Author Topic: International locations with cheap real estate (or rent) & high quality of life?  (Read 3426 times)

RyFI

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I've been in Mexico with my family for six months, currently in Guadalajara, Jalisco.  My business in the US is real estate, so wherever we travel in the world I enjoy looking up home prices.  To my surprise, you can buy a newly constructed & well designed 3BR/2BA home in suburban housing developments here for about $35,000 US.  There are condo/apartments in these same developments for $16,000 US!  If you move more into the center of the city the prices go up, but comparatively are still incredibly cheap.  Guadalajara is a cosmopolitan city with tons of stuff to do.  Even better, the climate is very moderate year-round, therefore many homes don't even have heating or cooling systems.  Houses often have solar water heaters & PV panels for electricity, meaning the total cost of living can be very affordable.  This is obviously great for those looking to retire early if you have the ability to be mobile.

This got me thinking: if Guadalajara is a fun, affordable city, there must be thousands of other towns & cities in the world that fit that description as well.  Share what you know!  What places do you know of personally where your money goes very far and there's a good quality of life?  Maybe a beach town in the Philippines, maybe a mid-size city in South America somewhere, etc.?

Thanks!
« Last Edit: April 04, 2016, 08:46:16 AM by RyFI »

Nederstash

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Never would have thought that about Guadalajara! It sounds like a great place to live!

I know that affluent Dutch people like to move just across the border to Belgium or Germany because of taxes and house prices. It's amazing what kinds of houses you can buy compared to this side of the border! If I didn't want to live close to friends and family, I'd move in a heart beat.

Bucksandreds

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I've been in Mexico with my family for six months, currently in Guadalajara, Jalisco.  My business in the US is real estate, so wherever we travel in the world I enjoy looking up home prices.  To my surprise, you can buy a newly constructed & well designed 3BR/2BA home in suburban housing developments here for about $35,000 US.  There are condo/apartments in these same developments for $16,000 US!  If you move more into the center of the city the prices go up, but comparatively are still incredibly cheap.  Guadalajara is a cosmopolitan city with tons of stuff to do.  Even better, the climate is very moderate year-round, therefore many homes don't even have heating or cooling systems.  Houses often have solar water heaters & PV panels for electricity, meaning the total cost of living can be very affordable.  This is obviously great for those looking to retire early if you have the ability to be mobile.

This got me thinking: if Guadalajara is a fun, affordable city, there must be thousands of other towns & cities in the world that fit that description as well.  Share what you know!  What places do you know of personally where your money goes very far and there's a good quality of life?  Maybe a beach town in the Philippines, maybe a mid-size city in South America somewhere, etc.?

Thanks!

I know parts of Nicaragua and Guatemala are popular because of the ocean, climate and prices. Stay away from El Salvador and Hondurus, though.

EconDiva

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Never would have thought that about Guadalajara! It sounds like a great place to live!

I know that affluent Dutch people like to move just across the border to Belgium or Germany because of taxes and house prices. It's amazing what kinds of houses you can buy compared to this side of the border! If I didn't want to live close to friends and family, I'd move in a heart beat.

I didn't know this about Guadalajara either.  I must put this on my list of places to visit :)

RyFI

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Never would have thought that about Guadalajara! It sounds like a great place to live!

I know that affluent Dutch people like to move just across the border to Belgium or Germany because of taxes and house prices. It's amazing what kinds of houses you can buy compared to this side of the border! If I didn't want to live close to friends and family, I'd move in a heart beat.

I didn't know this about Guadalajara either.  I must put this on my list of places to visit :)

We've been very pleasantly surprised with Mexico all-around.  So many fun towns, cities, and natural surroundings.  I just put up a post on our blog about a cool no-car event that happens every Sunday in Guadalajara.  They close down about 24 km of a very main road to all motorized vehicles.  It's so much fun!  It makes me imagine what it'd be like if it were always that way, not just on Sundays.
http://eachweekunique.com/2016/03/29/stroll-on-sunday/

We're sincerely going to miss Mexico and Guadalajara specifically.  Nowhere in the world is perfect of course, Guadalajara included, but I'd highly recommend a visit. 

RyFI

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My wife just sent me this article: http://www.fulltimenomad.com/cheap-places-to-live-abroad/

Sure enough, Guadalajara is on it, along with some other places we might check out in the future.

forummm

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It can be pretty cheap to live in a lot of the US as well. You can find good houses for well below $100k in some places (mine for example, although I got it during the foreclosure crisis, and it's worth a bit more than that now). And I live in a big metro area.

You will have trade offs abroad--not being able to drink the water, getting sick from eating in restaurants, unstable governments, etc. But you could benefit by enjoying learning a new culture, access to the ocean at cheaper prices, etc.

Matumba

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RyFI

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It can be pretty cheap to live in a lot of the US as well. You can find good houses for well below $100k in some places (mine for example, although I got it during the foreclosure crisis, and it's worth a bit more than that now). And I live in a big metro area.

You will have trade offs abroad--not being able to drink the water, getting sick from eating in restaurants, unstable governments, etc. But you could benefit by enjoying learning a new culture, access to the ocean at cheaper prices, etc.

You have a good point, there's nothing wrong with living in the US.  I'm retired because I bought cheap homes (in the US) during the recession.  We also spend the bulk of our time in the US still.  However, to dispel a rumor...I've traveled rather extensively around the world and have never had an issue with water or food.  Yes, some places you have to drink filtered water, but it's not a big deal.  I find food hygiene in non-chain restaurants to be better than chain restaurants, and it's much easier to find non-chain restaurants outside the US.  I'd much rather eat at a Mexican street taco stand where I see them making the food than at even high-end chains in the US.  Long story short, I wouldn't use water/food as a reason to not live elsewhere.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!