10 Countries To Live Outside the US That Are So Cheap You Could Quit Your Job
As the cost of living continues to soar in the United States, many people are setting their sights on relocating to international destinations that won’t break the bank. Some locales are so affordable that, with enough savings, you may be able to quit your job and retire early while still living in the lap of luxury.
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International Living released its annual report on the Best Places to Retire in 2025, and the results may surprise you. From coastal getaways to European hotspots, these countries are not only beautiful but extremely inexpensive.
So, while the list is geared toward retirees, these countries may be great options for anyone with a healthy savings account or who doesn’t mind living on a budget.
Thailand
International Living author Bart Walters has lived in Thailand for 25 years, with six of those years spent in its capital city of Bangkok. If you relocated to Bangkok today, Walters said, you would be able to rent a fantastic studio apartment for $600 a month, spend less than $100 a month on transportation and feed yourself well on a budget of $15 per day.
What kind of food could you get with that budget? According to Walters, you’d be able to afford at a minimum a plate of chicken and rice (less than $2), a café Americano ($1.20 at the coffee shops in Chiang Mai) and mangoes (less than $1 per pound).
Those interested in retiring in Thailand will be pleased to hear about the high-quality healthcare available. Walters said he had two hip replacement surgeries — one in the United States and one at a private hospital near Bangkok. The bill for the operation in Thailand cost less than a third of the same procedure in the U.S. Overall, he wrote, the cost of medical care in Thailand is about 30% what you would pay in America.
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Italy
Anyone dreaming of embracing a slower lifestyle found in Italy will be excited to hear this dream is attainable and affordable.
Chip Stites, a retired CFP, writes about retirement in Italy — having drawn off his own experience living near Rieti with his wife and dog. The warm climate and welcoming locals are matched by the European country’s inexpensive cost of living. Stites said you would pay about half of what you’d expect in the U.S., with costs further decreasing if you decided to live in a smaller town.
You can even invest in real estate for a fraction of what you would pay as a first-time buyer across many states. According to Stites, properties in some areas of Italy sell for prices as low as €130,000, or $136,340 USD.
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Greece
Leena Horner, International Living writer, shares her experience of living in Corfu, Greece, with her husband and four cats. In Horner’s eyes, Greece is a lifestyle and less of a place to retire, though there are plenty of retiree-specific perks that come with relocating here.
One of the biggest benefits is the affordable cost of living. Horner said it’s possible to live comfortably in Corfu on a modest budget. For those looking to rent, the typical monthly cost of a one-bedroom apartment ranges between €400 and €600 ($419 to $629 USD). Horner said small homes in Greece’s countryside range from €80,000 to €160,000. In the United States, this comes out to anywhere from $83,911 to $167,818.
Both public and private healthcare is affordable in Greece. According to Horner, expats pay a small monthly fee to receive public healthcare. Doing so covers the cost of essential services and hospitalization.
Malaysia
Malaysia has long made appearances in rankings of affordable countries to retire to if you have a limited savings. Keith Hockton, a retiree who lives in the Southeast Asia nation, wrote about some of the reasons retirees should consider retiring in Malaysia on International Living.
Housing costs are low in Malaysia, with the typical one-bedroom apartment rent going for MYR 1,500 to 2,500 ($300 to $500 USD) in Kuala Lumpur. Monthly utilities average MYR 200-300 ($40 to $60 USD). Hockton also recommends exploring Penang and Malacca for competitively priced rentals. There’s even the opportunity to purchase inexpensive colonial-era homes like those for sale in George Town in Penang.
The cost of healthcare is also substantially less in Malaysia than it is in the United States. According to Hockton, a visit to a specialist in a private hospital generally costs between MYR 50-250. This would be anywhere from $10 to $50 USD.
Spain
Let Marsha Scarbrough, a former assistant film and television director and resident of Madrid, sell you on why it’s worth it to retire in Spain.
Though Scarbrough lives in one of Spain’s most expensive cities, she said her monthly budget is around $2,200, with another $400 for Spanish taxes. This sum allows Scarbrough to live in a nice studio apartment (where the rent is $911 each month), pay for utilities (about $107 per month) and enjoy going out to see films, theater and art exhibitions on a regular basis. Scarbrough writes that not having a car saves her about $1,000 a month and what she pays overall would be a fraction of what it would cost to live as a retiree in America.
Scarbrough, who is 77 years old, writes that the cost of her private Spanish health insurance is €217 ($233 USD) a month. This amount, she said, covers all expenses with minimal co-payments and no deductibles. Scarbrough added that Spain’s largest private healthcare provider Sanitas would be able to cover a healthy 64-year-old couple for just $318 a month. This amount includes basic dental coverage and absolutely no co-pays or deductibles.
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France
Fill the next chapter of your life with plenty of joie de vivre without going into debt when you retire in France.
International Living French correspondent Tuula Rampont writes that France’s savings in housing and healthcare remain unparalleled. According to Rampont, it is 34% cheaper to buy a home in France than it is in the U.S. For those who wish to rent, they’re likely to pay 51% less than what they would in America.
The French government also fixes prices on its healthcare. Rampont said these prices have not increased since her arrival in 2010. A retiree who needs to see a doctor will spend around €25 ($26 USD) — or €80 ($85 USD) if seeing a specialist.
Mexico
Bel Woodhouse’s International Living bio reads that she currently resides in Cozumel and that moving abroad has been the best change she has made in living her dream life.
Typically, Mexico is cited as a popular country for North American retirees due to its affordable costs and proximity to the United States for return travel. While Woodhouse currently lives on an island, she said her one-bedroom apartment costs just $500 a month. Some of Woodhouse’s friends live on pensions of $1,000 a month, an amount that gives them a comfortable lifestyle in Mexico.
Costa Rica
What do you know about the Pura Vida lifestyle in Costa Rica? Retirees seeking an adventure without paying a lifechanging sum of money in its pursuit may find this city in Central America calling them.
Bekah Bottone, International Living’s Costa Rica correspondent, writes that she has loved Costa Rica since her first trip there in 1997 as an exchange student. Bottone, who lives in Villarreal, said your cost of living in Costa Rica will depend on your preferred lifestyle. Fortunately, it’s possible for both frugal retirees and those with plenty of financial wiggle room to strike a balance on the sum they can live comfortably on each month.
Before committing to a location, Bottone recommends retirees explore different regions — the Central Valley, the Osa Peninsula, Puerto Viejo and Tamarindo — to determine which area has the lifestyle that fits them best.
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Portugal
According to Terry Coles, who retired early with her husband in the Algarve region of Portugal, it’s possible to live comfortably on a monthly budget of $2,500 to $3,000 as a couple in Portugal.
As Coles writes on International Living, your expenses will fluctuate depending on whether you rent or buy a home. Coles said she and her husband spend between €2,500 and €3,000 ($2,700 to $3,200 USD) each month. This amount covers the cost of rent ($1,300), a car, a gym membership and various other expenses such as utilities (ranging between $87 and $163 a month) and smartphone plans with Wi-Fi (about $70 a month).
Panama
Taking the No. 1 spot on this list is none other than Panama. Here, Jess Ramesch writes she is able to enjoy a California lifestyle without paying tons of money in property taxes or worrying a visit to the hospital could wipe out her savings.
Several financial benefits welcome retirees who choose to relocate to Panama. Not only is Panama warm enough to enjoy all of your favorite outdoor activities year round, retirees get access to incredible discounts simply for being residents. According to Ramesch, these discounts include but are not limited to 25% off your power bill, 20% off medical consultations and medication and 25% off meals at restaurants.
Healthcare and dental costs are also affordable. Ramesch cites an example of when she replaced a crown, which would have cost $1,000 to $3,500 in America. Out of pocket, the cost was $580 in Panama.
Laura Beck and Heather Taylor contributed to the reporting for this piece.
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