I save a lot in food and medical. I only eat one huge meal a day during a 4 hour window consisting of food with only one ingredient…raw vegetables, berries, pecans, walnuts, meat, fish and eggs. No sugar, rice, bread, pasta. I cook with butter, lard or extra virgin olive oil and use balsamic and apple cider vinegar and typically 7 spices. I add electrolytes to my water, use MCT oil in my coffee, chew 7 nutritional yeast tables per day and take zinc supplement. I walk 8 miles/11 km every other day. Ninety-eight percent of my meals are cooked at home. When I don’t eat this way, the joints in my hands swell and hurt and I don’t sleep well. I fast 20 hours a day. I was able to eliminate 7 medications and now have the best blood test results ever.
Thank you for your comment. I used to eat that way but learned the science shows that way of eating creates insulin resistance which is not good at the cellular level. By fasting 20 hours there is great benefit where the body can repair itself at the cellular level through autophagy. I have been eating this way for 19 months now and I can tell the difference.
@@RetireandGo i’ve been to Thailand 30 times since 2005 for work with ethnic minority hill tribes in the northern mountain. It’s an incredible country.
The acid test is if you NEED to live on $1000 a month. If you do , depending on where you’re located it’s certainly doable. I’ve met lots of people in SE Asia that live in Hotels with all facilities & room serviced for less than $200 a month. They eat out at street food outlets & shop at local markets for fruit & other essentials. They live very well and become more localised & blend into the local culture. However,,,if you want to spend $1000+++ a month on a nice apartment/ villa in Phuket , eat at upscale restaurants, drink imported wine & have a hooker sitting across the table guzzling cocktails & chowing down on lobster ….expect to pay through the nose. That’s simply life & how it plays. I know guys renting nice apartments in Thailand, Vietnam , Cambodia & Phillipines for around $200++ bucks a month and live very well. It’s all about “locals price” and where to find it.
airbnb at lest rent for 30 days get up to 50% to 60% off rent one in Cebu had 2 bedroom condo 267 a month. plan and be smart. it had a pool , sauna and workout center with 24/7 guard's . light bill for the was 2,000 30 days, see think was 46 bucks see everythink total was 313 usd a month.
Exactly of the "acid test'. Living well means become more local, at least for me: Do better each year. There are no other white guys/gringos in my town of about 5000. I buy what the locals do except they spend too much!! hahaha
Exactly this. I was just in Thailand and I can attest that if you are willing to live more like a local and not by Western standards, absolutely you can live on the cheap. It all depends on what your quality of life and comfort level is. I'm single and don't mind living in a small studio or cheap hotel room and eating from the $2 street food vendors. All I know is, there is nowhere in the USA where you can live one block from the beach and only pay a few hundred dollars per month rent. In Thailand, you can!
@@1FlyingSolo1 Way to go!! You are a wolf!! Getting your expenses down means you can make your savings grow! From savings comes investments. Investments kick out even more for you.
I think I can because i don't drink alcohol or smoke or into girls. I am not interested in bars or clubs or brand name stuffs. The most important things in life for me are good health and no financial stress and have good relationships with family and friends. Staying single and having good relationship with other singles are more important than having a marital relationship.
Plan on visiting your chosen location and staying in a motel while you explore what is offered. Don’t sell your home before you get some experience at your possible place to move. There is a big difference between having to and choosing to.
This is exactly what I plan to do and have done already in my first location - Thailand. Scout out all the possible locations and stay in the cheap motels. This process will take a few years for me to see all the potential locations on my list. Once I've seen them all, I'll have it narrowed down to my top 3 or so. At that point, I can maybe rent out my house (already paid for) and maybe live part-time in the other location. Sort of an international snowbird kind of a lifestyle.
I am a 42 year old Norwegian snowbird and i was a Digtial Expat for 6 months of the year, meaing that i go away in the winter half of the year. I can testify that Dan's channel is probably the go to resource for planning a long term stay in any place ranging from 60 days and more. The range of budget is spot on when it comes to living simple and quiet but still social active fulfilling life. I have tested three of the places that Dan has a report on, and it hits every time, and he says that airfares and inshureance is not on there, so that way i doo is to calculate a rough estimate of airline ticket divided by six pluss cost of inshuranse and visa fee and make a bracket of necessary costs to sustain that cost. 165 days in Thailand last winter was as following. 60 USD per month for travel Insurance covering all medical through Safetywing, a credit card that i earn a good portion of airmiles on, so i flew EVA Business Class to Bangkok for 82.500 poits and 85 Dollar booking fee, but for normies that don't know airmiles take 800 USD should get you there, so 180 USD a month. I also rent a montorbike 90 USD a month, so that's my tranportation ekstra. Visa fee is 900 THB for a Visa Extention and 900 bath for a single entry 60 days tourist visa and 900 bath for extention totalling 2700 THB, totaling 80 USD or 18 USD a month. So take Dan's calculation and add on 180 flight + 90 motorbike rental + 18 Visafee + 60 Insurance = 348 USD a month, so add 350 USD a month in Thailand, and you will hit the bill perfectly in Thailand. If you stay longer, the fee on airfare will go down, and ig you have enaugh airmiles and the right credit card it might disapear compleatly.
Bangkok skymiles have almost doubled. Last flight was 65,000 miles and $300 in fees. Booked last week with miles and was 125,000 miles and just under $500 rt from Chicago.
@@thebangkokconnection4080 just checked my Delta SkyMiles are 174,000 with $115 in fees RT from Atlanta. I had booked two RT tickets last October and got each for 100,000 miles and $98. It’s ridiculous. Airfare is $3,000
Spot on advice re: rent-to-income ratio.....20% to 25% is a good target, the closer to 20% the better. Lifestyle choices really impact the bottom line too. Modern conveniences and more Western standards will always cost more - plan accordingly. When comes to lowering medical expenses, the most effective option is working on your self care. Cutting back/out on smoking and drinking or losing those extra pounds with some exercise and better diet will help reduce health related problems in your retirement years.
Here's 1 excellent reason you can live comfortably overseas on less than $1,000/month: I'M DOING IT! So you see, you cant tell me it can't be done. I live in Iloilo, Philippines on just over $800
Iam doing it too, boots on the ground or ship safely in the port( prior Navy 1st& then Army 2nd) I am supporting 2 households( my fiancee2wife Charlie is going to school in Mindinao) & furnishing a 2 bedroom bungalow house frugally and slowly. I live very frugally being disabled from 3 strokes& 5 heart attacks in South Florida in 2017-18, did not stop us from writing and publishing a book about my Ordeal).My expenses: 1.27,000php( Philippines peso)- rent here on Angeles City guarded and gated community, without a pool( killing me and rent to high, I know) 2. 1500-5500php electric depending on weather conditions 3. 800php HOA fee for security officers I guess as the streets here are horrible. Lol, except at SM Clark, looks like USA streets in Nice areas 4. Water- 352-425php /mth 5. Trash pickup-300php/mth 6. Lawn maintenance-400php/mth 7. Bottled water delivered- 140php( 4 bottles) believe in drinking alot of water daily 8. Visa extension- budget- 3300 php every 2 mths or $45usd or(450/Yr) paid every 2 months( another vlogger #'s for visitor visa for now. After legal marriage will either get the 13A permanent or SRRV visa) 9. Phones: 70usd/1500mth php- still with tmobile to keep my USA numbers and SMART prepaid plan. 10. Wireless/ internet( my entertainment for now)- 2000php/mth 9. Medical- N/A- cuz of my condition have medicare and pay as I go. Will be a future medical tourist to Thailand and Malaysia 10. Food/ basic food stuffs- 3500-8000php/mth- depending on my feel for cooking or getting " Grab" or " Food Panda" 11. Transportation-1000php maybe, I walk alot even with my rolling walker or a friend might take me somewhere like market shopping or needed based activities. I am a home body for now( passion is traveling when I was healthy) 12. Travel/ real entertainment- NA- I am waiting for Charlie to come back here to experience this 2gether. Once I secure my full 100% military Disability income benefits& Aid and attendance ( at 10% currently)& finish home furnishings- will go on a mass savings for emergency and travel budget. 12. This is all done on a 1500usd mth Disability allowance check & thousands saved in a bank back in the USA. Learned a lot in business, experience & in Army OCS on how to plan, budget and be smart with money. Not a skirt chaser, drinker, smoker, addict of any kind. Rather read a great book and learn than party or do "sheeple" or broke people mentality type things!! 13. By the way, I send Charlie 12000php/mth for her training budget for now. When she is back here, no more need for that expense and into savings that will go & furnishings monthly money as well. One-time expenses. It is a struggle, but I make it every month this way. It will get even better with time, continued planning, adjustment( mainly move for lower rent and pool access within the community or yard), patience, and great ole common sense. Save hundreds to my savings and investments for now, that changes to thousands one I am 💯 % & have more capital to grow it with tax lien certificates and the occasional acquired property back in the USA. Have a plan and work on your plan. Also, when my office is finished, I will continue to write more books and hopefully get them published. Have planned or am writing 5 more currently via cellphone!! If I can do it in this condition, of still in "stroke protocol" and recovery by myself, you can do it too, I know for a fact it is true. You might have to make some sacrifices, but it can and WILL BE DONE!! TRUDAT, REAL TALK&NUFF SAID!!! All be blessed, safe, happy, healthy, prosperous, and great!! Yes, si, ja ,oui, Oo( tagalog filipino for Yes)
I rent a place and pay Internet for less than $200 USD / month. I do not live a 'plush' lifestyle (by choice) but it is certainly possible to keep the costs lower. And then there are all the other things...I am not living on $1,000 USD per month and it always helps to have a bit more available when things come up.
Don't forget currency risk. Most of us convert funds from our home country to our adopted one and exchange rate variations can really impact one's budget. Always keep an emergency fund in reserve.
It’s really easy to find a place, even on AirBnB, for $250 a month or less, especially with a long-term rental. And you don’t have to live in the province either. The most important monthly expense is food because it’s variable and the one that, with some discipline, can save you the most money. If you budget $15 a day on food that would still leave you with $300 a month for everything else, assuming your budget is a strict $1k per month. I mean shit, I can easily get by on $15 a day food in the US or UK so I’m not sure how you couldn’t do it in the Phils. You just have to have discipline and watch your expenses like a hawk until you get into a comfy routine that you know will never go over-budget. I bet you could even do it on $800 a month if you were careful and frugal.
I can do it on $500 US here in the 🇵🇭. I can’t collect SS yet however I have monthly pension from my past employer. I own my house and without a mortgage payment. My monthly utility bills are wifi/landline is 1,299 pesos. Water/HOA is 2,000 pesos. Electric bill varies from 1,200 to 1,500 pesos. Food for 2 varies also 5k to 10k. We like to cook and occasionally will go out. Fuel for my car 1,200 pesos.
Thank you Dan, for this thoughtful romp thru money. Lots to consider, and for me I know it takes some time to adjust to a feeling of ON VACAY to doing life in a culturally way different setting. And sometimes us retirees act like kids and fools and don't listen to our smarter selves. Budgeting for me requires discipline, and at times I want to say Aw! C'mon! Just buy it! some in the moment brain fart... Hahahaha. Usually really a dumb move. Thanks again.
live like a American it will cost like you in America yea . so 1k to small a american thinks need everything need 1600 to 2k . do know only 20% of the Philippine's live on 89k , fact. 89,000 Philippine peso equals 1,628.77 United States Dollar . yes live on it very easy, max that a worker in the Philippine's made is 199,000 Philippine peso equals 3,641.85 United States Dollar Jul 19, 5:28 PM UTC · Disclaimer
My uncle is Warren Buffet. Charlie Munger is my Godfather. Best of all I am Howard Hughes love child and inherited half his fortune. Unfortunately, I am Pinocchio’s half brother.
25% on rent used to be a thing in America in the old days . Unfortunately for most ( Most ) that is not remotely doable . When that equation gets blown up too far it leads to the constant financial distress that approx 40% of Americans live with . I keep wondering when these tens of millions of Americans hit their SS Button will Most move overseas ? If not what ?
Hey thanks Dan, I'm beginning to appreciate your videos more and more as my retirement calendar ticks down... 😮🎉 Editing; to say I just subscribed to Qiang's channel ... 🙏🏻
I definitely think you are correct. I live in the Seychelles. I have my own house, only my wife stayed in three bedrooms, two bathrooms semi-detached town house on a small Island called La Digue. Here in my country citizens do not pay for health and education it is taken care of by the state. We have a mortgage on the house and only left five years to go and we pay 200 USD per month. Seychelles is a very expensive country that might be in the top tier. We need for the two of us 2000 USD to live to cover Utilities, internet, grocery. We have bicycles to move around as the island is very small. we do not go to restaurants or entertainment. We eat all of our meals at home. We buy clothes very rarely maybe every three years. I say even 2k we struggle to make ends meet. But if I am in the Philippines I can survive on 1k as I can adapt the local way of life as I am not a western.
👍😇💛 Vietnam for me. 😊 Life in Vietnam can be more simple and more common sense, Vietnamese people can be very helpful, and Vietnamese food is the best. In addition, money is not everything because of the communal and socialist mindset. Of course if you have money and can afford it especually 😊when you are in retirement, then standard of living is so much better in the West.
Hey Dan ! Lidia and I are still here in Matagalpa, Nicaragua until January and our total bills are still running about $1000-$1100/month living a comfy life and really not budgeting at all. Rent is $340/month. Guatemala is the next stop ! ( Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and Xela ) Guessing costs will be a tad higher there. But a single person could easily live here on $1000/month, and live comfy. Great video !
Thanks Dan. You have made so many excellent videos but this is one of your finest. It cuts through to concepts of adaptation, inherent inflexibility and overblown expectations. A sobering insight into one's self and personal values. To be fair, you provide caveats all through your collection pointing out the extra expenses but this one alludes to the ignorance people have of what they are plugged into and hard-wired to spend before they jump ship. All very well to land with a $1k budget and some emergency savings, but if you carry with you five subscription video on demand services, an uber eats habit, mandates for western food only, a 'need' for 900 square feet/100 square metres of accommodation and a sense of fashion, then you'll certainly, as you point out, struggle on $1k. Love your continued efforts to bring the conversation back to reality.
Agree 100%. If you are someone like me who lives a very simple life without much of any of the extras you mentioned, I know for a fact you can live on $1000 / month in SE Asia. But if you are going to blow it all on booze and ladies in Thailand, you won't have enough. But if you live a simple quiet life, what do you really need to be happy? Just the basics - food, clothing, shelter, and transportation- all of which cost far less in SE Asia than anywhere in the USA. I don't mind living in small apartments and eating local food and walking or using buses or scooters. If you can adapt to those 3 factors, I think you can make $1K / month work.
I am a Swedish man 76 year old. Move to jomtien Thailand 2017 with a Swedish pension 1.700 dollar/ month. Rent a nice condo ,one beedroom and nice livingroom and small kitchen and a big balcony with seaview .Fully furnichs with a washing machine a privat internet. I pay 9.000 thb month for this.El and wather extra. Even a big swimmingpool and gym in building even a sauna,sauna for what in Thailand . All this year only spend 50 to 60k month. Have a Honda Forza i drive localt on. Go and drink in bar one o two times month. I have a good friend ho live on max 40.000 thb month. I have a mutch better live here than Sweden, only that are more saftey here. But I have a buffert in Swedish bank if somthing happen. Sorry for my englich.
Thank you for your cost of living numbers @christerberggren9260! We are all different. Each individual must do an exploratory visit before they will know their own numbers. Have a great day! Dan Have you seen our TH-cam country playlists yet? th-cam.com/users/VagabondAwakeplaylists
Ofcourse i looking every your video,good info. Live 15 year ago in Filippinerna for 3 month but never feel saftey there. Thank you and your beautiful girlfriend for all videos.
Hi Dan. I first moved to Jomtien Beach, Thailand back in 2003, and stayed for 10-years. Just moved back July 2022, and prices have definitely gone up. I do like comfort, so I lease a large one bedroom, with sea view for 18,000 baht per month. I do have a girlfriend who does enjoy cooking, so most of our food comes from the local market, healthy, and economical. I do have insurance for hospital only, and pay for doctor visits and tests myself. My S/S alone is $3,200 per month, and usually after all the expenses, I still save $1,000/mo, without touching my savings.
I just moved my GF and her 2 children into a nice 2BR 1BATH house in Manila for $10kPHP. You can find nice places in nice neighborhoods that don’t break the bank. We pay another 500PHP per month for the gated security guards that check people in and out of the community. Her overall budget for everything but entertainment is $29kPHP. Less than $600US. Let’s add another $2-300US for other expenses such as entertainment, clothes etc and you’re still under $1kUS
Few years ago, people were advertising that you need $500 to retire. Then it was $1000. Today it's $1,500 to $2,000. ..... and what will that number be in a few years from today??
Hello Dan…I’ve subscribed to your channel for a couple years. I don’t comment anymore and I watch your channel off n on. Anyways I’m writing this because I’ve heard Randy Wilson was deported. I guess Jimbo 360 watched your interview with him and reported him to the authorities. Some of the comments I was reading were hard to take ie he’s evil. I felt sad for him. I do hope he’s doing fine and getting some help whatever problems he may have encountered.
Personally, I’m planning at least $3,000 a month. If needed, I could increase to $6,000. I have great health insurance, but will require insurance for my Filipina.
But overseas health insurance is much, much less expensive even for older adults and as Dan says you can self insure if you're disciplined enough to budget for this.
Another thing to plan for which I don't think was covered in the video are changes in exchange rates. Here in Colombia, the dollar has dropped about 20% within the last few months against the Colombian peso, so my rent which at the time seemed pretty reasonable has now crossed over that 25% threshold. But one benefit of that has been that it's forced me to rethink a lot of my discretionary spending habits and adjust my lifestyle accordingly.
@@jackbaldwin3649 2-1/2 years now in Medellín on my 2nd pensionado visa. Considering a move elsewhere to a smaller and more economical city in Colombia.
Hi @dominiquedrozak3723, When you show up in a new town anywhere in the world, even the USA or Europe, you are at a disadvantage. I have a report that explains how I stay safe when I arrive in a place I am not familiar with yet. Here is a link to that report: vagabondbuddha.com/how-to-travel-the-world-safely/ Thanks for watching and commenting. It helps our business grow. Dan
Iam doing it too, boots on the ground or ship safely in the port( prior Navy 1st& then Army 2nd) I am supporting 2 households( my fiancee2wife Charlie is going to school in Mindinao) & furnishing a 2 bedroom bungalow house frugally and slowly. I live very frugally being disabled from 3 strokes& 5 heart attacks in South Florida in 2017-18, did not stop us from writing and publishing a book about my Ordeal).My expenses: 1.27,000php( Philippines peso)- rent here on Angeles City guarded and gated community, without a pool( killing me and rent to high, I know) 2. 1500-5500php electric depending on weather conditions 3. 800php HOA fee for security officers I guess as the streets here are horrible. Lol, except at SM Clark, looks like USA streets in Nice areas 4. Water- 352-425php /mth 5. Trash pickup-300php/mth 6. Lawn maintenance-400php/mth 7. Bottled water delivered- 140php( 4 bottles) believe in drinking alot of water daily 8. Visa extension- budget- 3300 php every 2 mths or $45usd or(450/Yr) paid every 2 months( another vlogger #'s for visitor visa for now. After legal marriage will either get the 13A permanent or SRRV visa) 9. Phones: 70usd/1500mth php- still with tmobile to keep my USA numbers and SMART prepaid plan. 10. Wireless/ internet( my entertainment for now)- 2000php/mth 9. Medical- N/A- cuz of my condition have medicare and pay as I go. Will be a future medical tourist to Thailand and Malaysia 10. Food/ basic food stuffs- 3500-8000php/mth- depending on my feel for cooking or getting " Grab" or " Food Panda" 11. Transportation-1000php maybe, I walk alot even with my rolling walker or a friend might take me somewhere like market shopping or needed based activities. I am a home body for now( passion is traveling when I was healthy) 12. Travel/ real entertainment- NA- I am waiting for Charlie to come back here to experience this 2gether. Once I secure my full 100% military Disability income benefits& Aid and attendance ( at 10% currently)& finish home furnishings- will go on a mass savings for emergency and travel budget. 12. This is all done on a 1500usd mth Disability allowance check & thousands saved in a bank back in the USA. Learned a lot in business, experience & in Army OCS on how to plan, budget and be smart with money. Not a skirt chaser, drinker, smoker, addict of any kind. Rather read a great book and learn than party or do "sheeple" or broke people mentality type things!! 13. By the way, I send Charlie 12000php/mth for her training budget for now. When she is back here, no more need for that expense and into savings that will go & furnishings monthly money as well. One-time expenses. It is a struggle, but I make it every month this way. It will get even better with time, continued planning, adjustment( mainly move for lower rent and pool access within the community or yard), patience, and great ole common sense. Save hundreds to my savings and investments for now, that changes to thousands one I am 💯 % & have more capital to grow it with tax lien certificates and the occasional acquired property back in the USA. Have a plan and work on your plan. Also, when my office is finished, I will continue to write more books and hopefully get them published. Have planned or am writing 5 more currently via cellphone!! If I can do it in this condition, of still in "stroke protocol" and recovery by myself, you can do it too, I know for a fact it is true. You might have to make some sacrifices, but it can and WILL BE DONE!! TRUDAT, REAL TALK&NUFF SAID!!! All be blessed, safe, happy, healthy, prosperous, and great!! Yes, si, ja ,oui, Oo( tagalog filipino for Yes)
My idea of being retired & living in the Philippines on a $1500 budget is to acquire a $60 - $80 / month '''frugal''' studio on a very long term lease. Fix it up to western standards at my expense to my liking and comfort. A lease negotiated 'until I die' and leave my 'stuff' with the owner. -- This will effectively reduce my rent % of $1500 / month to perhaps enough to allow the budget appear as closer to $1800 - $2000 / month. A comfortable life can be had with a strict recognition between a want and a need. Many do it on less than $ 1500 ? -- They have to !
That's interesting at 2:08. My rent (not including utilities) in the US is about 60% of my total cost to exist, and I keep track of expenses carefully. My car is paid off, and food here is cheaper relative to income. I'm frugal with groceries and other outgo, so my expenditures beyond rent are proportionately low. If I were to buy a house here (not interested, though), the banksters would approve a loan with monthly payments up to 1/3 of the gross income. I'd be interested in learning what people in various other nations are budgeting.
The difference is living or surviving. You can easily survive for 1000 USD in SEA, but to have a good life with decent accommodation you will need more. People forget to add everything they need when making these reports like also mentioned here. I will argue if you have normal needs, you cannot have a good life anywhere for 12.000 USD per year. Unless your idea of a good life is a small room on the country side, without any western products, without any travelling and without buying much shoes, clothes etc... My experience after living in 6 countries the last 30 years, is minimum 25.000 USD per year.
In Philippines an expat can exist off $1000 50,000 a month. But you are watching every penny even justifying everything you spend that isn’t essential. I spent 3 months there and figured the minimum I would need is 65,000 a month. 15,000 rent, 5000 electric internet and water. 5000 visa renewal and health insurance. 30,000 a month or 1000 a day for food entertainment etc and 10,000 for what if. That’s renting a 1 bedroom apartment in a small city. 100,000 pesos a month is a very comfortable budget there which is what I had.
Here in USA 5k$ minimum to rent place, pay car, insurance, cellphone, net, gas, foods, electricity, heating gas that’s basic no entertainment mentioned
Nailed it again. The new normal is not 1K per month. Keep researching and learn a new way to save or earn prior to escaping. Bad news I know. Not as bad if you waste your cash moving just to realize in a few months, opps! Dig deep any ideas of making money outside of your proven past skills will most likely fail. Thank you, Mr. Dan for your reports, they are truly appreciated! And invaluable. Not to plug Dan's reports but I can say they guided me! Kampot giving you a shout out.😊
I have a house to live in over there and I told my Filipino wife that we will live on 2500 of my income and she can help to work too by no means do I expect her not to. And then I can bankroll a good chunk of change in my American bank account while transferring the other amount monthly in to my Philippine bank.😊
Dan puts it down. His& Qiang advice helps me navigate here in the Philippines. Real talk,& Nuff Said!! All be blessed, safe, healthy, happy, prosperous and great🎉❤😊😊😊
The "old" rule of thumb was rent should be a wks pay .. I see the 30% of monthly income used as a default today .. but too many exceed 40% in US these days ..
I’m starting to see it would make no sense to live full time over seas maybe 3 to 6 months out of the year but keep insurance and a house here in the states makes more sense
Yeah, I hit the jackpot and I retired in VN on less than $500 a month. I Married an accountant who also owns a coconut farmer. So now she concentrates on her accountant work and I pretend I know stuff about coconuts (I don’t) some guys come in, take the coconuts while I watch and they leave. And we have a very happy life travelling a lot.
Hi @shaneparfitt77, Would you like to be a guest start on one of my videos? Here is an example guest star video: th-cam.com/video/ySM_2jAC4v4/w-d-xo.html Your interview could be just your voice or we could do a zoom call showing your face. If you would like to be a guest star and share your story please leave a personal message here: vagabondbuddha.com/contact/ Thank you for your comment. The detail of your comment makes this real for people. If you have a business, service, or TH-cam channel, you could share that on the interview. Best, Dan
Let's just be honest for a second. You both are very fit. That's very rare, especially in the Philippines (from what I've seen). I've always been interested in the Philippines, but fitness is important to me and I have been searching for evidence of a fit Filipina for decades and this is only the 2nd instance I've found. How hard is it to find a fit woman there if you show up in person, especially one willing to wear swimwear so her fitness is perceivable? Can anyone post multiple examples somewhere so it makes sense to travel halfway around the world without the fear of being stuck thousands of miles away from the nearest visibly fit woman until the trip is over?
His GF is a Chinese-Malaysian from Penang, run-way model. And you are right - there is no fitness in PH, no bikinis, no dieting or healthy eating. If you see a fit Philippina in her late 20th or older she mostlikely lives abroad and only visiting.
Rule of thumb , US poverty level for a couple is about 20k per year . If you are a single expat , most likely you will end up with a local partner, so unless your net budget is greater than 20k - you better stay at home. SE Asia is cheap, but its not Dirt cheap.
Good info - it boils down to whether you are content doing nothing (not spending nothing) or out enjoying things and that equals spending money Nice things in nice places are not usually free I can tell you that doing nothing lasts a very short time and super boredom / frustration sets in
I live a nice life in the Philippines on £1,000 a month, in a 2 bedroom apartment rented with 2 large pools in cebu city...have a twist & Go.. (I have an emergency fund no insurance).. Aircon @ night , 2 adults, non smoker/ non alcoholic...week / weekend trips away in the Philippines & a month holiday in Thailand as well per year...
This math is completely unrealistic to me since it would mean my rent should be 500/month here in Miami…. I don’t know anyone who pays less than 1100/month for rent in Miami. There are many who live 4 or 5 to a room here so they aren’t homeless. I can’t wait to get somewhere there is a “regular” lifestyle possibly!
Dan I spent about 1 year checking out the neighborhoods close by. I wanted to spend about $25K on a property to live: I found a great place for about $16K- ... There are MANY places available today at those prices...
I don't know anyone in the US who goes out to eat 7 days a week. Even myself and my friends who are doing OK financially don't go out to eat every night. I am originally from LA so please enlighten me as to what "Western food" is? I grew up eating spaghetti on Monday, tacos on Tuesday, fried chicken on Wednesday, Swedish meatballs on Thursday, fish on Friday, and pizza and hamburgers on the weekend which is the same as the Philippines. Apparently I grew up on Filipino food while I was a child in Los Angeles. By the way fresh fruit everywhere in So Cal just like the PI.
@@VagabondAwake My favorite Filipino food is the lechon manok sold by the street vendors. Also the fish balls and other BBQ are awesome. Tapsilog breakfeast with garlic rice is the best way to start the day!
Here are a few places where you can 1) Nicaragua 2) Vietnam or Cambodia 3) Province area in Ph But IMO, no one should try that unless they have 200-300 to allocate to savings every month.
I do not gamble, smoke or drink coffee, beer, or wine. I do NOT go to bars or other overpriced places, like coffee shops. I DO want to date and love to eat what I and others cook. So location, location, location.... But with no need to work I can slow travel for a year or more.
If you can live alone, one k per month would work in Asiatic countries. If you need a girlfriend, and the girlfriend has four kids, your one k per month will vanish the second or third week of the month, and you may be counting the days until the new deposit posts again. This is my story on Siquijor Island.
No one the Philippines, yes for the monthly pension visa in Thailand but not the deposit retirement visa in Thailand. But things change fast so check at the time you are applying.
Accommodation is the most expensive component of your expenditure. I just spent a month in the places you visited in Borneo/Malaysia. I looked at the local situation and found excellent solutions to that problem. I saw heroic local attempts creating inexpensive alternative style accommodation, they are on the right track but I can do it better. All else very cheap, delicious food, petrol, electricity. I spent 13 Ringgat Malay to watch the latest mission impossible in air-conditioned comfort. Just about every household in Sarawak/Sabah have an air conditioner because they are so cheap to run and I am going back full time next year. Who knew it was illegal to swim in crocodile infested rivers. Of course you can do a crocodile wrestling course in Australia, that can prepare you better for being in the Borneo jungle hehe.
Great video. Couple points. Worldwide inflation has increased budgets. I'm in MX and between inflation and the increased value of the Peso has increased our budget 25% from the same time last year. Those are fluctuating costs which will hopefully go our way in the future. The other point is that most budgets I see at $1000 usd don't include any activities except going out to the eat on infrequent occasions. I want to do activities when I'm in interesting places. Some activities are free. Beach, people watching, exploring. But many activities cost money. I want to go to a show or Teatro, I want to be able to rent a boogie board or snorkeling gear. I want to take short day/overnight trips to locations nearby. Don't forget medical expenses. I used to say for a single person, $1000 will get you by but no frills. $1500 will be very comfortable. You'll be able to do most reasonable actives and live nicely. $2000 and you can do pretty much whatever you want. I would increase those by 25% in many counties currently.
I live in Jomtien for 7 months and I am on a 1000 month budget . Only go drink or get a girl once a week just like I did back in the US. My rent 215 great amenities, bars and restaurants in the complex , 800 meters to the beach .
Does Thailand force you to show health insurance coverage to stay ? And what is the name of the complex in Jomtien ? I'm choosing between Philippines and Thailand.
@@blindfoldsanddaggers5350I am on a retirement visa non o, no required insurance. I live in Talay 1 on second road. Philippines will have more English speakers.
I agree Dan's videos have the best info for monthly expenses. My travels not as extensive, but I have been watching travel videos, and traveling, since 2019. Obviously Covid-19 hit the pause button on travel. But I still watched lots of travel videos during the pandemic. Started traveling again 2022, just exploratory trips, as Dan calls it. And Dan's videos show what to seek. Dan, maybe do more How To vids, pls? How to find cheap apartment. How to buy SIM card in new country. I know you have mentioned these in other vids, but I think short How To vids would be helpful. Just a bunch of 2-3 minute vids; each a specific How To.
Oh man! Just when I thought I could pull it off. My hopes to retire abroad on $1,000 per month are now dashed to the ground. I still think it’s doable if one lives within their means. I remain hopeful.
You can mate live for a thousand a month just not in touristy areas mostly in Thailand or Philippines. Living a little bit away you can if you don't drink much you can cook your own food grow veges
Vietnam will be the cheapest and most comfortable on budget. Just stay away from touristy areas like Saigon and HoiAnn - which is a tourist trap. Be careful about scammers. PH is doable too but it takes a lot if "adjustment" to figure out how and where to live in PH. Rual TH is good but visa runs make it difficult.
Earlier reports were for singles, but more are for couples now. To watch individual complete country reports got to our TH-cam country playlists for each destination. th-cam.com/users/VagabondAwakeplaylists
I save a lot in food and medical. I only eat one huge meal a day during a 4 hour window consisting of food with only one ingredient…raw vegetables, berries, pecans, walnuts, meat, fish and eggs. No sugar, rice, bread, pasta. I cook with butter, lard or extra virgin olive oil and use balsamic and apple cider vinegar and typically 7 spices. I add electrolytes to my water, use MCT oil in my coffee, chew 7 nutritional yeast tables per day and take zinc supplement. I walk 8 miles/11 km every other day. Ninety-eight percent of my meals are cooked at home. When I don’t eat this way, the joints in my hands swell and hurt and I don’t sleep well. I fast 20 hours a day. I was able to eliminate 7 medications and now have the best blood test results ever.
Better to spread your calories out, and eat 4 - 5 times per day ..
Good on you bill
Thank you for your comment. I used to eat that way but learned the science shows that way of eating creates insulin resistance which is not good at the cellular level. By fasting 20 hours there is great benefit where the body can repair itself at the cellular level through autophagy. I have been eating this way for 19 months now and I can tell the difference.
@@RetireandGo i’ve been to Thailand 30 times since 2005 for work with ethnic minority hill tribes in the northern mountain. It’s an incredible country.
Great way to live, it's sad that alot of people don't know this. They have pain swelling and inflammation but don't want to change the way they eat
The acid test is if you NEED to live on $1000 a month. If you do , depending on where you’re located it’s certainly doable. I’ve met lots of people in SE Asia that live in Hotels with all facilities & room serviced for less than $200 a month. They eat out at street food outlets & shop at local markets for fruit & other essentials. They live very well and become more localised & blend into the local culture.
However,,,if you want to spend $1000+++ a month on a nice apartment/ villa in Phuket , eat at upscale restaurants, drink imported wine & have a hooker sitting across the table guzzling cocktails & chowing down on lobster ….expect to pay through the nose.
That’s simply life & how it plays. I know guys renting nice apartments in Thailand, Vietnam , Cambodia & Phillipines for around $200++ bucks a month and live very well. It’s all about “locals price” and where to find it.
airbnb at lest rent for 30 days get up to 50% to 60% off rent one in Cebu had 2 bedroom condo 267 a month. plan and be smart. it had a pool , sauna and workout center with 24/7 guard's . light bill for the was 2,000 30 days, see think was 46 bucks see everythink total was 313 usd a month.
Exactly of the "acid test'. Living well means become more local, at least for me: Do better each year. There are no other white guys/gringos in my town of about 5000. I buy what the locals do except they spend too much!! hahaha
Exactly this. I was just in Thailand and I can attest that if you are willing to live more like a local and not by Western standards, absolutely you can live on the cheap.
It all depends on what your quality of life and comfort level is. I'm single and don't mind living in a small studio or cheap hotel room and eating from the $2 street food vendors.
All I know is, there is nowhere in the USA where you can live one block from the beach and only pay a few hundred dollars per month rent. In Thailand, you can!
@@1FlyingSolo1 Way to go!! You are a wolf!! Getting your expenses down means you can make your savings grow! From savings comes investments. Investments kick out even more for you.
@@1FlyingSolo1Same Germany
I think I can because i don't drink alcohol or smoke or into girls. I am not interested in bars or clubs or brand name stuffs. The most important things in life for me are good health and no financial stress and have good relationships with family and friends. Staying single and having good relationship with other singles are more important than having a marital relationship.
@@RetireandGo Thanks. I just have to be brave to get my ass off the couch and travel lol
💯
No boom boom you’ve got to be kidding😀🌴🌴🍺🍺
I agree Louis!
Plan on visiting your chosen location and staying in a motel while you explore what is offered. Don’t sell your home before you get some experience at your possible place to move.
There is a big difference between having to and choosing to.
That makes sense
"There is a big difference between having to and choosing to"... That is exactly how I feel about the whole "yo will own nothing and be happy" thing.
Sounds like a vagabond lifestyle
why would you sell your home ? if you do sell it try a smaller size home rent it out
This is exactly what I plan to do and have done already in my first location - Thailand. Scout out all the possible locations and stay in the cheap motels. This process will take a few years for me to see all the potential locations on my list.
Once I've seen them all, I'll have it narrowed down to my top 3 or so. At that point, I can maybe rent out my house (already paid for) and maybe live part-time in the other location.
Sort of an international snowbird kind of a lifestyle.
I am a 42 year old Norwegian snowbird and i was a Digtial Expat for 6 months of the year, meaing that i go away in the winter half of the year. I can testify that Dan's channel is probably the go to resource for planning a long term stay in any place ranging from 60 days and more. The range of budget is spot on when it comes to living simple and quiet but still social active fulfilling life. I have tested three of the places that Dan has a report on, and it hits every time, and he says that airfares and inshureance is not on there, so that way i doo is to calculate a rough estimate of airline ticket divided by six pluss cost of inshuranse and visa fee and make a bracket of necessary costs to sustain that cost.
165 days in Thailand last winter was as following. 60 USD per month for travel Insurance covering all medical through Safetywing, a credit card that i earn a good portion of airmiles on, so i flew EVA Business Class to Bangkok for 82.500 poits and 85 Dollar booking fee, but for normies that don't know airmiles take 800 USD should get you there, so 180 USD a month. I also rent a montorbike 90 USD a month, so that's my tranportation ekstra. Visa fee is 900 THB for a Visa Extention and 900 bath for a single entry 60 days tourist visa and 900 bath for extention totalling 2700 THB, totaling 80 USD or 18 USD a month.
So take Dan's calculation and add on 180 flight + 90 motorbike rental + 18 Visafee + 60 Insurance = 348 USD a month, so add 350 USD a month in Thailand, and you will hit the bill perfectly in Thailand. If you stay longer, the fee on airfare will go down, and ig you have enaugh airmiles and the right credit card it might disapear compleatly.
Bangkok skymiles have almost doubled. Last flight was 65,000 miles and $300 in fees. Booked last week with miles and was 125,000 miles and just under $500 rt from Chicago.
Beautiful way to live.
@@thebangkokconnection4080 just checked my Delta SkyMiles are 174,000 with $115 in fees RT from Atlanta. I had booked two RT tickets last October and got each for 100,000 miles and $98. It’s ridiculous. Airfare is $3,000
What credit card do you use?
Spot on advice re: rent-to-income ratio.....20% to 25% is a good target, the closer to 20% the better. Lifestyle choices really impact the bottom line too. Modern conveniences and more Western standards will always cost more - plan accordingly. When comes to lowering medical expenses, the most effective option is working on your self care. Cutting back/out on smoking and drinking or losing those extra pounds with some exercise and better diet will help reduce health related problems in your retirement years.
Inflation. It was true you could live well on $1000 a month 5-6 years ago but that's equivalent to $1400 today.
Here's 1 excellent reason you can live comfortably overseas on less than $1,000/month:
I'M DOING IT! So you see, you cant tell me it can't be done.
I live in Iloilo, Philippines on just over $800
Iam doing it too, boots on the ground or ship safely in the port( prior Navy 1st& then Army 2nd) I am supporting 2 households( my fiancee2wife Charlie is going to school in Mindinao) & furnishing a 2 bedroom bungalow house frugally and slowly. I live very frugally being disabled from 3 strokes& 5 heart attacks in South Florida in 2017-18, did not stop us from writing and publishing a book about my Ordeal).My expenses:
1.27,000php( Philippines peso)- rent here on Angeles City guarded and gated community, without a pool( killing me and rent to high, I know)
2. 1500-5500php electric depending on weather conditions
3. 800php HOA fee for security officers I guess as the streets here are horrible. Lol, except at SM Clark, looks like USA streets in Nice areas
4. Water- 352-425php /mth
5. Trash pickup-300php/mth
6. Lawn maintenance-400php/mth
7. Bottled water delivered- 140php( 4 bottles) believe in drinking alot of water daily
8. Visa extension- budget- 3300 php every 2 mths or $45usd or(450/Yr) paid every 2 months( another vlogger #'s for visitor visa for now. After legal marriage will either get the 13A permanent or SRRV visa)
9. Phones: 70usd/1500mth php- still with tmobile to keep my USA numbers and SMART prepaid plan.
10. Wireless/ internet( my entertainment for now)- 2000php/mth
9. Medical- N/A- cuz of my condition have medicare and pay as I go. Will be a future medical tourist to Thailand and Malaysia
10. Food/ basic food stuffs- 3500-8000php/mth- depending on my feel for cooking or getting " Grab" or " Food Panda"
11. Transportation-1000php maybe, I walk alot even with my rolling walker or a friend might take me somewhere like market shopping or needed based activities. I am a home body for now( passion is traveling when I was healthy)
12. Travel/ real entertainment- NA- I am waiting for Charlie to come back here to experience this 2gether.
Once I secure my full 100% military Disability income benefits& Aid and attendance ( at 10% currently)& finish home furnishings- will go on a mass savings for emergency and travel budget.
12. This is all done on a 1500usd mth Disability allowance check & thousands saved in a bank back in the USA. Learned a lot in business, experience & in Army OCS on how to plan, budget and be smart with money. Not a skirt chaser, drinker, smoker, addict of any kind. Rather read a great book and learn than party or do "sheeple" or broke people mentality type things!!
13. By the way, I send Charlie 12000php/mth for her training budget for now. When she is back here, no more need for that expense and into savings that will go & furnishings monthly money as well. One-time expenses. It is a struggle, but I make it every month this way. It will get even better with time, continued planning, adjustment( mainly move for lower rent and pool access within the community or yard), patience, and great ole common sense. Save hundreds to my savings and investments for now, that changes to thousands one I am 💯 % & have more capital to grow it with tax lien certificates and the occasional acquired property back in the USA. Have a plan and work on your plan. Also, when my office is finished, I will continue to write more books and hopefully get them published. Have planned or am writing 5 more currently via cellphone!! If I can do it in this condition, of still in "stroke protocol" and recovery by myself, you can do it too, I know for a fact it is true. You might have to make some sacrifices, but it can and WILL BE DONE!! TRUDAT, REAL TALK&NUFF SAID!!! All be blessed, safe, happy, healthy, prosperous, and great!! Yes, si, ja ,oui, Oo( tagalog filipino for Yes)
I rent a place and pay Internet for less than $200 USD / month. I do not live a 'plush' lifestyle (by choice) but it is certainly possible to keep the costs lower. And then there are all the other things...I am not living on $1,000 USD per month and it always helps to have a bit more available when things come up.
Wow! Do you live in PH?
Don't forget currency risk. Most of us convert funds from our home country to our adopted one and exchange rate variations can really impact one's budget. Always keep an emergency fund in reserve.
It’s really easy to find a place, even on AirBnB, for $250 a month or less, especially with a long-term rental. And you don’t have to live in the province either. The most important monthly expense is food because it’s variable and the one that, with some discipline, can save you the most money. If you budget $15 a day on food that would still leave you with $300 a month for everything else, assuming your budget is a strict $1k per month. I mean shit, I can easily get by on $15 a day food in the US or UK so I’m not sure how you couldn’t do it in the Phils. You just have to have discipline and watch your expenses like a hawk until you get into a comfy routine that you know will never go over-budget. I bet you could even do it on $800 a month if you were careful and frugal.
I can do it on $500 US here in the 🇵🇭. I can’t collect SS yet however I have monthly pension from my past employer. I own my house and without a mortgage payment. My monthly utility bills are wifi/landline is 1,299 pesos. Water/HOA is 2,000 pesos. Electric bill varies from 1,200 to 1,500 pesos. Food for 2 varies also 5k to 10k. We like to cook and occasionally will go out. Fuel for my car 1,200 pesos.
Thank you Dan, for this thoughtful romp thru money. Lots to consider, and for me I know it takes some time to adjust to a feeling of ON VACAY to doing life in a culturally way different setting. And sometimes us retirees act like kids and fools and don't listen to our smarter selves. Budgeting for me requires discipline, and at times I want to say Aw! C'mon! Just buy it! some in the moment brain fart... Hahahaha. Usually really a dumb move. Thanks again.
live like a American it will cost like you in America yea . so 1k to small a american thinks need everything need 1600 to 2k . do know only 20% of the Philippine's live on 89k , fact. 89,000 Philippine peso equals
1,628.77 United States Dollar . yes live on it very easy, max that a worker in the Philippine's made is 199,000 Philippine peso equals
3,641.85 United States Dollar
Jul 19, 5:28 PM UTC · Disclaimer
My uncle is Warren Buffet. Charlie Munger is my Godfather. Best of all I am Howard Hughes love child and inherited half his fortune. Unfortunately, I am Pinocchio’s half brother.
25% on rent used to be a thing in America in the old days . Unfortunately for most ( Most ) that is not remotely doable . When that equation gets blown up too far it leads to the constant financial distress that approx 40% of Americans live with . I keep wondering when these tens of millions of Americans hit their SS Button will Most move overseas ? If not what ?
Hey thanks Dan, I'm beginning to appreciate your videos more and more as my retirement calendar ticks down... 😮🎉
Editing; to say I just subscribed to Qiang's channel ... 🙏🏻
I definitely think you are correct. I live in the Seychelles. I have my own house, only my wife stayed in three bedrooms, two bathrooms semi-detached town house on a small Island called La Digue. Here in my country citizens do not pay for health and education it is taken care of by the state. We have a mortgage on the house and only left five years to go and we pay 200 USD per month. Seychelles is a very expensive country that might be in the top tier. We need for the two of us 2000 USD to live to cover Utilities, internet, grocery. We have bicycles to move around as the island is very small. we do not go to restaurants or entertainment. We eat all of our meals at home. We buy clothes very rarely maybe every three years. I say even 2k we struggle to make ends meet. But if I am in the Philippines I can survive on 1k as I can adapt the local way of life as I am not a western.
👍😇💛 Vietnam for me. 😊 Life in Vietnam can be more simple and more common sense, Vietnamese people can be very helpful, and Vietnamese food is the best. In addition, money is not everything because of the communal and socialist mindset.
Of course if you have money and can afford it especually 😊when you are in retirement, then standard of living is so much better in the West.
Hey Dan !
Lidia and I are still here in Matagalpa, Nicaragua until January and our total bills are still running about $1000-$1100/month living a comfy life and really not budgeting at all. Rent is $340/month.
Guatemala is the next stop !
( Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and Xela )
Guessing costs will be a tad higher there.
But a single person could easily live here on $1000/month, and live comfy.
Great video !
Thanks Dan. You have made so many excellent videos but this is one of your finest. It cuts through to concepts of adaptation, inherent inflexibility and overblown expectations. A sobering insight into one's self and personal values. To be fair, you provide caveats all through your collection pointing out the extra expenses but this one alludes to the ignorance people have of what they are plugged into and hard-wired to spend before they jump ship. All very well to land with a $1k budget and some emergency savings, but if you carry with you five subscription video on demand services, an uber eats habit, mandates for western food only, a 'need' for 900 square feet/100 square metres of accommodation and a sense of fashion, then you'll certainly, as you point out, struggle on $1k. Love your continued efforts to bring the conversation back to reality.
Agree 100%. If you are someone like me who lives a very simple life without much of any of the extras you mentioned, I know for a fact you can live on $1000 / month in SE Asia.
But if you are going to blow it all on booze and ladies in Thailand, you won't have enough.
But if you live a simple quiet life, what do you really need to be happy? Just the basics - food, clothing, shelter, and transportation- all of which cost far less in SE Asia than anywhere in the USA.
I don't mind living in small apartments and eating local food and walking or using buses or scooters. If you can adapt to those 3 factors, I think you can make $1K / month work.
I am a Swedish man 76 year old. Move to jomtien Thailand 2017 with a Swedish pension 1.700 dollar/ month. Rent a nice condo ,one beedroom and nice livingroom and small kitchen and a big balcony with seaview .Fully furnichs with a washing machine a privat internet. I pay 9.000 thb month for this.El and wather extra.
Even a big swimmingpool and gym in building even a
sauna,sauna for what in Thailand .
All this year only spend 50 to 60k month.
Have a Honda Forza i drive localt on. Go and drink in bar one o two times month.
I have a good friend ho live on max 40.000 thb month.
I have a mutch better live here than Sweden, only that are more saftey here.
But I have a buffert in Swedish bank if somthing happen.
Sorry for my englich.
Thank you for your cost of living numbers @christerberggren9260! We are all different. Each individual must do an exploratory visit before they will know their own numbers. Have a great day! Dan
Have you seen our TH-cam country playlists yet?
th-cam.com/users/VagabondAwakeplaylists
Ofcourse i looking every your video,good info. Live 15 year ago in Filippinerna for 3 month but never feel saftey there.
Thank you and your beautiful girlfriend for all videos.
Hi Dan. I first moved to Jomtien Beach, Thailand back in 2003, and stayed for 10-years. Just moved back July 2022, and prices have definitely gone up. I do like comfort, so I lease a large one bedroom, with sea view for 18,000 baht per month. I do have a girlfriend who does enjoy cooking, so most of our food comes from the local market, healthy, and economical. I do have insurance for hospital only, and pay for doctor visits and tests myself.
My S/S alone is $3,200 per month, and usually after all the expenses, I still save $1,000/mo, without touching my savings.
I just moved my GF and her 2 children into a nice 2BR 1BATH house in Manila for $10kPHP. You can find nice places in nice neighborhoods that don’t break the bank. We pay another 500PHP per month for the gated security guards that check people in and out of the community. Her overall budget for everything but entertainment is $29kPHP. Less than $600US. Let’s add another $2-300US for other expenses such as entertainment, clothes etc and you’re still under $1kUS
Few years ago, people were advertising that you need $500 to retire. Then it was $1000. Today it's $1,500 to $2,000. ..... and what will that number be in a few years from today??
I only have 2 rooms in my villa and a wide land around😊.
12:35 if you're doing dinner on the 1st date, you're doing it wrong, just like in the west. Let Chad she meets later buy the dinner!
Hi Dan, just a quick feedback, the volume on this video is low in comparison to your other videos. I always enjoy your content though. Keep shining! 😃
Yes agreed, very low sound.
Sorry about that
6:04 Get Qiang a ziplock bag for her smart phone. You might be able to save even more money by not having to replace her phone.
Hello Dan…I’ve subscribed to your channel for a couple years. I don’t comment anymore and I watch your channel off n on. Anyways I’m writing this because I’ve heard Randy Wilson was deported. I guess Jimbo 360 watched your interview with him and reported him to the authorities. Some of the comments I was reading were hard to take ie he’s evil. I felt sad for him. I do hope he’s doing fine and getting some help whatever problems he may have encountered.
Dan could you please tell us where is that quaint sea village at the beginning of this video? Wonderful video & content as usual. Thank you!!
Puerto Galera in the Philippines.
Personally, I’m planning at least $3,000 a month. If needed, I could increase to $6,000. I have great health insurance, but will require insurance for my Filipina.
3,000 usd a month be in the top 5 % in the Philippine's
So at $3k a month you can rent a house near a beach, right? That would be cool. :-)
I just want to live in a condo near the beach.
"Don't live like a tourist" .. And what's the point, of living in an exotic strange land, and not "letting go" of your past life ..
Let's not forget...Health Insurance which is really expensive ! Even more when you get older...
But overseas health insurance is much, much less expensive even for older adults and as Dan says you can self insure if you're disciplined enough to budget for this.
Another thing to plan for which I don't think was covered in the video are changes in exchange rates. Here in Colombia, the dollar has dropped about 20% within the last few months against the Colombian peso, so my rent which at the time seemed pretty reasonable has now crossed over that 25% threshold. But one benefit of that has been that it's forced me to rethink a lot of my discretionary spending habits and adjust my lifestyle accordingly.
I’m in the same boat in cali😊
I'm intrigued by Colombia. May I ask what city you live in? Have you lived in Colombia long? Thanks!
@@jackbaldwin3649 I live in Cali south west of Colombia 37 years off and on.
@@jackbaldwin3649 2-1/2 years now in Medellín on my 2nd pensionado visa. Considering a move elsewhere to a smaller and more economical city in Colombia.
never bring the date home right away, if you want your stuff to stay with you, or the brother to come for a visit....
Hi @dominiquedrozak3723, When you show up in a new town anywhere in the world, even the USA or Europe, you are at a disadvantage. I have a report that explains how I stay safe when I arrive in a place I am not familiar with yet. Here is a link to that report: vagabondbuddha.com/how-to-travel-the-world-safely/
Thanks for watching and commenting. It helps our business grow. Dan
Iam doing it too, boots on the ground or ship safely in the port( prior Navy 1st& then Army 2nd) I am supporting 2 households( my fiancee2wife Charlie is going to school in Mindinao) & furnishing a 2 bedroom bungalow house frugally and slowly. I live very frugally being disabled from 3 strokes& 5 heart attacks in South Florida in 2017-18, did not stop us from writing and publishing a book about my Ordeal).My expenses:
1.27,000php( Philippines peso)- rent here on Angeles City guarded and gated community, without a pool( killing me and rent to high, I know)
2. 1500-5500php electric depending on weather conditions
3. 800php HOA fee for security officers I guess as the streets here are horrible. Lol, except at SM Clark, looks like USA streets in Nice areas
4. Water- 352-425php /mth
5. Trash pickup-300php/mth
6. Lawn maintenance-400php/mth
7. Bottled water delivered- 140php( 4 bottles) believe in drinking alot of water daily
8. Visa extension- budget- 3300 php every 2 mths or $45usd or(450/Yr) paid every 2 months( another vlogger #'s for visitor visa for now. After legal marriage will either get the 13A permanent or SRRV visa)
9. Phones: 70usd/1500mth php- still with tmobile to keep my USA numbers and SMART prepaid plan.
10. Wireless/ internet( my entertainment for now)- 2000php/mth
9. Medical- N/A- cuz of my condition have medicare and pay as I go. Will be a future medical tourist to Thailand and Malaysia
10. Food/ basic food stuffs- 3500-8000php/mth- depending on my feel for cooking or getting " Grab" or " Food Panda"
11. Transportation-1000php maybe, I walk alot even with my rolling walker or a friend might take me somewhere like market shopping or needed based activities. I am a home body for now( passion is traveling when I was healthy)
12. Travel/ real entertainment- NA- I am waiting for Charlie to come back here to experience this 2gether.
Once I secure my full 100% military Disability income benefits& Aid and attendance ( at 10% currently)& finish home furnishings- will go on a mass savings for emergency and travel budget.
12. This is all done on a 1500usd mth Disability allowance check & thousands saved in a bank back in the USA. Learned a lot in business, experience & in Army OCS on how to plan, budget and be smart with money. Not a skirt chaser, drinker, smoker, addict of any kind. Rather read a great book and learn than party or do "sheeple" or broke people mentality type things!!
13. By the way, I send Charlie 12000php/mth for her training budget for now. When she is back here, no more need for that expense and into savings that will go & furnishings monthly money as well. One-time expenses. It is a struggle, but I make it every month this way. It will get even better with time, continued planning, adjustment( mainly move for lower rent and pool access within the community or yard), patience, and great ole common sense. Save hundreds to my savings and investments for now, that changes to thousands one I am 💯 % & have more capital to grow it with tax lien certificates and the occasional acquired property back in the USA. Have a plan and work on your plan. Also, when my office is finished, I will continue to write more books and hopefully get them published. Have planned or am writing 5 more currently via cellphone!! If I can do it in this condition, of still in "stroke protocol" and recovery by myself, you can do it too, I know for a fact it is true. You might have to make some sacrifices, but it can and WILL BE DONE!! TRUDAT, REAL TALK&NUFF SAID!!! All be blessed, safe, happy, healthy, prosperous, and great!! Yes, si, ja ,oui, Oo( tagalog filipino for Yes)
My idea of being retired & living in the Philippines on a $1500 budget is to acquire a $60 - $80 / month '''frugal''' studio on a very long term lease. Fix it up to western standards at my expense to my liking and comfort. A lease negotiated 'until I die' and leave my 'stuff' with the owner. -- This will effectively reduce my rent % of $1500 / month to perhaps enough to allow the budget appear as closer to $1800 - $2000 / month. A comfortable life can be had with a strict recognition between a want and a need. Many do it on less than $ 1500 ? -- They have to !
That's interesting at 2:08. My rent (not including utilities) in the US is about 60% of my total cost to exist, and I keep track of expenses carefully. My car is paid off, and food here is cheaper relative to income. I'm frugal with groceries and other outgo, so my expenditures beyond rent are proportionately low. If I were to buy a house here (not interested, though), the banksters would approve a loan with monthly payments up to 1/3 of the gross income. I'd be interested in learning what people in various other nations are budgeting.
The difference is living or surviving. You can easily survive for 1000 USD in SEA, but to have a good life with decent accommodation you will need more. People forget to add everything they need when making these reports like also mentioned here. I will argue if you have normal needs, you cannot have a good life anywhere for 12.000 USD per year. Unless your idea of a good life is a small room on the country side, without any western products, without any travelling and without buying much shoes, clothes etc... My experience after living in 6 countries the last 30 years, is minimum 25.000 USD per year.
Wow! very comprehensive, as usual! cheers! xoxo
Glad you think so!
In Philippines an expat can exist off $1000 50,000 a month. But you are watching every penny even justifying everything you spend that isn’t essential.
I spent 3 months there and figured the minimum I would need is 65,000 a month. 15,000 rent, 5000 electric internet and water. 5000 visa renewal and health insurance. 30,000 a month or 1000 a day for food entertainment etc and 10,000 for what if. That’s renting a 1 bedroom apartment in a small city. 100,000 pesos a month is a very comfortable budget there which is what I had.
Best video I have seen so far from anyone! Lots of common sense ideals!
Thanks for watching @geraldgolden2723! Dan
tell me how people are surviving in London/NYC/Paris with spending half of their income for rent :)
God only knows my friend.
Vitamins. If you’re living in the Philippines, and not supplementing, you’re likely aging prematurely.
Here in USA 5k$ minimum to rent place, pay car, insurance, cellphone, net, gas, foods, electricity, heating gas that’s basic no entertainment mentioned
9 Reasons HIGH END PEOPLE Can't Retire on $1,000 Month Overseas
$7000 pesos per month is closer to $350 or $400 per month US. If you don't do the math correctly you certainly can't comment on the possibilities?
Nailed it again. The new normal is not 1K per month. Keep researching and learn a new way to save or earn prior to escaping. Bad news I know. Not as bad if you waste your cash moving just to realize in a few months, opps! Dig deep any ideas of making money outside of your proven past skills will most likely fail. Thank you, Mr. Dan for your reports, they are truly appreciated! And invaluable. Not to plug Dan's reports but I can say they guided me! Kampot giving you a shout out.😊
if single 1k can be but if have a say a gf/ wife need 1600 to 2,000 k usa a month
Wow , the water is sublime! Beautiful! Good shots Mr.
Dan!
I have a house to live in over there and I told my Filipino wife that we will live on 2500 of my income and she can help to work too by no means do I expect her not to. And then I can bankroll a good chunk of change in my American bank account while transferring the other amount monthly in to my Philippine bank.😊
Dan puts it down. His& Qiang advice helps me navigate here in the Philippines. Real talk,& Nuff Said!! All be blessed, safe, healthy, happy, prosperous and great🎉❤😊😊😊
I don’t drink, smoke, go to restaurant I don’t what they put in my food. I eat but once per day, under my cooking only.
The "old" rule of thumb was rent should be a wks pay .. I see the 30% of monthly income used as a default today .. but too many exceed 40% in US these days ..
Nine reasons ? The one that matters is that if you are limited to $1000 per month the country you want won't accept you.
It would cost you 1339$ in CDN $ / at the exchange rate.
Maybe you have this in your emergency fund but have an escape fund so you can leave on a short notice.
I can retire on 1000 us dollars but I have my own house in The Philippines
Agree. How complicated a lifestyle will determine the cost.
I live in Morocco happily cost about 700e a month
I’m starting to see it would make no sense to live full time over seas maybe 3 to 6 months out of the year but keep insurance and a house here in the states makes more sense
refering to your very last comment on this and some other videos where you say .... me i really really want to do that with you
My budget is $2800 in Thailand ✔️
Sweet.
where is that beautiful Island you are showing in this Video
So I have to settle for macaroni and cheese😂😂😂.saludos a tú muñequita!
And if you are naughty you will be sent to your room.
@@VagabondAwake 😅😅😅
Me,own house,no need rent. Groceries and electricity is d biggest cost. Maybe mobile and Internet can be costly,I don't know.😊
own home best get a solar system 6k to 10 kw price for 6kw is 340 k to 650 k peso . 10kw 1m to 1,2 million peso .have zero electric bill.
Want to be a guest star HillBilly? vagabondbuddha.com/contact/
Yeah, I hit the jackpot and I retired in VN on less than $500 a month. I Married an accountant who also owns a coconut farmer. So now she concentrates on her accountant work and I pretend I know stuff about coconuts (I don’t) some guys come in, take the coconuts while I watch and they leave. And we have a very happy life travelling a lot.
Hi @shaneparfitt77, Would you like to be a guest start on one of my videos? Here is an example guest star video: th-cam.com/video/ySM_2jAC4v4/w-d-xo.html
Your interview could be just your voice or we could do a zoom call showing your face. If you would like to be a guest star and share your story please leave a personal message here: vagabondbuddha.com/contact/
Thank you for your comment. The detail of your comment makes this real for people. If you have a business, service, or TH-cam channel, you could share that on the interview. Best, Dan
Some great advice ..
Let's just be honest for a second. You both are very fit. That's very rare, especially in the Philippines (from what I've seen). I've always been interested in the Philippines, but fitness is important to me and I have been searching for evidence of a fit Filipina for decades and this is only the 2nd instance I've found. How hard is it to find a fit woman there if you show up in person, especially one willing to wear swimwear so her fitness is perceivable? Can anyone post multiple examples somewhere so it makes sense to travel halfway around the world without the fear of being stuck thousands of miles away from the nearest visibly fit woman until the trip is over?
His GF is a Chinese-Malaysian from Penang, run-way model.
And you are right - there is no fitness in PH, no bikinis, no dieting or healthy eating. If you see a fit Philippina in her late 20th or older she mostlikely lives abroad and only visiting.
Excellent advice and video!❤
How about in Niger or Burkina Faso?
Rule of thumb , US poverty level for a couple is about 20k per year . If you are a single expat , most likely you will end up with a local partner, so unless your net budget is greater than 20k - you better stay at home. SE Asia is cheap, but its not Dirt cheap.
I would rather live in SE Asia on 20k a year than the USA. That is not even close in my mind. Whether I am single or in a relationship.
Well Dan, it definitely hasn’t helped that the current US government caused horrific inflation that affects everyone in the world 😢
Not to mention the devaluation of the U.S dollar.
Most cost is housing and food if those are low i see 1000 us can be done
You can live on 1000 a month you 0:09 dont need to eat at vegan cafes
Buy a good tent become a minamalist and you can retire anywhere even san Francisco 😆
Where do you shower Philip? The gym?
@@VagabondAwake yep in the usa planet fitness elsewhere get out in a heavy rain 😆
A lot of people use wishful thinking & creative math, when figuring their budget .. Always, factor / use the "worst case scenario" budget / math ..
Good info - it boils down to whether you are content doing nothing (not spending nothing) or out enjoying things and that equals spending money
Nice things in nice places are not usually free
I can tell you that doing nothing lasts a very short time and super boredom / frustration sets in
@@RetireandGo call be smart get a good woman has own income both team together alot expats do . they invest into rents and stuff.
I live a nice life in the Philippines on £1,000 a month, in a 2 bedroom apartment rented with 2 large pools in cebu city...have a twist & Go.. (I have an emergency fund no insurance)..
Aircon @ night , 2 adults, non smoker/ non alcoholic...week / weekend trips away in the Philippines & a month holiday in Thailand as well per year...
This math is completely unrealistic to me since it would mean my rent should be 500/month here in Miami…. I don’t know anyone who pays less than 1100/month for rent in Miami. There are many who live 4 or 5 to a room here so they aren’t homeless. I can’t wait to get somewhere there is a “regular” lifestyle possibly!
That is right. Miami is not even close t possible. That is why the report suggests living in paradise overseas.
@@VagabondAwake Hopefully that will be me next year! SO ready to go where I can live a normal life again!
Dan I spent about 1 year checking out the neighborhoods close by. I wanted to spend about $25K on a property to live: I found a great place for about $16K- ... There are MANY places available today at those prices...
I don't know anyone in the US who goes out to eat 7 days a week. Even myself and my friends who are doing OK financially don't go out to eat every night. I am originally from LA so please enlighten me as to what "Western food" is? I grew up eating spaghetti on Monday, tacos on Tuesday, fried chicken on Wednesday, Swedish meatballs on Thursday, fish on Friday, and pizza and hamburgers on the weekend which is the same as the Philippines. Apparently I grew up on Filipino food while I was a child in Los Angeles. By the way fresh fruit everywhere in So Cal just like the PI.
Your diet is western food. Local food is what they sell in the local restaurants. Google "best Filipino food near me" and go try local food. :-)
@@VagabondAwake My favorite Filipino food is the lechon manok sold by the street vendors. Also the fish balls and other BBQ are awesome. Tapsilog breakfeast with garlic rice is the best way to start the day!
Here are a few places where you can
1) Nicaragua
2) Vietnam or Cambodia
3) Province area in Ph
But IMO, no one should try that unless they have 200-300 to allocate to savings every month.
I do not gamble, smoke or drink coffee, beer, or wine. I do NOT go to bars or other overpriced places, like coffee shops. I DO want to date and love to eat what I and others cook. So location, location, location.... But with no need to work I can slow travel for a year or more.
If you can live alone, one k per month would work in Asiatic countries. If you need a girlfriend, and the girlfriend has four kids, your one k per month will vanish the second or third week of the month,
and you may be counting the days until the new deposit posts again.
This is my story on Siquijor Island.
Have you thought about changing your situation?
I have to, because the one k can't be split into shares, it should be mainly for me because it is small.
I thought health insurance was mandatory in order to stay in Thailand and the Philippines ? Is that true ?
No one the Philippines, yes for the monthly pension visa in Thailand but not the deposit retirement visa in Thailand. But things change fast so check at the time you are applying.
Accommodation is the most expensive component of your expenditure. I just spent a month in the places you visited in Borneo/Malaysia. I looked at the local situation and found excellent solutions to that problem. I saw heroic local attempts creating inexpensive alternative style accommodation, they are on the right track but I can do it better. All else very cheap, delicious food, petrol, electricity. I spent 13 Ringgat Malay to watch the latest mission impossible in air-conditioned comfort. Just about every household in Sarawak/Sabah have an air conditioner because they are so cheap to run and I am going back full time next year. Who knew it was illegal to swim in crocodile infested rivers. Of course you can do a crocodile wrestling course in Australia, that can prepare you better for being in the Borneo jungle hehe.
Great video. Couple points. Worldwide inflation has increased budgets. I'm in MX and between inflation and the increased value of the Peso has increased our budget 25% from the same time last year. Those are fluctuating costs which will hopefully go our way in the future. The other point is that most budgets I see at $1000 usd don't include any activities except going out to the eat on infrequent occasions. I want to do activities when I'm in interesting places. Some activities are free. Beach, people watching, exploring. But many activities cost money. I want to go to a show or Teatro, I want to be able to rent a boogie board or snorkeling gear. I want to take short day/overnight trips to locations nearby. Don't forget medical expenses. I used to say for a single person, $1000 will get you by but no frills. $1500 will be very comfortable. You'll be able to do most reasonable actives and live nicely. $2000 and you can do pretty much whatever you want. I would increase those by 25% in many counties currently.
Another great video Dan👍
I live in Jomtien for 7 months and I am on a 1000 month budget . Only go drink or get a girl once a week just like I did back in the US. My rent 215 great amenities, bars and restaurants in the complex , 800 meters to the beach .
Does Thailand force you to show health insurance coverage to stay ? And what is the name of the complex in Jomtien ? I'm choosing between Philippines and Thailand.
@@blindfoldsanddaggers5350I am on a retirement visa non o, no required insurance. I live in Talay 1 on second road. Philippines will have more English speakers.
Thanks. Sounded like clickbait in contradiction to some of your other videos, but this was good, thought-provoking, reality....
BS! 😂😂😂
Sure you can
I agree Dan's videos have the best info for monthly expenses. My travels not as extensive, but I have been watching travel videos, and traveling, since 2019. Obviously Covid-19 hit the pause button on travel. But I still watched lots of travel videos during the pandemic. Started traveling again 2022, just exploratory trips, as Dan calls it. And Dan's videos show what to seek. Dan, maybe do more How To vids, pls? How to find cheap apartment. How to buy SIM card in new country. I know you have mentioned these in other vids, but I think short How To vids would be helpful. Just a bunch of 2-3 minute vids; each a specific How To.
Exactly.
Thanks 🙏👀🙏
Loveeet ❤
Oh man! Just when I thought I could pull it off. My hopes to retire abroad on $1,000 per month are now dashed to the ground. I still think it’s doable if one lives within their means. I remain hopeful.
You can mate live for a thousand a month just not in touristy areas mostly in Thailand or Philippines. Living a little bit away you can if you don't drink much you can cook your own food grow veges
Vietnam will be the cheapest and most comfortable on budget. Just stay away from touristy areas like Saigon and HoiAnn - which is a tourist trap. Be careful about scammers.
PH is doable too but it takes a lot if "adjustment" to figure out how and where to live in PH.
Rual TH is good but visa runs make it difficult.
all the budgets mentioned, are these for a couple or solo traveler?
Earlier reports were for singles, but more are for couples now. To watch individual complete country reports got to our TH-cam country playlists for each destination. th-cam.com/users/VagabondAwakeplaylists
Great video...I always laugh though when these very good videos mention budgeting haircuts. :)
Right? I would imagine a haircut is less expensive outside the US compared to just about any country! lol
My last one was $4 USD.
Hey Dan, I especially liked the last one. That was a damn good idea.😀🌴🌴🍺🍺🍺