Countries with lower cost of living than in Germany

If you are planning to leave Germany and move abroad, you might be interested in knowing about the costs of living in your international moving destination. An international move does not necessarily have to be a privilege for wealthy people.
The social expat network InterNations has identified in its latest Expat Insider report the most affordable moving destinations around the world. Over 14000 expats from close to 200 countries were asked to rate the cost of living in their new home abroad. Although Germany is considered quite a cheap country for expatriates to live – being on position 16 according to the survey – there seem to be some more interesting destinations to live as an expat.

One very interesting finding is: Ecuador has been rated on first place. And it is not only the cheapest international moving destination, but it is also the most popular country for international expatriates. Not only are the costs of living in Ecuador have been rated the lowest worldwide, but also 26% of the expats there are completely satisfied with their financial situation – with a gross household income of less than 25000 USD. Worldwide, there are just 15% of the expatriates happy with their financial situation.

Poland has been rated second cheapest country for expatriates to live, it has a high score for affordable housing options. It is followed by the Czech Republic, which is also appreciated for its good housing market. These two central European countries are very popular among expats from the USA and from the UK, as these destinations also score high in the quality of life index.

On the other side, the survey also revealed countries with a high cost of living: The most expensive country to live as an expat is Mozambique, followed by Nigeria and Brazil. Housing and security measures play an important role in the rating, as the neighbourhoods where expats live usually require more security and more premium equipment. In addition, food that is typical of Western or Asian cuisines and are highly requested have to be imported and naturally cost more. Despite the high living costs, expats in these countries seem to feel that they have enough disposable income. For example 12 % of the expatriates in Nigeria stated that they have a yearly income of more than 250000 USD. Furthermore, 38% of the expats who moved to Nigeria were fully reimbursed the international relocation costs.