You really like the idea of moving abroad, and you are certain you would like to do it. But where should you move? Figuring out where to move abroad is a lot like dating: you have to feel the spark, dive in, and work hard to make the relationship work.
The difference is, when you are so far away and dreaming about this, you have to dive in - meaning choose a country - before you know for sure if you feel a spark. This can feel truly overwhelming and paralyze you from chasing your dream.
I wish that I could solve your problem for you and tell you exactly what country / countries would work for you. The odds of me ‘setting you up’ with your future country are the same as me setting you up with your future spouse (slim!).
However, I can give you a framework that will steer you in the right direction. The number one key to success in figuring out what country is right for you is to focus on self-awareness: who you truly are, what you truly want, and being honest with what you definitely don’t want. Below you will find a short list of factors to consider that can help you discover just that. For a comprehensive list and, well, the whole book on how to move abroad, pick up a copy of my book: How To Move Abroad And Why It’s The Best Thing You’ll Do.
Ok, now, let’s go!
Determine your “Expatability”
What kind of a ‘new’ life are you looking for? Do you want to move somewhere so far away that every aspect of your new life is different to back home? Is there a particular culture you are seeking, or, conversely, something you are looking to avoid? Many people move abroad for the sun, a cheaper way of life, less materialism, more family time. But you can find those things in vastly different countries, so you have to be very honest with yourself - just how different can life be for you to still enjoy it?
Can you live in a country where the majority of people live a life that’s dramatically different to yours, or would you prefer a country that’s nearer to your own in terms of culture, language or financial stability?
What are the comforts of home that you have to have, and what are the things you are able to live without?
Are you OK with moving to a place where English isn’t widely spoken? If so, do you speak the language of your new home? Are you willing to learn it once you move there?
Proximity to Loved Ones
Leaving family can be the most devastating part of moving abroad...or the most liberating. You’ll have to address how close or far you want to be to your loved ones back home.
Will you go back ‘home’ frequently or is adventure the focus, and you are looking to move to a country on the other side of the world?
How easy should it be for your family to visit you? If you are close by, will you often have weekend guests? Is that something you want or want to avoid?
Climate
If the weather is the reason you want to move abroad, what are you chasing? The sun? The beach? The mountains? Make sure you do your research to find out what the weather is really like when you live there.
I explain this in my book How To Move Abroad And Why It’s The Best Thing You’ll Do:
“Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, but it rains there. A lot. For an entire season, the sky opens up every afternoon and more rain falls than what seems possible. You have to be willing to put up with your street becoming a rushing river, insects seeking shelter in your bathroom, the clanging of heavy droplets on your tin roof. I personally love the drama of the clouds rolling in over the mountains and the daily downpour that follows, but if you have to be out and about at a lot of external meetings or need unwavering internet access in the middle of a thunderstorm, those same tropical showers might become your biggest enemy.”
Minority-friendliness
When you move abroad, you automatically become a cultural minority. You are, after all, a foreigner in a foreign land. It is important to understand how the country you are moving to will welcome someone with your set of descriptors: nationality, gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.
You might not know the answer now, but how comfortable are you being ‘different’?
Socializing options
Whatever you do, don’t rely on bars to be the place where you make your community. When you look for people in bars, you find people who hang in bars. That might be nice, occasionally, but you are much more likely to find people who are on your wavelength by taking part in things that are really, truly, a signal of who you are.
What sports, clubs, hobbies, and interests are a big part of your recreational life? If you need to take part in certain activities in order to be happy, make sure your new country offers opportunities for you to pursue them.
Health Care
Regardless of your age or current health status, you’ll need to access health care at some point. A cyclist may run over your foot, an angry water buffalo may charge you, you might get a bad sinus infection.
Accidents happen, and unexpected health problems arise. Consider the cost, accessibility, and language barriers associated with getting quality health care abroad. Unfortunately, cash is king everywhere, meaning that if you can pay it, excellent healthcare options are available in many countries around the world.
It’s also important just to note here that even if a country has free public healthcare for its citizens, expats are usually required to pay for private insurance - this will never cost as much as in the United States. Anywhere.
Cleanliness
Do you care if there is garbage on the street, pollution in the air, and noisy traffic all around you all hours of the day? Are you terrified of cockroaches or other creepy-crawlies? If you have severe arachnophobia, don’t move to the Amazon! Make sure you really factor in how much noise, light and garbage pollution can affect where you decide to live. At first, in your honeymoon phase, you won’t mind it as much, but this is a major factor that can really get you down when you are in that rainy day Frustration phase of living abroad that inevitably follows that romantic spark.
Transportation
If you’ll be using public transportation abroad, how affordable and convenient is the public transportation system? If you are driving, are you prepared to drive stick? Remember, in most places other than North America, vehicles with automatic transmissions are scarce!
Cost of Living
Make sure you have a sense of what your budget will buy you in the country you want to move to. If you have $5,000 a month, you can live like royalty in many countries around the world, but you will barely get by in others.
All of these factors will impact your quality of life abroad. Think about where they land on your priority list, and choose a destination that will offer you what’s highest on your list.
Lastly, it’s very important to be realistic about the place that you are dreaming of moving. You might be surprised what countries and cities are realistically the most comfortable for expats to live, versus a romantic notion of cities that are difficult and challenging in reality.
Top 10 Best Cities to Move to in 2020
You might be dreaming of a certain city or country because of a vacation, or a romantic notion of a nostalgic past. In fact, some cities considered the most favorable by expats themselves might be a true surprise. As a place to start, InterNations.org outlines the best and worst cities for living abroad in 2020 according to interviews and surveys with over 20,000 expats in all countries around the world. Here are the top ten in 2020.
Taipei, Taiwan is known for its quality of life, good transportation, availability of health care, affordable housing, and favorable cost of living.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia makes the number two spot for its for social life, language (English is widely spoken), cost of living, and affordable housing.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam has affordable housing, is easy on the wallet, has strong career opportunities, favorable working hours, is known for friendliness and socializing.
Singapore is known for its cleanliness, safety, political stability, transportation, quality of living, the ability for expats to get settled, ability to make new friends.
Montreal, Canada has a good cost of living, affordable housing, strong career opportunities, and plenty of leisure activities.
Lisbon, Portugal is known for its quality of life, socializing and leisure activities, beautiful climate, and geographical beauty.
Barcelona, Spain is a top choice for climate, leisure options, health and environment, and socializing
Zug, Switzerland is known for its quality of life, top local transportation, availability of health care, work-life balance, and strong local economy.
The Hague, The Netherlands is known for job security, the state of the local economy, and work-life balance.
Basel, Switzerland is also known for its balance of its quality of life, personal safety, local transportation, and affordable housing.
If you found those top ten surprising, how about the ten worst cities are in 2020 - many ‘dream’ cities are found on this list:
Kuwait City, Kuwait
Rome, Italy
Milan, Italy
Lagos, Nigeria
Paris, France
San Francisco, USA
Los Angeles, USA
Lima, Peru
New York City, USA
Yangon, Myanmar
Wherever you end up, whichever city or country chooses you, embrace your adventure! Make a plan, commit to it, and just go!
Get the book
Start planning your move abroad and turn your dreams into your new normal.