Moving Abroad in 2024 - Why Would Anybody Even Still Want to?

Considering a move abroad in 2024, such as becoming an expat in Italy or Portugal, is increasingly appealing for many facing high living costs in the U.S. or UK. The draw of expat life goes beyond economic benefits, offering the chance to immerse oneself in new cultures and languages. However, it's crucial to balance the excitement of these opportunities with the practical realities of day-to-day expat life in a new country. Understanding these implications and aligning them with your personal aspirations, alongside thorough planning, is essential for a fulfilling and successful expat experience. In this expat podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter hosted by dual citizen expat podcaster Rafael Di Furia, we'll discuss the practical steps, challenges, and insights into making a successful transition to living abroad, and some things to think about if you're considering whether moving abroad is right for you.
If you find these episodes of Not Your Average Globetrotter helpful, entertaining and/or if you feel as if I've helped you save time, headaches, or legal fees, please consider making a monthly pledge on Patreon and becoming a monthly patron to help make more videos like this possible:
👉🏽 RafaelDiFuria.c...
Or, if you would like to help in a different way and make a one-time donation you can visit:
👉🏽 RafaelDiFuria.c...
NYAG Gear -
store.rafaeldif...
RafaelDiFuria.c...
If you would be interested in dedicating a video to a loved one and/or sponsoring a video, feel free to send a message through the following link:
www.RafaelDiFur...
📬 Let's connect
🔵Instagram: www.RafaelDiFur...
🔵Facebook: www.RafaelDiFur...
🔵Twitter: www.RafaelDiFur...
🔵Email: www.RafaelDiFur...
💰 Save on your first stay with AirBNB
www.RafaelDiFur... (referral link)
📦Recommended Products:
www.amazon.com...
💸Transfer money around the world with Wise (Formerly Transferwise) (referral link) :
www.rafaeldifur...
📩 Business Inquiries and Collaborations:
www.RafaelDiFur...
🎙Want me to be the voice of your business?
www.RafaelDiFur...
#expatlife #movingabroad #livinginportugal
Topics & Timestamps:

[@victorbehar804]

Wife and I are contemplating Portugal from US for retirement. I have a dual citizenship application that is moving GLAAAACIALLLY (and that's ok) through the Justice system in PT. Motivators include security, cost of living, drawn to target culture, travel ease through Europe, and yes, stupid home country politics. We've been to many locations in Portugal and probably will be targeting the north/central. We are drawn to Guimarães/Braga/Famalicão, for example. My Portuguese level has hit somewhere close to B1-B2, so hopefully that will a good start.

[@bryanwiththeheart]

You’re 100% correct. Which is why ultimately my decision to leave is based on not paying a mortgage or rent, and the lifestyle and weather.

[@seandavie3672]

In my view all boats rise on the tide. The cost of living of most countries will rise. As an almost financially independent and very ready to retire Australian, a European destination such as Italy, Portugal, Croatia or even Montenegro offer much more value for money and a new and interesting culture. It's still very attractive given the disparity in relative costs.

[@WrldExplorer]

Portugal was supposedly my move abroad location this year, but now it’s Colombia 🇨🇴 for now. My girlfriend who is Colombian also speaks Portuguese. Her work visa ended in the US, so she went back to Colombia after purchasing a house. I’m waiting for my visa to be approved and I will be on my way there also. It’s not the ideal place due to safety, but I’ll manage. There are expats that lived there for years so everyone don’t experience all the negativity. Our plan is to save up and have a down payment on something we’d be comfortable living in once we decide to move to Portugal whenever that day comes. A direct move there isn’t a good idea due to the cost of living is going up there. It will be so much easier to save in Colombia while not having a mortgage. Ever since the military, I’ve always wanted to live in Europe. That was back in 1991 through 1994, now it’s 2024, and I’m 51. I still travel to Europe, currently retired two years ago. I want to move abroad because of culture, food, old history, the availability to travel more, the cost of a fulfilling lifestyle. I’m not too into American culture, or the history. I’m still funny that people leave because of who’s president in the USA, but not aware of the location they are moving to politics. How much do politics actually affect the average person? I’ve been working on my job that I’ll retire from 20 years and I don’t think any president that was in power has subtracted or added anything to my retirement. If they have, it wasn’t to noticeable.

[@alessandrosilva4441]

Portugal is a great country if you can buy a property, bring in income from elsewhere and can afford health insurance. Properties are increasingly expensive, salaries are very low and the public health system is good but very slow in terms of care. I think people shouldn't just think about tax exemptions when choosing a country. Look for a country whose culture attracts you, where you can live with the income you have and are available to learn the local language. The problem with Americans is their resistance to learning the local language, as it always ends up being relatively easy to live speaking English in Europe. The best part about being an expat is experiencing immersion in a new culture. However, you need to be very open-minded about this. As a Brazilian, my biggest problem is public safety. However, I plan to move to Portugal with income from Brazil. Portugal is not one of the most expensive countries to live in Europe, it is one of the safest in the world, with good cuisine and cultural diversity. It's my choice not because I speak Portuguese, because it's spoken very differently in both countries. Braga is also my choice. It's not as expensive as Lisbon and Porto, but it has great infrastructure. The city has many cultural events, a good public hospital, a good university, shopping malls, etc. It's a 50-minute drive to Esposende beach, International Airport or Gerês National Park.

[@pumuckl0]

For younger people there is an opportunity cost of not giving it a try. If it's a success then great, if it doesn't work out you can always go back. Harder choice when older with kids and commitments, but many kids thrive abroad and there may be a better quality of life for them, so you could be leaving a lot on the table by not trying. I have lived abroad for 12 years so I'm biased though.

[@pulse4503]

If you are from south Europe you may wanna move abroad: 1) To get a job, which prolly would enable you to be indipendent, and attain the goals which couldn't reach at home 2) I may wanna experience a different culture. way of life, mindset etc you feel more in tune with.... the first point is usually the main reason to leave

[@drdanakendall]

Our private health insurance plan in Portugal is affordable now; but last year, it increased 12% and this year almost 20%. Following this path, Portuguese private health insurance will surpass the US’ Medicare B premiums in less than 10 years. Even Obamacare premiums don’t have that magnitude of year-over-year increase. Are we over-insured? Or is this an expat tax situation? Locals say they don’t pay these prices. Our broker is looking into it…..

[@carolinamoonbeam]

Thank you for this timely video, Rafael. I am seriously considering retiring to Portugal and am weighing up the pros and cons. I’m fluent in Portuguese, love the culture, music, food and people, and could afford a very cheap house in central PT. However, the new pension tax on retirees’ pensions is really sobering. If you’re living on a pension of €20,000, you’ll wind up paying at least €6000 of that in tax if you want to be a resident. If you’re not resident you can only stay for just under 6 months and where do you go for the rest of the year? To be honest, this draconian change to a money-spending but vulnerable demographic is very ungenerous behaviour by the PT government. When their financial times were bad, they wanted us. Now, they no longer need us and we are expendable.

[@teddydavis2339]

Rafael, I feel like Americans should experience life in different states before moving abroad. There are affordable cities and states in the US. I have been looking at Dubuque Iowa. It's very affordable. Every place in the US is different. Many expats want Portugal's cost of living, but they don't want the language and culture. I love experiencing new languages and cultures. Not everyone does.

[@mrlaleather]

Haha, Dubuque!

[@RobinSentell]

Lower cost of living with better quality of life is a goal. Nowhereville USA is cheap for a reason.

[@pulse4503]

well, let's say you have nothing to lose (no job, no family) how about taking the leap after a careful evaluation ? could that scenario be really dangerous? If things started going nowhere, you could reverse the thing in a week....you pack your bags and buy a ticket to go home, no? what do you think?

[@user-pt-67066G]

If you can’t find a job in US, you won’t get a job in other countries unless for teaching English. There are minimum requirements for any visas to these countries

[@pulse4503]

@@user-pt-67066G actually Im from Europe 🙂 and luckily I Need no visas

[@pulse4503]

To move across the Schengen zone 🙂

[@mr.g4686]

I MOVED OVERSEAS AND LOWERED MY OVERHEAD BY 2/3 ERDS....

[@alterculture]

More fellow Americans I know are moving abroad more than at any time in the past. I am mostly from NYC, and have lived in Warsaw, Berlin and Budapest. With USA's forever wars, I don't know how anyone can stay in that war criminal country, over 1 million dead in Iraq alone...

[@ben-mulchi]

For me (🇨🇱) , not only has cost of living changed (Chile has been one of the most expensive Latin American countries if not the most expensive to live in since 2010), but also the housing market has gotten ridiculous, completely unaffordable. Policies for healthcare, work, pensions and education are still the same as 1960 and do NOT get better for whatever reason. The job market and crime are looking worse every year and considering the cost of living compared to minimum wage, I could live in a European country spending the exact same amount of money and living WAY better. I asked for a transfer to Sweden and my boss said yes, so I'm leaving. Work culture in LatAm is AWFUL, and I refuse to live for work. Fuck that. Not only that but I care a lot about the environment and Chileans just...don't, natural landscapes are littered and ugly, I don't wanna live in a place like this. The only reason I would stay is for my family and friends and even THEY support my decision to move to Europe. If you are an American reading this, consider this: North America is such a ridiculously big region, there's definitely something for everyone, you could be from wherever in the world and having a life in the USA/Canada is still possible.

[@kel8026]

Come to Argentina. Jajaja!!

[@jamieemoemilie]

Husband and I are contemplating the UK we live in Canada and the rent in the uk and the income seem better than Canada. Not by much but still better than Canada these days. Shoot even the US seems cheaper than Canada at the moment

[@kel8026]

I have apartments in Qingdao (China), Istanbul (Turkey) and Cairo (Egypt), and currently looking at/eventually planning to buy in Tbilisi (Georgia), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Dhaka (Bangladesh) within the next few years. I don't feel like I am 'leaving' a country, but instead utilizing everywhere.... It's fun setting up nice places all around the world, it's nice to be able to live in them if or when you want, I can rent them out when I am not there for good money, and I can diversify as you never know what direction any place can go in. One thing I have seen is that they definitely go up in price, and my kids can make use of them in the future.

[@bigboyhova]

The US economy and politics are unstable.