lived here in Mx for 13 years. And am now priced out.
@PatJones-jz9rs I have thought about going to the South although I am from the West.
What about the crime rate in mexico ?
Agreed - when I watch expat videos about what folks are paying for basic groceries and thinking it's cheap, I'm like "Eek. That is more than we're paying up here." Certainly not in every case and the country is so vast it certainly varies on price and availability, but your point is very well made.
P.S. Big cities in Asia tend to be very polluted in my experience. Thanks again!!
Big cities anywhere are very polluted.
THANK YOU for reviewing from perspective of viable visa options, I am SO TIRED of lists that don't do that!!!!!
Albania was a suprising nice place to visit. And all of those coffee shops in Tirana
I think you two provide the most useful retiring/living abroad information out there.
Thanks!
Albania is not as cheap as it was two years ago. I spent last summer on the coast there and spent about the same as I do in Bucharest. Still less than $1600 a month for a couple! It is also pretty dirty and hot in the summer. I love the country, especially the nature and history, but it is somewhere that you need to visit first before deciding if it is for you
I spent a month there recently and I completely agree with your comment
In the Philippines there is no “three year” visa. You can renew a regular tourist visa periodically and you don’t have to leave until 3 years are up. I did that in 2019. After that I got a permanent resident by marriage visa (13-A). If you want to find that on the bureau of immigration site look for tourist visa renewal not visa type. There is no requirement to return to your home country. There is no time limit to remain outside the Philippines. I got a super budget round trip ticket to Taipei and got right back on the plane after 4 hours. You still need an additional ticket to exit the Philippines just like going there for the first time.
The Phillipines doesnthave a 3yr visa, but you can stay there for 3yrs by extending your tourist visa, then you have to leave for 24hrs.
I have been visiting Philippines for decades so I'm hardly objective. To me, there are 3 'parts' - the northern peninsula has Bagiuo City, with snowy mountains, beautiful terrain, friendly locals, a great variety of northern P.I cuisine. Then there's Manila. Ugh. A massive, sprawling big city. Ugh. But it has all the advantages, too - far superior healthcare for retirees, large ethnic areas and ex-pat groups. And it's the center of all travel - everyone gets to know a bit of Manila. Then there's the middle of the country - Cebu, etc. - with great island hopping adventures. AND piracy-at-sea. I no longer go there to sail because of that threat. But Cebu is a big city with most resources.
snowy mountains? @@emwa3600
Philippines retirement visa you're given a permanent resident visa and can stay until you surrender your visa.
Here's the secret to the Sarawak option. Get in using their version and you can use it to live on mainland Malaysia. You just have to come back to Sarawak a couple weeks a year.
One issue with Malaysia is they've changed the terms of their visa program several times since suspending MM2H in 2022 and the approval process has been transferred back and forth from immigration and tourism departments. I know people who waited for a year to get approved, only to have their application denied or terms changed. Also, why would anyone deposit $100K into a Malaysian bank and forego interest rate growth from high yield savings accounts, stock market or real estate investments in the US?
Yes Malaysia is off most people's list now a days.
I am not sure what is in the mind of the legislators in Malaysia with regard to retirement immigration. I assume that such immigration is a boom to the economy but perhaps there are other considerations. Malaysia seems like a great country to retire in or spend a lot of time in.
@vanhalen45 I've talked to expat lawyers. Several have remarked that the economic power of immigrants is not as important to a country as most immigrants estimate. To put it another way ,they really don't want us or care about us.
Absolutely correct: they've moved the goal posts in an attempt to attract wealthy foreigners and instead just hurt themselves. They also have a high income requirement along with expensive required health insurance. Some of the steeper requirements came after COVID requirements were relaxed and it's as though they're trying to make up for lost income during that time period. Pity: Penang would be at the top of my list if there were reasonable requirements.
Sadly they made it very difficult as I would have seriously considered moving there. So much better than Thailand in many ways.
Vietnam gives you 90 days, Thailand , gives you 90 days, Malaysia gives you 90 days , then go to Cambodia or Indonesia. Or both for 90 more. Lather , rinse , repeat. All short flights. All very affordable. Just pack light. You’re gonna be wearing shorts and tshirts and flip flops. One suitcase. One backpack. That’s all you need. Rent. Don’t buy. SE Asia has real value. It’s safe. Good medical care that’s affordable either in the country you’re in or a short flight to Thailand , Malaysia or Singapore.
Call it slow travel or whatever. You just have to keep moving if you don’t want to deal with all the rules to get the retirement visa. For me that’s good anyway. Thailand is great. Fun. Beautiful women. Party vibe. And all that. But Malaysia is very cool as well. Completely different and it’s right near door. English speaking. Kuala Lumpur is a great city to visit. Different kind of nightlife. But still fun. Very conservative compared to Thailand.
I’m in Thailand now. My time is running out here. Gonna pack up the condo and check out Vietnam next. Da Nang and Na Trang areas first. I’ve heard you can keep renewing the 90 day e visa. Also have heard you can just keep renewing the 30 day visa on arrival or whatever.
You just gotta keep moving. Since Covid and with the rise of remote work/digital nomad these countries frankly do not want Americans scraping by on social security. They want wealthy people who did well with 401ks and all that. So if youre blue collar like me you got to keep moving. Which I don’t mind doing.
I like the way you think. Honest and to the point. 401k wealth means that an American stuck to a job and contributed like hell. Of course, many retirees get by on just SS payments... maybe enough to have a better life in a place like Phils or Vietnem or Cambodia. Part of me really wants to wish that all Americans and others had enough resources in retirement. Keep on moving.
Very true! Amelia is already talking about doing slow travel for the next 3 years. When we started, she only agreed to 3 months! 😂
You are in the "Paradise Stage" .
@@vanhalen45 , I have been doing it since 2016, it is a great life. I love it , different places every month.
Thailand's geriatric medical care is way overrated. Long wait times, poor medical education and very limited awareness of pharmaceuticals. Thai's medical system consistently is GIVEN high marks but I don't know why. PATIENTS don't claim it to be 'high' either.
Two years ago we have retired to Bulgaria with my wife and two cats and live quite lavishly on 1,800 USD per month. So if we are talking about $1,000 budget per family it is a stretch, but for $1,000 per person - your are getting incredible lifestyle in one of the safest EU countries that is a NATO, EU, and Schengen-zone member. Bulgaria provides a specific retirement visa. Internet here is all fiberoptic and actually is much faster and more reliable than we had in US. We heard a lot about southern part of Albania (Saranda) and are going to check it out next month. We love a 1-year visa for Americans in Albania, but not sure we will be happy in a country which is not EU or NATO member and where you must mostly pay cash because CC are not widely accepted. Everybody is different and is looking for different things in their retirement. I like swimming in a warm water, so we have seriously considered retiring to Cozumel, or to Costa Rica, or to Ecuador, or to Thailand, or to Malaysia, or to Indonesia. But we found a place that better fits that (swimming) and visa requirements and/or our budget. Here we can swim in a crystal clear sea water (not as turquoise as in Saranda, Albania or in Ko Samui, Thailand, but still very nice) for 4 months, and for the rest of the year in a swimming pool with warm mineral (smell-free and healing) water that are located in our condo complex and is free for residents, or in one of the spa centers located nearby. There is no absolutely perfect place on the earth, especially if you have $1,000 per month limitation, but so far we are quite satisfied about our decision to retire cheap to Europe
Not my cup of tea
I'm looking for a gated expat community. Has that been your experience?
You really don’t need to live in a gated community to feel yourself 100% safe in Bulgaria or other Balkan countries like Greece, Croatia, Romania or Albania. Extremely safe, beautiful and friendly countries. Some of them also extremely affordable. Unfortunately some of the Western Europe countries now looks more like Afghanistan or Iraq, but Eastern European countries are completely different
@@Vladimir-jc9xx nice idea. Which cities or places in Bulgaria do you recommend to live?
Hello! It depends on your situation. If it is for a retirement then two Bulgarian riviera cities, first is Varna (especially nice is upscale suburb and resort called Saints Constantine and Helena), and second is Burgas (also two neighboring cities Pomorie and Nesebar are very nice). If you are looking for potential business and employment than the best are: capital and the largest city Sofia, or second largest city Plovdiv. If you like colder winters with excellent skiing slopes then look at city Bansko. Each of the cities are very safe, provides excellent connectivity, private English-speaking schools, but most of the best private hospitals are in capital Sofia. If you are looking for the best international flights connections then again Sofia is the best with Varna coming in a distant second place
Great follow up to that article. I read it and thought the same thing. My picks are still Panama Ecuador or Peru for sure.
Thailand, Thailand and Thailand would be my clear cut winner. But Mexico (cost rising fast), Malaysia, Philippines, Panama, Vietnam next
@@mactravel112 I already have a baseline of Spanish and I don’t want to be on that side of the world. Besides I lived in Florida for a decade. Heat and humidity is not a good combo for my issues. I can deal with rain as long as it’s not oppressive heat. I’m more after elevation and a predictable weather pattern.
@@TheRockInnRobin I'm similar with a very good baseline in Spanish, Mexican permanent residency and a home, but overall the more time I spend in SE Asia, the more I understand they have a higher quality of life. There is a lot to love about central and south america though.
There is high crime level in Peru.
@@lolal2502 good thing I don’t have anything to begin with.
Love your channel. I live in Philippines comfortably on less than $1000/month but I do own my own home. I live a good life, eat well (away from any tourist areas and expat hotspots) Visas are fairly easy to get and there is good healthcare available in Manila. I think you can qualify for the SRRV for $10,000 now. English isn't widely spoken in the province though, I speak enough Tagalog. I have residency it requires a "check-in" once a year and a small fee like $20 but you have to pay to leave!!! They are always changing the tourist visa requirements, you used to have to renew it every 2 months and leave every year. I think you can get 6 months now and leave every two years as a tourist. I know people who have been here 20 years on tourist visas. The SRRV Visa is actually better than the 13A spousal visa as I don't think you have to pay to leave.
I like your channel as you guys dared to "look behind the curtain" and see the USA for what it is and you had the balls to leave. A lot don't even see it. The wage slaves living in the rat-race and healthcare hostages. Good job.
Great comment
Thanks for sharing! I prefer to call it a hamster wheel because rat race implies you have a chance of winning. It felt more like we were running around in circles and not going anywhere. If we had stayed, I would have needed to go back to corporate to get health insurance and been another healthcare hostage. We’re so glad we chose a more unconventional life! 🥳
@@AmeliaAndJP I hear you loud and clear. Healthcare was the #1 reason I left the USA, closely followed by extortionate property taxes and the general cost of living. Ironically the lack of freedom in "Land of the Free" was also high on my list. You need a license to go to the bathroom there and insurance in case someone smells it. The least free country I have ever visited actually.
@johnyoungieyoung123 I agree, the property taxes are criminal.
@@johnyoungieyoung123 What other countries have you visited, that are also more free than the US? I genuinely am curious. Living in the US, we sometimes assume it's the land of the free, but maybe we're so used to all the regulations that are meant for the common good, that we actually don't realize that all those regulations make us much less free.
have you ever considered Argentina? We were there a little more than a year ago and loved it. The cost of living was extremely low and the people were really nice. they have a variety of visas, including the digital nomad and I believe a pensionado visa. The cost of living for them is really high right now due to the devaluation of their peso, but for us, it makes the cost of living less due to the strength of the dollar. More Americans coming down there, even for tourism, would help these people a lot.
The quality of health care in the Philippines varies from good to substandard.....or less. Always choose a place that is close to good healthcare, which is mostly in a big city. We have a winter home on Cebu Island and get our healthcare in Cebu city, over a million people.
Lucky you heading to Cambodia! You will love Siem Reip with Angkor Wat (jaw dropping) and other nearby temples. The Cambodian people are so welcoming, and the food is terrific!
My wife and I spent most of this winter in Portugal and I can't see living there on ~1000 Euros/month, and not even close in Lisbon. Which is sad when you look at average incomes of people there - the cost of living is quickly becoming a real burden on locals. If you were a couple and had an income of 1000Euros each, then it might be doable, but you'd be scraping by.
2:05 I thought it depends on which consulate you go to. At the New Orleans consulate, the monthly minimum income requirement was $3,737 as of January 2024.
Thanks guys! I do want to "slow travel" for a while, but eventually WE ALL have to have a place to "retire" and live long term. I don't want to have to do a visa run or continue to country hop after 70.
Any chance you could do a review of affordable countries that have: 1) retirement/senior homes for people that need to be taken care of (dementia, etc.) AND 2) good affordable medical care (so affordable medical insurance since U.S. Medicare doesn't cover retirees in other countries)? So many Americans won't be able to afford to be in a quality home here in the U.S. (why do we "warehouse" older people here?).
Excellent question.
Because the US cares about little else than making money and senior citizens are not profitable in their eyes.
These folks give an excellant, classy, informed introduction . Now , do your homework , and get moving . There's a whole different life out there , away from your home country . Gentrification is real , and when it comes to spending your own money, you best learn how slow travel is done. Put your passport on the table , in sight all the time . Then use it ! I think asking someone to provide all the details for you is a sign of being stuck in your own culture to long. Break that habit, and work out of that type life. You have the ability, to study on everything , and make it come true for yourself . The long term expats do not engage on these platforms . They are living totally different lives, than you imagine when you are stuck to your own countries, and the idiot beliefs of your countrymen. Break out !
@@garthkelly1668 I would love to, but my mother has early onset Dementia and I am the only caregiver...so I need to gather as much information before I can spend time away from caring for her. I'm not financially in the position of hiring caregivers here in the U.S.
You might try checking on the costs, since my opinion is that health insurance simply is not worth it overseas (provided that one has at least 10K USD set aside as an emergency fund). In fact, not the time now, but when the time does come I am going to decline Medicare part B. The $174/mo will instead go into a high yield savings account (add-on(s) to my emergency fund).
How much do you have for your mom? Since she might live in the PI for 1K/mo. The one soul here will not like it, but check out Vagabond Awake's: Cost of Assisted Living in the Philippines.
Dan's latest vid is on cancer treatment. His guest was treated for cancer in Viet Nam (less than $5K). The vid is: Health Insurance Vietnam Cancer Cure Costs
Dan makes the same point that I did aka no insurance for pre-existing conditions, your deductible (his was $10K, he says), etc. I have a slightly elevated BP, cue indapamide, and am taking a statin as well, and so no coverage for heart attack or stroke, and so what's the point? Can have cancer treatment in Da Nang for less than $5K. Humans in the US well and truly need to grasp that the cost of our medical care is obscene. Is a vid somewhere here on RUclips re the fella in Thailand who had an accident, cue doctor visit, to include an MRI, and his total cost was the cost in the US for a radiologist reading the MRI (a few hundred dollars).
Lastly, as Dan's guest relates, he was treated at a public hospital. If you want to know private costs, try Googling, Hospital charges at Vinmec Nha Trang. Vinmec is a private chain with hospitals in Saigon, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hanoi, etc. Picture having a stroke. ER observation = 1.6 mil dong (1-4 hours), a week in the neuro ICU at 7 mil dong a day/night (includes med care and meals), and then a week in the regular ward (your very own private VIP room) at 5 mil dong a day/night, again, med care and meals included. So that's 85.6 mil dong, or 3373.73 USD. Or you might simply try using an online estimator and compare the cost of insurance with US included versus US excluded. And, sorry, but up the cost for a stroke by another 1.8 mil dong (the emergency medical examination)($70.95). To be safe, let's make it 4K USD. Then add on what Vinmec does not do, which is the post-hospital occupational and physical rehab. Again, to be safe, perhaps another $1K USD. So can pay for all of your post-stroke care for $5K. Then a few months later another $5K for your cancer treatment. The a few months after that another $5K for your heart attack. So 15K takes care of cancer, heart attack and stroke. That's not even the cost of a half-day for the ER visit and time in the neuro ICU here in the US.
And I know since in 2020 I had a left ACA stroke. Taken to Queen's (HNL) and transferred to my provider's hospital (Kaiser Moanalua). Was at Queen's right around 12 PM on a Friday and then transferred the next night (Saturday) around 8 PM. Kaiser paid for most of the charges, but I know owing to Queen's sending me a bill for just over $63K, with Kaiser paying for all but $270-some dollars, which I paid. For all in the US, try checking on your copays even with Medicare, see how many days it is for you to be hospitalized, then you start paying, then a bit later on, you start paying 100%. Trust me, there are more than enough humans who have all the Medicare available who still end up with a medical bankruptcy.
Now well and truly lastly, you don't know me from Adam but you can see my name. If I ever get dementia can you do me a solid and put two large caliber rounds into my brainstem? My own mom was just starting that journey when she had her MCA stroke (she lived another 3.5 months). Not speaking for your mom and you, only me, but when it gets to the point where I stop remembering who I am, who my family and friends are, then time to check out of the net, as it were (I'd do it myself but I might forget). Take care my new friend and tell your mom that crazy Paul from HNL says hello.
Absolutely right about the importance of easy and long visas. I lived for years abroad and the whole hassle of visas, the capriciousness of those deciding your future, it’s too stressful. Glad I had Irish grandparents, wink, wink. Makes Europe, even the UK the place to look.
I am in the Philippines. The rule for Americans, western countries, and some other countries. Visa upon Arrival for 30 days, then 29 days. After that, you can extend from 1, 2, or 6 months (6 months not guaranteed) up to a total of 3 years. The reason you don't see it on the government website is on a tourist visa, the LIMIT is 3 years. You must do a visa run at the end of the 3 years. I have been here almost 2 years, thus far.
Thanks for explaining that! 👍
@@AmeliaAndJP You're very welcome!
@@johnnytx45 So if you leave and come back you really dont need a visa right.
The slow travel option expands the list of potential countries enormously. House sitting is one approach that can make otherwise expensive countries very affordable.
Can't wait to hear your reports on these countries when you visit. I've got my eye on the Philippines! Thank you thank you thank you for your awesome videos.
Thailand has introduced a new tax law directed at foreigners, which is driving foreigners out, and I know many of them are moving to nearby Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Bali.
Thank you for clarifying these misleading lists! Great job ! Love the cute new hairstyle too Amelia!!!!
I won’t call these countries “cheapest”. Real cheapest are African, in Western Hemisphere it’s Bolivia, Nicaragua, Haiti (but don’t go there), Paraguay. ... also Vietnam (you’re right), Sri Lanka, Venezuela. Argentina is also pretty cheap.
Considering the great variety if low cost towns across Europe, I was surprised that only Albania and Portugal were included. Also, even you guys mentioned the income requirement tightening for the D7 so it is a wonder that Portugal is still an option. What about Bulgaria, which some information out there claims is the cheapest and best option in Europe to live?
The Philippines is great if you're not in a hurry to get anything done. Also, don't get injured or sick.
Your show is great as always. I'm very happy you brought up Panama. Logistically that has a lot of advantages for people from the US as well.
Amelia and JP , have you done a video on the current situation in Ecuador and do you have any plans in going back?
I have two big problems with most of these countries.
First are the temperatures (and humidity) in most of these countries.
My second issue is how difficult it is to learn the languages that are commonly used in each country.. Spanish is relatively easy, but when you get to Thai (a tonal language) it's way above my abilities.
I've been living in Chiangmai Thailand for 8 years now and do not speak Thai. It's not a problem 👌. Also, Chiangmai is pretty low humidity most of the year and 6 or 7 months it's not hot. If you live in a tropical country, there's no heat bill. I'm from KCMO, and summers here aren't as bad as the Midwest summers. I LOVE ❤️ THAILAND 🇹🇭
No need to speak Thai if you move to the expat havens. You will find English speakers everywhere in those places. Not high level speakers usually but good enough. Websites for everything you need will have English versions.
Countries often have cooler weather areas. Philippines has Baguio. Malaysia has highlands. Mexico has the mild weather colonial interior.
Boquete, Volcan, Cerra Punta in Panama are much cooler since they are in the Volcan Baru.
@DavidWilliams-qr5yj I've been going to Chiang Mai for 2-3 months during USA winter months for 20 years. The Major problem is the smoky season now extends for December through March with the aqi frequently in the unhealthy zone. I got rid of my stuff and won't go back. If you look at the NASA fire maps you'll see it's a regional problem unlikely to be solved in my lifetime.
@LawrenceStevens01 yea yea yea ,we travel during March and April. For 8 years we enjoy living there. My Thai inlaws are in their 80's and healthy. My Brother a non smoker is dieing of lung cancer living all his life inKCMO He is 71 years. Sorry you don't like Chiangmai but thousands of us do. And we understand your concerns. Also see lots of smokers and lots of Obesity complaining about smoky air. So to each his own. We own 4 condos and 2 houses for rent. As real estate investors and our properties are occupied all year long.
I got my permanent resident visa in October 2023. I had to show an overall savings and investments of $310,000 CAD total. I believe it's up $100k from that for 2024. You can get a temp. res. visa that is much much cheaper and you have to renew after 1 year and you can renew for 4 years and get your perm. res. visa after that without the bigger number savings income requirements. I just got back from Mexico and it was 40-50% more expensive than it was just 4 years ago. I don't know if I can retire there until I start collecting CPP and OAS.
Thanks for the informative video. I was surprised to see Albania on your “consider” list. Having visited Albania and over forty other countries, I would consider Albania to be a developing country with a challenging language and a wildly varying culture. We found truly wonderful, warm, and helpful people during our stay but often strong distrust and even distaste for foreigners. We were nakedly charged 10x local prices, had rocks thrown at our vehicle twice while driving through a town (German plates), which caused $1,000 in damage, and were occasionally completely ignored in service interactions. If you have a sense of adventure and put in the effort, I’m sure you can make it work but I would take Ecuador or Peru well before considering Albania.
We’ve been in Albania for over 2 months. Mostly in Tirana. It feels very similar to Ecuador in our opinion. The service isn’t great whether you’re a foreigner or not. It’s the downside of a non-tipping culture. And gringo pricing can happen. Outside Tirana it’s much more like you described.
So glad to hear you are enjoying Tirana! I hadn’t realized that’s where you were lately (sorry if I missed that 😊). Your information on Albania is much more up to date than mine and I trust your judgement so I’ll have to give it another go. We spent most of our time in Berat and Gjirokaster a few years ago but not Tirana so happy things seem much better there. BTW - loved your video on Andalucia as we just came through Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, and Ronda in the last 10 days. Thanks for all the great content and perspectives!
Thanks. It would be great to hear your thoughts on safety as well.
You guys did a GREAT job! Succinct and accurate info, well done! I live in Portugal and I think you were spot on. Obrigada!
I always scroll past any video regarding retiring for less than $1K. Thanks you for proving legit information.
BTW, Thailand is amazing. I have been there multiple times and I never get tired of it. The north is my favorite area, but the south is where some of the most amazing beaches are.
Really great and informative video, thanks so much for sharing!!
❤❤THANK YOU for your review! Real people with real experience! It’s very helpful. More please! 🎉🎉
Philippines: You can renew the Tourist Visa, multiple times for 60 Days, for a total stay of Three years. I'm headed over Cebu City [IT or Business Park Area] in October or November for a Six to Eight Month post-Retirement Vacation. The Retirement Visa with a $10k USD Deposit towards a Condo does appeal to me.
Thank you for sharing your info. If you come to Thailand and Cambodia, please don't forget to visit a tiny laid-back country "Laos" one of the most beautiful landscapes in Southeast Asia, much more affordable cost of living & less crowded.
....also a Military dictatiorship with No health Care system.
I lived in Malaysia for 4 years on a tourist visa and just kept exiting to Singapore, and Thailand until immigration told me I couldn't keep doing that. Malaysia always have my heart. I had my daughter there. The healthcare is the best. I lived in a gated community and paid only 300 USD for rent 4Br 3 bath Gated Townhome. I miss Malaysia
Lot people have "retired" to the Philippines on a tourist visa, renewing it every 60 days until they reach a 3-year limit, then they do a visa run and restart the process. Avoids the financial and background check requirements, which I suspect many of them cannot pass.
Thank you for another great video. But why Ecuador is no longer on your list? You made quite a few videos showing the cost of living there in the past, and 2 people can live well in Ecuador on 2K per month.
The retirement visa income requirement is currently $1380/mo and expected to increase again next year. We only included countries that required $1K or less for the retiree visa because that was the premise of the original article.
Peru has changed their tourist visa, now if you're from North America you MIGHT get 180 days visa free, or not. It's up to the immigration officer. Also, if you DO stay for 180 days, you're considered a resident for tax purposes---and you have to leave for the next 180 days. But Miraflores and Barranco are very nice and you should hang out there, plus the food is great! You just can't border hop there no mo.
It's really a shame, between Ecuador and Peru, the cartels and gangs causing so much trouble, and the Visas and tax issues are never cut and dry.
@@marcd1981Yes. I sure hope some positive changes are in sight for these two countries - especially Ecuador which definitely is and, always was, my number one....
Hope is green 💚💚💚
@@Jetmab04I would have loved to retire in Ecuador. I had plans originally from back in the 1990's that I was going to retire there. Unfortunately, life didn't go well and I figured Ecuador was off.
marcd, I live in Peru and there is ZERO cartels causing troubles here. You are confusing Peru with Colombia . Peru has drug zones but so far from civilization, Very deep in the jungle. No cartels shooting each other in cities as in Mexico, Ecuador or Colombia.
Thank you. Great info. No long dead ends.
Good information in the video. Finally glad to see other countries such as Philippines, Cambodia and Albania included. Looking forward to your visits in those countries. Countries change their visa requirements so often that the slow travel is starting to make sense. They should stabilize retirement visas.
I watched the slow travel video. Hope to see more videos about slow travel.
More to come!
@@AmeliaAndJP I'm excited to hear you have plans to travel to the Philippines in the future. A number of people have given you the correct information on a tourist visa being extendable for up to 3 years without leaving the country. My wife ( a former Filipino citizen) and I were given what is commonly called a Balikbayan visa which is good for 1 year when we visited last September and there are several variations as you mentioned on a retirement visa also worth considering. The real purpose of my comment, however, is to predict that you will be quite impressed with the friendliness and kindness of the Philippine people on your visit- I have never had a greater experience than I had spending time with them. I hope you have a great time on your visit.
I planned to live in Thailand for 1-2 years until I could start pulling Social Security, but instead I went there for 2 months (early 2022) and then continued traveling around the world. I then went back to work for 1.5 years & now have retired for good. You can really live in Chiang Mai, Thailand (I think in Chiang Rai too) for $1000 a month (or even less) and have quite a nice life. After 1 month on the auto entry visa, I went to the visa office and easily got it extended. If I decide to go back there longer term, I wouldn't mind a bit taking a quick, cheap flight to Siem Reap, Kuala Lumpur, etc. for a short visit every couple of months.
Thailand now has an income tax on outside income that starts at 20% if you're there over six months.
So timely and pertinent. Thank you!
The Philippines also has a special visa for retired military as well. The SSRV. As retired military the cost of the Visa drops to $1500 dollars with an annual renewal of only about 100 pesos.
I do not usually comment on your wonderful videos, but I must recommend this one. Love the flow and specific facts you provide. I am looking at Manila, Philippines as a base of operations for retirement. From there the world of opportunities in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam open up. Great work and best to you both.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
I've been in the Philippines for two years now. You can extent your tourist visa up to 3 years, but at present the extensions are only 1 or 2 months at a time.
There is no 3yr tourist visa in the Philippines. Once you enter you can however continue to extend your tourist visa for up to 3yrs. The longest extension is 6 months but you don't always get that long. Common extensions are 2 months so you will be frequently extending your tourist visa. At the end of 3yrs just leave for 24 hrs and re-enter and start all over again. Some expats have stayed in the Philippines for up to 20 yrs by extending their tourist visa's.
Does it cost money to extend your visa???
There are several channels that are gung-ho about Paraguay. Any thoughts on that country?
Albania and Serbia you can get residents if you buy reale state
Amelia & JP :
Tks., much appreciative.
Thanks guys. With Ecuador now taxing US Social Security, I'm looking at Peru. I lived there many years ago, and it's doable if you know where to go in Lima, Arequipa, or Cuzco. Sad what's happening in Ecuador. Taxing the gringos will dry up investment and harm their economy.
This is not true. It was misinformation. Don't believe everything you see online.
Buenas tardes, qué quieres decir con que los gringos gravan en Ecuador? Te refieres a que si cobran pensión pagan impuestos en Ecuador? Por favor aclárame esto porque hemos pensado en Ecuador para vivir
Ecuador is NOT taxing folks Social Security.
Philippines has a 3 year tourist visa, through extensions. Maximum time is 3 years but must renew often.
Panama gets my vote. I went there on a tour and loved it.
It's extremely hot, unbearable
Touring is one thing, living there is quite another. My wife and I had plans to retire in Panama, and had a week long tour planned last year. However, after the latest changes in Panama, we have changed our minds.
The biggest issue we see is the drought conditions there. The canal has been running at about 1/3 capacity as the fresh water lake used ti fill the locks is drying up. This means drinking water for the country is drying up as well. There is also a lot of political turmoil right now, and we were getting worried about the cartels moving their drugs through Central America right now. Costa Rica has had problems with this already, and Ecuador (our #2 choice to retire) has been devastated by the cartels infiltrating government positions, and the coastal cities have become deadly at the ports.
@@lb9007There are areas in the mountains that are very cool. Cerra Punta average temp is 65 in the daytime.
@@marcd1981 Things in Ecuador are improving very quickly, it was more dangerous a few years ago when the previous government didn't do anything, the new government has imprisoned over 7,000 gang members and is taking corrupt officials either directly to jail, court or finding them with the Interpol. If the country was not on fire and people were able to lead normal lives back then, it is much better today. News in English about Ecuador are either old, are using outdated information, are very sensationalized or plain wrong. I am more worried about living in the US where kids can get shot in schools anywhere in the country, which would be extremely unusual in Ecuador, US news makes it seem like everywhere is dangerous when many cities here are worse than anywhere else in the world (San Francisco tent cities😢) doesn't even compare.
@@LiMuBaiThank you for your reply. I understand there have been changes made with the new president, but I think it will take more time to know how new policies are working. And no one knows if Noboa will be president in a year and a half, as that is when the next election will be.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, and your honest opinions.
Thank you for the video, Amelia and JP. I have seen several places to retire lists that have Vietnam on them, but never checked into it. That is very strange it seems to be so highly recommended when there is no retirement Visa there.
It is confusing.
Thousands of expats live in the Philippines on the tourist visa that you can keep extending legally up to 3 years. I'm on a Facebook group for PH expats and I hear daily stories of people doing that. They don't call it 3 year tourist visa, but effectively it is since you do not need to leave the country for up to 3 years by doing these 30 to 60 day extensions (for a fee).
agreed 👍 u.s. news n' world report got it all wrong! ... pretty happy w/ your updated list!
From what I heard about Vietnam I don't think you can rely on coming and going to reset tourist visa. And they do provide working visa like if you are an English teacher hired by school
What about Equador your former home
I posted on your other video by mistake. I want to recommend you to take 6 weeks to travel upper and West and South England by train and bus. Bath was only tourist crowded city.
Excellent guys, just what I was looking for.
Philippines isn't a 3 year visa, it is that you can do those extension for up to 36 months. First is 30 days, first extension can be 60 days after that I'm not sure how often you go. Either way this is an extra cost as well as your time for every extension application.
Retire abroad on $1,000 a month? YES! I’m doing it in Cambodia and banking $1,000 a month on my meager Social Security income.
You should consider Colombia ......and Taiwan........great place to live
Very for 1000$
Helpful video - with regard to the Philippines, I believe you can simply continue to extend your tourist visa up until you've been there three years. At that point you much leave but you can come back after as little as one day and reset the clock.
I'm living in the Philippines on the SRRV Classic Visa. I am looking forward to your visit and the following videos. If you have any questions, look me up!
The Philippines offers an SRRV and a special SRRV for veterans, which is very inexpensive to do.
For the Philippines, you can extend your tourist visa for a total of 36 months at $80/month.
I enjoyed your Albania video. New subscriber. Liked both videos. Thank you for them.
Awesome, thank you! Welcome!
The Philippines you can keep extending the tourist visa up to 3 years you can’t get 3 years all at once. After 3 years you have to leave and then you can come back and start it all over again.
My understanding is that Sarawak Malaysia in addition to the requirements for long term visa you listed also has a requirement for a Fixed Bank Deposit; 150,000 MYR for individuals or 300,000 MYR for couples.
Hi, I always enjoy watching your videos. I am from the US. I am very interested in moving to Albania, but continue to see different amounts for financial requirements in retiring there?? 120,000 Lek which comes to over 1300 usd monthly from what I have found. Could you please tell me where you are getting your info. Thank you so much! Have a nice day!!
You can live in the Philippines like I do just getting two months extensions at the immigration department. I live in the Philippines like that. I also live in Portugal on my 3 month visa allowances. I will eventually apply for the D7 visa and make that my base. Spending the winters in Portugal
I live in the Philippines as a 35 year old who works remotely in cybersecurity. I think the issue with all these “can you retire on $1,000 a month” videos is that many people don’t actually break it all down. $1,000 a month in most places isn’t really “living”… it’s “surviving”. Oftentimes you’re living in a small space with a much lower quality of life than in the west. People are here living in the province, in a house that isn’t even sealed, eating low quality food… basically doing nothing all day… Then they say “you can live in the Philippines for less than $1,000 a month”… Or you’ll have expats say they’re “living like kings”… But don’t mention that they’re in a 30 sqm condo. Kings aren’t living in places like that. Also, healthcare here is pretty bad. There are a handful of private hospitals, mostly in the metro Manila area, that are pretty good. Not cheap though. My wife gave birth at the Medical City Ortigas and we paid $6,700 out of pocket. Not terrible, but a bit more than I would have paid in the US with my insurance.
As for the 3 year tourist visa… Yes, this is common. You get a 30 day tourist visa. You do an initial extension for 30 days. You’re then allowed to extend another 60 days. From there, you can extend for 6 months at a time… Up to a maximum of 3 years without leaving the country. You leave, you start this process over. Really, this is just a way to get money from expats, but hey, just like everything in the Philippines, money can get you anything… even up to a 3 year continuous stay
I totally agree with you. Now if you are an expat working remotely, earning a US salary with no debt at home, and living in a country like mine, Nicaragua, you would live like a king. With a $1,000, I'd be scrapping by.
I watched yours and others youtube's. I planned to move to Morelia, but found out I can't afford to get in! The numbers just went up.
Aren’t Mexico, Peru and now The Philippines dangerous places?
FINALLY!!! A reality list! I recommend you remember that some folks don’t have the minimum 10k in the bank to qualify for a visa. so for those who are economically needy and barely meet the 1k per month, even 10k as a deposit may not be doable. That’s why they are leaving the U.S., to save money and live.
In Vietnam there are companies who will do your border run for you and it only cost $100.00 a month. If you live in Da Nang it's a three hour drive one way. And it takes about 45 minutes to cross the border and come back in.
It would be great if you mentioned rent amounts
*Special info for US Veterans retiring to the Philippines.* We get a special class of retirement visa.
"SRRV Expanded Courtesy" if you area a RETIRED MILITARY OFFICER. I don't know if that means retired from the military but the "officer" part is for sure. The amount of your deposit into a Philippine bank is only $1,500. The other factor -- *the Philippines has the only VA Clinic outside the US, "Manila VA Outpatient Clinic."* It's a clinic NOT a hospital. You can get all your medicine mailed to you anywhere in the Philippines and they have a limited number of Doctors you can see in house. *You can get reimbursed for all care (depending on what level of care you are eligible for), but there are between 10 and 20 hospitals that do directly bill the VA.* Also note that if you get your care from the Manila clinic -- and that can mean one visit a year -- you will maintain your VA eligibility in the US as well should you ever return.
See both the VA website and the clinics own website for further information.
Another good video! :)
Thailand is definitely yes on 1000 a month Vietnam will be extending to 90 days that is the rumor but still you have to get a visa to go to Vietnam. The food in both is excellent Cambodia imports a good amount of produce from both countries Malaysia also imports a lot of its food from Thailand .Food is a lot more affordable and better quality everywhere in Southeast Asia. Like you said about Malaysia Sabah and Sarawak is easier and cheaper then mainland Malaysia to get the visa they give you a special visa to go there last time I went before covid.
Great post! Thanks 😊
Before I left Thailand in January there was talk about Thailand taxing money transferred into the country. Don't know the current status. It seems to me that fewer countries desire low income foreigners moving into their country for extended periods.
The topic here is living on $1,000/mo which generally means (for US citizens) living off of Social Security. There is a dual tax treaty between Thailand and the US and Thailand won’t tax Social Security even with the new rules.
@@martypoll When I left, your interpretation of the Thai law wasn’t clear. Many people are hoping you’re right. The Thai government is searching for new revenue sources due to the poor state of the economy. The expat community is a tempting target like in Portugal.
@@LawrenceStevens01 Or they are closing a loophole for Thai businesses avoiding taxes on overseas earnings. I don’t think this is specifically targeted towards expats though there may be collateral effects. There aren’t enough of us to contribute any significant funds to the economy through taxes. Foreign income contributing to the economy comes from tourism.
A question that I have is: in the event of a medical emergency are there concerns with communication if the people attending to you aren't fluent in English?
I live in rural Thailand. If you live in an popular expat area you can expect local medical staff to have learn enough English to ask about medical issues but you aren’t going to be having an extended conversation. Once in a hospital you will find someone who speaks English. I’m not so sure about the people working in an ambulance. In the end though a language barrier is a barrier.
It is a concern for emergencies, but not for regular healthcare. It’s shocking how many people speak English around the world.
Very well made good video.
Hi Amelia and JP. Thank you for this wonderful informative video and I really am excited to see you guys visiting the Philippines. ❤ I bet the food is heavenly there, environment, and such a beautiful culture.
Many people are struggling with retirement, and it’s becoming even harder for workers to save due to low wages, rising inflation, and the burden of high rents. Middle-class Americans are also finding it increasingly difficult to own homes, leaving them without a place to retire to.
The amount you need for a visa in Mexico varies from consulate to consulate. In Raleigh, NC for 2024 it’s $2,200. Other consulates go up to $4,500. Odd but true.
I believe Raleigh is up to $3100 now. 😮