Moving to A Different Country- Live Like a King

[Keanu]

I was talking to my wife's sister living in another country. Our dollar is worth close to 200 of theirs. She is renting a 2 bedroom, dining room and living room area for $75 of our dollars a month. General costs are cheap.
As I was locked up in the highway in gridlock this morning singing with the radio (might as well have fun) the thought did come to my mind.

I could invest about 100K+ here in Canada and grow it out while(accumulated from 3 years of working -out of university years ago while crashing with the folks for free), live down there, and come back every 2 or 3 years to visit family and friends while working for a few months. The rest of the time it's pure heaven down there. Beautiful climate and lifestyle.

Canada is a great, politically stable, safe place to live, although losing close to half in taxes is tough. Down there I could live like a king, it's safe, and live out a vacation lifestyle. Not sure what to do yet. I'm planning to take a year off and explore the option at some point. Another few years of rush hour traffic might do the trick, lol.

Happy summer people,

K

 

[Keanu]

Sure, why not. It depends on what you would do in the foreign country. Would you work? Get bored?

you should also keep in mind that the cheaper foreign country may be more politically and economically unstable. What happens if there's suddenly hyperinflation?

$100K isn't a lot of money. I would think you need more cushion. If you had a $1mm, well, maybe....

100k + isn't bad for my age. I'm a low 30's guy, debt free with this. Properly managed it can grow big in 30 years.I wouldn't work there for peanuts. The plan is to be a king there. Comeback here once in a blue moon, work some job and live free with family for 3-6 months then return. 20K here could last 6 good years there. I'd make that and come back every 3 years. The lifestyle here is work, work, work in my life. Over there it would be play, play, play. Lol. Bored? I'm a work to live guy, not a live to work guy.

 

[Keanu]

And when the tsunami comes and washes the rubble of the earthquake away in paradise-land, it's nice to know I live in Canada.

Here the tsunami comes when I lose $500- $700 a paycheck in taxes, pay 1.06 in gas, live on the 401, pay gst, pst, deal with workplace politics, and hear my girlfriend say I don't spend enough quality time with her (sorry I'm working). I love Canada but not my lifestyle of work, work, work, and not enough play, play, play, lol. Great country if you can actually afford to take time off to enjoy it.

K

 

[Meister]

It's OK if you don't want to raise kids.

 

[Mikehorn]

You're all forgetting the important issue... how does the SP situation compare to here?

 

[basketcase]

And when the tsunami comes and washes the rubble of the earthquake away in paradise-land, it's nice to know I live in Canada.

Don't worry, Canada will fly you back at the taxpayer's expense.

 

[stang]

And they love you long time.

 

[Perry Mason]

When I need an MRI and I know I can get one without having to be airlifted or bribe the hospital for my place in line...

So, not that much different than here... without the airlift, of course, and you can't even bribe the hospital!

I need a dentist who uses post-1960 instruments.

You just have not been to the right places! With hard cash you get to see dentists that have equipment that our dentists have barely seen yet!

or need help from firemen who won't stand around to ask me to pay them before they turn on the water to douse the flames on my house...

That does not happen either... unless you have acquired such a bad rep that they want to see you burn... right there or in Hell, no preference!


And, yes, Canada is a great country. Especially if you are middle class or less. I wouldn't think of leaving it! But there are plenty of other good places, too, if you have enough money to qualify for the upper or rich classes... don't kid yourself!

Perry

 

[l69norm]

...She is renting a 2 bedroom, dining room and living room area for $75 of our dollars a month. General costs are cheap. .

A friend just came back after spending several months in Argentina said pretty much the same thing. Having a cab drive you around the entire day is like $20.

 

[hoser1970]

So, not that much different than here... without the airlift, of course, and you can't even bribe the hospital!


You just have not been to the right places! With hard cash you get to see dentists that have equipment that our dentists have barely seen yet!


That does not happen either... unless you have acquired such a bad rep that they want to see you burn... right there or in Hell, no preference!


And, yes, Canada is a great country. Especially if you are middle class or less. I wouldn't think of leaving it! But there are plenty of other good places, too, if you have enough money to qualify for the upper or rich classes... don't kid yourself!

Perry

Umm, sorry Perry but your comments do not seem to match to your tag line:

"A trip around the world is not a cruise."

Kudos to Strongbeau and Smiley27 for sticking up for Canada!

Canada may not be perfect, but there ain't anywhere else I'd rather be!

 

[incognito]

And what other country is this?

 

[canucklehead]

Thank good the people from these foreign paradises don't ever want to immigrate here.
Been there done that....fun yes...safe NO!! U HAVE CASH AND FREE TIME YOU R A TARGET....only 100 grand....maybe..... take the money and start an offshore business getting paid in us or euros or canadian and then there....

 

[juanbrujo]

Maybe you could name the country. Some people might have lived there.

 

[friendz4evr]

You're all forgetting the important issue... how does the SP situation compare to here?

Cheaper and more plentiful!

 

[Berlin]

I'm planning to take a year off and explore the option at some point. Another few years of rush hour traffic might do the trick, lol.

Happy summer people,

K

I say give it a try. Maybe you'll fit right in , or maybe the new culture will rub you in all the wrong ways. Going there as a tourist is way different than being a resident having to deal with the new environment and day to day mundane stuff as the locals have to.

Some folks I know , young couples btw, did just that and in their cases relocated to Costa Rica 3,4 years ago. One couple did settle down , runs their beach cabina business and had their first child there. The other couple moved back to Canada in less than a year, they way those ticos do things ain't their cup of tea.

So by all means Keanu, give it a go especially when you're still single. Hope all works out for you.

Which country you're talking about btw ? And my same question goes to those who posted been there done that, lets hear it .

 

[The Cunning Linguist]

I'm curious too about what country you're considering.

There are many ex-pat Canadians living in the Dominican or who have invested money in business's down there and go down for 6-7 months at a time.

Teddy Reader (the King of the Q) has a restaurant in Caberate (sp?) I think, did a travel show from there that was on the Life network, and I believe the owners of the Sun Village Beach resort in Puerta Plata are Canadians. Derringer of Q107 got married down there several years ago...I think the whole thing was comped because they are always getting free advertising on Q107.

Watch out for the AIDS...there are a lot of Haitians in the DR with it....

 

[lickrolaine]

Here the tsunami comes when I lose $500- $700 a paycheck in taxes, pay 1.06 in gas, live on the 401, pay gst, pst, deal with workplace politics, and hear my girlfriend say I don't spend enough quality time with her (sorry I'm working). I love Canada but not my lifestyle of work, work, work, and not enough play, play, play, lol. Great country if you can actually afford to take time off to enjoy it.

K

can't imagine why the line ups are so long to come here,lol.

 

[lickrolaine]

Of course, if I was a billionaire I can live anywhere well - goes without saying!

Still, I've lived in many, many countries, and I do have the background to compare. Canadians have it pretty darn good.

and there are few places where you can become a millionaire,but lots of places you can live like one,lol.

 

[21pro]

100k + isn't bad for my age. I'm a low 30's guy, debt free with this. Properly managed it can grow big in 30 years.

true but then you'd be old and money doesn't reverse aging.

I'd still say go for it if its for you.

but, living in a new country can be tough to get used to. especially making friends in a new culture, learning who to avoid, etc... these 'havens' are plagued with the kind a people you DON'T wanna meet. considering criminal high ranking corporate executives like J. Clifford Baxter can fake a suicide and become a new citizen in such a country makes me wonder what other slimy people also hide out in such places. but, still a people person is a people person and you can get by just fine.

i know a guy that keeps his yaught in a mob run marina where bodies are rumoured to be dumped once in a while. why does he keep it there? protection. he has the best kind of security that money can't by because petty theives, etc.. avoid that area altogether... the thieves rather raid the 'white collar' marinas.

 

[Mcluhan]

Some people change several jobs in their lifetime. I changed several countries, stayed in each of them for years, all highly developed and civilized societies (per Western standards, no pun intended).

Being a globetrotter, I saw many other countries, some of them described as Heaven on Earth and stayed there sometimes for months, for various reasons, business or pleasure.

Almost every time when I come back to Canada, I feel as I would kiss Canadian land. There is no place in the world like Canada, including all the taxes, 401, windchill etc. Home, sweet home.

Yep, done the same, and not on the cheap either. Maids, servants, full time driver, the best accommodations. There's no place like Canada. In spite of that, I miss the Latin culture and have plans to retire there, sooner than later. To each his own, as long as you are happy where ever you are, because if you are moving to find 'happiness' you will be sadly disappointed I think.