Where to live "more" with "less": the 10 best countries with low living costs

Moving abroad and living on a shoestring is a classic dream, however many are reluctant as they don’t actually know where to go without draining their savings in no time.

Especially in the post pandemic many people have decided to abandon office life and become digital nomads, which has allowed them to move abroad to countries with low cost of living and fully enjoy the their free time, perhaps relaxing at the end of the day on the beach.

However, choosing the country to go to is not easy: packing your bags and moving to a new place that you may have never visited is a very courageous choice, even if life is cheap. If you want to choose, however, there are some very beautiful places to go where the cost of living is not excessive.

Where to live with little money: the ranking of the 10 best countries

To satisfy the curiosity to know the countries where to live with little money we did a research and chose the 10 best, taking into account the fundamental aspects, such as the average cost for renting an apartment with a bedroom in the city centre, the average cost of a supermarket shopping (including bread, milk, rice, eggs, local cheese, 12 1.5L bottles of water, 1 KG of chicken, tomatoes and bananas), the average cost of a monthly transport pass, that of bills and finally that of an average restaurant for two people.

Position in Ranking	Country	Rental Cost	Shopping	Transportation	Bills	Restaurant	Total
1	Nepal	€106.52	€16.02	€6.93	€33.67	€15.24	€175.85
2	Tunisia	€175.66	€20.07	€8.90	€57.23	€14.84	€276.70
3	Colombia	€230.33	€18.39	€23.45	€76.21	€17.37	€359.81
4	Paraguay	€286.95	€21.03	€23.87	€72.20	€18.85	€422.87
5	Vietnam	€342.67	€27.69	€7.70	€67.39	€19.25	€454.70
6	Malaysia	€337.90	€26.88	€16.22	€65.28	€16.22	€462.50
7	Albania	€337.47	€27.64	€14.34	€95.07	€30.00	€504.52
8	Turkey	€373.89	€21.37	€27.81	€75.49	€19.47	€518.03
9	Montenegro	€477.93	€31.39	€30.00	€132.26	€35.00	€676.58
10	Croatia	€455.28	€39.64	€45.00	€183.04	€39.86	€762.82

N.B.: expenses are per month.

1) Nepal

A possible destination is Nepal, a place reserved for the more adventurous where, however it is possible to live for very little money. According to our estimates, the average cost for a month could be around around 200 euros, a really negligible figure.

The economic center of Nepal, a small country squeezed between China and India, is Kathmandu, a place very rich in temples and places of worship, making it definitely worth a visit. Compared to the other places that will be mentioned, this is perhaps the one most reserved for people eager for adventure, as it requires great adaptability in many situations.

For example, it is not possible to drink non-bottled water, as it could be very polluted. Furthermore, due to the often outdated infrastructure, some places remain without electricity. If these possibilities don’t scare you, however, this remains a wonderful place to travel or, why not, live a period of your life.

2) Tunisia

Close to Europe, there is a wonderful destination in North Africa: Tunisia. This country is already very popular among elderly people, since it has a favourable tax regime, allowing them to enjoy their retirement in a welcoming place and with a very favorable climate. Here life is very cheap: it is possible to do a complete shopping session by spending about 20 euros, a figure that can be defined as negligible, especially compared to European standards.

In addition to these aspects, it is essential to mention that Tunisia is a very culturally rich territory in which elderly people, but also young people, can find elements of interest to them.

Especially those who go to Tunis will find a multicultural environment (French is also spoken in addition to Arabic) and a city that offers all the comforts, including means of public transport from the recognized efficiency.

3) Colombia

The perception that many people have of Colombia could make you think that this is dangerous and inhospitable, however, if you inform yourself, you could understand that you are wrong. The capital, namely Bogota, is very rich in places of interest, very scenic and pleasant to visit.

Furthermore, if you are a lover of beaches, know that here you can find wonderful ones, which directly overlook the Caribbean Sea. As you can see from our estimates here, a few hundred euros are enough to live on. Of course, compared to many other countries it has areas that are better not to visit, however there are also very beautiful places rich in culture.

Of course, to live peacefully in Colombia it is essential to speak Spanish, otherwise you could encounter difficulties even in doing the most basic things. Apart from this requirement, the country offers a lot both to young people who want to visit it, and to elderly people who perhaps decide to spend part of their retirement here.

4) Paraguay

Paraguay is a country where - at least according to our estimates - the cost of living is very low, so you don’t need a lot of money to live. There is a very favorable tax regime here that allows you to pay little tax, so many people consider it as a destination, comparing it to, for example, Panama.

The Paraguayan climate is mild and the air rather clean, thanks to the large forests present throughout the territory. The capital, Asuncion, has many places of interest and many activities to do, especially outdoors. If you love smart working and want to try an unpublished destination this could be for you.

5) Vietnam

In South-East Asia there is Vietnam, a country very rich in culture and increasingly at the center of Asian continental dynamics. Two of its most important cities, Ho Chi Minh (also known as Saigon) and Hanoi, have become a source of attraction for creatives and innovators in recent years, thus creating a vibrant and multicultural environment.

Despite this, as can be seen from our table, living in Vietnam with little money is still possible. Just think that a monthly pass for public transport costs on average 7 euro, one of the lowest prices in this ranking.

Living in Vietnam is generally cheap. As in many Asian countries, it is possible to eat for little money, buying food at the markets along the streets. Be that as it may, even doing a simple shopping in a supermarket has a more than affordable price. According to our estimates, around 500 euros is enough to live for a month.

6) Malaysia

Now let’s talk about a country that is as beautiful as it is far from Europe: Malaysia. Less reported by the media than, for example, the Philippines, on the contrary very popular especially for tourism, Malaysia has a lot to offer, especially if you are a lover of Asian culture.

One of the most important centers is undoubtedly Kuala Lumpur, the capital. Here, probably, the cost of living could be slightly higher than what we have estimated, however by moving here you are sure to be in the center of one of the most important poles of the entire continent.

Despite this, as can be seen from our estimates, the cost of living is quite low and this drops further if you decide to move away from the capital.

Certainly Malaysia is not a place for everyone, especially if you tend to be homesick; however, for those who do not suffer from this aspect, it is a place rich in culture, places to discover and experiences to live.

7) Albania

Highly rated for wonderful affordable holidays, Albania is increasingly the destination of people who go there to spend medium-long periods of their lives. The reasons, not attributable only to the rather low cost of living, have to do with the warmth of the population, the culture and the favorable climate.

In addition to being a wonderful country to visit for its beautiful beaches and large resorts, Albania also offers a lot from a business point of view, since - especially in summer - it is very popular for tourism. You don’t need a lot of money to live here: according to our calculations, around 500 euros for most of your expenses is enough, however a lot depends on the standard of living you want to have.

8) Türkiye

Another place where it is possible to live with little money is Turkey, a place very rich in culture and very interesting places to visit. In the heart of the Middle East, the country is very rich in places of interest; but despite this it maintains a cost of living rather low.

Compared to some countries in this ranking, which can also be reached from Europe by car, this is more convenient to reach directly by plane. In any case, since with around 500 euros it is possible to cover most of the monthly expenses, the plane ticket should not be a problem.

For those who want to live in Turkey on a budget the best thing to do is look for alternatives in Ankara, the country’s capital, and Istanbul. Although these two cities are two real pearls, the cost of living is higher than other cities, and they are also very crowded, which could affect your quality of life.

If you want to try new and "less obvious" experiences, you can evaluate cities like Bursa or Sanliurfa, less known but still beautiful, cheap and full of places to visit.

9) Montenegro

Montenegro is a wonderful country and directly inside Europe where you may want to spend a period of your life. Here the cost of living is rather low: we are talking about less than 700 euros per month for most of the expenses.

Being overlooking the sea, Montenegro enjoys many wonderful beaches which, fortunately, are not very popular and are therefore still untouched.

But that’s not all, Montenegro is full of places to visit, many of which are considered Unesco heritage, which makes them an obligatory stop if you choose it as your destination.

Again, this place lends itself very well to adventurers looking for an exotic place to do smart working (but not only) while keeping the cost of living low.

10) Croatia

Choosing Croatia to live with little money and spend a period of your life away from home could be an excellent choice. It is the only European Union country we mentioned, therefore it can be easily reached by car and has a rather affordable cost of living (despite being the highest in this ranking), offers wonderful landscapes and a culture that , in some respects it is not too far from the Italian one.

Very pleasant especially during the summer, Croatia benefits from wonderful pristine beaches where you can relax after a day of work. If you also want to try to work experience, here, during the summer, there are many places looking for seasonal personnel in view of the tourist season. Otherwise, since the time zone allows it, you can work in smart working.

All the data used to create this article come from Numbeo, a portal that collects information on the cost of living in various countries around the world. They can be consulted freely.

Original article published on Money.it Italy 2023-05-14 08:20:00. Original title: Dove vivere con pochi soldi: la classifica dei 10 Paesi migliori