Force 4: Value Beyond Borders
For years, the most common reason Americans gave for moving overseas was simple: lower costs. Cheaper rent, cheaper healthcare, cheaper living. But as Ted Bauman writes, “Cheap isn’t the same as value.” A place can be inexpensive and still fail to deliver what truly matters: safety, quality medical care, social connection, and long-term stability.
True value, Bauman argues, lives at the intersection of affordability and resilience. “Value,” he writes, “is about what you get for what you pay—not just today, but in the years to come.” That perspective marks a new maturity in how expats are thinking about global living. It’s not about escaping; it’s about optimizing, building a life that works across economies and generations.
Bauman notes that the pandemic, currency shifts, and political turbulence have all reminded us how fragile “cheap” can be. “Managing uncertainty abroad,” he writes, “means understanding that things change—governments, tax codes, healthcare systems, even the climate.” Smart retirees, he adds, “plan for flexibility, not perfection.”
That flexibility might mean choosing a country with strong public healthcare and private options, or one with a clear legal framework for property ownership. It might mean holding part of your savings in multiple currencies or keeping a second residency as a hedge. In Bauman’s view, these aren’t luxuries—they’re essentials of the modern global lifestyle.
He points out that the retirees who thrive abroad are the ones who think like investors. They diversify across borders, stay informed about local conditions, and cultivate community wherever they land. “A supportive social circle,” he writes, “is as valuable as a good hospital.” And while headlines often focus on cost-of-living indexes, Bauman insists the real metric is quality of life per dollar.
This philosophy reframes what it means to “live well for less.” It’s not about pinching pennies; it’s about purchasing peace of mind. The retirees of the next decade won’t chase the cheapest destination; they’ll seek the most sustainable one: safe, stable, socially rich, and smartly diversified.
As Bauman reminds us, “The world is full of bargains. The trick is finding the ones that endure.”