Most future expats don’t start the process with tons of money to burn. Many of them are looking to burn less money — in our 2024 Expatsi Report, 41% of survey respondents said they wanted to leave the U.S. to save money. In terms of value, 29% wanted great value where their money would stretch further than in the U.S. (Of course, 67% of respondents said they wanted both great value and top-notch living, which is a tall order, but at Expatsi, we do our best.)
So for everyone who isn’t among the 4% looking for wealthy countries with resort-style living, we offer a list of some of the most affordable countries you could call home. Every Most Affordable Countries list chooses its own criteria for deeming a country “affordable,” but we’re going by the numbers — Numbeo is a globally crowdsourced cost of living (COL) index and each year provides a ranking of the most and least affordable countries around the world.
So if you’re looking to leave the U.S. and save money doing it, here are 10 promising options.
Paraguay
Paraguay is popular among expats for its low cost of living and its high quality of life. In addition to a relatively low COL, Paraguay scored well on the index for the cost of groceries and restaurant meals and only dipped a little for rent and local purchasing power.
Indonesia
Indonesia is a great and affordable choice for expats in search of beaches and a more easygoing way of life. Its highest ranking on the index was actually for restaurant prices, and rent and purchasing power both performed strongly.
Brazil
Brazil is a cost-effective move for those who want a great cultural experience with their new life abroad. Rent and grocery prices both ranked well, although purchasing power could be better. But it can’t be too bad — Brazil does earn its affordable reputation.
Bolivia
Bolivia offers beautiful views and stunning rainforests for a reasonable cost of living. It ranks particularly well for groceries in the index, and rent is reasonable (although the more affordable housing isn’t always loaded with modern infrastructure).
Colombia
Colombia appears on nearly every most-affordable list, regardless of the factors used to decide. Rent, groceries, and purchasing power all rank highly, even in big cities, which can’t be said for a lot of otherwise affordable countries.
Vietnam
Vietnam is another common visitor to lists of affordable countries because residents love how far their disposable income can stretch. On the index, rent, groceries, and purchasing power all did well, and the cost of restaurant meals was surprisingly low.
The Philippines
The Philippines is a great spot for people who like natural beauty with their low COL. On the index, it ranked especially high for affordable rent, and strong local purchasing power makes it an appealing new home for expats.
Malaysia
Malaysia tends to rank highly for the diverse cultures and lively lifestyle that come with its reasonable cost of living. The index gives the country high scores for reasonable rent and a decent ranking for grocery costs, even if the local purchasing power leaves something to be desired.
Ecuador
Ecuador is well known for its affordable living and ranked well across the board on the Cost of Living Index. For rent, grocery prices, local purchasing power, and even restaurant meals, costs are perfectly reasonable for an expat on a budget.
