Does a place like this exist?

[Blue Collar Guy]

Here is a this is a re-post from another thread i commented on"I was all crazy about living like a king in some foreign land with my American dollars, i barely speak English, let alone another language, i dont want a grass hut, i want the mansion,the servants, lobster, filet mignon, champagne , top shelf doctors, things i have here minus the big price tag, (ok i dont have any servants and my house is not a mansion but it is new and nice). when i was done reading the book, i was all gung ho to retire in some exotic land, the bride does some google searches just to humor me. She burst my bubble , but the book should have started out as "once upon a time"... Sure some folks here do it in style and live awesome i sure , its just not for most of us. like today i took a stroll down to the corner got a loaf of still warm Italian bread a pound of rare roast beef and lunch was served. i just wanted to do that for 25 cents instead of 16 dollars. " O.K. the 25 cents was an extreme example, but how about like 50 % off 8 dollars. I dont want an exotic bowl of boiled grass and some stringy old chicken for a dollar.

 

[braumeister]

The web is full of lists. Best places to live. Best places to retire. etc., etc.

You could work your way through them, but I think there's a better way: Make lists of your own.

For example, you could start out with two lists:

Things I really want. Items might be specific climate parameters, or "close to the ocean" or whatever you really want.

Things I really don't want. Items might be "too far from certain relatives" or "surrounded by foreign language speakers"

Once you work through your lists, you'll be able to figure out a list of places that more or less meet all your criteria. Then all you have to do is rank them by cost of living.

There's no magic bullet for this.

 

[btdt22]

Many of today's 'lists' are just click-bait to get you to look at the advertising hits they get reimbursed for. If their is a 'next' arrow/prompt you can pretty much bet the author spent more time on the 'bait' than they did on the research

 

[rocketjockey]

The web is full of lists. Best places to live. Best places to retire. etc., etc.

You could work your way through them, but I think there's a better way: Make lists of your own.

......

There's no magic bullet for this.

This website is probably the biggest help for narrowing the endless lists the braumeister mentions. It does (most of) the homework for you.....

https://www.theearthawaits.com/

 

[marko]

Sounds like OP is looking for some mythical place where $1000 USD buys a millionaire lifestyle. Maybe like moving to Polynesia back in the early 1900's. AFAIK those places are long gone.

Maybe re-context the whole thing. His comment of a 'warm loaf of bread and rare roast beef' sure sounds like good living...regardless of the price. Lots of ways to live well without breaking the SWR; matter of context.

 

[devans0]

Because of uncertainty in health care markets over AHCA, my state's last independent insurance provider reportably has notified our state that it won't be providing insurance in the future. With preconditions and uncovered medication prices, our 2 comma plus nest egg and will be quickly depleted.

Medication is the big expense, the same medicine is $85,000 a year cheaper in one foreign country that we are looking at. That is just one medication. Healthcare insurance should be $5,000 cheaper, also. Since we live in what turns out to be the highest taxed state, (51st after DC), it looks that moving is necessary if we don't want to become indigent.

I'm open to suggestions on places to look for relocating. I don't have to live like a king, but comfortable and secure would be nice.

 

[W2R]

BlueCollarGuy, your public profile says you live in New York. Some parts of New York are very expensive compared with most of the U.S.

How about moving to a cheaper part of the U.S.? Even here in New Orleans, we have some millionaires and at least one billionaire. Here are a few:

7 Of the Richest People In New Orleans

All that, and according to a cost of living calculator, living here costs only 41% of what living in Manhattan costs. I guess that's the most expensive place in NY, but would give you some idea. Anyway, something that cost $16.00 there would only cost $6.56 here.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

This website is probably the biggest help for narrowing the endless lists the braumeister mentions. It does (most of) the homework for you.....

https://www.theearthawaits.com/

thank you

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

BlueCollarGuy, your public profile says you live in New York. Some parts of New York are very expensive compared with most of the U.S.

How about moving to a cheaper part of the U.S.? Even here in New Orleans, we have some millionaires and at least one billionaire. Here are a few:

7 Of the Richest People In New Orleans

All that, and according to a cost of living calculator, living here costs only 41% of what living in Manhattan costs. I guess that's the most expensive place in NY, but would give you some idea. Anyway, something that cost $16.00 there would only cost $6.56 here.

Awesome, My Utopia was in my own country and i didnt know it. I need to start googling some areas here. Thank you

 

[NYEXPAT]

I do not have a mansion, no Lobster, prefer porterhouse, Champagne 3-4 times a year.

I do have:A penthouse with a 700 sq/ft terrace overlooking the city and Pacific Ocean, 2 servants (housekeeper/nanny and cook), Excellent doctors( some make housecalls for $15 and include all medicine), Supermarket, two blocks away where I can get a pound of RB and a fresh baguette for about $6.10. I have great weather for me, less than 1/2 inch of rain and no storms of any variety. More importantly, I have a beautiful Wife, two wonderful sons( 2 and 12) and a loving extended family. My COL is a little less then the median family income in the US,My QOL is off the charts.

So, pretty much anything you want in life is there for the choosing if you are smart,prepared and willing to sieze opportunities.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I do not have a mansion, no Lobster, prefer porterhouse, Champagne 3-4 times a year.

I do have:A penthouse with a 700 sq/ft terrace overlooking the city and Pacific Ocean, 2 servants (housekeeper/nanny and cook), Excellent doctors( some make housecalls for $15 and include all medicine), Supermarket, two blocks away where I can get a pound of RB and a fresh baguette for about $6.10. I have great weather for me, less than 1/2 inch of rain and no storms of any variety. More importantly, I have a beautiful Wife, two wonderful sons( 2 and 12) and a loving extended family. My COL is a little less then the median family income in the US,My QOL is off the charts.

So, pretty much anything you want in life is there for the choosing if you are smart,prepared and willing to sieze opportunities.

This is sounding like a front runner for paradise, Thanks

 

[euro]

I do not have a mansion, no Lobster, prefer porterhouse, Champagne 3-4 times a year.

I do have:A penthouse with a 700 sq/ft terrace overlooking the city and Pacific Ocean, 2 servants (housekeeper/nanny and cook), Excellent doctors( some make housecalls for $15 and include all medicine), Supermarket, two blocks away where I can get a pound of RB and a fresh baguette for about $6.10. I have great weather for me, less than 1/2 inch of rain and no storms of any variety. More importantly, I have a beautiful Wife, two wonderful sons( 2 and 12) and a loving extended family. My COL is a little less then the median family income in the US,My QOL is off the charts.

So, pretty much anything you want in life is there for the choosing if you are smart,prepared and willing to sieze opportunities.

Hmm. I don't think of myself being in a tough spot right where I am at, but yours DOES sound like a top quality setup, NYEXPAT! Good for YOU!

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Hmm. I don't think of myself being in a tough spot right where I am at, but yours DOES sound like a top quality setup, NYEXPAT! Good for YOU!

+1

 

[Music Lover]

Where I live has absolutely everything I need. The only downfall is winter...but that can be remedied at any time simply by taking a trip. Moving away in order to spend less money will actually have a negative impact on my life. The gain would be a few hundred a month and nicer weather but that comes with the cost of leaving decade long friendships and family ties behind.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Where I live has absolutely everything I need. The only downfall is winter...but that can be remedied at any time simply by taking a trip. Moving away in order to spend less money will actually have a negative impact on my life. The gain would be a few hundred a month and nicer weather but that comes with the cost of leaving decade long friendships and family ties behind.

I would pay a few hundred a month to leave some friends and family behind.

 

[Music Lover]

I would pay a few hundred a month to leave some friends and family behind.

As the saying goes...if you loan someone $20 and never see them again, it was money well spent.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

As the saying goes...if you loan someone $20 and never see them again, it was money well spent.

hahahah i agree

 

[Koolau]

Just before FIRE I looked into this question (great lifestyle at low cost?). For me, the answer always came back the same. "Keep it in mind, but don't do it if you can find an affordable lifestyle here in the USA." We have some folks here who have nicely adapted to the expat life. They are very adaptable (both financially and culturally.) Some expats have to deal with the dollar vs local currency issue (which can be extreme at times.) Cultural issues may be even more important to be laid back about.

I moved from the midwest to HI and the cultural issues were the only ones I struggled with. Financially, we had the "plan" and it's still working.

Cultural issues are still occasionally daunting. DW teaches a class and all the students are older ladies - all of oriental and Hawaiian extraction (though US citizens.) DW finds it very difficult to get these ladies to participate in question/answer or other types of discussion. All the ladies dearly love DW and respect her knowledge. But, we found out from asking around, the cross-cultural barriers are not only stark but nearly impossible to change. These ladies (as nearly as DW can determine) would not want to make a "mistake" or "question" or "disagree" in front of a "ha'ole" (a term that has come to mean "caucasian" but originates from the term for "foreigner" (literally ha ole means "no breath" as the "foreigners" who first sailed to the Islands did not use the Hawaiian "greeting" of exchanging breath with each other or with the native folks.) Ha'ole is considered a "neutral" term which can also be used derogatorily such as "Ha'ole, go back to Waikiki." I personally have come to embrace the term ha'ole and use it often when speaking of myself. "Dumb ha'ole" is my favorite expression when I screw up something - for instance if I knock over my glass at a meal, etc. I know I am a guest in HI - and for the most part - a very welcomed guest in my adopted "country."

My point is that to even consider moving to a new location - especially OUS - takes a person who is adaptable to the local culture. Otherwise, one may be quite uncomfortable, disappointed, disenchanted, etc. I believe we have adapted well - not so much that we are "adaptable" people, but because we see the excellent features of the local culture and we embrace the differences - even though we still occasionally struggle with it. YMMV

 

[MooreBonds]

like today i took a stroll down to the corner got a loaf of still warm Italian bread a pound of rare roast beef and lunch was served. i just wanted to do that for 25 cents instead of 16 dollars. " O.K. the 25 cents was an extreme example, but how about like 50 % off 8 dollars. I dont want an exotic bowl of boiled grass and some stringy old chicken for a dollar.

It depends on what you are willing to do for yourself. I could buy a roast from the store (uncooked), on-sale, and make a delicious roast for about $4/lb. Buy a fresh loaf of Italian bread for maybe $2. For $6 (and some gas money), I have a pound of delicious roast beef and fresh bread. All in the suburbs of a major city.

You can greatly reduce your cost of living if you manage to do just some basic things for yourself, which often result in greater quality....although some (like NYEXPAT) have managed to find great lifestyles outside of the US.

But there are always tradeoffs when living outside of the US and what we have been accustomed to. Sometimes they are minor. Sometimes they are major. You will value different things than I do.