Singapore listed as "best for expats" again
New survey from HSBC (survey here) listing the top thirty-one locations for expat success. Brazil is #31, and Singapore is (again) number one. United States comes in at #23. An analyzes of the results at Forbes discusses how the USA was ranked higher for earning power, but lower for the "long hours." South America and Africa placed poorly, and this is also mentioned in the Forbes piece.
Tax Havens (as listed by the EU)
In 2017 a "black list" was created of 17 countries that were deemed uncooperative in working with the EU regarding tax evasion, among other financial matters. That list now consists of only 5 countries (Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, American Samoa, Guam and the American Virgin Islands), though some other nations were moved to a "grey list" for lacking transparency. More on this at Reuters.
Retiring to Greece
Generally informative article which hits all the main points, especially what it takes to stay legally in Greece (i.e., a permanent visa). Has cost of living figures (significantly lower than USA or Britain for example) and other bits of information - Story at Smart Asset
That story from Smart Asset hints at the one of the main hurdles of staying on permanently in Greece, which is the bureaucracy. For an older article which covers this in more detail (and describes some of the pain that can be incurred from having to make every form perfect, and then some, see this 2007 article at livingingreece.GR)
Spain and Brexit
Bookings for holiday travel out of Britain into 2019 is down due to fears about what happens after Brexit - story at BBC.
This UK Mirror article describes general tourism was off for 2018, and expats were leaving out of BREXIT fears, too.
Expat terminations
Expat Coach Katia Vlachos Provides Detailed Roadmap for Expat success - Broadway World
There are currently over 57 million expatriates worldwide and research shows that international assignee levels are expected to rise a further 50% by 2020. However, between 4 and 10% of expatriate assignments get terminated early. Such an alarmingly high failure rate begs the question: Why?
Denmark
Living in an Expat World: What is Danish summer?
The three topics: temperatures, cycling and ice-cream.
Saudi Arabia
More Than 1.6 Million Expat Violators Caught in Saudi Arabia - albawaba.com
"The Nation-Free of Violators campaign announced on Saturday that it has netted as many as 1,625,018 expatriate violators of the systems of residency, work and border security."
Bahrain
Expat suicides toll rises to 23 - gdnonline
"...another expatriate employee took his life yesterday taking the toll of reported suicides among foreign workers in Bahrain to 23 this year."
A perusal of Bing or Google news over the last few years shows many news stories about expat suicide rates in Kuwait, UAE, and other countries. Family and money problems seems to lead the suspected causes.
Arab News
Kuwait terminates more than 3,000 expat public sector employees - Arab News
"The contracts were terminated as part of the Kuwaitization push to replace expat employees with nationals in the government sector."
United Kingdom
'No deal' Brexit: Raab downplays expat pension fears - Citywire UK
"....Brexit secretary pins hopes on 'cooler heads prevailing' to ensure British expats maintain access to their pensions under a 'no deal' Brexit."
Wales, UK
Why expats warm to Wales - Finglobal
Brief article is aimed at South Africans and why they should consider Wales as an expat destination, with the information applicable to many other people interested in this western UK area (bordered by England to the east, with the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel in the south).
:"...When you move to Wales, you need to be aware of cwtch – an intrinsically Welsh word that evokes a sense of home. Pronounced ‘kutch’, to rhyme with ‘butch’, it’s the Welsh word for a cuddle or a hug, but it means much more than that. Its second meaning is a cubbyhole, where something is stored safely. By blending the two meanings, you get a sense of what the word means. Words like cwtch distinguish the national identity of the Welsh and it is a word often used by both Welsh speakers and English-speaking Welsh people to indicate that they are Welsh."
Caribbean
"Why NOT to move to the Caribbean"
Article makes a quick, common-sense survey of why Caribbean Island living would not suit some people. This is a simple overview that doesn't look on regional issues of crime higher in one place but lower in another, cost of living, etc, but instead concentrates on your own suitability for the Caribbean environment.
9 Definitive Reasons Why You Should NOT Move to the Caribbean - Huffington Post
(Another common-sense item not mentioned in this artilce is something someone told me from their own experience when I mentioned I had an interest in living in the Caribbean, and she told me basically: "you can't get anything done, the heat and the lifestyle makes effort seem unnecessary, especially for someone not used to the climate. Whole days pass with nothing accomplished but laying in a hammock or eating and seabathing. It is very detrimental to one's drive..."
Belize
"...Imagine my surprise when within my first week in Belize, I spent more than 12 hours without lights, air conditioning, a phone, water, and Internet. Living in a developing country is a lot less expensive than the U.S., but you have to be flexible and understand that things don’t work exactly as they do in the U.S. Sometimes there are scheduled and unscheduled blackouts. Sometimes Internet service will go out. Prepare for the unexpected by stocking your cupboards with candles, an extra jug of water, and dry goods you can eat without a microwave or stove. Don’t be afraid to go analog..."
Expat Lending
Marsden Building Society sees 80% rise in expat residential enquiries - UK Property Reporter
Dubai
Money
The basics: What's the cost of living? How does the banking work there with the rest of the world? What's the exhange rate? - and more:
Avoid these 6 common expat finance mistakes - Born2invest
Jordan
Almost 5,000 Expat Workers Deported From Jordan in 2018 - albawaba.com
"The deportation of workers came as a result of over 56,000 labour inspection visits aimed at ascertaining the extent to which employers commit to the Labour Law...."
Scotland
One way to be legally able to stay in Scotland? Marry a UK Citizen!
US Citizen married in Scotland - amandawalkins
New Zealand
New Zealand has banned foreigners from buying homes in the country - Yahoo Finance
Expats in Spain
Related: British expats in EU launch Brexit legal dispute - The Local FR
Related: The Reader: We must give British expats a meaningful say in their future - Evening Standard
8.7 million American Expats
More Americans are fleeing to cheap faraway places - NY Post
"...A whopping 8.7 million Americans are living in other countries, based on US State Department figures. And that number is only rising. The appeal? An increasing number of places with strong infrastructure, good technology and — a major selling point — a much lower cost of living than in the United States."
Iran
Iran's Official Currency Is the Rial, But Its Real Currency Is the Dollar - Real Clear Markets
Oman
Oman introduces new rules to protect expat workers - Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia
Why expatriate workers are leaving Saudi Arabia in droves -The Economic Times
...the biggest Arab economy is losing some of its allure to expats who once flocked to a country awash with petrodollars. The number of foreign workers declined by 6 percent to 10.2 million in the first three months of 2018 compared with a year ago, taking the cumulative drop over the five past quarters to about 700,000...
"
Corfu
Uncollected garbage and infrastructure decay on the popular expat Greek island in the Ionian Sea
Plea for Corfu: British Expat invites Tsipras to visit the “Jewel” island - KP Greece
Roundup: USA Cities
Priced out of the market? Cities where the middle class can no longer afford a home - USA Today
Texas Cities Dominate List of U.S. ‘Boomtowns’ - breitbart.com
Survey: Washington DC, Detroit, New York Among The Worst-Run Cities In U.S. - cbslocal.com
US cities Americans are abandoning - USA Today
The Price
Revealed: The world's most (and least) expensive cities - Yahoo
"...designed to show the cost of living for expatriates, takes into account housing as well as a 200-strong “international basket of goods and services” including transportation, food, clothing and entertainment. The report found that housing market instability and fluctuating inflation and currencies were impacting the cost of doing business in the various cities around the world."
Australia - Singapore
Singapore Top Destination for Australian Expats: Atlas Wealth Management Report - Yahoo Finance
"...80% of Australian expats in Singapore recommend the country as a destination to fellow Australians
55% of Australian expats have more disposable income than when they lived in Australia
40% of Australian expats previously looking to buy property in Australia have been deterred by the changes in the tax rules"
More Singapore
Singapore
Paid Vacations
Which countries give the most paid vacations? - Protothema
"Americans get a raw deal "
GILTI Tax Law for Americans
U.S. expats face hammering from new tax rules - Daily Herald
"The two taxes U.S. expatriates who own businesses abroad are most concerned about: a one-time repatriation levy of as much as 17.5 percent on old foreign profits and an annual levy called Gilti -- or global intangible low-tax income -- on foreign profits going forward."
More on the gilti tax law
Wall Street Caught in Crosshairs of ‘Unforgiving’ Foreign Tax - Bloomberg
U.S. tax cuts prompt rethink by some 'inverted' companies - Reuters
Expat Challenges
4 Challenges Every Expat Faces When Taking a New Job Overseas - Inc Com
Article addresses challenged such as: giving up a cherished job (and a major source of income) - adjusting to a radically different culture and language - finding suitable educational choices for children.
Egypt
Egyptian forum dreams up ways to attract expat money - Al Monitor
Unemployment Benefits
Which countries provide the highest unemployment benefits? - Prothema
Expat Money
Paris
An expat's guide to Paris - Los Angeles Times
"...The city was everywhere, except where we happened to be. Until the day when, out for breakfast, we bit into tartines instead of croissants. And the day we put on shoes for a walk instead of sneakers. Paris was burning away its mist of strangeness, and we were starting — just beginning — to understand."
Monster Liabilities in State Debt
Brief item which covers the enormous liabilities in the states of Connecticut, California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York
Link: These American states are drowning in ‘irretrievable’ debt - Fox Business
USA "Prettiest Towns" - in all 50 states
The Architectural Digest magazine rates towns in all of the fifty states according to tree coverage, coastline attributes, architecture (of course) and other features:
Link: The Prettiest Town in Every U.S. State
Apartment Living
The most expensive cities in the world to rent apartments - Protothema
"Hong Kong tops list - Deutsche Bank recently released their seventh annual survey of global prices and living standards, finding that rent for a 2-bedroom apartment can prove astronomical, depending on where you live."
Employment
How technology is changing the global development jobs landscape - DEVEX
Russia
The truth about relocating to Russia - emigrate.co.uk
"Moscow’s Hollywood-inspired persona still rests on freezing winters, lurking secret agents, gun fights, the Lublyanka dungeons and multi-billionaire oligarchs plotting the demise of Western civilisation. Luckily, reality rarely, if ever, follows spectacular misrepresentations, especially in this city with its wide, clean streets, cultural and artistic beauties, onion-shaped towers, musuems and endless historic sights. In other words, expats can enjoy Moscow as much as any other world city famous for its arts and culture."
USA
15 Population migration patterns: US cities Americans are abandoning - USA Today
"Fifty worst cities to live in"
"Each year, roughly 40 million Americans, or about 14% of the U.S. population, move at least once. Much of that movement includes younger people relocating within cities, but it is trends of Americans moving to warmer climates, more affordable areas, and better job opportunities that have largely determined migration patterns in recent decades."
The article lists Fairbanks, Alaska as #50, and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois as #1
Cyprus
Confusion remains over expat status in Cyprus post-Brexit - cyprus-mail.com
"... British expats say they are being given different information depending on where they go. Some who have lived here for more than five years, which entitles them to permanent residency status through the MEU3 form, have been told they only need an MEU1, which is merely a registration formality for those who have been here more than three months. Confusingly, both documents are known as ‘yellow slips’."
Kuwait
Kuwait rescinds expat remittance tax - msn.com
Drunkest
USA
Green Bay named drunkest city in the US - 10 Wisconsin cities listed as top 20 drunkest - tmj4.com
The World
The 15 Drunkest Countries on the Planet - The Street
France / New Zealand
Expat tales: Running a B&B in the south of France - stuff.co.nz
2018 EXPAT costs
World's most expensive cities for expats in 2018 revealed - CNN
Costa Rica
3 attractive areas for expat living in Costa Rica - Ticotimes
Travel
How to Quit Your Job and Travel the World Worry-free - Travel and Leisure
United States Livability
Least livable: 50 worst US cities to reside in - USA Today
"...24/7 Wall St. created an index with measures in eight categories -- crime, economy, education, environment, health, housing, infrastructure, and leisure -- to identify the 50 worst cities to live in. Not confined to a single region, the worst cities span the country from the South to the Midwest and from New England to the Pacific coast."
UK Housing
UK housing market weakens favouring expat buyers - Relocate Magazine
Greece
Is It Really That Bad to Live in Greece As an Expat? - Medium.com
"...Daniel thinks that if you are an expat who doesn’t work here, life is pretty good. “If you come here and you are retired and have a pension, or you move and get married, or if you come with your own business, or if you have huge savings — so that you do not need to live sparingly, you are fine. But if you do need to spend conservatively, is very difficult.” His business operates in Britain and he works from home. And “home” for him is Athens."
Cost of Expat in 11 cities
How much it will cost you to live in 11 popular expat cities - Business Insider
The article measures these cities with a basic cost of living plus semi-essential extras:
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Sydney, Australia
- Hong Kong
- Dubai, UAE
- Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Toronto, Canada
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Brussels, Belgium
- Geneva, Switzerland
How to avoid expat troubles
The 12 Things Every Expat Needs To Do Before Moving Abroad - Forbes
Good article which categorizes basic, obvious things that can get overlooked, things as simple as planning to use local area phone services instead of paying expensive roaming fees on a mobile; making sure you've informed your bank of what's happening; and then very basic things like acquiring a multi-country adapter.
Using the Expat experience
Expat Experience Turned Mom Into Multicultural-Toy Entrepreneur - Forbes
Exit Australia?
Australian pensioners retiring overseas because they can't afford Australia - ABC Net
Cyprus
Cyprus ranks low on work-life balance index for expats - Cyprus Mail
Greece
Young creative entrepreneurs head for the Athens experience
"The historic Greek capital is now home to a thriving expat community who view it as a city of possibilities, with young, foreign creatives flocking to join in with its remarkable quality of life."
Greece Residency
Greece Presents Ambitious Post-bailout Tourism Plan - GTP
"Greek PM Alexis Tsipras. The Greek government has made tourism a high priority with ambitious plans that include the creation of tourist villages set to host EU nationals for a six-month period, allowing them to transfer their tax residence to Greece."
Healthiest Community in America?
Falls Church Is America’s Healthiest Community - US News and World Report
"That community is Falls Church, a roughly 2-square-mile city nestled between the much larger counties of Arlington and Fairfax that holds the No. 1 spot in the inaugural U.S. News rankings of the Healthiest Communities in America."
Liveability
Vienna unbeatable as world's most liveable city, Baghdad still worst - yahoo.com
Article also mentions cities in the UK, Vancouver, Auckland, Zurich and: "Baghdad has been at the bottom of the list for a decade now. "
Expat Jobs
These are the top cities for expat job opportunities - CNBC
"The article covers job opportunity in places like Dublin, Birmingham, London etc. Based on survey responses form 27,587 people, the information cconatins a brief overview with a statistical results, for examples that the average expat earnings for a worker in New York City is $182,240..."
Expat and Families
Mi casa, su casa: The world’s 5 most family-friendly countries - MSN
Article discusses (briefly) Taiwan, Costa Rica, Thailnad, and particular mentions Greece:
"Family is the corner stone of life in Greece so its not surprising that families are welcomed with open arms. Meals out quickly turn into communal affairs. Long tables with benches are the norm and within minutes your kids will be running freely with new found friends, allowing you to kick back and enjoy a chilled retsina or two. It certainly makes a change from other parts of Europe where children are seen as a troublesome inconvenience. "
Top salary rates
HSBC Expat Explorer: Mumbai best for expats in search of biggest paycheques - Topactu
"Expatriates who work in Mumbai, India, are the highest-paid in the world, according to the survey conducted by HSBC Bank International, earning an average of US$217,165, more than double the world average of US$99,903, the survey found, according to multiple reports."
French expat taxes
Expat guide to the French annual tax return - emigrate.co.uk
"The initial forms can be easily downloaded from the French Government’s website, with the pink 2047 form used to declare income earned overseas and the blue 2042 form used to declare all income, included that already declared on the pink form. France’s tax year runs between January and December, with arrivals part-way through the year only having to declare their income from the date they arrived."
USA Foreign Debt
Foreign Holdings of U.S. Securities Rise to Record $18 Trillion - Bloomberg
"Foreign holdings of U.S. equities climbed to $7.2 trillion as of June 30, from $6.2 trillion a year earlier. Short-term debt holdings increased to $954 billion from $909 billion, while long-term debt holdings rose to $10.3 trillion from $10 trillion, the data showed."
Britain NHS
"Paul Barnes, 33, and his fiancee Sophie Henley, 25, received a £40,000 NHS bill because they live abroad in Zambia so do they not get free NHS treatment..."
USA Murder Rates
Article from 2017 which compares the murder rates across the obvious places: Chicago, Baltimore, New York City, along with many more locations.
"Our analysis suggests that the national homicide rate is rising at its fastest pace since the early 1970s..."
Murder rates in 50 American cities - The Economist
Switzerland
This is a 2015 article but contains a good (American) look at the subject:
"There's really no need to have a car in Switzerland. The Swiss have their public transportation system down to a science. The trains are on time down to the second — trust me, I've missed enough to know — and you can get across the whole country with just one ticket that works for multiple kinds of transportation."
Expat Romance
The top romantic expat destinations in 2018 - Finglobal
Brief list discussing Philippines, Greece, Colombia, Brazil, more.
Hong Kong vs. Singapore
Hong Kong, SIngapore and Shanghai lead the list of expensive rentals:
Hong Kong Way Ahead of Singapore, Topping Asia Expat Rental List - Bloombergquint
The Worst
Florida: Worst State of the Union? - Miami Herald
The Best
America Slips - Switzerland remains the No. 1 country to live in - US News and World Report
Oman
Oman announces 6-month ban on expat visas for 10 professions - GDN Online
New England
Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder: An Expat’s Love Letter to New England
"While the U.S. Department of Commerce showed a 6.1 percent drop in travelers coming to the U.S. in the first half of 2017, international arrivals and departures were up 11.4 percent at Logan through August of last year. The number of passengers going through Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport is up more than 16 percent for the same period. Discover New England, the group that represents the region to other countries, reported that a record number of foreign tourists came to New England and spent a record $2.1 billion in 2016."
Using your money somewhere else
What can you buy for €300k in France, Greece, Cyprus and Cork? - Irish Times
A survey of properties suitable for retirement or leisure
Also see: What can you get for €195k in Greece, France, Italy, Spain and Castlebar? - Irishtimes
Living Longer
Long-Term Health Comes Down To Two Main Habits, Says Researcher - Forbes
The article at Forbes attributes longevity chiefly to nine main habits. The top five mentioned are:
- Engaging in regular exercise.
- Eating a plant-based diet.
- Drinking alcohol moderately.
- Eat only until we hit 80% of our fullness capacity
- Punctuating our days with a stress-reducing activity
Expat Greece
Greece is the next frontier for Chinese and Russian buyers - Real Deal
"Chinese investors are especially attracted to Greece’s “golden visa” program, which gives property buyers a visa to the country and, with it, much of Europe. Chinese investors accounted for 43 percent of the 2,053 golden visas Greece issued between 2013 and October, and Russians came in second place with 18.6 percent."
Expat France
The biggest expat regrets about moving to France - thelocal.fr
Multi-page semi-visual survey of regrets (complaints primarily pertaining to career, love, language, etc.) about moving to France as an expat. Has a distinctly British point of view but applicable for any foreigner coming into France.
Something from the article which isn't exactly a full-bore complaint:
"In a way I regret living in Paris for so long. You get used to the holidays here, the 35-hour week, the conditions of work and the quality of life that makes it almost impossible to go somewhere else."
Expat Jakarta Ranking
Jakarta Ranks Low On List For Expat Living - indonesiaexpat
"Despite its low valuation, Jakarta actually did better than many cities with bigger reputations like Milan (43) and Sydney at (44) and Paris (49)."
Scotland
An American Expat In Scotland - amandawalkins.com
Much advice about coming to Scotland, mainly from an American point of view:
"Finding a place to rentfrom overseas is incredibly challenging, so if you’re able, try to book temporary accommodations to allow yourself time to look upon arrival. We found that flats in Edinburgh move very quickly, so you could view several within a few days and be ready to move in immediately after.
More rural areas obviously offer fewer options, but you might have more luck finding available places in advance if you reach out to real estate companies in the area."
"The quietest places on Earth"
UK Telegraph article about the most noise-free places on the planet. The first two are labs which use technology and design characteristics to create soundless-environments, but the list (15 places) includes national parks and natural locations (Mojave desert, Olympic National Park, a cave) which are accessible to the travel-minded.
"27 cities around the world where expats are happy, rents are affordable, and jobs are plentiful"
This article at Business Insider is offering everything in the headline, though what is termed 'affordable' is not another word for 'inexpensive' and almost all of these locations (27 in total) are compared to living in New York City, a place most locations on the planet can easily beat for cost of living.
There are some remarkably low numbers among these 30 places, though, for example Kampala, Uganda is listed here with a rent average of "$234.87 for a one-bedroom in the city center." On the other hand most of these places are bunched around $1000.00 for the 'one bedroom apartment' and some are quite high: $1,882.28 for a one-bedroom in the city center for Dubai, United Arab Emirates and $1,842.98 for a one-bedroom in the city center for Zurich, Switzerland.
"...To compile the data, InterNations surveyed 7,985 expats living in 40 countries. A city had to be mentioned at least 45 times to be included. City rankings were determined based on the quality and cost of urban living, quality of work life and finances, and ease of settling into the city."
To make this list simple and a handy comparison place-to-place, it grades the locations according to how far below New York City they rank, and also includes average costs for more than a one bedroom apartment, but also what are the costs for utilities, a commuter pass on local transportation, cost for a cappuccino and for domestic beer.
"Digital Detox"
The last places on Earth with no internet - UK Telegraph
This article makes a list of places around the globe where internet penetration has been the least intrusive. For example, it lists four South American countries (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador) where internet usage numbers below 20% of the population. Many other countries are described, for example Mongolia, for being a good location for a good touring experience but also coupled with a place with few internet capabilities making it a special place for folks seeking a "digital detox" experience.
Expats in Mexico
Mexico News Daily - Expatriates in Mexico: what’s the attraction?
An interesting comment found in the article was how some expats are annoyed by other expats who want to "fix Mexico."
"Completed by 1,129 expats, the survey offers insight into the motivations, expectations, concerns, experiences and opinions of people who have moved to Mexico to live, either to continue working or to retire.
...Just over 70% of respondents said that none of the fears or concerns they had about living in Mexico came true. Slightly more than 10% said they missed first world goods and services while just under 10% said that infrastructure including internet, roads and electricity was substandard."
Income of expats in India average among highest in world
Results of a short survey that simply define reasons for expat activity in India combined with job and business prospects there.
Survey results at Economictimes Indiatimes
USA drops from #13 to #17 in Economic Freedom ranking in 2017
Heritage Org has moved the USA from last years #13 spot (which was actually a move out of the previous years ranking in the top ten) down to #17 for the year 2017.
"The United States, with the world’s largest and most diversified economy, is still suffering through a protracted period of slow growth that has held down job creation and labor market participation. "
World ranking Top 10:
Hong Kong
Singapore
New Zealand
Switzerland
Australia
Estonia
Canada
United Arab Emirates
Ireland
Chile
Expats in Catalonia, Spain
Expat view from Catalonia: 'no intelligent leadership on either side' - Video report Online
Expat favorability rankings shuffle since last year
UK and US fall from favour in expat rankings - digitallook
"...Out of the 50m expats spread across the globe, Bahrain was ranked as the most favourable nation to work and raise a family, vastly outranking its Persian Gulf neighbours, most of which ranked in the bottom 10 of countries surveyed. Greece came in dead last due to the strain on its long suffering economy and Australia, which came in at number seven on the list a year earlier, dropped all the way to 34. "
Expat Rankings
10 countries where you can earn more as an expat than you would at home - Business Insider
"To compile the data, InterNations surveyed 12,519 expats, representing 166 nationalities and living in 188 countries around the world"
Greece low ranking
"Greece is the worst place in the world to live as an expat "- MSN
"The networking group conducted a survey asking expats to rate and provide information on what it’s like to live and work in 65 countries that are considered key destinations for expats. Scores were calculated on 43 factors, including quality of life, personal finances, cost of living, education, and healthcare, to get an overall ranking.
The survey had nearly 13,000 respondents, representing 166 nationalities, and Greece ranked at the bottom."
The Cost
Article at the UK Express:Are these the cheapest countries for expat living?
- India
- Taiwan
- Mexico
- South Africa
"While money shouldn’t be the only factor used to decide where you expatriate to, it is a necessary consideration for many."
Expat Dreams
"Expat retirees enjoy a life reminiscent of an earlier time "
Article on expat living (and expectations) from Market Watch
"...many Americans and Canadians have not only moved abroad partly to search for a life reminiscent of an earlier time, but quite a few tell me that they’ve found it — and in some very unlikely places, including Mexico, Panama, Belize and Nicaragua. "
Less government involvement
The family is supreme
Elders are respected
France
"The dark side of expat life in France (and where to turn for help)
...This isn’t a fluffy feel-good post on how life in France is OMGAMAZING 24/7. Nowhere is perfect day in and day out and that’s the truth. This is a post about mental health. I don’t think it does the expat community any favors by sweeping this extremely important topic under the rug and pretending it doesn’t exist. So let’s talk."
Article at Ouiinfrance.com
Scandinavia
Book review at the NY Times:
A British Expat in Norway Gets Beyond the Scandinavian Stereotypes Scandinavians - In Search of the Soul of the North
"...Gradually, the quirks and the knowledge cohere into an argument that makes sense of all that melancholy: In small, homogeneous nations governed by a rigid social conformity, it takes a particularly extreme temperament to stand out. “Considerable personal courage and ethical conviction are required,” he writes, “if such voices are to survive disapproval long enough for people to start listening to what they have to say.”
Ecuador
"Retirees flock to Latin America to live an upper-class lifestyle on $1,500 a month"
Article at the Charlotte Observer
“The internet has changed everything,” said Dan Prescher, a senior editor at International Living who recently moved from Ecuador to Mexico to be closer to his family in the United States. “Now you can talk to ex-pats who are living the life in real time. It has lowered the research bar for those who are thinking about it.”
...If there is a real driving force for retirees, it’s healthcare...."
Greece
From the UK to Greece: Ramblings From Rhodes - blogexpat.com
Interview with John Manuel, born in Bath, UK, now living on Rhodes.
8. What custom/ habits do you find most strange about your adopted culture? What the Greeks eat for breakfast. Olives, Feta, those horrible little crispy bread-type biscuits, Ham!?
9. What is a myth about your adopted country? That all Greeks are lazy. A lot of them may not be dead keen on paying their taxes, but they work harder than most of the rest of Europe.
Japan
Growing Old in Japan - an Expat Guide - Metropolis Japan"...For such a dense, complicated and emotional topic, The Expat’s Guide to Growing Old in Japan is a surprisingly readable and slim volume complete with touches of light humor and cultural insight. Readers are advised to put on their “invisible Sherlock Holmes cap and investigate” assisted living facilities. In the health care section they learn what pinpin korori (healthy until you fall over dead) is and the many reasons it is the preferred way of moving on to the next realm. "
Expats and Children
"The InterNations organization, which represents expats throughout the world, has released results of its recent survey of perceptions of the countries most welcoming to expats with children."
- Uganda
- Israel
- Taiwan
- Costa Rica
- Thailand
- Greece
See the entire list of ten countries here - The Yucatan Times
Expats in UAE
Beating the blues: A survival guide for struggling expat residents - thenational.ae
"....After two weeks, Sarah took Nathan to see a doctor and broke down, asking for help. Nathan was referred to a counsellor, and when he started school, things slowly started to improve."
Greek housing market woes makes residency cheaper
Article at NeoKosmos on the continued troubles in the Greek economy and specifically the housing market, and how this presents residency opportunities and increased buying power for house hunters:
"Despite difficult ongoing economic conditions, Greece's visa-for-investment program is helping draw interest from investors: mainly from the eastern Mediterranean region, Russia, and China. Greek government officials are considering broadening the program to investors spending capital on all asset classes above €250,000, not just real estate.
...Apartment prices in the centres of Athens and Thessaloniki are proving to be more resilient than the broader market, helped by a strong tourism industry and demand for short-term rentals stemming from platforms such as Airbnb."
Expat Women - working and living in Luxembourg.
Artcle at Delano about the challenges for living in Luxembourg with brief opinions shared by 10 different female profressionals:
"...She was also positively surprised by the fact that women can become CEOs or members of the boards of directors here. Catherine noted two downsides: her husband works in Lille at the moment, so she is quite far from her family. But she said that they always meet up in Paris!"
United States debt rising
U.S. debt to reach 150 percent of GDP in 30 years: CBO - Reuters
CBO Warns Of Fiscal Catastrophe As A Result Of Exponential Debt Growth In The U.S. - Zerohedge
"...as the past 8 years have shown, only debt cures more debt, so expect nothing to change."
Additional graphic information, though a bit on the cartoony side: www.usdebtclock.org
Shifting from NYC to Panama
Forbes with the insights of a American professional pulling out of the around-the-clock NYC work schedule into a rural environment with a challenge to make an independent business succeed:
"...New York was everything I imagined it would be, and more. It was non-stop adrenaline: the city hustle, the constant moving from one meeting to the next, the late nights in the office followed by work dinners or going out with friends. It was thrilling and rewarding, but this came at a high cost. My career always took precedence, and I realized I am just not wired that way..."
Counting the cost for an Expat lifestyle
"Dreaming about living in another country is easy, but creating a budget to make it happen is hard."
Dreaming of the expat life? - Los Angeles Times
The Four Ways To Be An Expat
Article at Expat Yourself
For everyone who moved to a different country, there are just four ways how they got there: as a student, from their government, as an private employee or they just pack their bags and left.
Netherlands Dutch Expat Help
"Our relocation plan, Dutch LIFE, is designed to give you the most relevant information in a logical way."
Expat banking
"Do your homework: When applying for a loan, it is safe to say the bank will want to look at the purpose of the loan and how much you want to borrow. So make sure you have an amount in mind that is in line with the asset or purpose for the loan. You will also need to supply your regular income and have proof of your outgoing expenditure so they can see if you can afford the repayments. Do not borrow to pay off debt: Most foreign banks will not offer you a personal loan to help you pay off your existing debt. In today’s tough economic climate, it is viewed as throwing good money after bad."
How easy is it to get a personal bank loan if you are an expat? - Cashkows
Britain
List of helpful articles on going to Britain as an expat:
Living, Working, Studying, Traveling, and Volunteering in the U.K.
Hong Kong becomes world's costliest city for expats
Article at Japan Today:
"Hong Kong has overtaken Angola’s capital to become the costliest city in the world for expats, Mercer’s annual survey said Wednesday.
After topping the Cost of Living report for three consecutive years, Luanda was pipped by the Asian city in 2016, owing to a stronger Hong Kong dollar.
The survey by the Mercer consulting group compares the cost of over 200 items in over 200 cities, including housing, food, transport and entertainment."
The most popular countries for Brits looking to work abroad
Article at the UK Telegraph:
"The US is the top destination for British workers looking for a fresh challenge internationally, attracting 37pc of jobseekers' clicks across the top 10 destination countries. "
The Telegraph article also covers short-term work situations, and Germany placed number one on their list for that designation.
Who is holding U.S. Debt?
Article at Bloomberg about their FOA effort to get the true numbers on U.S. debt - U.S. Discloses Saudi Holdings of Treasuries for First Time
"Yet the disclosure may bring more questions than answers, because Saudi Arabia’s foreign reserves amount to $587 billion, and central banks typically put about two-thirds of their coffers in dollars, according to International Monetary Fund data. Some nations accumulate Treasuries in offshore financial centers, meaning the holdings show up under the data of other countries. For example, Belgium, which held $143 billion of U.S. government debt as of February, is home to Chinese custodial accounts, analysts say."
U. S. Treasury Department debt date - March 2016
- Saudi Arabia 116.8
- United Arab Emirates 62.5
- Kuwait 31.2
- Oman 15.9
- Iraq 13.4
- Qatar 3.7
- Nigeria 3.1
- Bahrain 1.2
- Algeria 0.7
Source: U.S. Treasury Department. Data as of March.
Sweden expat opportunities
Article at the Swedish English language TheLocal - 'Foreigners like to whine about Sweden, don't they?'
“This is the right size of city, the right lifestyle and the right everything for me. I really wanted to stay here. At first I was staying for the job, but after Spotify I interviewed for jobs all over the world – but there was nowhere that felt as right as Stockholm."
“It’s a great place to be based, with lots of tools and networking opportunities.”
"Sweden gives you freedom that you don’t get in other places. You have freedom of movement, of speech, and freedom of time. They have long parental leave, long vacations – compared to six days a year in Mexico! Sweden lets you choose what to do with your time."
Bahrain expat workers
Article at Arabian Business - Employers in Bahrain to pay additional $800 for extra expat workers
"Employers in Bahrain will have to pay an extra $800 (BD300) for every expat worker that exceeds their regular quota in addition to the regular two-year $530 (BD200) tax and monthly fees for each foreign employee."
New Zealand takes top spot for quality of life abroad for women
Article at newswire titled "Global expat survey: New Zealand takes top spot, Canada ranks 7th when it comes to quality of life amongst women living abroad" heavy emphasis on comparing Canda to other countries in terms of benefit to women.
"Painting a picture of expat life across a broad range of criteria, the annual Expat Explorer survey is an insightful and comprehensive resource for all current and prospective expats. Not only can expats find out how the country they live in performs compared to other destinations, but they can also share the real life experiences of their peers. "
The article is referencing HSBC Expat Survey effort here.
Want to earn $250,000? Try being an expat in Asia
March 2016: Article at the Financial Times:
"If you are looking to ride a career helicopter into the rarefied echelons of those who earn more than $250,000 a year – then consider becoming an expat working in Asia.
...If you’re hoping for a blissful retirement then Canada takes the crown. with three times more expat retirees than the global expat average (31 per cent compared with 11 per cent globally). A whopping 70 per cent of expats in Canada and the US said that both countries offer them an easy time settling in and a great quality of life."
Expat Voters — Will They Start To Matter In 2016?
March 2016 - Article at Worldcrunch:
"...we are witnessing the rise of Expat Man and Expat Woman. The laws have changed to make overseas voting easier and efforts such as Vote from Abroad have helped inform voters and facilitate registration. The Democratic and Republican parties have woken up to the fact that, according to the State Department, 7.6 million Americans live outside the territorial limits of the U.S.; by population, equivalent to the 13th American state.
... Though it is undersized (and voter turnout generally even lower than domestic turnout), the vote potential of Expat Man no longer draws dismissive sniggers. Delayed overseas ballots helped give the 2000 election to George W. Bush (an event that Democrats Abroad says led to a tripling in registrations). Voting from abroad also arguably affected other close election contests, including a 2009 New York Congressional race that gave a narrow victory to Democrat Scott Murphy and the 2008 Senate race in Minnesota in which a Republican incumbent, Norm Coleman, was defeated by a wafer-slim margin by Democratic challenger Al Franken."
Upon re-entry back home after expat life, brace yourself for turbulence
March 2016: Article at Japan Times:
"....After initially resisting certain aspects of Japanese culture (“I couldn’t speak keigo — polite Japanese — for a long time,” said one female student in her early 20s), most of those surveyed hinted at feeling a newfound confidence from having lived overseas. Their perspectives had widened and they could now view their native culture though a wider lens than their peers. "
In Search of That Expat ‘Aha!’ Moment
Feb 2016: Wall Street Journal article:
"...And as I stood there I thought, even though I was a newcomer to this foreign land, I now had the ability to look out into the vast Alpine mountains, recognize familiar locales, and even point out a few great peaks that Willy Wonka and I had conquered, all on our own. It was in that moment I felt an immediate rush of self-fulfillment and contentment, and knew I was just where I was meant to be. Aha!"
Ranking for well-being puts Hawaii and Alaska first
Jan 28, 2016: Article at Reuters
"If you want to improve your sense of well-being, leave the Lower 48.
A new report ranking all 50 states based on residents' sense of well-being puts Hawaii at No. 1, followed by Alaska, which held the top spot last year.
Hawaii has been No. 1 in the poll five times since 2008."
The top expat destination of 2015 may surprise you
January 26, 2016: Article at Business Insider:
"...In fact, there are now as many as 53 million expats in the world, with an estimated growth of up to 56.8 million by 2017, according to international market research and consulting company Finaccord."
Google Most Searched Travel Destinations of 2015
Article at Expatriatehealthcare:
The recent statistics reveal exactly where Brits have been researching during 2015, and reveals some intriguing data about how our travel habits have been affected by world events.
Typically, for example, Paris is the single most searched destination among Brits, long considered the “ultimate” destination for a city break or a romantic getaway. This year, however, it seems that Paris has been completely wiped off the top 10.
... Whatever the case, with Paris dropping out of the top ten, a new winner has been revealed; New York. Following closely along behind New York City comes the USA as a whole.
Low living costs draw expats to Vietnam
October 19, 2015: Article at vietnamnet.vn
"According to the latest Expat Explorer Survey, Vietnam ranks 25th on the list of 39 places that are good for expats to work and live, behind some Asian destinations such as India, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan. Singapore takes the top spot in the eighth Expat Explorer country league table, with expatriates praising the opportunities for career development, appealing salaries and an excellent quality of life..."
The Top 20 Cities Americans Are Ditching
Bloomberg article about 20 cities which are steadily losing populace due to various conditions:
"Interestingly, these are also the cities with some of the highest net inflows of people from outside the country. That gives many of these cities a steadily growing population, despite the net exodus of people moving within the U.S.
So what's going on here?..."
The Top Expat Locations
Article at Internations asked 14,000 respondents from 195 countries and overseas territories. The ranking has 64 locations as destinations for expats. The top ten ranking is:
- Ecuador
- Mexico
- Malta
- Singapore
- Luxembourg
- New Zealand
- Thailand
- Panama
- Canada
- Australia
Article at Internations Expat Insider 2015
The Top 20 Cities Americans Are Ditching
July 2015 article at Bloomberg
"New York City, Los Angeles, Honolulu: They're all places you would think would be popular destinations for Americans. So it might come as a surprise that these are among the cities U.S. residents are fleeing in droves. The map below shows the 20 metropolitan areas that lost the greatest share of local people to other parts of the country between July 2013 and July 2014...."
The 3 best and worst countries to be an American expat
Article at CBS News
Best:
- Ecuador
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
Worst:
- Greece
- Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait
"Greece, on the other hand, is a surprise. Although expat life in Greece can be excellent, with a culture that emphasizes joie de vivre and some of the world's most beautiful landscapes both inland and coastal, none of that was enough to overcome the country's current economic struggles..."
Recalling a Tokyo Expat Adventure
Article at The Wall Street Journal
"My wife suggested that I sell tofu from a wooden cart on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. That was her plan for my successful re-entry into the U.S. I confess to actually considering it..."
20 globe-trotting readers share travel tips
Article at Santa Cruz Sentinel on how to conquer some of the difficulties inherent to certain places. Article discusses these places:
Greece, England, Azores, Italy, stonia - and others.
International Accounting
Current account balance compares a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings, and net transfer payments to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis. Source: CIA Factbook
POSITIVE BALANCE "Top Ten"
The Expert Expat: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad - Amazon.com