Live in Brazil
Living abroad is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You needn’t pull up stakes and renounce life “back home” entirely. Instead, take a part-time approach to the adventure. It can hold a number of advantages over becoming a full-time expat—particularly with the economy in its current state.
In the right place overseas, you can spend considerably less and live well. Choose a community where your dollars buy you more. (Like one of the towns we like—and write about each month—in Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Brazil, and beyond.) I guarantee it’ll cost you less to spend a month or two there than it would to spend a few weeks at the shore back home.
You can maintain a presence in your home country, which is often desirable for business, health, or family reasons.
A second home can generate income. If you own your home abroad, it’s likely that you can rent your property when you’re not there. Plus some people rent out their primary home while they’re enjoying their overseas vacation home.
No worries about residency or visas. Most countries will let you stay up to 180 days per year (or more) as a tourist…so you can reside abroad for half the year with no visa.
Now may not be the best time to sell your home, given today’s depressed prices. If you rent in a part-time location abroad, you can begin the adventure while you’re waiting for the right time to sell.
Rent a Furnished Home in Latin America from $150 a Month
Kent and Christina pay just $350 per month for a rooftop apartment with panoramic views of colonial Cuenca, Ecuador. And this includes their phone, utilities, Internet, and cable TV.
Jack and Eileen rent a three-bedroom furnished house in Cotacachi, Ecuador for $150 per month, and spend an all-inclusive total of around $500 per month.
On Brazil’s island of Itamaraca, Paul and Mary are paying just $500 per month to spend six months in a beachfront house…a block or two inland could reduce that price to $250, according to our local property manager.
In the upscale resort of La Barra, Uruguay, Bruce is paying just $500 per month for a luxury, furnished, four-bedroom home during Uruguay’s off-season.
If you’re buying, you can get a nice apartment in Cotacachi for less than $50,000. On Itamaraca, there are still houses left on my beach for less than $100,000…off the beach, you’ll find them as low as $40,000.
You can “try a country on for size.” If you ever plan to move overseas full-time, the final decision on where to go could be difficult. But once you’ve experienced a few of your favorites as a part-time resident, it’s easy to choose a permanent home abroad. And in some cases, living overseas part-time can even save you money when compared to staying home.
In Vermont, my wintertime heating bill was almost $300 per month. The savings I enjoyed by avoiding it for three months more than offset the travel expenses to South America for some warmth and sunshine
And the idea of part-time living abroad still works when you’re a full-time expat. I split my time between our main home Uruguay and a second home in Brazil. Granted, the cost of living in Uruguay is already low. But I can still spend three months on a sunny tropical beach for a bit less than it would cost me to stay home and spend the winter in Uruguay.
Our friends Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins do the same thing. They’re full-time residents of Merida, Mexico…but spend the hot Mexican summers at their new condo in the Andean town of Cotacachi, Ecuador (see page 20). There, they enjoy a rock-bottom cost of living and perhaps the world’s best weather.
Unlike picking a permanent residence abroad—which involves analyzing taxes and long-term residency issues—choosing a part-time location is simple…especially if you’re renting. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Choose a place that compliments the weather at home. Between your two homes, you can spend all year in the warm sunshine…or all year skiing…or enjoy a permanent fishing season, depending on your preference.
Take a close look at the daily cost of living. You may spend less than you would at home, even when considering travel costs.
And if you’re buying instead of renting…
Give preference to a “lock-up-and-leave” property. Since you’re only using it part-time, consider a condominium or a planned community, where everything is looked after while you’re gone.
Pay attention to the potential rental market if you’re planning on renting your property when you’re not there. This may be a good source of income if you choose wisely.
So if you’re not ready to pull up stakes and move overseas, consider taking up part-time residence. It’ll be an enriching experience that can save you—or even earn you—a few dollars.
