There is no better way to pursue your lifestyle design goals than by cutting your expenses and moving to a new country. Here are nine properties around the world that are under $300 a month.
Cebu City, Philippines
US$106 per month (5,500PHP)
Jomtien Beach, Pattaya City, Thailand
US$263 per month (9,000BHT)
Goicoechea, Guadalupe, Costa Rica
US$300 per month
Sihanoukville, Victory Beach, Cambodia
US$250 (including utilities, TV)
Dehivala, Sri Lanka
US$212 per month (25,000LKR)
Krakow, Poland
US$264 per month
Hanoi, Vietnam
US$300
Missouri, USA
US$300
Antigua, Guatemala
US$240 (with internet)
Advice
When looking for an apartment or house rental in any country, you will most certainly find better and cheaper accommodations if you start your search when you arrive. Most internet searches bring up vacation rentals which are considerably more expensive than other apartments and are often priced by the day or week. Also, owners savvy enough to professionally market their properties online will generally ask for more money. When you arrive in the country, check local publications aimed at foreigners and if you are going to be renting for an extended time, try real estate agents.
Foreigners are often taken advantage of so knock on some doors and comparison shop before you decide. Make sure you make explicitly clear what is included and what is not. You don’t want to be surprised with extra bills for TV, utilities or internet.
Remember that if your entry visa expires and you have to leave the country, you are not always guaranteed re-entry. If you are leaving the country, it probably is a good idea to stop renting and bring your valuables with you.
Finding the right place to stay can seem overwhelming but it really isn’t that difficult. Most landlords will be very helpful and trustworthy. Ultimately, your accommodations play a very small role in the quality of experience you have in a new country. Your apartment is just a place to sleep, get something safe and in a good location but save your money and invest in new experiences.
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Free cold beer or Margarita upon arrival….
Art
Don’t forget Spain! Andalusia is a great place in the winter and super cheap. We rent a brand new 3 bedroom, with 2 bathrooms, with a pool, med sea views & huge terrace on top with dishwasher/washing machine, nice furniture & high speed internet for 650 a month. The first winter here we had a huge 4 bedroom for 600. Friends rent a large 2 bedroom for 400 dollars a month with free wifi and there are many cheaper ones too. It is easy to walk and take mass transist to what ever you need.Studios and nice 1 bedrooms ( usually with pool et el) run 200 to 350.
We actually lived for less in Spain than friends ( a family) did in SE Asia.
Thanks for the comment! Spain sounds great.
I often read about Soultravelers3 now. You three are celebrities! It is great that you are able to travel as a family. I look forward to reading more about your adventures. Your experiences are much more relevant than the typical young, single backpacker posts.
Thailand can be much cheaper than that. We paid less than 5,000 baht/month for around 25 square meters in central Bangkok.
Problem is you can’t find that kind of properties anywhere on the internet. You need a native to find them for you (took her a few hours of asking around and visiting maybe 4-5 apartment complexes).
Thanks for the comment! It is great to get real prices from people on the ground.
5,000 Baht = $150 so that is only about $5 per day. That it good to hear.
When I went to school in Missouri, I rented an apartment for $240/month with heating included. I only paid $20/month electric and $15-$20 water. Living in a small university town in Missouri could definitely be a rewarding experience as there is a lot to do there for free or almost for free.
I currently rent in Bulgaria, in a city with about 100,000 people for $200/month. The apartment is not big but it is new construction. Utilities are no more than $100/month tops.. ( water, electric, internet). Oh and I could get my hair cut for $1.50 to $4, which is cheaper in comparison to what it was in the US.
This is really reassuring… I’m planning on a year of traveling in 2010-2011 and have been worried about my budget. You’re right about waiting til you get to wherever you’re going… was just in Spain with a friend and we booked some of our hostels in advance- they were always more expensive than the ones we found wandering around central areas of the city.
Thanks!
This post is so inspiring! It makes me want to dissapear into the wilds of latin America for the rest of my life.. Or possibly become a world class wake boarder living in the Phillipines… Oohhh so much to see and do 🙂
.-= Zoe´s last blog ..Australia’s Best Surfing Beaches =-.
No disagreement here.
We live in amazing times. There is so much opportunity to do whatever we want where ever we want.
Thanks for visiting!
Great list here! Nice to see pictures showing differences too.
I rent a place in Australia for less than $10 a day, but I share the pad with 4 others
.-= AdventureRob´s last blog ..How to stay in an Australian City Cheaply =-.
After a lot of noodling around on some of the vacation rental sites, I agree their rents are far more expensive than this per week – let alone per month. Books on lifestyle re-design suggest getting a room at a hotel or hostel for 2-3 nights, then looking for an apartment or condo rental after your arrival. These pictures are truly motivating because they prove it can be done.
Besides, if I’m going to be out discovering the bazaar, the cafes and lots of other places in a city – really, the place I stay in is little more than a “crash pad.” I always feel sorta “trapped” in fancy hotel rooms, unless I’m just staying for a couple nights.
My husband has taken some amazing trips and spent a lot of nights sleeping on trains while traveling to another city. Last trip of his two years ago was to India. (He grew up in India – but has been in the US for over 40 years now.) On that last trip to India 25 nights out of 35 he spent sleeping on trains. Good for him – but not so sure it’d work for me. *smile*
I have a home-based business I’ve carefully built – but I can’t really leave as it is now. I’m taking a year to tweak and re-design to transform my life into an excellent adventure.
Thanks for the research and for the great pictures.
Denise Michaels Excellent Adventure
http://www.DeniseMichaels.com
i have done a lot of world travelling in the past, including many extended trips to what we called third world countries then, with 4 children. for a few years now i have chosen to stay at my home in the canadian rockies because of footprint considerations.
now i want to travel again, and am thinking of going to bolivia for the winter. anyone out there with ideas? i like going to places where the climate is springlike all the time rather than to the tropical beaches. i have immensely enjoyed the highlands of ecuador and columbia and central america.
i would love to hear from anyone who has been there and could recommend a cheap and comfortable place to hang out, but not in a city. i dont need to move around much, preferring to get to know people more intimately in a more natural setting.
thanks for any help i can get.
Hi Arlene,
Sorry I haven’t interview anyone who has lived in Bolivia. Maybe you can share some of your experiences there when you arrive?
Excellent list, but there are also more inexpensive. In Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria you can find decent housing for less money than the above.
.-= Renter´s last blog ..Rental Or Buy =-.