The International Living Guide to Retiring Overseas on a Budget: How to Live Well on $25,000 a Year

Chapter 2Can You Really Live (Well) Overseas on $25,000 a Year?

ALTHOUGH IT WASN’T THE ONLY—OR EVEN the primary—reason, we moved overseas, the lure of a more affordable lifestyle was certainly a strong motivator. And it’s one that’s attracting more and more baby boomers to far-flung corners of the world.

After all, the opportunity to halve your cost of living and still enjoy better weather, healthier food, quality medical care, and a truly relaxed, “off the treadmill” pace of life is hard to pass up.

So what does it cost to live in one of those exotic locations you’ve been dreaming of? Well . . . how much does it cost to live where you live now? How much does it cost to live in Philadelphia or Phoenix, in Wichita or tiny Augusta, Arkansas?

IT’S PERSONAL . . . AND COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE

The answer, of course, is completely subjective. It all depends on your personal needs, wants, and—most importantly—your comfort zone.

This is probably where we should share all those stories of people we know who are living a caviar lifestyle on a hot dog budget. And believe me, we have stories to tell. In fact, we’ve told many of those stories many times during our tenure as writers for International Living.

But a funny thing happens when we share someone else’s budget . . .

Remember the old adage that if you don’t want to end up in an argument, you should never talk about religion, politics, sex, or money? Probing into people’s budgets and financial situations is intrusive. And there’s always ...