Index - Best Countries to Expatriate to
I think similar topics have been done before, but I would really like something that rates specific criteria in a clear and concise way. I'm thinking about five separate aspects of what I would want and I think they cover what most people would be concerned with. The rating would just be on a score from 1 to 10, with 10 being the best. I will explain the criteria and then give an example. If anyone else could add to it using the same format that I do, I think this could be a valuable thread with lots of useful info. Also, please indicate whether you have firsthand experience living there, or if your data is based off of internet research/things you've heard/etc.
The Five Criteria:
Cost of Living[/b] - How far does your money go? In terms of food, housing, clothing, electronics, utilities, internet, transportation, etc...
Recreation[/b] - How fun is it living there? How is the night life? Is there beautiful scenery/hiking nearby?
How Scary?[/b] - How scary is it living there? Do many people speak English? Are the police corrupt? Are you afraid of being shived by a local for his girlfriend smiling at you? Are there groups that hate foreigners? Will people try to rip you off and get angry when you call them on it?
Poker Playing[/b] - How is the B&M poker scene? Or is gambling even legal there? Do you have to do stuff to try and evade detection for playing online in secret?
How Easy to Get There and Stay There?[/b] - Are you welcomed with open arms at the border? Is it easy to stay there indefinitely/cheaply with tourist visas? Do you need to leave the country and come back periodically? Is there a maximum amount of time you can stay without becoming a permanent resident? If becoming a permanent resident is necessary to stay long term, how easy is this to accomplish? Or do you basically have to marry someone or be offered a job to get in?
Here is an example...I will use a country I have zero real experience with, and I want people to be encouraged to do the same if they so choose. While real experience is preferable, there could still be valuable information from others. Plus, I want the people that DO have real experience to be encouraged to write more accurate reviews when they perceive a flaw in another. Please feel free to write reviews on already reviewed countries. The more reviews, the better overall picture we can discern of that country.
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Country - Thailand
Firsthand Experience? - No
Cost of Living - 9 - From everything I've heard, you can live very well here for not a lot of spending. I read the average Thai makes around 7000 baht a month and lives okay off that. Making enough from poker and decently supporting yourself in a first world country would appear to provide you the money to be an ultra clubbing baller here, if you so desired.
Recreation - 9 - Beautiful beaches, cultural landmarks, not good for surfing though. Lots of venues for crazy partying, all the casual sex you want...if you don't mind paying for it. Watch out for transgenders...unless that's your thing.
How Scary - 5 - I have heard the police are corrupt, and that driving anywhere holds a higher chance of lethality than most other places. Don't be a hardass and start something with a local or you will pay for it one way or another. But I hear that if you are friendly/go with the flow and there to have fun, you will be just fine.
Poker Playing - 2? - I hear gambling is illegal? Seems like people have to do crazy loopholes to be able to play online and do so in secret. I really don't know much about it though so by no means take my word for any of this.
How Easy to Get There and Stay There? - 8 - Don't know much about this either. I've been hearing people get 90 day tourist visas for pretty cheap and are able to leave the border for a day and come back for another 90 days indefinitely.
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That's the gist of what I'd like to see. If people follow this format, I think this thread could be a great resource for people like me. Some countries I'd love to hear about personally are: Malta, Brazil, Thailand.
4 Replies
posting to remove new post bug but while i was here i read the beijing blurb
would not rec living there now, the gov has been increasingly unwelcome towards foreigners
I know that from the U.S., it’s pretty easy to get to Mazatlán. The city’s close to the airport—just a quick 20-minute drive. Uber’s super cheap, and there’s a good bus system too.
I know that from the U.S., it’s pretty easy to get to Mazatlán. The city’s close to the airport—just a quick 20-minute drive. Uber’s super cheap, and there’s a good bus system too.
And for fun, there are these weird go-cart taxis with speakers blasting music—definitely an experience if you’re riding with friends.
And hey, if you’re all about traveling in comfort,
Can we cut down on random quick quips on the last dozen+ posts. Hasn't been a real city review in 2 years or so. Format:
Cost of Living - How far does your money go? In terms of food, housing, clothing, electronics, utilities, internet, transportation, etc...
Recreation - How fun is it living there? How is the night life? Is there beautiful scenery/hiking nearby?
How Scary? - How scary is it living there? Do many people speak English? Are the police corrupt? Are you afraid of being shived by a local for his girlfriend smiling at you? Are there groups that hate foreigners? Will people try to rip you off and get angry when you call them on it?
Poker Playing - How is the B&M poker scene? Or is gambling even legal there? Do you have to do stuff to try and evade detection for playing online in secret?
How Easy to Get There and Stay There? - Are you welcomed with open arms at the border? Is it easy to stay there indefinitely/cheaply with tourist visas? Do you need to leave the country and come back periodically? Is there a maximum amount of time you can stay without becoming a permanent resident? If becoming a permanent resident is necessary to stay long term, how easy is this to accomplish? Or do you basically have to marry someone or be offered a job to get in?
MAZATLAN
Lived here for 6-8 months or so for consecutive summers for surf season. My goal was to find a warm water medium sized city with decent infrastructure where I could walk to multiple surf breaks from my apartment. Maza fit the bill.
Cost of Living - It's absolutely full of tourists, with many americans coming here in the 70s and 80s to party. The tourist demographic now is almost pure mexicans in the summer, and then in winter the nicer parts of the city get overrun by canadian and american snowbirds, tourists, and retirees. How far your money goes is determined by the current exchange rate. When it was 24:1 everything was peachy, then they raised prices AND fx rate dropped down to 16:1, making everything easily twice as expensive. Just a few years back I've found tacos for 7 pesos (standard 20 tbh). Now it's tough to find any for less than 40p. Anyways it's still mexico, I had a 2 bedroom condo across the street from the beach for $800/mo, but many agents will ONLY rent daily and focus on short term tourists, making things tough. You can always get a meal for sub $10, and often half that if you know the right places. Transport is great, the only part of the city expats would care much about is along the coast, so hop on a bus for 50 cents to go anywhere. Uber is rarely over $4-5.
Recreation - I went to surf, and fairly amazing for that. Also skated a ton and ended up getting sponsored by a local company which was cool, and there's plenty of hiking/beach/tennis/sports as well. Baseball is pretty huge and tickets are cheap. Nightlife goes hard as hell if you're looking for it, big club scene. I liked nightlife alot, and normally a couple places have some type of event on a specific day of the week, with live music being a big focus. Dating is easy at first, but its a somewhat small city and running into exes started to become more and more common the longer I stayed
How Scary? - Not sure if i've felt safer in any city in mexico that I've lived in. Yes it's cartel controlled behind the scenes, but mazatlan is a port city with cruise ships coming in and spending millions of dollars - cartel isn't allowed to mess that up. Also no reason to go more than a few blocks from the beach, where it can get a bit more hood but just typical mexico. Good amount of english surprisingly, as it's been a tourist hotspot for years. Police are corrupt af, I've been in handcuffs so many times in mazatlan. Hold your ground and it's fine - never paid them a dime
Poker Playing - they run 50nl fairly often and there's 2 casinos in town. Higher limits are very rare. Online poker is fine.
How Easy to Get There and Stay There? - easy flight, as connerhunter points out. It's across the water from baja california, so it ain't far from western US. Staying is fine, residency is easy to get, and citizenship after that. Tourists gets 6 months at a time, then can border run.
Overall really loved this city, made a bunch of great friends, started to get decent at surfing, skated and partied a ton. tough to think of any other city in the world with warm water surf out of your front door AND walmart delivery/tinder/nice restaurants that come along with a well developed city. Maybe Rio? Ixtapa/zihuateneho? Puerto escondido great but much more village than city. Bali is a big village and nobody lives ON the beach, etc etc
Also the new president's husband is a business developer from mazatlan - the city is primed for some huge booms regardless, but this will be a good catalyst for it as well imo.
