Thanks for the video. I could not survive on my money in the US even as I was living alone. I moved to the Philippines now I live like a king and have a young beautiful kind wife who takes great care of me. All I do now is work on my YT channel and enjoy life!
Hi @bigmikessenioradventures, Would you like to be a guest start on one of my videos? Here is an example guest star video: ua-cam.com/video/ySM_2jAC4v4/v-deo.html Your interview could be just your voice or we could do a zoom call showing your face. If you would like to be a guest star and share your story please leave a personal message here: vagabondbuddha.com/contact/ Thank you for your comment. The detail of your comment makes this real for people. If you have a business, service, or UA-cam channel, you could share that on the interview. Best, Dan
@@wilsonbastidas7414 That’s a tough question since I don’t know your lifestyle what your plans are things of that nature but 3000 a month is more than doable
Well done and thanks Dan! One suggestion for these videos- can you show an image of a map or take a picture of a globe showing where the city is relative to the neighboring countries?
Thanks Dan for sharing all of this information with everyone it's incredibly valuable! Because my vision is compromised there's no way I can ever hop on a scooter anywhere I go, and so it always feels like I'm getting punched in the gut whenever you say "you're going to have to rent a scooter or have a car" because those two requirements are just completely out of my reality unfortunately. For instance, I'm currently in Koh Samui and what I found out is taxis are prohibitively expensive here, and it's next to impossible to find a motorcycle taxi even using an app. So while I love it here, transportation can chew up so much of my budget because I have to take taxis, or walk long distances in 100° / 80% humidity weatherr to get everywher. As I see everyone else flying by me on a scooter I can only think " dang! if only". So I guess what I'm trying to say is that if a place in your opinion requires renting a car or a scooter, would it be possible for you to just put a big disclaimer at the beginning or even better, tell us what the local going rate is for public transportation options such as taxis, scooter taxis, tuk tuks, or song taews (i.e. the blue pick up truck bus in Pattaya)? I know that's asking a lot and I really don't expect you to include that kind of information but i think it would really add value to your reports. Thanks for listening to me :) and as always thank you so much for your valuable reports and hope one day to cross paths.
Hey Dan thanks again for putting all the hard work into your content. This is an invaluable list. I could scour the internet for weeks, researching and investigating where I'm going to spend my 3 weeks of vacation.
13:16 Your way of life is awesome. Just got back from Mexico and glad it’s in your top list. For anyone reading this, don’t give you are awesome. You will experience living in Dan’s top 15 soon!
Hey Dan! Regarding Vietnam, I would NOT choose Nha Trang for Vietnam. I say this as an American married to a Vietnamese woman of 19 years. Still too touristy for us. Look at some place like Long Hai (a small town 20 minutes out of Vung Tau), Quy Nhon, Can Tho, Go Cong, and a few others. Maybe it's me, but I like things quieter...the diamond in the rough. For Thailand, I would look to Chiang Mai area..but the air can be difficult for a time each year when farmers burn the debris they have. Bangkok is a bit chaotic for me long term. Likewise, I would look at Penang, Malaysia. I like Malaysia, but I also find that Penang is nice. I also like KL, and Johor Bahru. You can keep Singapore...not my thing for retirement. I also happen to like Colombia, Argentina, and parts of Mexico (central area... including Guadalajara/Jalisco, Puebla area, and Queretaro/San Miguel de Allende). Of course Yucatan is nice, but I am not the person who must be close to a beach. I also love Southern Spain, and mainland Greece...same as my wife We both love Montenegro. We particularly like places where there is no Euro, no USD, and no Pound Sterling. It keeps them affordable. BTW, my wife speaks English, Vietnamese, and Japanese. I speak English, Spanish, Tamil, and Vietnamese
You always put out great videos & reports with advice that are able to cover everything from A2Z. I also highly appreciate that you give advice to live in a place for 6 months or more before selling all your stuff & moving. It just shows you're concerned about not only giving them a good foundational understanding of those places, but concerned that they spend time there to ensure it meets their lifestyle. Keep up the great work my friend, and I'll see ya around one of these days 👍👍😁🍻
Love this new update and I was in Peurto Morales and it's great from October to March but the seaweed take over the other months and many expats leave during summer. I just arrived in Queretaro, MX and the city view is amazing and it's just as you described. Going to extend for another month here. They are having higher temperatures this month just like most of the world but it's very nice overnight. I will check out your South America options soon. I still plan to visit Boquette, Panama and already had Baggio, Dumagette, Malaysia and Taiwan on my list too. Thanks Dan!
I stayed in Puerto Morelos for the entire month of July in 2020, and though I liked the town a lot overall, it's absolutely unlivable during the summer months due to the intense heat and humidity, mosquitos and seaweed. Other months of the year should be fine as noted, but no way would I choose to live there year-round.
Excellent report. I'm a Canadian who was in Koh Samui about 15 years ago touring Thailand. Sitting on Chaweng Beach, I said that I should start coming here every winter. Of course, I've never been back since! Was in Porto about 7-8 years ago, maybe the most underrated city in Europe. Did a day trip to Coimbra which I also loved. And of course Lisbon, super cool vibe, but probably too expensive for this list. Will check out Baguio and Dumaguete as my next SE Asia trip will be to the Philippines.
Hi Dan. Once in a while I watch a video of yours. Always great to see you share your experience. When you come to Brazil do not miss the visit to Santa Catarina, specially the coast of Santa Catarina. It's got great quality on beaches with good infrastructure and great people. The kind of people that will break the classic Brazilian stereotype.
Great list, Dan! I will be in Bali, specifically staying in Ubud, in August so I'm looking forward to seeing your #1. Also, in your top 5 I totally agree with both Queretero and Kuala Lumpur. Haven't made it to Dumaguete or Koh Samui yet, but I certainly plan to check them out. Cheers!
This is why I joined as a lifetime member Dan. Your reporting saves me so much money. Introduces me to places I never thought I’d visit. And saves me from visiting other countries I thought I’d like, but you pointed out things I wouldn’t like. Well done to you both 👍👍🥂🍀
Hello @VegasNegus, thank you for your personal note of encouragement. It really does make a difference for us when we know people appreciate what we are doing. Your comments also cause UA-cam to show our video to more people so your note is like paying us a small tip $$ for our time. Thanks for being a lifetime member too! Thank you, Dan
Great video. I have been to five countries in your list and they are Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, (I am Filipino-Canadian), and Mexico. My opinion is Thailand for me is for visiting only and not to retire as people are not friendly or hospitable. Maybe I am an Asian so they are indifferent to me, the second is the language. Also not really interested to learn more language besides the four that i already know. Furthermore Bangkok filled temples does not interest me. Vietnam is ok to retire but again for me language barrier. Been to Portugal and it is beautiful but they are really friendly to Asians. I have been to Mexico and you are spot on that Mexico is one of the best country to retire. I have an advantage as i speak and read Spanish. The rest of the Central South American Countries i have no comments but based on my experiences on Latinos living in Toronto, Peru, Guatemala are not friendly. Hands down the most friendly and hospitable Latinos are Mexicans. They are loyal friends too. The most important thing in a country where to retire are the people. I have not been to Malaysia but i have good experience with Malaysians when i was in Vietnam, they are friendly and looks happy people. The Malaysians are the first people who conversed with me and they invited me to visit Malaysia especially Penang and Kuala Lumpur. This is my opinion only based on my experience.
@@TheBlueskyson I have been only in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Acapulco beaches as tourist. Not sure how much will it cost to live there as an expat but you can google list places to live in Mexico for less than 1k or more. I am planning to go back to Mexico City this year and i want to know the feeling if i can live there permanently or at least six months of the year. Thanks
Your videos and data for slow world travel are second to none. Immense gratitude 🙏🏼 from Las Vegas….hoping to start my journey sooner, rather than later ……..
Hi Dan and significa other. I will be getting your subscription soon. I grew up in Mexico City as a kid for 20 yrs. I have a master’s in social work. I say this because I’m looking to live overseas where my chronic pain can be addressed. As a 71 female who understands how ugly old age care is here. Please provide a series on health services in each country.
Great, first hand reporting, Dan! My wife is Filipino. We live in the north east US in New England. I’ve visited the Philippines and we’re planning on retiring there in about four years. She is from Quezon City outside of Manila. We’re planning on areas like Laguna, battahan for retirement. But I will have to revisit Baguio city once again because of your review. I did stay there once, and it was a great spot and cooler in the mountains. I guess that’s why MacArthur ended up there, lol. Safe journeys and peace to you and your wife.
Actually there is an alternative to MacArthur, you can go to San Fernando and up from there is only 1 hour. Instead of settling in Baguio, you can settle at the beach within reach of Baguio.
In the US was married to a Filapina fir 40+ years till she lasted away jn . 2017. She came when she was 20. She never wanted to return to ir visit the Philippines. Never did. But she loved Thailand. We went numerous times.
Dumagette #3? I listen to bloggers who live there or talk about it. They all mention the poor infrastructure,brownouts, lack of parking for autos, etc. I don't thjnk so.
The only issue I have with Vietnam is the Visa office. If they decide they do not want to give you a visa this week they will just tell you they don't like your photo so it is difficult to plan ahead. Within just a few months they rejected my application even though they had accepted my photo the month before. I applied early for both of the visa apps that were rejected. I think they were too lazy to look at them.
Vietnam just announced return of 90 day tourist visas starting Aug 15 2023. I don't know what country you are from, but e-visa and visa on arrival should be available.
I believe there is also a way to get a temporary residence. Still they are defining parts of it, but never hurts to ask the Vietnam Embassy or Consulate where you live...still not like Thailand or Malaysia, but they are developing something.
Great video as always. Very thoughtful. However, do you have plans on ever visiting Africa? I've always enjoyed nature programs. Unfortunately, vloggers covering that expansive continent are rare. Thanks.
You could live just fine in Costa Rica with a $1500 monthly budget if you live in a town such as Grecia, which is only 30 minutes from the International Airport and 45 minutes from the capital city of San Jose. You can qualify for residency with a $1000 monthly retirement income and the level of medical care is rated above the USA. Best of all the weather in a place like Grecia does not require A/C, the Farmers market is gigantic, local food and rent are cheap, buses are cheap and go everywhere and you are just 2.5 hours by air from Florida. Clearly this one should be in your top 15!
We have been to Costa Rica several times. It is very nice .... but ... It feels a little too Americanized for us and super expensive. Watch our videos on the ground there. Just google Vagabond Awake Costa Rica. I have about 10 videos there.
I agree that CR is a great place to live. We live permanently in Costa Rica for 3 years and it's very affordable if you stay away from the tourist areas . All beach towns are very touristy and more expensive. We live and immersed ourselves into the people, culture and history and only shop at our huge farmers market and support the Locals. We live in the mountains among all locals, no gated expat communities!! Our retirement here is wonderful and we pay much less for everything. Renting up here is still cheap. Many people come here and stay only in the high touristy areas and then base the affordability on the Country as a whole 😢!! Our food, medical, housing, insurances , utilities etc etc are extremely cheaper than USA. Where we live NO AC and No heat needed and perfect climate temperatures all year round. We live in Authentic CR that has very little foreigners which we Love. We have many local friends which basically adopted us lol !!!! We didn't move here to hang with expats , we came here to immerse into this Country. Mexico has more expats than CR !!
Your vids are convincing me to retire early, love them I’m probably going to purchase the membership I totally see the value. When I do my 2 month trips before I retire I don’t need visa correct as I won’t stay long.
Dan, great video. FMy priorities are 1. Easy retirement visa 2. Abundent local food available throughout the day as I don't cook 3. Cheap rent and peaceful existence. How do you rate Bangkok (or mainland Thailand cities), for my purpose? Thanks once again
Good list! I've been to 10 of the places listed and my favorites include Arequipa, Cuenca, Bangkok, and Bali. My list would include Guadalajara, Mexico because I'm a big city boy and it is Mexico's 2nd most populous city ... also it is so close to Lake Chapala and charming town of Ajijic. Grenada, Nicaragua would be on my list because it is so charming, has a good restaurant and nightlife scene, yet so very affordable. Finally I would consider either Phnom Penh or Siem Reap in Cambodia - which are cheaper than Bangkok or other popular places in Thailand. I really love exotic Kathmandu - so colorful, lively and affordable - but the air quality ids not good.
Those are all great choices. We have free videos on all of them here and written reports on all of them in our membership: UA-cam PLaylist by country: www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists Membership reports: vagabondbuddha.com/
I’m in Dumaguete right now, would not recommend unless you get right out of the city, it may be a hub, but it’s dirty and everything feels run down. It may be fine for some, and it’s probably a lot better if you are getting out of it often to local Islands and waterfalls, but to live in the city… I’m guessing it’s not for many Westerners.
I speak Spanish. I've visited Jamaica, Costa Rica, many parts of Mexico incl. San Miguel de Allende which I adore, four Thai cities, Belize, Curacao, Madeira Island, Portugal (prob. costs too much f/ this list), The Bahamas and Chile. I'm leaning Jomtien, Thailand due to beach proximity, shopping, quality of living, expat base, climate, and apartment style
Dan, I am now in Baguio, your former #1 in the Philippines. I noticed Baugio is been passed by Dumaguete in your opinion. I will explore around town tommrow I came on a Saturday and because of it Baguio is really crowded and the traffic was crazy today. Don't come on the week end. Tomorrow I begin my exploration in ernest
Most important thing about finding a place to move to, is the same thing when searching for a girlfriend: a spark, a connection. Different sparks for different folks. Actually, Dan and Quang Hui did a bunch of Philippine videos recently..
I've heard that locals are less than welcoming of foreigners in Oaxaca. Relative to the government response to the health event of 2020, how would rank this list if liberty/freedom were the primary concern?
You are obviously a city person, I like a more peaceful living, Valencia might not be bad. My ideal places would be far enough away from the the cities to avoid the noise and pollution but close enough for shopping.
I feel like a lion, confused by a herd of zebras! So many cool places to go and retire to when I finally get a chance. Dumaguete Philippines has been high on my list for quite a while, but Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, sounds like a great start. I think I’m just going to head over and just keep bouncing around every two weeks for six months to a year. Find my favorite spot, then go back to the states and sell everything I have except for my home. I’ll rent my home out and hire an agent to take care of the home. The rent should come in handy while traveling. Then I shouldn’t have to touch my pension money at all. Thanks for the great videos. Awesome content your girlfriend walking down the sandy beaches I just think. Wow you’re a lucky dude!!! 625 days before I can start really thinking about retiring summer of 2025 will be my last summer of work. I can’t wait!!! I have to wait until then to secure my annuity pension. Then I can start a real life, sad assessment, the majority of my life chasing this pension. But I’ll retire at a young 59 years old👍
I love Siam Reap. I get why people retire there. I have ben there several times. Personally, there is no one place I would take off the top 15 list because it was bumped out by Siem Reap. Check out my Camboida playlist. I also liked Kep and Battanbam. www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists
Hi, Dan. It's an interesting list and I've stayed in several of those locations for months or longer. My only criticism is that there's no mention of visas which is a HUGE problem. Without marrying a local, investing substantial money, working for a local company or buying overpriced property, most of these countries do NOT want retirees. So, you'll be constantly at the mercy of visa rules, doing frequent border runs, maybe limited to how long you can stay in a year, etc etc. We stayed in lovely Nha Trang for 1.6 years by total accident - due to arriving just before the pandemic and border closures - but we never knew if we'd be allowed another month. I used to work in HCMC but it's great for work but not retirees or digital nomads. Turkey used to be a great place to retire but now they've been too successful and have raised the bar for residency way beyond what most budget retirees can afford. I settled in Mongolia, largely because my wife is from here and I can get sponsored, although just 1 year at a time.
Hey Dan, have you been to Iloilo? I plan on visiting visiting the areas in the Philippines that were on your list. We already have a home base in Bicol region but I want to stay a month or so in other areas in the Philippines. From other vloggers I have seen and heard Iloilo is a great town with reliable infrastructure. One vlogger who built a house on a beach outside of Iloilo took a trip around Dumaguete and was a little shocked with the unruly traffic and unreliable infrastructure. He liked some areas, new boardwalk etc..as he mentioned the city is experiencing some growing pains Just like other cities are experiencing in PI. From the videos and vlogs I have seen, IloIlo looks to be a very clean with a better infrastructure for sure.
@@georgec2894 Outside Iriga but Naga is better since they have an airport. Once the new highspeed train is running all the way to Iriga, it will be a better place to reside. I will only stay in Iriga a few days here and there, Would rather visit and reside closer to beaches. Plus travel to other countries as well.
@@kevinagullana742 Sounds great. Thanks for taking the time to reply! My partner is from Masbate, but has relatives in Legazpi City... I think she worked in Naga for a previous job too...
Interesting to look at as a travel brochure, but really gives no usable information about retirement. Traveling as a tourist compared to retiring are very, very different. I've been to many of these places, and there are a lot of varying requirements relating to retirement visas, which are not dealt with at all. Some of the visa requirements are restrictive enough that it wouldn't be reasonable to consider them as retire cheap places.
Each of these places has separate videos and written reports. If I covered all of those details in one video it would be too long and boring. 4 Hours? Buy I have country playlists on my youtube channel that will help break down more details on each: www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists
Regarding Guatemala - Antigua is very expensive now with one or two-bedroom apartments going for over $1200. Lake Atitlan (Ah-Tit-Lahn) is over 3 hours from the airport and too remote for most people. Nice place to visit. Panajachel, the main city attached to the lake is crowded, noisy and dangerous if you get close to the two main roads there. They will literally run you over. Towns on the lake are very remote and you'll require a boat to get your groceries in Pana. I love Antigua - but it's no longer an inexpensive place for expats.
The USD and the CAD are in a free fall to the Mexican peso. My cost of living has gone up over 17% within the last 12 months. The CAD has lost 18.5% to the MX peso.
I enjoyed this video, but the one area I do know a little about is the Philippines where I have spent a lot of time as my wife is from there. You don't mention pollution level for any of your locations. Boracay is polluted ( 2024) yes they shut it down in the past to address the problem but unfortunately they don't know what they are doing. the beaches now have lots of algae. So sad they don't' know how to keep there beautiful places clean. I spent my life in the Waste Water business so I do know how to accomplish a clean environment, although in the Philippines it would be very expensive as most places combine there sanitary sewer with there storm sewers. They would have to be separated plus they need understand that all effluent from buildings needs to be treated, not just from the toilets.
Hi Dan i've been watching your travel vlogs for a full.year now. I think i'll.go retire in Panama. I'll have my pension paid there worth 3000 $. Untaxed whereas in Belgium my country i pay 600 € tax on my 2400 € pension. In Panama i'll get my pension untaxed and that was my motivation originally but after deciding i started watching a lot of content on this country and i fell in love with it. So Panama it wikl be affordable and secure stable government 5* medical and welcoming people. I think i'll go live in Bocas del Torro the archipellago in the careibean sea. Maybe you'll come and visit , who knows ? Cheers Hugue from Brussels
I wish you and your life partner all health and happiness, enjoying your life traveling and seeing the world. I would love to visit all of these cities in video ,I want to prepare a plan to visit all or most .
We r building This house in Mexico 🇲🇽 with 4 bedrooms 4 custom bathrooms with bidets. Features 2 master bedrooms 1 up and one down. An in door atrium with skylight waterfall and 50ft walls with a rock wall & entertainment system. Custom staircase with a skylight and a-rock wall. Has a large 2nd floor outdoor balcony with skylight. Plus a fireplace, no AC or Heater needed all concrete with a solar water heater. Has a small coffee balcony off master bedroom. Has a rooftop barbecue with jacuzzi outdoor bed and large table. This forever home has no mortgage so no homeowners insurance required. Very low holding costs. Next to zero real estate taxes and low utilities electric and water. With water catchment systems. It’s only a forever home if you can keep and afford it for hundreds of years!
Great Idea! @Dan. Tax savings? As a general topic? If you include this, please address the topic of the Stimulus checks: Dan, since you file US Taxes, you got the stimies every else got right?
@@timisaac8121 I meant if a U.S. citizen living full time overseas, he can exclude six figures income from U.S. taxation. I am not sure if the income is earned or unearned or both.
@@louis20122 yes, I can see you are not sure. First, Excludes "foreign source" earned income. Good a place as any to remind you US citizens pay tax on our "world wide income". There are rules such as how many days (or part of days) you can be in USA in a CALENDAR year. Your tax home has to be in another country. Do you think you are qualified to make that determination from Dan's vid presentation? It is a great idea that works for a very few people subject to foreign taxation. The simple fact most people know so little about their own tax situation, they can't measure the benefit anyway. Can you use a schedule C to report Business Expenses incurred in another country? Oh, my.
Only earned income? That sucks. I will retire soon and my income sources are all unearned. I guess no tax savings for unearned income if I live abroad 360 days
You have a great list for a bad boyfriend. Everyone will have a different opinion. But most will agree with at least half of your list. With so many countries in the world. That’s actually impressive
Thanks for the video. I could not survive on my money in the US even as I was living alone. I moved to the Philippines now I live like a king and have a young beautiful kind wife who takes great care of me. All I do now is work on my YT channel and enjoy life!
Hi @bigmikessenioradventures, Would you like to be a guest start on one of my videos? Here is an example guest star video: ua-cam.com/video/ySM_2jAC4v4/v-deo.html
Your interview could be just your voice or we could do a zoom call showing your face. If you would like to be a guest star and share your story please leave a personal message here: vagabondbuddha.com/contact/
Thank you for your comment. The detail of your comment makes this real for people. If you have a business, service, or UA-cam channel, you could share that on the interview. Best, Dan
Hi buddy, nice to hear that you re retired in the Philippines...what places would you suggest us to live there permanently with around $3.000 a month?
@@wilsonbastidas7414 That’s a tough question since I don’t know your lifestyle what your plans are things of that nature but 3000 a month is more than doable
Well done and thanks Dan!
One suggestion for these videos- can you show an image of a map or take a picture of a globe showing where the city is relative to the neighboring countries?
you can do that yourself or not?
Thanks Dan for sharing all of this information with everyone it's incredibly valuable! Because my vision is compromised there's no way I can ever hop on a scooter anywhere I go, and so it always feels like I'm getting punched in the gut whenever you say "you're going to have to rent a scooter or have a car" because those two requirements are just completely out of my reality unfortunately. For instance, I'm currently in Koh Samui and what I found out is taxis are prohibitively expensive here, and it's next to impossible to find a motorcycle taxi even using an app. So while I love it here, transportation can chew up so much of my budget because I have to take taxis, or walk long distances in 100° / 80% humidity weatherr to get everywher. As I see everyone else flying by me on a scooter I can only think " dang! if only". So I guess what I'm trying to say is that if a place in your opinion requires renting a car or a scooter, would it be possible for you to just put a big disclaimer at the beginning or even better, tell us what the local going rate is for public transportation options such as taxis, scooter taxis, tuk tuks, or song taews (i.e. the blue pick up truck bus in Pattaya)? I know that's asking a lot and I really don't expect you to include that kind of information but
i think it would really add value to your reports. Thanks for listening to me :) and as always thank you so much for your valuable reports and hope one day to cross paths.
Hey Dan thanks again for putting all the hard work into your content. This is an invaluable list. I could scour the internet for weeks, researching and investigating where I'm going to spend my 3 weeks of vacation.
13:16 Your way of life is awesome. Just got back from Mexico and glad it’s in your top list. For anyone reading this, don’t give you are awesome. You will experience living in Dan’s top 15 soon!
Love Mexico Cap. Can do on $1000 p/m on the coast somewhere?
The bloggers nice listen to say southern Bali and Ubad are overcrowded, overpriced, congested... they say northern Bali is great.
Yes, the beaches of Bali are a little too expensive and crazy for my taste.
Sintra Portugal made the list!!! I loved it there. I was gorgeous and the food was amazing.
Hey Dan! Regarding Vietnam, I would NOT choose Nha Trang for Vietnam. I say this as an American married to a Vietnamese woman of 19 years. Still too touristy for us. Look at some place like Long Hai (a small town 20 minutes out of Vung Tau), Quy Nhon, Can Tho, Go Cong, and a few others. Maybe it's me, but I like things quieter...the diamond in the rough.
For Thailand, I would look to Chiang Mai area..but the air can be difficult for a time each year when farmers burn the debris they have. Bangkok is a bit chaotic for me long term.
Likewise, I would look at Penang, Malaysia. I like Malaysia, but I also find that Penang is nice. I also like KL, and Johor Bahru. You can keep Singapore...not my thing for retirement.
I also happen to like Colombia, Argentina, and parts of Mexico (central area... including Guadalajara/Jalisco, Puebla area, and Queretaro/San Miguel de Allende). Of course Yucatan is nice, but I am not the person who must be close to a beach.
I also love Southern Spain, and mainland Greece...same as my wife
We both love Montenegro.
We particularly like places where there is no Euro, no USD, and no Pound Sterling. It keeps them affordable.
BTW, my wife speaks English, Vietnamese, and Japanese. I speak English, Spanish, Tamil, and Vietnamese
You both sound so interesting. If you make it to London ON I need you at a dinner party !!!
You always put out great videos & reports with advice that are able to cover everything from A2Z. I also highly appreciate that you give advice to live in a place for 6 months or more before selling all your stuff & moving. It just shows you're concerned about not only giving them a good foundational understanding of those places, but concerned that they spend time there to ensure it meets their lifestyle. Keep up the great work my friend, and I'll see ya around one of these days 👍👍😁🍻
Nice job on this video….Can’t wait to move to the Philippines and also check out Thailand 😊
The Affordable World At Your Feet Courtesy Of Vagabond Dan And Hobo Qiang !!! WOW !!!
Love this new update and I was in Peurto Morales and it's great from October to March but the seaweed take over the other months and many expats leave during summer. I just arrived in Queretaro, MX and the city view is amazing and it's just as you described. Going to extend for another month here. They are having higher temperatures this month just like most of the world but it's very nice overnight. I will check out your South America options soon. I still plan to visit Boquette, Panama and already had Baggio, Dumagette, Malaysia and Taiwan on my list too. Thanks Dan!
I stayed in Puerto Morelos for the entire month of July in 2020, and though I liked the town a lot overall, it's absolutely unlivable during the summer months due to the intense heat and humidity, mosquitos and seaweed. Other months of the year should be fine as noted, but no way would I choose to live there year-round.
Excellent report. I'm a Canadian who was in Koh Samui about 15 years ago touring Thailand. Sitting on Chaweng Beach, I said that I should start coming here every winter. Of course, I've never been back since! Was in Porto about 7-8 years ago, maybe the most underrated city in Europe. Did a day trip to Coimbra which I also loved. And of course Lisbon, super cool vibe, but probably too expensive for this list. Will check out Baguio and Dumaguete as my next SE Asia trip will be to the Philippines.
Hi Dan. Once in a while I watch a video of yours. Always great to see you share your experience. When you come to Brazil do not miss the visit to Santa Catarina, specially the coast of Santa Catarina. It's got great quality on beaches with good infrastructure and great people. The kind of people that will break the classic Brazilian stereotype.
Great list, Dan! I will be in Bali, specifically staying in Ubud, in August so I'm looking forward to seeing your #1. Also, in your top 5 I totally agree with both Queretero and Kuala Lumpur. Haven't made it to Dumaguete or Koh Samui yet, but I certainly plan to check them out. Cheers!
In my opinion, I would rather go, stay and live where most tourists never go. But that doesn't mean it keeps me from going to a touristy place.
This is why I joined as a lifetime member Dan. Your reporting saves me so much money. Introduces me to places I never thought I’d visit. And saves me from visiting other countries I thought I’d like, but you pointed out things I wouldn’t like. Well done to you both 👍👍🥂🍀
Hello @VegasNegus, thank you for your personal note of encouragement. It really does make a difference for us when we know people appreciate what we are doing. Your comments also cause UA-cam to show our video to more people so your note is like paying us a small tip $$ for our time. Thanks for being a lifetime member too! Thank you, Dan
I love your videos! So much information delivered with images. Beautiful!
Great video. I have been to five countries in your list and they are Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, (I am
Filipino-Canadian), and Mexico. My opinion is Thailand for me is for visiting only and not to retire as people are not friendly or hospitable. Maybe I am an Asian so they are indifferent to me, the second is the language. Also not really interested to learn more language besides the four that i already know. Furthermore Bangkok filled temples does not interest me. Vietnam is ok to retire but again for me language barrier. Been to Portugal and it is beautiful but they are really friendly to Asians. I have been to Mexico and you are spot on that Mexico is one of the best country to retire. I have an advantage as i speak and read Spanish. The rest of the Central South American Countries i have no comments but based on my experiences on Latinos living in Toronto, Peru, Guatemala are not friendly. Hands down the most friendly and hospitable Latinos are Mexicans. They are loyal friends too. The most important thing in a country where to retire are the people. I have not been to Malaysia but i have good experience with Malaysians when i was in Vietnam, they are friendly and looks happy people. The Malaysians are the first people who conversed with me and they invited me to visit Malaysia especially Penang and Kuala Lumpur. This is my opinion only based on my experience.
Thank you for sharing your experience in such detail. That is valuable to people. :-)
very good observation Dans opinions will not apply to all of us.
Our son loves Malaysia but it's very expensive to get residency so he has to leave.
Hi Arnie. Anywhere on Mexico coast you could recommend living on $1000 usd p/m? ty
@@TheBlueskyson I have been only in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Acapulco beaches as tourist. Not sure how much will it cost to live there as an expat but you can google list places to live in Mexico for less than 1k or more. I am planning to go back to Mexico City this year and i want to know the feeling if i can live there permanently or at least six months of the year. Thanks
Your videos and data for slow world travel are second to none. Immense gratitude 🙏🏼 from Las Vegas….hoping to start my journey sooner, rather than later ……..
Awesome list for retirement planning! Super excited to explore these affordable places. Great video for early retirement dreams.
Another great vid! Thanks, Dan!
I’m surprised Boquete, Panama didn’t make your top 15.
Hi Dan and significa other. I will be getting your subscription soon. I grew up in Mexico City as a kid for 20 yrs. I have a master’s in social work. I say this because I’m looking to live overseas where my chronic pain can be addressed. As a 71 female who understands how ugly old age care is here. Please provide a series on health services in each country.
Imteresting idea. I would be curiosu what exactly you would want. Do you have my email? Get my free eBook and I will use my email to send it to you.
Great, first hand reporting, Dan! My wife is Filipino. We live in the north east US in New England. I’ve visited the Philippines and we’re planning on retiring there in about four years. She is from Quezon City outside of Manila. We’re planning on areas like Laguna, battahan for retirement. But I will have to revisit Baguio city once again because of your review. I did stay there once, and it was a great spot and cooler in the mountains. I guess that’s why MacArthur ended up there, lol. Safe journeys and peace to you and your wife.
Actually there is an alternative to MacArthur, you can go to San Fernando and up from there is only 1 hour. Instead of settling in Baguio, you can settle at the beach within reach of Baguio.
Thank you!!
In the US was married to a Filapina fir 40+ years till she lasted away jn . 2017. She came when she was 20. She never wanted to return to ir visit the Philippines. Never did. But she loved Thailand. We went numerous times.
Dumagette #3? I listen to bloggers who live there or talk about it. They all mention the poor infrastructure,brownouts, lack of parking for autos, etc. I don't thjnk so.
You are right. They live here though. Why? Because they visit other places and keep comming back. But go with your own gut. Thanks for sharing.
It will be much worse in the US. Sadly.
The only issue I have with Vietnam is the Visa office. If they decide they do not want to give you a visa this week they will just tell you they don't like your photo so it is difficult to plan ahead. Within just a few months they rejected my application even though they had accepted my photo the month before. I applied early for both of the visa apps that were rejected. I think they were too lazy to look at them.
Vietnam just announced return of 90 day tourist visas starting Aug 15 2023. I don't know what country you are from, but e-visa and visa on arrival should be available.
I believe there is also a way to get a temporary residence. Still they are defining parts of it, but never hurts to ask the Vietnam Embassy or Consulate where you live...still not like Thailand or Malaysia, but they are developing something.
There are nicer countries.
Great video as always. Very thoughtful. However, do you have plans on ever visiting Africa? I've always enjoyed nature programs. Unfortunately, vloggers covering that expansive continent are rare. Thanks.
My brother lives,as an American , in Querétaro. He loves it and lives it up.
Great town!
Riding through Ubud on a KLX450 was sick, but I couldn't stand the traffic.
lidl is a german chain pronounced leedl
and yes they have fantastic product and great quality for cheap
Thanks for the tip. We love it.
Hi From Ireland.
Great Show, Thanks.
Bali????
Bali is as $$$ as Australia.
How is Loss, Cambodia or Phillipeans not up the top?
Thanks guys! About to make the move. Asia for a year or so, to pick my 10 year spot! Love all your videos!
Wise move
You could live just fine in Costa Rica with a $1500 monthly budget if you live in a town such as Grecia, which is only 30 minutes from the International Airport and 45 minutes from the capital city of San Jose. You can qualify for residency with a $1000 monthly retirement income and the level of medical care is rated above the USA. Best of all the weather in a place like Grecia does not require A/C, the Farmers market is gigantic, local food and rent are cheap, buses are cheap and go everywhere and you are just 2.5 hours by air from Florida. Clearly this one should be in your top 15!
We have been to Costa Rica several times. It is very nice .... but ... It feels a little too Americanized for us and super expensive. Watch our videos on the ground there. Just google Vagabond Awake Costa Rica. I have about 10 videos there.
I agree that CR is a great place to live. We live permanently in Costa Rica for 3 years and it's very affordable if you stay away from the tourist areas . All beach towns are very touristy and more expensive. We live and immersed ourselves into the people, culture and history and only shop at our huge farmers market and support the Locals. We live in the mountains among all locals, no gated expat communities!! Our retirement here is wonderful and we pay much less for everything. Renting up here is still cheap. Many people come here and stay only in the high touristy areas and then base the affordability on the Country as a whole 😢!! Our food, medical, housing, insurances , utilities etc etc are extremely cheaper than USA. Where we live NO AC and No heat needed and perfect climate temperatures all year round. We live in Authentic CR that has very little foreigners which we Love. We have many local friends which basically adopted us lol !!!! We didn't move here to hang with expats , we came here to immerse into this Country. Mexico has more expats than CR !!
Your vids are convincing me to retire early, love them I’m probably going to purchase the membership I totally see the value. When I do my 2 month trips before I retire I don’t need visa correct as I won’t stay long.
Just check each country before you fly to see if you need a visa. It depends on where you are from and what country you are going to.
Hi Dan, great report! What happened to Colombia? And why in your opinion is Peru better?
Thanks,
John G
Dan, great video. FMy priorities are 1. Easy retirement visa 2. Abundent local food available throughout the day as I don't cook 3. Cheap rent and peaceful existence. How do you rate Bangkok (or mainland Thailand cities), for my purpose? Thanks once again
Mojo. Bankok is cheap, but man it is busy and very noisy. Unless you lived outside the city somewhere.
Good list! I've been to 10 of the places listed and my favorites include Arequipa, Cuenca, Bangkok, and Bali. My list would include Guadalajara, Mexico because I'm a big city boy and it is Mexico's 2nd most populous city ... also it is so close to Lake Chapala and charming town of Ajijic. Grenada, Nicaragua would be on my list because it is so charming, has a good restaurant and nightlife scene, yet so very affordable. Finally I would consider either Phnom Penh or Siem Reap in Cambodia - which are cheaper than Bangkok or other popular places in Thailand. I really love exotic Kathmandu - so colorful, lively and affordable - but the air quality ids not good.
Those are all great choices. We have free videos on all of them here and written reports on all of them in our membership:
UA-cam PLaylist by country: www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists
Membership reports: vagabondbuddha.com/
I’m in Dumaguete right now, would not recommend unless you get right out of the city, it may be a hub, but it’s dirty and everything feels run down. It may be fine for some, and it’s probably a lot better if you are getting out of it often to local Islands and waterfalls, but to live in the city… I’m guessing it’s not for many Westerners.
Many expats live outside the city in surrounding areas.
Hey Dan
Just thinking of this topic, what a coincidence 👌🏽
I noticed almost none in Europe or Africa. I prefer Thailand or Malaysia for now.
Schengen 3-month limits in Europe messes up long term stays. Now Bulgaria and Rumania are going under too.
I speak Spanish. I've visited Jamaica, Costa Rica, many parts of Mexico incl. San Miguel de Allende which I adore, four Thai cities, Belize, Curacao, Madeira Island, Portugal (prob. costs too much f/ this list), The Bahamas and Chile. I'm leaning Jomtien, Thailand due to beach proximity, shopping, quality of living, expat base, climate, and apartment style
What about Cuba? Could u live ok on $1000 usd p/m? ty
Dan, I am now in Baguio, your former #1 in the Philippines. I noticed Baugio is been passed by Dumaguete in your opinion. I will explore around town tommrow
I came on a Saturday and because of it Baguio is really crowded and the traffic was crazy today. Don't come on the week end. Tomorrow I begin my exploration in ernest
Most important thing about finding a place to move to, is the same thing when searching for a girlfriend: a spark, a connection. Different sparks for different folks. Actually, Dan and Quang Hui did a bunch of Philippine videos recently..
Explpre outlook drive, it is not crowded there.
Very nice video, we are Sonia and Daniel in our little channel, greetings from Argentina🙋♂
wow, nice collection! I would love to get to these places! even if just for a visit.
I've heard that locals are less than welcoming of foreigners in Oaxaca. Relative to the government response to the health event of 2020, how would rank this list if liberty/freedom were the primary concern?
You are obviously a city person, I like a more peaceful living, Valencia might not be bad. My ideal places would be far enough away from the the cities to avoid the noise and pollution but close enough for shopping.
I feel like a lion, confused by a herd of zebras! So many cool places to go and retire to when I finally get a chance. Dumaguete Philippines has been high on my list for quite a while, but Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, sounds like a great start. I think I’m just going to head over and just keep bouncing around every two weeks for six months to a year.
Find my favorite spot, then go back to the states and sell everything I have except for my home. I’ll rent my home out and hire an agent to take care of the home. The rent should come in handy while traveling. Then I shouldn’t have to touch my pension money at all. Thanks for the great videos. Awesome content your girlfriend walking down the sandy beaches I just think. Wow you’re a lucky dude!!! 625 days before I can start really thinking about retiring summer of 2025 will be my last summer of work. I can’t wait!!! I have to wait until then to secure my annuity pension.
Then I can start a real life, sad assessment, the majority of my life chasing this pension. But I’ll retire at a young 59 years old👍
Surprised i never see siem Reap , very easy visa , nice place and very cheap. Could add kampot if you like the slow pace of life,
I love Siam Reap. I get why people retire there. I have ben there several times. Personally, there is no one place I would take off the top 15 list because it was bumped out by Siem Reap. Check out my Camboida playlist. I also liked Kep and Battanbam. www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists
Great video 👍 Curious what you would rank Las Terrenas DR
Surprised to see Dumaguete on the list but it does seem very livable for expats 😊
Knowing it has a decent hospital for a town of it's size is sure to be a factor. It would be for me.
the dumaguete mafia will welcome ya'll with open arms .....
🤣 lol jk
Excellent choices Dan..!! Where are you from in SF? Thanks Andy from Palo Alto
All up and down the weather coast, plus Arizona and Virginia. :-)
Hi, Dan. It's an interesting list and I've stayed in several of those locations for months or longer. My only criticism is that there's no mention of visas which is a HUGE problem. Without marrying a local, investing substantial money, working for a local company or buying overpriced property, most of these countries do NOT want retirees. So, you'll be constantly at the mercy of visa rules, doing frequent border runs, maybe limited to how long you can stay in a year, etc etc.
We stayed in lovely Nha Trang for 1.6 years by total accident - due to arriving just before the pandemic and border closures - but we never knew if we'd be allowed another month. I used to work in HCMC but it's great for work but not retirees or digital nomads.
Turkey used to be a great place to retire but now they've been too successful and have raised the bar for residency way beyond what most budget retirees can afford.
I settled in Mongolia, largely because my wife is from here and I can get sponsored, although just 1 year at a time.
It's not difficult or expensive to get residency in Mexico. Or Guatemala. Ecuador as well.
@@Rittlesleo That could be true but I'm in Asia and have no interest in the Americas. Asia is really tough, from what I know.
Really wish you had a written list of cities in the description or a pinned comment.
Links to Top 15 list is here:
vagabondbuddha.com/best-places-in-entire-world-to-retire-early-cheap-in-2023/
What an excellent video guys!
Really enjoyed it, thanks from Las Vegas
Dan, great job! very well done. Thank you
Hey Dan, have you been to Iloilo? I plan on visiting visiting the areas in the Philippines that were on your list. We already have a home base in Bicol region but I want to stay a month or so in other areas in the Philippines. From other vloggers I have seen and heard Iloilo is a great town with reliable infrastructure. One vlogger who built a house on a beach outside of Iloilo took a trip around Dumaguete and was a little shocked with the unruly traffic and unreliable infrastructure. He liked some areas, new boardwalk etc..as he mentioned the city is experiencing some growing pains Just like other cities are experiencing in PI. From the videos and vlogs I have seen, IloIlo looks to be a very clean with a better infrastructure for sure.
Do you mind me asking where in Bicol your home base is? My partner is from that area, so I am looking at options. Many thanks 😊
@@georgec2894 Outside Iriga but Naga is better since they have an airport. Once the new highspeed train is running all the way to Iriga, it will be a better place to reside. I will only stay in Iriga a few days here and there, Would rather visit and reside closer to beaches. Plus travel to other countries as well.
@@kevinagullana742 Sounds great. Thanks for taking the time to reply! My partner is from Masbate, but has relatives in Legazpi City... I think she worked in Naga for a previous job too...
I am so happy UA-cam suggested this video. Thank you, Dan! I think I need to check your channel for more videos :)
Hope you enjoy!
Thank you!
Thanks. That was great!
nice report. I'm surprised you didn't mention any Caribbean countries in your report. i don't consider Mexico Caribbean. thanks great report.
We have reports on the Dominican Republic if you are interested in that. vagabondbuddha.com/
@@VagabondAwake thanks. no i was just surprised no Caribbean country appeared on your list. I've seen your videos. great job
Anywhere bordering the Caribbean Sea 🌊 is in the Caribbean geographical area including many of the central and South American countries .
Interesting to look at as a travel brochure, but really gives no usable information about retirement. Traveling as a tourist compared to retiring are very, very different. I've been to many of these places, and there are a lot of varying requirements relating to retirement visas, which are not dealt with at all. Some of the visa requirements are restrictive enough that it wouldn't be reasonable to consider them as retire cheap places.
Each of these places has separate videos and written reports. If I covered all of those details in one video it would be too long and boring. 4 Hours? Buy I have country playlists on my youtube channel that will help break down more details on each: www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists
Really enjoy your informative videos, thanks Dan.😊
Thanks for sharing your journey and tips.
Are there any countries you want to visit that you haven't had a chance to visit yet?
Excellent review Dan!!!
Regarding Guatemala - Antigua is very expensive now with one or two-bedroom apartments going for over $1200. Lake Atitlan (Ah-Tit-Lahn) is over 3 hours from the airport and too remote for most people. Nice place to visit. Panajachel, the main city attached to the lake is crowded, noisy and dangerous if you get close to the two main roads there. They will literally run you over. Towns on the lake are very remote and you'll require a boat to get your groceries in Pana. I love Antigua - but it's no longer an inexpensive place for expats.
The USD and the CAD are in a free fall to the Mexican peso. My cost of living has gone up over 17% within the last 12 months. The CAD has lost 18.5% to the MX peso.
Excellent ,my friend .very informative and well documented.cheers🙏❤️👍👍👍
Thank you for an inspiring video❤
equador--phillipines--viet --malasia
I enjoyed this video, but the one area I do know a little about is the Philippines where I have spent a lot of time as my wife is from there. You don't mention pollution level for any of your locations. Boracay is polluted ( 2024) yes they shut it down in the past to address the problem but unfortunately they don't know what they are doing. the beaches now have lots of algae. So sad they don't' know how to keep there beautiful places clean. I spent my life in the Waste Water business so I do know how to accomplish a clean environment, although in the Philippines it would be very expensive as most places combine there sanitary sewer with there storm sewers. They would have to be separated plus they need understand that all effluent from buildings needs to be treated, not just from the toilets.
Thanks for your thoughts. We didn't see that. This video is what we saw.
I love this channel it’s informative and helpful .
Florianópolis Brasil, great place and of course anywhere in Spain ;)
Cool ~ Happy travels to y'all from Texas❣
Love the information
Glad it was helpful!
❤ I LOVE YOURS VIDEOS AROUND THE WORLD !
Always great content and informative information, Dan. Thanks for sharing.
Loved this video thank you so much !!!!🌺🤗♥️
Wow! My home is just a 15-minute drive to Number Three ..... DUMAGUETE CITY!!!! 🙂
Cool video Dan😊
Hi Dan i've been watching your travel vlogs for a full.year now. I think i'll.go retire in Panama. I'll have my pension paid there worth 3000 $. Untaxed whereas in Belgium my country i pay 600 € tax on my 2400 € pension. In Panama i'll get my pension untaxed and that was my motivation originally but after deciding i started watching a lot of content on this country and i fell in love with it. So Panama it wikl be affordable and secure stable government 5* medical and welcoming people. I think i'll go live in Bocas del Torro the archipellago in the careibean sea. Maybe you'll come and visit , who knows ? Cheers
Hugue from Brussels
You may want to look at our country playlists. We have been all over Panama: www.youtube.com/@VagabondAwake/playlists
Hi. Just a comment about Puerto Morelos. With inflation and the high value of the pesos, it is more expensive then when you went there.
Thanks for sharing. What is your burn rate ($) their now?
Great video thanks
Muchas gracias por tus vídeos ❤❤❤
Hi Dan, Do you do a “Live / Retire Cheap” for Europe / UK? 😊
Do you you mean for people from Europe or UK or people wanting to retire in Europe or UK?
If you consistently show the lady it would be wise to have her speak at times your content will come across more authentic ...
Superb Dan….thank u for this.
I wish you and your life partner all health and happiness, enjoying your life traveling and seeing the world.
I would love to visit all of these cities in video ,I want to prepare a plan to visit all or most .
Good stuff. Thanks!
Yes cheap maybe but at least 3x the cost to get there by plane
We r building This house in Mexico 🇲🇽 with 4 bedrooms 4 custom bathrooms with bidets.
Features 2 master bedrooms 1 up and one down. An in door atrium with skylight waterfall and 50ft walls with a rock wall & entertainment system. Custom staircase with a skylight and a-rock wall. Has a large 2nd floor outdoor balcony with skylight.
Plus a fireplace, no AC or Heater needed all concrete with a solar water heater. Has a small coffee balcony off master bedroom.
Has a rooftop barbecue with jacuzzi outdoor bed and large table. This forever home has no mortgage so no homeowners insurance required. Very low holding costs. Next to zero real estate taxes and low utilities electric and water. With water catchment systems. It’s only a forever home if you can keep and afford it for hundreds of years!
What area. I love Mexico.
Can we get a ballpark cost? $800k us? More?
What about health care? That is missed for most of us in our late 60’s!
The individual reports discuss the healthcare for each location.
How do you find reasonable apartments in Penang?
I am torn between Malaysia and Thailand.
17:06
Maybe a topic about tax savings for living abroad besides cheap living? 😊
Great Idea! @Dan. Tax savings? As a general topic? If you include this, please address the topic of the Stimulus checks: Dan, since you file US Taxes, you got the stimies every else got right?
@@timisaac8121 I meant if a U.S. citizen living full time overseas, he can exclude six figures income from U.S. taxation. I am not sure if the income is earned or unearned or both.
@@louis20122 yes, I can see you are not sure. First, Excludes "foreign source" earned income. Good a place as any to remind you US citizens pay tax on our "world wide income". There are rules such as how many days (or part of days) you can be in USA in a CALENDAR year. Your tax home has to be in another country. Do you think you are qualified to make that determination from Dan's vid presentation? It is a great idea that works for a very few people subject to foreign taxation. The simple fact most people know so little about their own tax situation, they can't measure the benefit anyway. Can you use a schedule C to report Business Expenses incurred in another country? Oh, my.
Only earned income? That sucks. I will retire soon and my income sources are all unearned. I guess no tax savings for unearned income if I live abroad 360 days
@@timisaac8121 But I can take advantage of currency exchange fluctuation and convert into foreign currency on days that the U.S. dollar is strong.
I think early retirement is a risky endeavor, it's only for those with substantial savings to cover daily living expenses.🤔🤔
You have a great list for a bad boyfriend. Everyone will have a different opinion. But most will agree with at least half of your list. With so many countries in the world. That’s actually impressive
How come no mention of Cambodia? I thought it was great too…
We loved Cambodia. But top 15? Didn't make it this year. Maybe it will next year with the tax stuff going on in Thailand.