Travel Archives - Vagabond Buddha

If I were single today and had a below-average Social Security check, I would move to one of these 5 countries to live a middle-class life.

Right now, in 2026, the average US Social Security check is about $2,000 a month. But if you have a below-average check—say, $1,200 a month—staying in the US means a very tough budget. But what if that same $1,200 bought you a comfortable, middle-class life overseas?

So, if I had a low security check and wanted to live a middle-class life overseas, I would pick one of these five countries.

I will not share a country with you unless Qiang and I have had our feet on the ground there and felt safe. I left the United States 19 years ago, and I’ve lived in 78 countries so far.

Let the countdown of countries begin!

5. Albania

Qiang and I spent time in four cities in Albania in 2024. I have detailed videos and written reports on two of them. Of all the countries I’ve been to in Europe over the last 40 years, Albania really sticks out in my mind.

Albania has a youthful energy and feeling of opportunity that we didn’t feel in many parts of Europe. Young people can start restaurants for less than a third of what it would cost in Western Europe. Albania had a fresh sense of excitement.

Tirana, Albania’s capital, had glass high-rises alongside ancient temples, monuments, and a rich history we enjoyed learning about on the ground. Our money also seemed to go much further while we were in Albania.

The people of Albania were very hospitable and always had a nice smile for us. And Albania is particularly welcoming to Americans. As Americans, when we arrive in Albania, they stamp our passports with a 1-year visa exemption. It’s the easiest country in Europe for Americans to come and stay long term without any hassles or paperwork.

For a retirement visa in Albania, you must show about $1,200 per month in Social Security or pension and have a 1-year lease with an Albanian landlord. The other option is a real estate purchase residency, which requires 20 m² (215 sq ft) or more per person applying for visa.

We have interviewed expats who live in Albania. Their reported cost of living range from $500 (for one person) to $2,200 per month (for two people). If you type “prove it” in the comments below, I’ll give you a link to people in Albania we have interviewed with those numbers.

Prove It (Expats interviewed in Albania)

For living a middle-class life for a single person on a low Social Security check, I would probably live about a mile outside central Tirana, Albania. I just really love the energy here, the amazing architecture, the diverse nightlife, and the great little coffee shops and retail boutiques you find around the city.

Furnished short-term rentals on Airbnb start at around $675 per month, including utilities, depending on area and season. To find a 1-year lease on a furnished 1-bedroom apartment for around $500 per month plus utilities, you’ll need to use my apartment hunting technique. Type “apartments” in the comments for a link to that.

Beach lovers should check out Saranda, Albania, right across from southern Italy, which overlooks the Adriatic Sea.

The cost of living shared by any of my guests is not your cost of living. You will have to put your feet on the ground here to find out your actual living costs. Do not rely on any cost of living shared by me or my guests. Your costs will vary widely depending on your lifestyle and needs.

4. Philippines

I have spent a couple of years all over the Philippines in 23 different cities. And I have written detailed videos and reports on all of them. If you love white-sand beaches, colorful coral reefs with swarms of fish, and gorgeous waterfalls, the Philippines will be your personal heaven.

The Philippines offers a year-round tropical island lifestyle where your money stretches significantly further, English is widely spoken, and you are welcomed by some of the warmest, most hospitable people in the world, and many Westerners find love in retirement here.

The Philippines is one of the easiest countries in the world to book a flight and go without applying for a visa. They give you 30 days upon entry. And you stay for up to 36 months once you’re there by paying monthly extensions.

Then, just visit a nearby country and return to the Philippines to start the whole process over. No proof of income. No bank deposits.

The Philippines is one of the easiest countries in the world for Americans and other Westerners to enter and stay in without paperwork hassles. But if you want an official residency visa, you have multiple options depending on your age.

We have interviewed expats who live in the Philippines. The average cost of living ranges from $1500 to $3,000 per month. But some frugal people can get it down to about 1,000 a month. If you type “prove it” in the comments below, I’ll give you a link to a web page that includes people we’ve interviewed in each country who report living on around $1,000 a month.

Prove It (Expats in the Philippines)

For living a middle-class life on a low Social Security check, I would probably pick Roxas City. It feels like a smaller city, but there are enough people (180k) to keep it interesting. It has a great mall, a great public market, hospitals, a great nightlife, and many friendly, smiling people.

Now, furnished short-term rentals on Airbnb start at around $575 per month in Roxas City. So, to get a 1-year lease on a furnished 1-bedroom apartment for around $350 per month plus utilities, you’ll need to use my apartment hunting technique. Type “apartments” in the comments below for a link to that.

While in the Philippines, cooler weather lovers should check out the mountain city, Baguio. White sand beach lovers should check out Siquijor or Puerto Galeras. And big city lovers should check out Metro Makati.

3. Thailand

Qiang and I spent a few years traveling around Thailand over the last decade. I have detailed videos and written reports in 12 cities in Thailand. Thailand was the first country I fell in love with in Southeast Asia. And Thai food is my favorite food in the world, but before I ever arrived in Thailand.

Thailand is an exquisite collection of extremes. From spicy foods to gorgeous Buddhist temples and limestone rocks that shoot out of turquoise water up into the heavens. And the good-natured people of Thailand make the entire world a beautiful place.

Thailand was the last international country I visited before I left the United States in 2007. When I left Thailand, I knew that I would be back many times to explore her secrets and her mysteries.

Bangkok is one of the best travel hubs in the world. Every airline worth its weight in salt has an international flight into Bangkok. And almost every adventure I’ve had in Thailand started in Bangkok. My adventures always start in Bangkok, but they always end in one of my other favorite cities in Thailand.

My earliest memories of retiring overseas involved reading about the various Thai retirement visas. I’m 66 now but when I first read about the Thai retirement visa, I wasn’t old enough to apply for it. I remember reading at age 45 that I was not old enough to retire in Thailand because I was not yet 50 years old.

Many people complain about how the Thai retirement visa is always changing. But I couldn’t disagree more. 21 years ago I remember reading that I could retire in Thailand at age 50 if I had a $2,000-per-month pension or other equivalent passive income. Or I could retire in Thailand at age 50 by depositing about US$25,000 in a Thai bank. Both of those visas are still available today.

Plus, they have five other visa types for people of different ages and circumstances. So don’t believe the negativity you hear online today.

Negativity is one of the fastest ways to increase your income on social media. So when you hear crybabies saying the sky is falling in Thailand, they are just pulling your leg to make a little extra money.

We have interviewed many expats living all over Thailand. Their reported cost of living ranges from $600 to $3500 per month. If you type “prove it” in the comments below, I’ll give you a link to people in Thailand we have interviewed with those numbers.

Prove It (Expats interviewed in Thailand)

To live a middle-class life as a single person on a low Social Security check, I would live in a smaller to mid-sized city like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi, or Koh Lanta, Thailand.

Furnished short-term rentals on Airbnb start at around $500 per month, including utilities depending on area and season. To find a 1-year lease on a furnished 1-bedroom apartment for around $300 or more per month plus utilities, you’ll need to use my apartment hunting technique.

Beach lovers should check out Hua Hin, Thailand, a few hours southeast of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand.

The cost of living shared by any of my guests is not your cost of living. Make sure to do an exploratory visit with your feet on the ground to verify your personal cost of living before making any final decisions.

Make sure to get my free ebook where I discuss the critical things I set up before leaving my home country, like redundant banking and free communications with friends and family. Plus, Saturday emails will keep you up to date on problems expats are facing overseas.

Now we continue the country countdown.

2. Vietnam

Qiang and I have lived all over Vietnam from north to south. We have detailed videos and written reports on eleven cities there. It’s hard to explain how much Vietnam has captured our hearts over the last five years.

Vietnam had been limiting access to Western tourists until the mid- to late ’90s. At that time, most tourism was going mostly to a few of the big cities like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. So, in most of Vietnam, locals are still a little bit surprised to even see you.

These days, it’s only in places like Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Danang, Hoi An, Hue, and Phu Quoc where tourists are part of everyday life for locals. Until about 6 or 7 years ago, most people were still just going to Thailand.

But these days, Vietnam is getting over 20 million tourists per year and increasing at 20% per year, whereas Thailand is getting 30 million per year and decreasing at around 7% per year.

Also, Vietnamese people are probably the most entrepreneurial people in the world. When you walk down the street, practically every other house has a business on the ground floor. So they love tourists because they’re making bank on all this increased tourism.

Our favorite cities in Vietnam are Danang, Nha Trang, and Dalat. But other towns you just have to see while you’re in Vietnam, like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hue, and Hoi An. We love Vietnamese food. It’s presently our favorite food in the world.

Are you ready for some bad news? Vietnam does not have a retirement visa. The expats who are retired in Vietnam are doing visa runs to nearby countries every 90 days.

Luckily, towns like Ho Chi Minh, Danang, and Hanoi have visa agents that will bus you round trip to the border for $150 per person every 90 days to renew your visa 4 times per year.

We have interviewed expats who live in Vietnam. Their reported cost of living ranges from $500 (for one person) to $2,200 per month (for two people). If you type “prove it” in the comments below, I’ll give you a link to those YouTube cost of living interviews.

Prove It (Expats interviewed in Vietnam)

American in Da Nang on $1000 Month
Da Lat Vietnam on $650 Month (Age 80)
Homeless in America, Middle Class in Vietnam (Age 75)

For living a middle-class life in Vietnam on a low Social Security check, I would rent a place about a half mile outside the expat area of Da Nang. Mostly, we love living like locals in Da Nang, but we like going to the expat area to have Western food a few times per month.

Furnished short-term rentals on Airbnb start at around $575 per month, including utilities, depending on area and season. To find a 1-year lease on a furnished 1-bedroom apartment for around $400 per month plus utilities, you’ll need to use my apartment hunting technique. Type “apartments” in the comments.

Cooler mountain lovers should check out Da Lat, Vietnam, if the beach feels too warm for you.

The cost of living shared by any of my guests is not your cost of living. So remember to do an exploratory visit to Vietnam first to learn your personal living costs before making any permanent decisions.

Also, do not attempt to retire on a low pension overseas if you have no other resources. You need significant savings to help you in an emergency. A low monthly pension alone will not provide the immediate cash resources you may need in an emergency overseas.

Now it’s time to share the final country. After the final country, I will share a link to my video, where I explain how I determined how much emergency savings I needed before moving overseas.

1. Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia, has a feeling of serenity that is as strong as anywhere in the world I have ever been. That is at least in part because Siem Reap is adjacent to the largest spiritual temple grounds in the world, Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat was probably the most populated city in the world in the 13th century when it began its slow decline and was almost completely abandoned by the 15th century AD. It was larger than Beijing, China, at that moment.

The central area of Siem Reap now has an assortment of international restaurants and 5-star hotels that remain successful because of International tourism. Yet the cost of living has remained relatively stable because Siem Reap has not yet been flooded with Western retirees or digital nomads, like other parts of SE Asia.

There are still decent furnished apartments within walking distance of the central areas of Siem Reap, starting at $250 USD per month. But don’t expect to find them on Airbnb. I cover that in my Finding Apartments report.

Our favorite cities in Cambodia for living are Siem Reap, Kampot, and Battambang. Some people prefer the capital city, Phnom Penh. It’s a fascinating city and worth a visit. But a little too crazy in my opinion.

In Cambodia, retirees can get a one-year renewable visa for about $300. At this time, that visa has no official minimum monthly pension requirement, But some visa agents will want to increase your odds of acceptance by showing a pension of $1,000 to $1,500 USD per month.

We have interviewed expats who live in Cambodia. Their reported cost of living ranges from $600 to $1600 per month. If you type “prove it” in the comments below, I’ll give you a link to people we have interviewed with those numbers.

Prove It (Expats interviewed in Cambodia)

For living a middle-class life on a low Social Security check, I would probably live within a 10-minute walk of central Siem Reap.

Furnished short-term rentals on Airbnb start at around $600 per month, including utilities depending on area and season. To find a 1-year lease on a furnished 1-bedroom apartment for around $250 per month plus utilities, you’ll need to use my apartment hunting technique.

Final Thoughts

Visa and entry rules change all the time. Make sure to check the Embassy in your home country for any country you want to visit. Do not trust ChatGPT or other third parties because visa rules change all the time. Plus, adjust any cost of living numbers based on inflation.

Above, under each country, there is a ‘ Prove It’ section with links to expats we interviewed in that country.

And here is my ‘Apartment Hunting’ guide!

Do not attempt to retire on a low pension overseas if you have no other resources. You need significant savings to help you in an emergency. A low monthly pension alone will not provide the immediate large cash resources you may need in an emergency overseas.

Read this report and watch the embedded video to learn how I determined my minimum emergency savings to cover the risks of living overseas.

Category: Travel

5 Countries where a low Social Security check buys a middle-class life