[BangBoy123]

The op hasn't even replied since making his first post!

He spent a year in Ukraine, one of the cheapest countries in the world and his income is still only 1k usd

Doesn't bode well for the future

[Atlantid]

What about northern Spain? Are Galicia and Asturias cheap? Spain sounds great in terms of amenities but I prefer temperate weather.

[Dilated]

Asturias is beautiful. Can go from secluded beaches to mountains (great hiking) in less than an hour. Judging by hotels and food, the prices were reasonable. Not E. Europe cheap but cheaper than a lot of W. Europe.

Can’t comment on housing or apartment costs, unfortunately.

[joecolombia]

Latin America truly does have good hospitals, just not the public or completely state owned ones.


This is one of the best in Latin America. I´ve been there and it has top notch tech.

http://valledellili.org/fundacion-valle-...noamerica/

[Bienvenuto]

I pay $50 rent a month for a house with a garden here in Rural Vietnam. Utilities negligible.

Meals on the street a $1 per mealtime.

Constant hassle from locals and constant harassment from the government for new and varying 'permissions' for made up shit. Cost is low - $30 etc. but the mind games and pressure can get to some people.

I used to like the idea of locking my gates when I get home, but they've started throwing fireworks over the walls recently

Mileage may vary..

[Jetset]

(03-03-2019 07:37 PM)solotak Wrote:  

Any recommended cities in particular with favourable weather and opportunities to surf?

(03-09-2019 07:40 AM)Dilated Wrote:  

Asturias is beautiful. Can go from secluded beaches to mountains (great hiking) in less than an hour. Judging by hotels and food, the prices were reasonable. Not E. Europe cheap but cheaper than a lot of W. Europe.

I was going to reply to solotak earlier but lost track of it, that in the south, Cadiz is a popular surf destination, but that I've heard good things about Asturias. I'm neither a surfer nor have I visited, but it's worth checking out.

[Atlantid]

(03-09-2019 10:04 AM)Jetset Wrote:  

(03-03-2019 07:37 PM)solotak Wrote:  

Any recommended cities in particular with favourable weather and opportunities to surf?

(03-09-2019 07:40 AM)Dilated Wrote:  

Asturias is beautiful. Can go from secluded beaches to mountains (great hiking) in less than an hour. Judging by hotels and food, the prices were reasonable. Not E. Europe cheap but cheaper than a lot of W. Europe.

I was going to reply to solotak earlier but lost track of it, that in the south, Cadiz is a popular surf destination, but that I've heard good things about Asturias. I'm neither a surfer nor have I visited, but it's worth checking out.

How are the women?

[jimukr75]

Well here is my medical experience in Ukraine, Kiev, over a decade ago.
If you have Sinus headaches they do "primitive" puncture with a needle. This is like USA 30 yrs before. If you get Salmonella poisoning. like a co worker did, they guarantee you in Boris clinic(best hospital in Kiev) for 1 week and feed you only buckwheat and you have to bring clean needles. Oh yeah, no ambulance service, 911 so when I had a motorbike accident i had to limp to the nearest hospital that look like a school built in the 1920's. Did i tell you about chest X rays? NO apron to cover up.
Anything serious I am heading back to USA. Any 1st world country will do but I feel when one is going to be in hospital , one wants doctors who speak 100% their own language as well as support staff. Also tv in English to watch so don't get bored. I hear Israel has the best btw!

[Running Turtles]

(03-08-2019 04:11 AM)luigi Wrote:  

(03-08-2019 03:56 AM)the-dream Wrote:  

(03-08-2019 03:43 AM)luigi Wrote:  

If you are into partying, Spain is THE party country of Europe.

Can you elaborate on that?

We celebrate too many things.

Theres bars everywhere. We joke that the first business idea a spanish has is owning one.

I think Spain is the country with most cocaine consumption in Europe.

We get more sun, we are generally more happy, so we party more.

Check this article
https://www.spain.info/en_US/reportajes/...tinua.html

Any places you can recommend in Spain? The coasts seem to be overrun by English and German tourists and the central parts seem hot as fuck, almost like a desert.

I don't mean this in a bad way. I just haven't found anywhere that really appealed to me, but I would absolutely like to.

[lakesideboss]

You should check out a city called Salamanca,beautiful Spanish city

[Shimmy]

(03-06-2019 08:54 PM)scotian Wrote:  

Ok so the multimillion (billion?) dollar medical tourism industry where people from the west fly to third world countries for cheap surgeries doesn’t exist then and it’s a figment of my imagination?

Guys, just stay home ok, it’s too dangerous and if you twist your ankle or get the clap abroad, YOU’LL DIE!!!!!

I went to a hospital because my stomach was screwed up in Thailand. I went to the specialist there and they ran all kinds of tests and gave me some meds. The doctor was very good and the hospital was nicer than any I've been to in the US. It ended up costing $35 for something that I'm guessing would have cost me about $3-4k in the US. They also got me in the same day, in the US sometimes you have a wait of 2-3 weeks for non emergency issues to see specialists.

[Que enspastic]

I’ve been to Thailand and Spain many times over many years. 2019 was the first year Thailand felt more expensive than Spain. THB is only going one direction

[ArloDash]

(03-09-2019 04:56 AM)BangBoy123 Wrote:  

The op hasn't even replied since making his first post!

He spent a year in Ukraine, one of the cheapest countries in the world and his income is still only 1k usd

Doesn't bode well for the future

I just logged in for the first time in a few weeks (been traveling) and I didn't expect this thread to blow up like it has.

I said my financial situation was shit. It's definitely not anymore. A year of low stress due to low expenses can brood some pretty lucrative ideas.

[ArloDash]

(02-25-2019 08:55 PM)Cation Wrote:  

OP, what is your goal? Just to work in a cheap country, or to have some fun along the way?

Since I was in Lviv as well, I don't think it can get much better than Ukraine in terms of "best buy". The girls were not as hot as Serbian/Croatian girls, but the cost of restaurant food, transport, alcohol and accommodation was dirt cheap.

Of course, India or Moldova are even cheaper than Ukraine, but why bother living in a shithole just to save a few hundred a month? Fuck that.

Thanks for your reply.

You know it's more of a thought experiment at this point. I think it's always nice to have a "bug out" location of someplace you can just defect to if you get sick of everything and want to bail.

Of course, it being as cheap as possible is also nice.

Ironically, I've heard Moldova can be more expensive that Ukraine at times. I see the prices on AirBnb are definitely more. Girls there are supposed to be almost hotter than Ukrainian girls. I had a Moldovan girl in Amsterdam and she was easily one of the hottest girls I've ever slept with.

Yes, I think Lviv is possibly the best deal regarding a European city at the moment regarding price and amenities. That being said, it's realistically only a few hundred dollars cheaper than a lot of other places.

I guess when you get into these regions, it's just splitting hairs on prices.

[ArloDash]

(02-26-2019 11:26 AM)wellrockthecity Wrote:  

Second/third tier Spain by far if you can get to $1500.

Best lifestyle in the world, top notch free healthcare, safe and great food. I think worldwide only certain parts of Italy have a better quality of life but don't do Italy as girls are just not worth the headache there.

Colombia/Mexico are good but quality of life in Spain is better in every aspect but girls hotness/easyness, so it really depends on how important is that to you.
Also the kind of lifestyle that you can have in Southern Europe for cheap is not achievable in those countries for the same price, its sound crazy but its the reality of things. If you live like a poor-medium class person Latin America is gona be much cheaper but you gona have shitty food, little safety etc.

This is very interesting to me.

My only experience was in Barcelona and I thought it was expensive as FUCK and nobody spoke English. Also didn't love the heat.

Other parts of Spain are interesting though. For $1500, what kind of lifestyle are we talking here?

Cool how so many of you have suggested it and I never thought of anywhere in Spain.

[ArloDash]

(02-24-2019 06:26 PM)Heuristics Wrote:  

I nearly went AWOL to Ukraine. To this day it's one of my biggest regrets. You see, I had been in Eastern Europe, and was running out of money to backpack on, and was considering just pulling the trigger and moving to Ukraine illegally and overstaying the tourist visa. Probably learning Russian in the process. One of the biggest regrets in my life that I didn't pull the trigger on it.

Anyway, as far as cheaper places, I would most likely guess the East of Ukraine first, perhaps Kharkov. Second tier Russia is decently cheap as well, from what I hear. There is also Moldova which is the poorest european country. Outside of Europe there are portions of the Middle East that are damn cheap, Asia, Africa of course, and much of central and South America is very affordable.

Man it is so easy to move to Ukraine.

It's also very easy to get a residence permit and make the whole thing legal.

Has anybody been to Moldova? That is the one place that even Ukrainians scoff at because they say it sucks so bad. I can't quite picture how shitty it must be, lol.

[ArloDash]

(03-01-2019 09:10 PM)gework Wrote:  

Places I've stayed with basic living costs per month.

I've added codes for tier (e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd tier) and for location A (center), B (close to center or secondary hub), C (distant from center), D (remote)

3A Zaječar, Serbia (basic): $300
1B Sofia, Bulgaria (comfortable): $800
4A Rural Slovenia (comfortable): $600
3D Novigrad, Croatia (comfortable): $600
4D Rural Vojvodina, Serbia (own house): $150
1B Zagreb, Croatia (comfortable): $800
1A Hong Kong (comfortable): $1,500
1B Singapore (comfortable): $1,500
1A Dhaka, Bangladesh (entry-level luxury): $800
2B Kazan, Russia (comfortable): $700
2C Sochi, Russia (comfortable): $800
2B Aktau, Kazakhstan (comfortable): $700
1B Tbilisi, Georgia (comfortable): $700
1B Yerevan, Armenia (dated comfortable): $600
1C Bogota, Colombia (comfortable): $800
1A San Andres, Colombia (dated comfortable): $1,500
2A Cartagena, Colombia (entry-level luxury): $1,200

Any of the main countries that people go to will have options for $1,000 month. If you get it all booked in advance you should be able to do any of the capital cities, close or maybe in the center, but you may have little to no money beyond living expenses.

There are a number of countries in Eastern Europe where the average wage is about $300-400 per month:

Bosnia
Serbia
Albania
Macedonia
Bulgaria
Romania
Moldova
Ukraine
Armenia
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Russia

With the exception of Moscow, you can probably live in or very close the capital's center, in some quite basic accommodation for $1,000 and some money to spend. But you're talking $100-200. And that relies on snapping up the bargain properties.

These capitals will generally come in at $800 entry level; with 2nd tier being about $650 and 3rd tier at $500. All with fairly basic accommodation and likely being away from the center.

So if you want to keep under $1,000, you're best bet is 3rd tier in EE. I would guess Moldova and Ukraine are the cheapest.

The worlds real shit holes tend to be a bit more expensive than EE due to their stupid laws, import duties and the huge piling into the cities driving up prices. Places like Lagos, Accra, Abidijan. You're looking at more like Moscow prices.

Not been there but have researched to go and looked into buying property there. Thailand and Indonesia have some really good places, cheap. I always like to have a pool, but in EE you are generally looking at $50 per night for a pool. In Bangkok you can get well furnished places with a pool for about $15-20. In Depok, near Jakarta, Indonesia there are places with pools from $10.

To save a bit on accommodation you can look at the normal renting market, if you're able to stay for a prolonged period. For example in Niš, Serbia, you can get an apartment for $150 per month. Food is really cheap there. You could get by on $150 per month on food.

Loaf of bread = $0.33
10 eggs = $1.00
lots of veg = $1-2

Issue is for a longer stay you need to get on a language course, which will be another $300 pm.

Fantastic information here dude. +1 on Tbilisi.

Which would be your preferred place for living, though?

[Bananaman711]

Another problem is how to stay for longer periods, visa runs are pain in the ass.

I believe Philippines wins hands down when it comes to long term stay.

Thailand is sick and tired of expats and it isn't cheap anymore


Also you have to consider climate, Ukraine and Serbia are nice from May to August but how you survive harsh winters. Some people prefer cold weather but for me tropical places are much more appealing and people are happier

[ArloDash]

(03-17-2019 12:10 PM)Bananaman711 Wrote:  

Another problem is how to stay for longer periods, visa runs are pain in the ass.

I believe Philippines wins hands down when it comes to long term stay.

Thailand is sick and tired of expats and it isn't cheap anymore


Also you have to consider climate, Ukraine and Serbia are nice from May to August but how you survive harsh winters. Some people prefer cold weather but for me tropical places are much more appealing and people are happier

Getting a residency permit in any of these places usually costs about $1000-$1500 and you pay a small monthly tax fee to the government. We're talking maybe $60.

I then write this fee off on my taxes as a business expense. Win win.

Visa runs are largely impossible anymore, even in Ukraine, due to computerized entry/exit systems.

I don't see why people even do that. Just get a residence permit. It's easy.

[ArloDash]

(03-10-2019 01:18 PM)jimukr75 Wrote:  

Well here is my medical experience in Ukraine, Kiev, over a decade ago.
If you have Sinus headaches they do "primitive" puncture with a needle. This is like USA 30 yrs before. If you get Salmonella poisoning. like a co worker did, they guarantee you in Boris clinic(best hospital in Kiev) for 1 week and feed you only buckwheat and you have to bring clean needles. Oh yeah, no ambulance service, 911 so when I had a motorbike accident i had to limp to the nearest hospital that look like a school built in the 1920's. Did i tell you about chest X rays? NO apron to cover up.
Anything serious I am heading back to USA. Any 1st world country will do but I feel when one is going to be in hospital , one wants doctors who speak 100% their own language as well as support staff. Also tv in English to watch so don't get bored. I hear Israel has the best btw!

You went to a terrible clinic, then.

I've had world class medical care in Ukraine multiple times. I've had broken teeth fixed, parasites treated, etc.

These places are oozing with private clinics that want your money. I can't comment on if they can treat something serious like cancer, but for average shit, I was well taken care of.

[ArloDash]

(02-25-2019 08:30 PM)Heuristics Wrote:  

Can someone explain the appeal of the digital nomad lifestyle... I see it floated a lot on the forum, but I still really wonder what the appeal of it is. Having to move every three months sounds a bit depressing to be honest, but maybe that's just me.

Digital nomad isn't a great term for what most of us do.

I typically spend 6 months to a year in a cheap place. That's long enough to get the vibe of a place, long enough so that if you have to buy some basic kitchen shit it's not a total waste of money, and short enough that you can skirt most visa rules.

The other big benefit is that it forces you to be minimalistic with your possessions, a little blessing I've noticed from having to downsize to a few suitcases.

Other benefits include a varying selection of fresh pootytang, meeting new people and exploiting new opportunities in business, and just satisfying a general sense of adventure.

On top of this, you save loads of money and end up years ahead of your peers financially, if you save your money properly, who are slaving away in the office back in the USA.

So yeah. More money, fresh selections of girls whenever you want, change of scenery whenever you want, and minimalism. Most guys eventually just land on a place they like and stay there forever, or just move back to the USA.

That being said, I typically orbit around Ukraine and usually end up back there.

[Bananaman711]

(03-17-2019 12:26 PM)ArloDash Wrote:  

(03-17-2019 12:10 PM)Bananaman711 Wrote:  

Another problem is how to stay for longer periods, visa runs are pain in the ass.

I believe Philippines wins hands down when it comes to long term stay.

Thailand is sick and tired of expats and it isn't cheap anymore


Also you have to consider climate, Ukraine and Serbia are nice from May to August but how you survive harsh winters. Some people prefer cold weather but for me tropical places are much more appealing and people are happier

Getting a residency permit in any of these places usually costs about $1000-$1500 and you pay a small monthly tax fee to the government. We're talking maybe $60.

I then write this fee off on my taxes as a business expense. Win win.

Visa runs are largely impossible anymore, even in Ukraine, due to computerized entry/exit systems.

I don't see why people even do that. Just get a residence permit. It's easy.

On what basis do can you get residency permit in Ukraine, do you need to have business/work for some local company?
I would just want to live there for 6 month to a few years without working

[jimukr75]

(03-17-2019 12:28 PM)ArloDash Wrote:  

(03-10-2019 01:18 PM)jimukr75 Wrote:  

Well here is my medical experience in Ukraine, Kiev, over a decade ago.
If you have Sinus headaches they do "primitive" puncture with a needle. This is like USA 30 yrs before. If you get Salmonella poisoning. like a co worker did, they guarantee you in Boris clinic(best hospital in Kiev) for 1 week and feed you only buckwheat and you have to bring clean needles. Oh yeah, no ambulance service, 911 so when I had a motorbike accident i had to limp to the nearest hospital that look like a school built in the 1920's. Did i tell you about chest X rays? NO apron to cover up.
Anything serious I am heading back to USA. Any 1st world country will do but I feel when one is going to be in hospital , one wants doctors who speak 100% their own language as well as support staff. Also tv in English to watch so don't get bored. I hear Israel has the best btw!

You went to a terrible clinic, then.

I've had world class medical care in Ukraine multiple times. I've had broken teeth fixed, parasites treated, etc.

These places are oozing with private clinics that want your money. I can't comment on if they can treat something serious like cancer, but for average shit, I was well taken care of.

Your claims sound contradictory. You said "1st class medical care" and then mentioned " teeth fixed and parasites". Even third world countries in Africa can treat parasites. Heck, I can treat parasites.A course of Metrnadazole will do That isn't complicated stuff and based on the high incidence of parasites in the country they should do a great job at that, especially Giardia. Any high school student can use a cheap plastic microscope and find parasites in fecal samples. In USA elementary school nurses treat this type of stuff.

As for teeth being fixed, there are many good private dental clinics that use German equipment and dentists might have been even trained overseas. That being said, the lack of quality control and legal course to make them fix mistakes can be an issue.
But true serious medical issues, including Cancer, heart attacks, etc Ukraine is the pits! Even appendicitis isn't as safe to treat there. These conditions as well as chronic conditions are how you measure the medical capabilities of a country. If you are living, long term, in another country you want to know that they are capable of dealing with serious issues, other than putting a bandage on your finger!

I mentioned Boris Clinic, it is , or was considered the best private clinic in Kiev. Maybe even better than that fake American Clinic since I heard horror stories from that place.

As for small private medical clinics that want your money: That is the problem in itself. My wife was told she had STUFF she didn't have simply to extract money. I experienced the something.

[Westcoast99]

Im a contractor and work slows down Nov-April. Looking at Panama, Mexico, and The Philippines for the weather during that time and convenience of Visa issues to live for 4-6 months. What are the best cities combining weather, cost of living for an apartment/apartelle, and stuff to do without a car for the Nov-April time period?

[Bananaman711]

Do we have any forum members who actually live in Bali

Is Bali doable on 1k a month?