8 Affordable Places To Live Abroad With Cheap Flights to the US

There are those who love to travel to international destinations, and those who prefer to live abroad, as “expats,” whether in retirement or just for a stretch of time to experience life outside the hustle of American life and responsibilities.

Learn: 10 Tips for Saving Money on Airfare This Spring
Read: How To Build Your Savings From Scratch

Living abroad might sound like an expensive proposition, but choosing wisely can allow you to find a country where the cost of living is low, and the flights home to the U.S. don’t break the bank. Here are eight affordable places to live abroad where the flights home are reasonable too.

Colombia

According to Becca Siegel, travel writer at Halfhalftravel.com, a great place for Americans to live abroad and still enjoy relatively affordable flights to the U.S. is Colombia, specifically Medellin and Bogota. “Both of us have spent time working remotely from Colombia in the past few years,” Siegel said. “[A]nd flights to and from the US never broke the bank like flights to Argentina, Brazil and Chile.”

See: Why Nobody Is Buying Vacation Homes Anymore
Check Out: 5 Best US Locations To Travel To on a $2,000 Budget

Canada

Generally, Americans don’t choose Canada for the climate, but the exchange rate is good for a strong U.S. dollar and fans of winter activities will find Canada has lots to offer, according to Joel Speyers, co-founder of Prep4travel.

“Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver all offer cheap flights ranging from $200-$500 depending on where you are flying back into the US,” Speyers said. “[For] example, Toronto to Detroit ranges between $300-$400 on United. Vancouver to Seattle ranges from $250-$350.”

Find Out: 5 Affordable Up-and-Coming US Locations To Buy Vacation Property in 2023

The Riviera Maya, Mexico

According to Jim Fricker II, a long-time resident of Mexico and the co-founder of Spanish and Go, the Riviera Maya in Mexico is a fantastic place for U.S. citizens to call home because it’s close to the U.S., making travel between the two countries easy and affordable. “You’re also not limited to big city life in Cancun, as other desirable areas such as Playa del Carmen, Akumal, and Tulum are nearby,” Fricker said.

Flights through Cancun International Airport can run as little as $97 and on the high end, not more than a couple of hundred dollars. “You’ll find that your dollar stretches further here, which is always a bonus when living abroad,” he said. “If you’re not too picky about living in luxury, you can easily find an apartment for less than $1,000/mo and eating out can range from $10-20.”

Germany

It’s hard to imagine that anywhere in Europe is truly affordable, but according to Ravi Parikh, travel expert and CEO of RoverPass, the cost of living in Germany is lower than in the U.S. “More than 50% [of people] speak English, but learning German is an advantage,” Parikh said. “Cheap flights are available from Germany to the U.S. on Swiss, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, etc.”

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Another warm-weather location that is affordable to live and to fly to the U.S. from is Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

“Punta Cana has a lot going for it, like amazing beaches, friendly locals, and a great lifestyle that doesn’t cost a fortune,” said Geanny Tavarez, CEO of Punta Cana Adventures. “One of the best things about Punta Cana is how affordable it is. You can find a decent apartment for as low as $500 USD a month, and if you want something fancier, there are plenty of options.”

It also has decent healthcare and a lot of direct flights. You can find flights with big airlines like American, Delta, JetBlue, and United, with round-trip tickets ranging between $450 and $600.

Tips: 10 All-Inclusive Resort Hacks That Can Help You Save Big

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Gigi Chow, who runs the travel website Wet Nose Escapades, has been living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for six months and loves it. Since moving, she’s already flown back and forth to the U.S. twice. “If you book at least a few weeks in advance, you can get direct flights to Miami and NYC for $350-500,” she said.

With access to world-famous beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema, warm weather, great food and a strong expat community, she highly recommends it. “From food to drinks to vet bills to housing, everything is shockingly affordable and you can stretch your US dollar, way more than in Europe, where I used to live,” she said. She also mentioned that a good meal with drinks for two people will typically be under $30 easily in the South Zone.

Costa Rica

Americans have been moving to and retiring in Costa Rica for years, according to Chris Atkins, founder and owner of Central America Fishing.

Thanks to the booming tourism industry, Costa Rica receives nonstop flights from cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Baltimore and Miami. “These flights can take anywhere from three to five hours and range in price from $400 to $800 in non-peak times, so you can literally fly back and forth every month without issue,” Atkins said.

Malaysia

Do you dream of moving abroad but still want to occasionally visit the U.S.? Jon Stephens, director of operations with Snowshoe Vacation Rentals, recommends living in Malaysia.

“This small country boasts a low enough cost of living to attract ex-patriots from all walks of life,” Stephens said. “It is also known for having some of the least expensive airfare prices in the world. Although the flight is eighteen hours long, it’s worth it for the opportunity to experience life on the opposite side of the globe.”

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Affordable Places To Live Abroad With Cheap Flights to the US