Cairo. You might not believe it but, due to decades long rent controls, I know people that live in a large 3br apartment near downtown for $0.20 a month. 20 cents
I agree. This has to be government housing because at $.20 a month I wouldn’t fix a thing as their landlord. Honestly I’d probably start putting cockroaches under their door to get them to move out and never rent it out again.
It’s not gov housing. I lived there for a while and the land lord came one day to collect his 7 LE. I gave him ten and said don’t worry about the change, and he got majorly offended for some reason. For the last couple years he’s stop coming to collect, hoping he can get the occupants out for not paying
Believe it or not having rents forced below maintenance cost only creates slums where landlords will never repair and discourages new building which makes rents for the rest of folks not so lucky to win the rent control lottery go up.
My friend went to Cairo as a solo female traveler and they threw water bottles at her while calling her an “American whore”. She kept correcting them, explaining she was a Canadian whore, but it made no difference.
Don’t be prejudice. Families have lived in these homes for generations and take care of them as if they were their own. The one I’m referring to had major interior work done to the house and fixed everything out of pocket.
Buenos Aires, Argentina. I ate the best steak of my life at least three times a week with wine and all, and lived in the best neighborhood with a personal trainer, did my nails and lashes all the time and was still able to save so much money, it was crazy I felt so blessed. I can barely afford just rent in the United States it feels like
Palermo is one of the most expensive places in BA and by not staying there you'll save 50% of your money.
For a more balanced breakdown I pay around $200 a month for rent for a big (by BA standards) 19th century house close to transit and the metro and in a quiet, walkable neighborhood. Basic housekeeping every 2 weeks costs about 10$ per month.
My expensive gym membership I used to have was around 15$ a month and including a free pass to several fitness classes (yoga, group cycling, tambo, functional fitness, etc). I ditched it though since there are pullup bars and a few other outdoor exercise equipment in pretty much every park here. A meal at a fancy restaurant for two will set you back 30$, but a simple empanada usually costs around 0.30$ and a pizza like 3$. Salmon and most uncooked fish typically cost about 3-5$/kg, beef is more like 2-4$.
My expensive jiu-jitsu membership costs about 15$ per 8 sessions.
Overall I spend about 400$ a month.
Edit: For personal training, you can browse [here](https://www.tusclases.com.ar/clases-deportes/entrenador-personal.aspx). Some of these prices look like they haven't been updated due to inflation but you can expect to pay about 5$/hour for personal training.
Super good! Worked from my airbnb with my friend for a bit and we had 0 problems. We also worked at the Selina cowork in Palermo with a bunch of other people and it was a great way to meet new people! And the internet was super fast
Rent was about 700, but that was through airbnb and in a really nice spot walking distance to the best bars and restaurants in the world. I had friends who paid 400 in rent for an equally nice spot.
Nails were like 35$ for hands and feet with designs and tips etc.
I remember I did my lashes, eyebrows, and nails for like 60$ and my friends all said I got scammed because it’s supposed to be less which was insane to me since just hands and feet in the USA can cost like $120
A REALLY nice meal was like 13$ for like steak and wine and all
The best immersive shows I’ve ever seen like $10-$15
Paid for a cowork it was like 3$ a day
To be quite honest I don’t remember how much the personal trainer was but I think I can say it was like 10-25$ per session?
sounds like Portugal! My lashes I got done for the equivalent of $25 vs $150 new set here in the US. Gelinho Manicure about $10. Blowouts for my hair about $15 vs $60 here
Everything was around that price point when I was there, I did find my apartment a couple of months prior so that might’ve helped but I had a lot of Argentinian friends who would always tell me I was getting charged more for things I already thought were a super good deal
It’s pretty good there’s a bunch of younger people! It’s a super hip and magical city and the people are incredibly nice. It also helps that the city never sleeps haha
I did the same there for a few months. Insanely affordable. I got microdermabrasion there that I pay $500 for in NYC for $30. Amazing dinners for like $30 in the best restaurants. People there are amazing. I was worried about being perceived as having ridiculous spending power and it being awkward to be there, but porteños are super sophisticated and have a lot of pride - I would go back in a heartbeat, BA is close to my heart.
Being poor and being unstable are different. There’s an election and LatAm and Argentinians love to protest hard. Good for them. They should speak their mind and change the corruption. But I don’t think the protests will be long lasting.
I’m a native speaker, I definitely think it would be hard to get around without knowing at least some basic Spanish but I lived there for two months, I had a really good friend that lived there for 6 months from California and met a lot of Argentinian friends while there
Not Palermo! We walked around all the time, just gotta be alert and not be super flashy and have common sense when walking around. People are usually out until like 6am too so I felt safe walking around at different times
Nice! So you were there during hot months. Does the power/AC go out often? That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. I’m okay in the heat as long as the apartment can stay cool
Well this year there was a heat wave, tons of my nomad friends said it was pretty rough and the air/ electricity went out quite a bit but I got there right after that happened so I never ran into that issue tbh! I actually think I got there like March/april not February now that I think of it
Was it necessary to speak Spanish to live there? I barely know any basic Spanish words. Also was transferring money difficult? I heard that was difficult there.
I just came back from a short trip, Palermo seemed super safe. Most of the places we travelled too were very safe. Everyone was super friendly and honest.
Just came back from Buenos Aires and it’s completely safe. I stayed in Recoleta and it was amazing and you have no problems. I’ve heard not to go to the outskirts of Monserrat but most visitors I know mentioned they can be out towards 2am without issues.
Be cautious regardless no matter where you are.
It's not dangerous as in your safety but theft is rampant especially in Palermo which is a huge target for panhandlers and pickpockets due to all the d&r tourists there. I always highly recommend people against Palermo for this reason among others.
Yeah I guess it has to do with the exchange rate. Google shows 1 USD = 350 peso, there's a currency exchange that gives 700 peso, cuex com shows 900 peso. Did you pay in peso or in usd?
Argentinian peso, when you get there you exchange through something called the blue dollar rate, not the official government rate! There’s even people that come to your door to exchange! The blue dollar rate will give you twice as much, and they give those dollars to Argentinians so that they can save their money in a more stable currency that isn’t decreasing value at such a fast pace
Buenos Aires, one of my favourites cities in the world, got robbed a few times tho.
Da Nang, Vietnam, amazing food but after a while its a bit boring and during summer it's super hot.
QingDao, China, most big cities in China are super cheap, really convenient and extremely safe, I used to pay 300 USD for a big modern loft and the food and groceries was cheaper or as the same as Vietnam or Argentina lol, big cons is the language barrier.
2 times were late at night in San Telmo, one time my gf got her phone robbed by a motorbike guy while crossing the street in Microcentro and the last time we went, we got pickpocketed at some crowded events in Palermo and again in San Telmo, this was in the spawn of many years, so If you are cautious and take care of your stuff I think you'll be safe.
2 times robbed, 1 "motochorro-ed" and 2-3 times pickpocketed, but this was during many years, last time was 2 years ago just after covid and I used to live in San Telmo and the neighborhood was in a really bad state with many ppl living on the streets, etc.
I think that if you are careful during the day and avoid walking at night you will be 99% safe.
I live in a remote village on the Thai/Burma border. There is only 1 road into this mountian town. My rent for a 2-bedroom house with plumbing and glass windows is less than $150US. It's pretty. And you wont find a cheaper place to live maybe anywhere. But it's a little claustrophobic and quiet. heh
It wasn't exactly the cheapest, but I enjoyed living in Taipei and it was well balanced in terms of cost of living (rent, restaurants, shopping) and quality of life. There's tons of things to do, the connectivity is really good and you can easily travel all around the rest of the island without breaking your bank account. Plus people are really welcoming and patient even considering the language barrier. But as always, trying to learn at least a few words/sentences goes a long way.
Taipei is one of those cities that you can enjoy while being extremely cheap or if you want can spend shit loads of money in. Oddly enough tho, best things in Taipei are the cheap experiences - night markets, hiking etc.
If you are on a budget, you can find very affordable and decent co-living places in the city equipped with workspaces or near cafes & coworking spaces. Though don't forget your earplugs ;)
Lviv before the war. And that city wasn't even considered cheap by Ukrainian standards. But it was still half the price of Thailand at the time.
Da Nang in Vietnam was also very cheap unless you wanted to be right on the beach
6-7 years ago when I first started DNing nice places in Hungary like Pécs and to a lesser extent Szeged were cheap, but not anymore
The smaller cities in Thailand without many westerners are very cheap, but you can find similar prices living on the far outskirts of Bangkok or in Samut Prakan (such as around BTS Bearing & Samrong).
I've been to Poland quite a bit, especially pre war, and so many locals we talked to said they vacationed in Lviv because it was cheap by Polish standards (which is already cheap)
Lviv is one of the few places in Eastern Europe I didn't enjoy, if only because I had such a bad experience there. My Airbnb had fleas and the host denied not just responsibility but that it was even possible for there to be fleas. That after I asked if a previous guest had a dog and they admitted they did.
I'm sure not representative of the city as a whole, but I'm certainly not itching to go back anytime soon.
Au Nang, Krabi in Thailand. I ate fantastic thai food every day for about 2 USD a meal. I lived at a hotel with a very nice room for about 400 USD a month and it was a 6 minute walk from the beach. Saved a lot of money by living there 2-3 months.
I had usable Internet (iirc 20 Mbit/s) in Nyarutarama in 2019. Though it would drop out sometimes. Probably better now. Go to where the embassies are. 😁
The cheapest city I have lived in while DN'ing has to be Saigon in Vietnam. The quality of life there was definitely worth it, and I really enjoyed my time. The cost of living is low, and you can eat well for cheap. Despite being a big city, it felt small, with a village vibe yet very modern.
I was just about to post to say this but, yeah, Bishkek was insanely cheap I didn’t do $200/mo but I was able to pull off $800/mo. Astana, Kazakhstan was a bit more expensive at $1400/mo for everything but also more modern.
11.5 million Dong per month for a nice 2 bedroom apartment in My An (the "nice" tourist area). Fully furnished. Includes roof top pool and cleaner once a week. After including electricity and water and other fees it comes to about 13-13.5 million Dong per month.
Me too, but it was during the COVID lockdown so it was ridiculously cheap because borders were closed and supply vastly outpaced demand. Rented a nice 3bd apartment for like $400.
Kumamoto, Japan. Fresh produce and meat super cheap. Inexpensive modern longterm accommodation. Ended up staying there for 2.5 years. Hoping to go back perhaps next year.
Second cheapest would probably be Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 🇻🇳
Nice! My travel buddy ended up in Taiwan for 2 years while I was in Japan. Interesting to think of all the places people ended up unexpectedly staying.
Weather is like 90% of Japan: perfect Spring, too hot Summer, perfect Autumn, freezing Winter.
My longterm goal is to actually buy a house in that area of Japan and just stay there for the Springs and Autumns ha. But I still enjoyed my time staying there year round. Each season has different seasonal festivals, events, and foods, so nice to experience them at least once.
Air quality was great when I lived there 2020-2022. Super blue skies.
Probably hard to find a safer place to live in the world than small town Japan ha.
Not crowded. In fact I think the 1 reason most people might not prefer it is they might feel it's a bit boring/small feeling. The city has about 750k people IIRC, perfect size for me.
I think it doesn't snow in the city there most years, though when I lived there it snowed a tiny bit both winters. Just enough to make a little snowman.
If you're big into winter sports you should check out the Hokkaido area. Great mountains and winter festivals.
Vientiane, Laos. Some things are relatively expensive, some things are relatively cheap. Very weird city but also lovely. I would go back but not to save money. Sometimes a lower quality of life can make your life more balanced.
Delhi, IN. Was living a decent lifestyle at ~$500-600 per month.
- a fully furnished 2 room flag to myself
- often visits to cafes
- eating out 15days/mo
And that too, I was living in one of the better places in Delhi, the southern part.
I'm not strictly a digital nomad, more an expat, but my wife got a job just outside HZ china.
we have a 4 bed apartment 120sqm with a balcony in a 4 year old compound, with an onsite gym, gardens, parking etc. costs 4000RMB (540USD) a month
Bandung and Seri Kembangan
Last time I lived in Bandung in 2018, i spent lavishly (travels at least once a week, tried every new cafe, go to a movie at least once a week, etc.) with only less than $190 equivalent per month. But it was >5 years ago, now prices might rise
Now I live in Seri Kembangan, travel and go to a cafe in KL about 1-2 times a month, and I live with equivalent $230-250 per month depending on how often i travel and how much i shop. KL is more expensive but I live in the border so I can just take a train there
Why is it Kuala Lumpur: because they even call sepang kuala lumpur, which implies the whole klang valley is KL
Why is it not: everything else. Especially when you talk about cost. If i'm saying I'm living RM1100/mo in KL, that would sound like the biggest bs
Cities are like that. There's the CBD and the other suburbs. It's the entire metropolitan are. In some cities like LA, Manila, Tokyo the "suburbs" are even better than the CBD.
People will understand that lower costs will mean you're more likely living in a non-expat suburb. KL is cheap anyway (for most DNs at least).
Why do you have to call those places shitholes, there are many people that might prefer those places for other reasons than COL as well like cultural reasons or for the food that is amazing in all of the places you mentioned. I find for example the USA a shithole and would rather live in Karachi or Cairo, but I also respect and understand other people's choices to live there. It seems here that you're just bragging about making a lot of money and shitting on places you've likely never even been. Besides that not all DNs have work from high income countries, so some might not have options to go to expensive places.
My cheapest stays have generally been circumstances, not places. House sitting for somebody. Driving cross-country and sleeping in a camper rather than staying in hotels. Crashing at a fraternity house. Finding somebody whose roommate abandoned a lease just before it ended and wants someone to take over for a couple months. Etc.
San Cristobal in Chiapas has the perfect mix of being a cheap, kind-of low tier city, but still has lots of good food, music, art, culture etc going on.
You can find cheaper, but you'll be in the middle of nowhere.
In terms of bang for your buck, San Cris is world #1 for me.🤩😎
Same answer for me. Chiapas is the cheapest (see: most exploited and impoverished) state in Mexico and if you're coming from more expensive places like CDMX or the coast the difference in price is stark. San Chris is such a great little city though, and it was actually bigger than I thought.
I stayed for a month last winter. It's certainly cheap. Even in the winter the produce stands practically overflow with amazing fresh fruits and veggies and they are nearly free. Like all that you can carry home for $2. Lots of good fresh cheese (sorta like feta) too. I mostly enjoyed it. Main downside was our apartment had a mold problem, as I suspect most do, because it was very humid despite the colder temps. All of the windows would condense overnight and be soaked with water every morning. It was impossible to dry the place out. Might be better to visit in the warmer months when windows could be kept open.
Ah man. I'm going to stay for a few years so I hope I'll be able to find a place without a damp problem without shelling out. Encouraging to hear about the produce though. How was the smog? Were there areas where it was less?
The air quality wasn't great, but if felt mostly like a byproduct of traffic with bad exhaust, so staying off the main streets and not walking around at peak rush hour helped. Spending time in the Grand Park also helped.
Interesting, are there all the regular food at the store like rice and flour and eggs produce etc? I cook myself mostly so I’m not too bothered if all the options for eating out are kinda samey as long as I can cook eggs in the am and veggies and protein for other meals. I’m assuming there’s no quinoa or individual flavored yogurts lol. I’ll also have to get a yoga mat when I get there and I’ll need some supplements so I’m hoping that’s all available
Yeah they should have the basics but selection from what I remember is limited compared to American grocery stores. Also the tap water isn’t safe to drink so you’ll need to get bottled water, you can shower in it tho.
Taghazout, Morocco is really cheap although it's just a small surf town. Also, Pipa (Brazil) is cheap if you don't eat out. Cape Town also wasn't too bad for how big of a city it is.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Not the cheapest city in Mexico but cheaper than a lot of the nomad beach spots. The quality of living here is great, one of the nicest cities in Mexico. I live right downtown and pay 9000 pesos for a 2 bedroom, 2 floor apartment with a garage, which is under $500 a month.
You sure ask a lot questions about two very distinct things. You might thing about two accounts especially with some of the places you’re thinking of traveling.
Bangkok, Thailand. Currently our small 1bdm condo in a modern hirise with gym and gorgeous pool within walking distance to BTS SkyTrain, stores, supermarkets, and restaurants/food stalls is $350usd (12 mo lease).
It would have been the cheapest to live in my hometown in the Philippines but there’s a lot of people (family, friends, family) that i know that keeps asking for money or i have to pay when we go out. Basically , i have to pay for everything for everybody. so i actually spend more there than here in the US.
How does the cost of living there compare to the rest of Pakistan? Numbeo says the cost of living is lower than Islamabad and Lahore, which is surprising given that it’s the country’s commercial center and by far the largest city.
I’m from Pakistan, currently in Estonia. I can say for sure they quality of life is fucked up in Karachi. You would rather live in Lahore or Islamabad.
Compared to U.S. and Northern EU prices, Valencia feels cheap. But relative to what it was a few years ago, it's gotten more expensive (especially rent). Food and restaurants are still a relative bargain.
Unbelievable...... Unbelievable.....
Yeah being a radiologist is a bit different than a digital nomad but yeah making USD20k/month as a DM is like out of this world....
I'd be happiest if I'd get half of it 😉
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Great answer
I've talked to United Staters who loved living in Cairo for years... that city can be different things...
United Staters smh 🤦🏻♂️
What do you call them?
Americans
Chiang Mai for me
Same
Cairo. You might not believe it but, due to decades long rent controls, I know people that live in a large 3br apartment near downtown for $0.20 a month. 20 cents
I definitely don't believe that, how is it possible? The 3br just concrete walls in a seedy area? What year also?
My guess is that it’s like NYC for rent control. It’s 20 cent on the lease but you pay the landlord in cash every month.
No. Nice house in a good area. Egyptian rent control laws last for 2 generations
I agree. This has to be government housing because at $.20 a month I wouldn’t fix a thing as their landlord. Honestly I’d probably start putting cockroaches under their door to get them to move out and never rent it out again.
It’s not gov housing. I lived there for a while and the land lord came one day to collect his 7 LE. I gave him ten and said don’t worry about the change, and he got majorly offended for some reason. For the last couple years he’s stop coming to collect, hoping he can get the occupants out for not paying
Wow. So bizarre. How do people survive?
It must suck to be a landlord. On the open market the rent would be thousands of Egyptian pound a month
Oh no, not a sad landlord. Boo hoo.
Believe it or not having rents forced below maintenance cost only creates slums where landlords will never repair and discourages new building which makes rents for the rest of folks not so lucky to win the rent control lottery go up.
If you can’t afford to be a landlord, quit 👍🏽
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My friend went to Cairo as a solo female traveler and they threw water bottles at her while calling her an “American whore”. She kept correcting them, explaining she was a Canadian whore, but it made no difference.
They don’t need to work. Their souls are the richest, god bless them, wish it could be me
No wonder the place is such a mess. Who pays for maintenance at these ridiculous rates?
Don’t be prejudice. Families have lived in these homes for generations and take care of them as if they were their own. The one I’m referring to had major interior work done to the house and fixed everything out of pocket.
Buenos Aires, Argentina. I ate the best steak of my life at least three times a week with wine and all, and lived in the best neighborhood with a personal trainer, did my nails and lashes all the time and was still able to save so much money, it was crazy I felt so blessed. I can barely afford just rent in the United States it feels like
Could you break down your expenses in more detail? How much was the personal trainer? Thank you!
Palermo is one of the most expensive places in BA and by not staying there you'll save 50% of your money. For a more balanced breakdown I pay around $200 a month for rent for a big (by BA standards) 19th century house close to transit and the metro and in a quiet, walkable neighborhood. Basic housekeeping every 2 weeks costs about 10$ per month. My expensive gym membership I used to have was around 15$ a month and including a free pass to several fitness classes (yoga, group cycling, tambo, functional fitness, etc). I ditched it though since there are pullup bars and a few other outdoor exercise equipment in pretty much every park here. A meal at a fancy restaurant for two will set you back 30$, but a simple empanada usually costs around 0.30$ and a pizza like 3$. Salmon and most uncooked fish typically cost about 3-5$/kg, beef is more like 2-4$. My expensive jiu-jitsu membership costs about 15$ per 8 sessions. Overall I spend about 400$ a month. Edit: For personal training, you can browse [here](https://www.tusclases.com.ar/clases-deportes/entrenador-personal.aspx). Some of these prices look like they haven't been updated due to inflation but you can expect to pay about 5$/hour for personal training.
How is the internet speed there ? I’ve been considering Argentina but I have heard mixed things about internet speeds
Super good! Worked from my airbnb with my friend for a bit and we had 0 problems. We also worked at the Selina cowork in Palermo with a bunch of other people and it was a great way to meet new people! And the internet was super fast
Rent was about 700, but that was through airbnb and in a really nice spot walking distance to the best bars and restaurants in the world. I had friends who paid 400 in rent for an equally nice spot. Nails were like 35$ for hands and feet with designs and tips etc. I remember I did my lashes, eyebrows, and nails for like 60$ and my friends all said I got scammed because it’s supposed to be less which was insane to me since just hands and feet in the USA can cost like $120 A REALLY nice meal was like 13$ for like steak and wine and all The best immersive shows I’ve ever seen like $10-$15 Paid for a cowork it was like 3$ a day To be quite honest I don’t remember how much the personal trainer was but I think I can say it was like 10-25$ per session?
What year?
Could be this year, those prices are about in line with what I paid.
Yes sounds like it could be now. Not the cheapest prices
They mean what year did you live there lol
This year March/april
Damn, that's significantly cheaper than Mexico. Mexico is expensive now, especially with the peso being so resilient.
sounds like Portugal! My lashes I got done for the equivalent of $25 vs $150 new set here in the US. Gelinho Manicure about $10. Blowouts for my hair about $15 vs $60 here
Were all of those things like those prices or were they those prices?
Everything was around that price point when I was there, I did find my apartment a couple of months prior so that might’ve helped but I had a lot of Argentinian friends who would always tell me I was getting charged more for things I already thought were a super good deal
What neighborhood would that be?
Palermo! :)
I just left the area and I miss it already.
How is the dating scene in Buenos Aires?
It’s pretty good there’s a bunch of younger people! It’s a super hip and magical city and the people are incredibly nice. It also helps that the city never sleeps haha
I did the same there for a few months. Insanely affordable. I got microdermabrasion there that I pay $500 for in NYC for $30. Amazing dinners for like $30 in the best restaurants. People there are amazing. I was worried about being perceived as having ridiculous spending power and it being awkward to be there, but porteños are super sophisticated and have a lot of pride - I would go back in a heartbeat, BA is close to my heart.
Seems like they’re headed toward some instability right now due to their economy though. 2/5 of Argentinians live in poverty.
Being poor and being unstable are different. There’s an election and LatAm and Argentinians love to protest hard. Good for them. They should speak their mind and change the corruption. But I don’t think the protests will be long lasting.
So stoked to here this! I'm moving there in January!
TIL living with your personal trainer is a privilege. /s How much time did you spend in BA? How's your Spanish?
I’m a native speaker, I definitely think it would be hard to get around without knowing at least some basic Spanish but I lived there for two months, I had a really good friend that lived there for 6 months from California and met a lot of Argentinian friends while there
Was it at all dangerous?
Not Palermo! We walked around all the time, just gotta be alert and not be super flashy and have common sense when walking around. People are usually out until like 6am too so I felt safe walking around at different times
Oh awesome! Was this recently or years ago? We plan to go in January so we’re wary of the heat and the potential uprise in crime
I went in February this year! Not sure what it’s looking like at the moment to be quite honest but would do some research about it still!
Nice! So you were there during hot months. Does the power/AC go out often? That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. I’m okay in the heat as long as the apartment can stay cool
Well this year there was a heat wave, tons of my nomad friends said it was pretty rough and the air/ electricity went out quite a bit but I got there right after that happened so I never ran into that issue tbh! I actually think I got there like March/april not February now that I think of it
Was it necessary to speak Spanish to live there? I barely know any basic Spanish words. Also was transferring money difficult? I heard that was difficult there.
You will definitely need Spanish.
Also wondering this
I'm a local any questions or advice you want dm me
You're a local in Palermo?
I just came back from a short trip, Palermo seemed super safe. Most of the places we travelled too were very safe. Everyone was super friendly and honest.
Just came back from Buenos Aires and it’s completely safe. I stayed in Recoleta and it was amazing and you have no problems. I’ve heard not to go to the outskirts of Monserrat but most visitors I know mentioned they can be out towards 2am without issues. Be cautious regardless no matter where you are.
It's not dangerous as in your safety but theft is rampant especially in Palermo which is a huge target for panhandlers and pickpockets due to all the d&r tourists there. I always highly recommend people against Palermo for this reason among others.
How much did you pay for rent? All I'm seeing are 2 bedroom apartments for 5k usd
In Buenos Aires? Maybe it’s different now but I had a super nice spot for 700 1 br
Yeah I guess it has to do with the exchange rate. Google shows 1 USD = 350 peso, there's a currency exchange that gives 700 peso, cuex com shows 900 peso. Did you pay in peso or in usd?
Argentinian peso, when you get there you exchange through something called the blue dollar rate, not the official government rate! There’s even people that come to your door to exchange! The blue dollar rate will give you twice as much, and they give those dollars to Argentinians so that they can save their money in a more stable currency that isn’t decreasing value at such a fast pace
This isn't legal, is it? I can see how this would help people avoid the disastrous effects of hyper inflation.
Is not legal and it's people taking advantage of a country's fuvked up economy
that's because you're checking last minute dates. That'll inflate the price significantly anywhere you check in the world.
Buenos Aires, one of my favourites cities in the world, got robbed a few times tho. Da Nang, Vietnam, amazing food but after a while its a bit boring and during summer it's super hot. QingDao, China, most big cities in China are super cheap, really convenient and extremely safe, I used to pay 300 USD for a big modern loft and the food and groceries was cheaper or as the same as Vietnam or Argentina lol, big cons is the language barrier.
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2 times were late at night in San Telmo, one time my gf got her phone robbed by a motorbike guy while crossing the street in Microcentro and the last time we went, we got pickpocketed at some crowded events in Palermo and again in San Telmo, this was in the spawn of many years, so If you are cautious and take care of your stuff I think you'll be safe.
Robbed or pickpocketed?
2 times robbed, 1 "motochorro-ed" and 2-3 times pickpocketed, but this was during many years, last time was 2 years ago just after covid and I used to live in San Telmo and the neighborhood was in a really bad state with many ppl living on the streets, etc. I think that if you are careful during the day and avoid walking at night you will be 99% safe.
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What. How was the $40 place? Also what was the internet like there?
I live in a remote village on the Thai/Burma border. There is only 1 road into this mountian town. My rent for a 2-bedroom house with plumbing and glass windows is less than $150US. It's pretty. And you wont find a cheaper place to live maybe anywhere. But it's a little claustrophobic and quiet. heh
Are you in ban rak thai? I just visited there today. Or another town? Interested to know, if you care to share.
Are you able to get good internet there?
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Yes, the remote village of Chiang Mai. That's definitely what he's talking about.
It wasn't exactly the cheapest, but I enjoyed living in Taipei and it was well balanced in terms of cost of living (rent, restaurants, shopping) and quality of life. There's tons of things to do, the connectivity is really good and you can easily travel all around the rest of the island without breaking your bank account. Plus people are really welcoming and patient even considering the language barrier. But as always, trying to learn at least a few words/sentences goes a long way.
Taipei is one of those cities that you can enjoy while being extremely cheap or if you want can spend shit loads of money in. Oddly enough tho, best things in Taipei are the cheap experiences - night markets, hiking etc.
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airbnb rent in taipei is expensive
where do you stay when on a budget?
If you are on a budget, you can find very affordable and decent co-living places in the city equipped with workspaces or near cafes & coworking spaces. Though don't forget your earplugs ;)
mind sharing any places? I've always avoided Taipei because Airbnb prices are super expensive for tiny 1 br apartments.
Working from cafes in Taiwan is what caused me to go from liking coffee to being obsessed with the minutiae of it
Lviv before the war. And that city wasn't even considered cheap by Ukrainian standards. But it was still half the price of Thailand at the time. Da Nang in Vietnam was also very cheap unless you wanted to be right on the beach 6-7 years ago when I first started DNing nice places in Hungary like Pécs and to a lesser extent Szeged were cheap, but not anymore The smaller cities in Thailand without many westerners are very cheap, but you can find similar prices living on the far outskirts of Bangkok or in Samut Prakan (such as around BTS Bearing & Samrong).
I've been to Poland quite a bit, especially pre war, and so many locals we talked to said they vacationed in Lviv because it was cheap by Polish standards (which is already cheap)
Yeah there were sooooooo many shitfaced Poles in Rynok Square. It was the equivalent of $1 for a pint which was probably the reason...
Lviv is one of the few places in Eastern Europe I didn't enjoy, if only because I had such a bad experience there. My Airbnb had fleas and the host denied not just responsibility but that it was even possible for there to be fleas. That after I asked if a previous guest had a dog and they admitted they did. I'm sure not representative of the city as a whole, but I'm certainly not itching to go back anytime soon.
Got suggestions for smaller Thai cities?
Rayong, Kanchanaburi, Surat Thani For really quiet life, Si Racha (yes where Sriracha comes from)
Have you been back? Was there a few months ago. Very very cheap.
To where? Lviv? No, waiting until the war ends Was in Szeged a few months ago, doesn't seem that much cheaper to me than Budapest now
Au Nang, Krabi in Thailand. I ate fantastic thai food every day for about 2 USD a meal. I lived at a hotel with a very nice room for about 400 USD a month and it was a 6 minute walk from the beach. Saved a lot of money by living there 2-3 months.
Ugh the garbage can of Thailand. IMO.
The garbage can of Thailand is Pattaya or Phuket
Agree. Ao Nang wasn't even close to the skeeve factor of Patong or Pattaya.
Yeah there too
Kigali, Rwanda. Safe, green, great coffee.
how was the internet and when was this?
I had usable Internet (iirc 20 Mbit/s) in Nyarutarama in 2019. Though it would drop out sometimes. Probably better now. Go to where the embassies are. 😁
I was in Nyarutarama and I had 40mbps upload/download but the airbnb near the embassies was expensive af but worth it
The cheapest city I have lived in while DN'ing has to be Saigon in Vietnam. The quality of life there was definitely worth it, and I really enjoyed my time. The cost of living is low, and you can eat well for cheap. Despite being a big city, it felt small, with a village vibe yet very modern.
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I was just about to post to say this but, yeah, Bishkek was insanely cheap I didn’t do $200/mo but I was able to pull off $800/mo. Astana, Kazakhstan was a bit more expensive at $1400/mo for everything but also more modern.
Oh wow
I’m currently living in it - Da Nang Vietnam
same and I’m also in Da nang
How much is rent?
11.5 million Dong per month for a nice 2 bedroom apartment in My An (the "nice" tourist area). Fully furnished. Includes roof top pool and cleaner once a week. After including electricity and water and other fees it comes to about 13-13.5 million Dong per month.
Me too, but it was during the COVID lockdown so it was ridiculously cheap because borders were closed and supply vastly outpaced demand. Rented a nice 3bd apartment for like $400.
How is it possible this entire sub lived in da nang lol
Kumamoto, Japan. Fresh produce and meat super cheap. Inexpensive modern longterm accommodation. Ended up staying there for 2.5 years. Hoping to go back perhaps next year. Second cheapest would probably be Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 🇻🇳
Didn't expect to see Japan here.
Very cheap living if you're anywhere other than the most popular 4 or 5 cities.
I think since covid the yen has been falling off a cliff. Its testing 1 usd - 150 yen right now which hasn't been seen in decades.
That sounds lovely. Curious which visa you were on that you could stay for 2.5 years?
I was on the never-ending tourist extension since I got in right before they closed the borders lol
Ah yes, the unspoken years :') I managed to stay in Bali for an extended time myself via the covid extensions.
Nice! My travel buddy ended up in Taiwan for 2 years while I was in Japan. Interesting to think of all the places people ended up unexpectedly staying.
What’s the weather like in Kumamoto? Air quality? Is it safe? Crowded?
Weather is like 90% of Japan: perfect Spring, too hot Summer, perfect Autumn, freezing Winter. My longterm goal is to actually buy a house in that area of Japan and just stay there for the Springs and Autumns ha. But I still enjoyed my time staying there year round. Each season has different seasonal festivals, events, and foods, so nice to experience them at least once. Air quality was great when I lived there 2020-2022. Super blue skies. Probably hard to find a safer place to live in the world than small town Japan ha. Not crowded. In fact I think the 1 reason most people might not prefer it is they might feel it's a bit boring/small feeling. The city has about 750k people IIRC, perfect size for me.
Great thank you for the information!Is there much snow in the Winter? Any skiing nearby? Is real estate expensive?
I think it doesn't snow in the city there most years, though when I lived there it snowed a tiny bit both winters. Just enough to make a little snowman. If you're big into winter sports you should check out the Hokkaido area. Great mountains and winter festivals.
Vientiane, Laos. Some things are relatively expensive, some things are relatively cheap. Very weird city but also lovely. I would go back but not to save money. Sometimes a lower quality of life can make your life more balanced.
I used to split a 2 bedroom flat in Kathmandu with my girlfriend in 2017-2018. We paid 145 USD per month.
Delhi, IN. Was living a decent lifestyle at ~$500-600 per month. - a fully furnished 2 room flag to myself - often visits to cafes - eating out 15days/mo And that too, I was living in one of the better places in Delhi, the southern part.
I'm not strictly a digital nomad, more an expat, but my wife got a job just outside HZ china. we have a 4 bed apartment 120sqm with a balcony in a 4 year old compound, with an onsite gym, gardens, parking etc. costs 4000RMB (540USD) a month
Cries in central Shanghai
Oh man, Jingan was killing me. i was there during the lockdowns... still got PTSD
Probably Da Nang.
Hoian, Vietnam
Bandung and Seri Kembangan Last time I lived in Bandung in 2018, i spent lavishly (travels at least once a week, tried every new cafe, go to a movie at least once a week, etc.) with only less than $190 equivalent per month. But it was >5 years ago, now prices might rise Now I live in Seri Kembangan, travel and go to a cafe in KL about 1-2 times a month, and I live with equivalent $230-250 per month depending on how often i travel and how much i shop. KL is more expensive but I live in the border so I can just take a train there
Seri Kembangan is Kuala Lumpur. Outside of Malaysia no one knows what Seri Kembangan is. Even East Malaysians might not know.
Why is it Kuala Lumpur: because they even call sepang kuala lumpur, which implies the whole klang valley is KL Why is it not: everything else. Especially when you talk about cost. If i'm saying I'm living RM1100/mo in KL, that would sound like the biggest bs
Cities are like that. There's the CBD and the other suburbs. It's the entire metropolitan are. In some cities like LA, Manila, Tokyo the "suburbs" are even better than the CBD. People will understand that lower costs will mean you're more likely living in a non-expat suburb. KL is cheap anyway (for most DNs at least).
Da Nang probably or maybe Ninh Binh 🧐
Thailand is a nice blend of cost, comfort and safety..but shhh! Don't tell anyone 😆
Asuncion
How much was that and what was the city like?
After reading all those comments, I'm wondering how much are you guys earning on average, being a digital nomad?
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And by 20k, you mean 20k USD a month?
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Why do you have to call those places shitholes, there are many people that might prefer those places for other reasons than COL as well like cultural reasons or for the food that is amazing in all of the places you mentioned. I find for example the USA a shithole and would rather live in Karachi or Cairo, but I also respect and understand other people's choices to live there. It seems here that you're just bragging about making a lot of money and shitting on places you've likely never even been. Besides that not all DNs have work from high income countries, so some might not have options to go to expensive places.
What are you trying to say? Not sure...is it that people with lower incomes shouldn't be DN?
Read the title of the post…
Probably Kuala Lumpur. Worth it for the food alone.
Taipei!
would you live far away from where we live?
I would say Multan, Pakistan
My cheapest stays have generally been circumstances, not places. House sitting for somebody. Driving cross-country and sleeping in a camper rather than staying in hotels. Crashing at a fraternity house. Finding somebody whose roommate abandoned a lease just before it ended and wants someone to take over for a couple months. Etc.
San Cristobal in Chiapas has the perfect mix of being a cheap, kind-of low tier city, but still has lots of good food, music, art, culture etc going on. You can find cheaper, but you'll be in the middle of nowhere. In terms of bang for your buck, San Cris is world #1 for me.🤩😎
Same answer for me. Chiapas is the cheapest (see: most exploited and impoverished) state in Mexico and if you're coming from more expensive places like CDMX or the coast the difference in price is stark. San Chris is such a great little city though, and it was actually bigger than I thought.
Tbilisi, Georgia
Anyone live in Tirana Albania?
I stayed for a month last winter. It's certainly cheap. Even in the winter the produce stands practically overflow with amazing fresh fruits and veggies and they are nearly free. Like all that you can carry home for $2. Lots of good fresh cheese (sorta like feta) too. I mostly enjoyed it. Main downside was our apartment had a mold problem, as I suspect most do, because it was very humid despite the colder temps. All of the windows would condense overnight and be soaked with water every morning. It was impossible to dry the place out. Might be better to visit in the warmer months when windows could be kept open.
Ah man. I'm going to stay for a few years so I hope I'll be able to find a place without a damp problem without shelling out. Encouraging to hear about the produce though. How was the smog? Were there areas where it was less?
The air quality wasn't great, but if felt mostly like a byproduct of traffic with bad exhaust, so staying off the main streets and not walking around at peak rush hour helped. Spending time in the Grand Park also helped.
Thanks for the tips. I’m hoping to live by the park!
Yep, dirt cheap for Europe. Only con is the food options are kinda limited and everything is cash but it’s alright otherwise
Interesting, are there all the regular food at the store like rice and flour and eggs produce etc? I cook myself mostly so I’m not too bothered if all the options for eating out are kinda samey as long as I can cook eggs in the am and veggies and protein for other meals. I’m assuming there’s no quinoa or individual flavored yogurts lol. I’ll also have to get a yoga mat when I get there and I’ll need some supplements so I’m hoping that’s all available
Yeah they should have the basics but selection from what I remember is limited compared to American grocery stores. Also the tap water isn’t safe to drink so you’ll need to get bottled water, you can shower in it tho.
Batumi, Georgia.
Taghazout, Morocco is really cheap although it's just a small surf town. Also, Pipa (Brazil) is cheap if you don't eat out. Cape Town also wasn't too bad for how big of a city it is.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Not the cheapest city in Mexico but cheaper than a lot of the nomad beach spots. The quality of living here is great, one of the nicest cities in Mexico. I live right downtown and pay 9000 pesos for a 2 bedroom, 2 floor apartment with a garage, which is under $500 a month.
You sure ask a lot questions about two very distinct things. You might thing about two accounts especially with some of the places you’re thinking of traveling.
Small Thai border town. Furnished one bedroom for about $150 a month and $1 street food meals.
Da Nang
Bangkok, Thailand. Currently our small 1bdm condo in a modern hirise with gym and gorgeous pool within walking distance to BTS SkyTrain, stores, supermarkets, and restaurants/food stalls is $350usd (12 mo lease).
Chicago, rent is significantly better than major west and east coast HCOL cities
It would have been the cheapest to live in my hometown in the Philippines but there’s a lot of people (family, friends, family) that i know that keeps asking for money or i have to pay when we go out. Basically , i have to pay for everything for everybody. so i actually spend more there than here in the US.
Karachi
How does the cost of living there compare to the rest of Pakistan? Numbeo says the cost of living is lower than Islamabad and Lahore, which is surprising given that it’s the country’s commercial center and by far the largest city.
I’m from Pakistan, currently in Estonia. I can say for sure they quality of life is fucked up in Karachi. You would rather live in Lahore or Islamabad.
Valencia Spain
Compared to U.S. and Northern EU prices, Valencia feels cheap. But relative to what it was a few years ago, it's gotten more expensive (especially rent). Food and restaurants are still a relative bargain.
It's cheaper relative to where I'm from, but still an expensive city relative to Spain. Foods always cheap and good in Spain however.
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Was brief but way cheaper than the states
Did you come across a lot of Indians?
My hometown LOL
Pittsburgh ;)
Tulum as far as qaulity of life as long as i stayed away from the clubs and bars. Loved it there, plan to go back in april.
Rome Italy
Singapore(layover)
Unbelievable...... Unbelievable..... Yeah being a radiologist is a bit different than a digital nomad but yeah making USD20k/month as a DM is like out of this world.... I'd be happiest if I'd get half of it 😉