Have the days of living overseas on $1,000 a month ended? I would say for the overwhelming majority of typical expats, those days are long gone. The truth is, for typical expats, those days ended at least 5 years ago.
But today I’m going to talk about a rare breed or new kind of expat that might still be able to sneak in for $1,000 per month. But because of recent and ongoing inflation, it’s getting tougher and tougher every year.
Today I want to share 5 places where a frugal single person may still be able to live on $1,000 a month. This is no AI in this video. We filmed each place with our feet on the ground.
Now, I am not saying you could live on $1,000 a month. Statistically, you probably can’t. $1000 per month is for a frugal single person. But don’t worry … I’ll also share what more typical expats spend in each place.
Do you know any frugal people? The kind of guy who saved 30 to 40% of every paycheck and retired at age 45? He drove an old clunker and brought a bag lunch to work every day? That’s the guy I am talking about.
That guy has a chance of living on $1,000 a month in these 5 places. But even for him, it’s not a sure thing. First, I’ll share the 5 places. Then I’ll explain 3 new talents that person will need to learn to have any chance of living on $ 1,000 per month overseas.
$1,000 a month, 5 places, Frugal expats
Cambodia, Siem Reap
We love Cambodia because it is authentic, unsophisticated, timeless, and ancient compared to more polished neighbors like Thailand.
Cambodia’s history is turbulent and brutal, but it is calm today. The Khmer Empire built Angkor Wat (the world’s largest temple complex) from the 9th through the 15th centuries.
When Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953, the Khmer Rouge murdered 2 million people in the 1970s. Now, Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy with rapidly growing garment and tourism industries.
Siem Reap offers a surprisingly high quality of life for frugal people on $1000 per month. A frugal single person can secure a comfortable apartment, eat delicious local food, eat sparingly at international restaurants, and still have money left over to explore the world’s largest temple complex.
More typical middle-range expats spend between $1500 and $2000 per month.
A one-year Cambodian retirement (ER) visa costs about $300 at age 55. There’s no set monthly pension to get the retirement visa, but some agents quote a minimum of $1,000 per month on your application. Of course, these requirements change periodically.
Cambodia will be too hot for many Westerners. December is the coolest month. The average daytime high in December is about 85°F (29°C). April is the hottest month. The average daytime high is 35°C (95°F). But at night in April it cools down to 27°C (80°F). On hot days, people take a siesta. They come out and play in the morning and the evening.
The frugal budget is not just about surviving. A one-year lease on a comfortable studio or small one-bedroom apartment about a mile outside the city center starts at about $300 per month.
Food costs are another $350 for eating mostly at local-style restaurants, shopping in public markets, then cooking at home, and eating only sparingly in tourist or expat restaurants. Mobile phone data, utilities, and internet add another $150 per month.
Siem Reap is walkable. But some people buy a used scooter and helmet for around $800 and spend another $30 per month on fuel. That would leave $170 for miscellaneous costs, entertainment, and an occasional beer.
But those living costs are too low for most expats.
More typical expats double that budget, spending more on modern or Western-style apartments closer to tourist areas, eating more often in international-style restaurants, and less local food, drinking craft beer in expat sports bars, going on more dates, and spending more on tours, travel, and entertainment.
While in Cambodia, if you’re a beach person, check out Kep; river-boat lovers check out Kampot; small-town lovers check out Battambang; bustling city lovers check out Phnom Penh.
Next up is …
Philippines, Roxas
We love the Philippines because of its natural beauty: white-sand beaches, palm trees swaying in the wind, waterfalls, a colorful underwater world, and some of the nicest people in the world
The Philippines showed up in Western history books when Ferdinand Magellan arrived and claimed it for Spain in 1521. Spain ruled until the United States took control in 1898. The Philippines became independent in 1946 but has maintained close ties with the United States to this day.
When we are in the Philippines, it feels more similar to the USA than any other country in Southeast Asia. Filipinos seem to love the same music, sports, religion, language, and sense of humor. So many Americans retire here.
Living cheaply seems to get tougher every year. But a single frugal person may still be able to live on $1,000 a month in the Philippines. To do that today, most people need to live in the provinces. A few people can still do it in smallish cities by living more like a local than an expat.
However, typical middle-range expats spend about $1500 to $2200 per month.
Many Westerners arrive in the Philippines on a tourist visa exemption. Then they just start getting visa extensions for about $60 per month. The Philippines often allows people to stay for up to 36 consecutive months with visa extensions.
After 36 months, people do a visa run to a nearby country and come back and start the 36-month process over again. For this reason, many never bother to get a retirement visa. But retirement visas are available.
Expats aged 50+ can show a pension of $800 per month and deposit $15,000 in a Philippine bank to get an SRRV retirement visa. At that age, without a pension, people can still get that visa by depositing $30,000 in a Philippine bank. Other visas are available for younger ages.
The Philippines can get too warm for some people. January is the coolest month. The average daytime high in January is about 84°F (29°C). May is the hottest month. The average daytime high is 90°F (32°C), but even at night in May it only cools to about 78°F (26°C) because of high tropical humidity. On hot days, people go indoors for a siesta. They come out and play in the morning and the evening when it cools down.
Frugal people look for a one-year lease on a comfortable studio or small one-bedroom apartment about a mile outside the central area of Roxas starting at about $275 per month.
Food costs are another $400 per month for eating mostly at local-style restaurants, shopping at public markets, cooking at home, and eating only sparingly at tourist or expat restaurants. Mobile phone data, utilities, and internet are another $160 per month.
Roxas is a little spread out, so some people buy a used scooter and helmet for around $800 and spend another $30 per month on fuel. That would leave $135 for miscellaneous costs, entertainment, and an occasional beer.
Most expats can’t live on these numbers.
More typical expats double that frugal budget by spending more on modern or Western-style apartments closer to tourist areas, eating more often in international-style restaurants, drinking craft beer in expat sports bars, going on more dates, and spending more on entertainment.
Other towns we love in the Philippines include Baguio, if you like cooler mountain temperatures; Boracay, if you’re looking for a never-ending vacation and have deeper pockets; Cebu is a fairly soft landing for new expats. But we have feet-on-the-ground reports for 20 cities to help you find your favorite in the Philippines.
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Bolivia, La Paz
La Paz, Bolivia, really surprised us. Every year when we plan our slow travels, we ask our followers where they want us to go. We had several requests for Bolivia in 2026. We were honestly surprised by how much we enjoyed it.
The architecture, history, and indigenous culture stole our hearts. The people were really authentic. The food was delicious and diverse. The markets were fascinating, abundant, and reasonably priced.
Ancient native tribes and the Inca ruled these highlands before the Spanish arrived and forced them to mine silver. Bolivia gained independence in 1825 but lost access to the ocean in regional wars. Workers and the indigenous people have slowly gained political influence over the years, especially in 1952.
When we flew into La Paz, Bolivia, the 4000-meter (13000-foot) elevation made Qiang sick for a few days. Once she was feeling better, the charm of La Paz quickly warmed our hearts, and the cost of living was very reasonable.
A single frugal person could live on $1,000 per month in La Paz, which is the capital. Smaller towns in Bolivia are even cheaper. More typical expats spend more, in the range of $ 1,300 to $ 1,800 per month.
Bolivia has no retirement visa per se. You can obtain temporary residence by providing a rental agreement, recurring income of about $ 1,000 per month from investments or a pension, and other supporting documents.
After 3 years of temporary residency in Bolivia, expats can apply for permanent residency as long as they did not leave Bolivia for 90 consecutive days during those 3 years.
La Paz, Bolivia, can get too cold for some people. July is the coolest month, with an average daytime high of about 57°F (14°C). November is the warmest month. The average daytime high is 61°F (16°C), but even at night in November, it drops to about 38°F (3°C) because of the high mountain altitude. On freezing nights, people stay indoors or bundle up in heavy alpaca layers to stay warm. They come out and enjoy the city during the midday and afternoon when the mountain sunshine warms things up.
Frugal people look for a one-year lease on a comfortable studio or small one-bedroom apartment about a mile from the center of La Paz, starting at about $250 per month.
Food costs are another $325 for eating mostly in local-style restaurants, shopping in public markets, cooking at home, and eating only sparingly in tourist or expat restaurants. Mobile phone data, utilities, and internet are another $110 per month.
La Paz is fairly walkable, but it also has great public transportation, such as cable cars, buses, and taxi apps for smartphones. That would cost about $50 per month for a frugal person. That would leave $265 for miscellaneous costs, entertainment, and an occasional beer.
Most expats can’t live on these numbers.
More typical expats double that frugal budget by spending more on modern or Western-style apartments closer to tourist areas, eating more often in international-style restaurants, drinking craft beer in expat sports bars, going on more dates, and spending more on entertainment.
But before settling down in La Paz, Bolivia, check out Cochabamba in Bolivia. We haven’t been there yet, but everyone who has raves about it, and they say it is even more beautiful and affordable. It is at a lower elevation where it’s warmer year-round, but not as hot as sea level.
Thailand, Hua Hin
We spend time in Thailand every year when we’re in Southeast Asia. But we hadn’t been to Hua Hin, Thailand, since 2019. So when we arrived this year in 2026, we were surprised by how quickly we felt at home.
We love the feeling we have in Thailand. We love the food. We love the Thai people’s attitude. We love the night markets. We love the malls. We love the bus, and we love sitting on the beach as the sun goes down, enjoying a coconut.
Thai culture has maintained much of its character over the centuries because Europeans did not colonize it like many other parts of Southeast Asia.
Thailand is not as inexpensive as it was 5, 10, or 15 years ago. But Thailand still has older accommodations that are easily half the cost, or even less, than the new, shiny, modern condos built all over the country in the last 10 years.
So, a single frugal person could still live on $1,000 per month in Hua Hin. We met one person living on under $1,000 a month, and we interviewed another who would live on $ 1,000 per month if he cut back on beer.
However, those two seemed to be the exception rather than the rule. More typical expats in Hua Hin are spending $2000 to $3000 per month. And a few mentioned friends spending $10,000 per month.
Most of the expats we met in Thailand had non-O retirement visas. Those require you to put 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank, which is about $25,000 USD. A few others have gotten pension-based visas by showing a pension of about $2000 USD per month. Thailand has more kinds of visas than any other country, so there’s probably one that fits your needs.
Hua Hin, Thailand, can get too hot for some people. December is the coolest month, with an average daytime high of about 84°F (29°C). April is the warmest month. The average daytime high is 91°F (33°C), but even at night in April it only drops to about 80°F (27°C) due to the heavy tropical humidity. On scorching days, people stay indoors or retreat to air-conditioned spaces to stay cool. They come out and enjoy the beach or night markets during the early mornings and evenings when the coastal sea breeze cools things down
Frugal people look for a one-year lease on a comfortable but not modern studio or small one-bedroom apartment outside of the most desirable areas, starting at about $250 per month.
Food costs are another $400 per month for eating mostly at local-style restaurants, shopping at public markets, cooking at home, and eating only sparingly at tourist or expat restaurants. Mobile phone data, utilities, and internet are another $130 per month.
Hua Hin is fairly walkable, but you may need to take the Baht Bus ($0.45) if you are in a cheaper neighborhood and want to get to the beach or the mall. Other frugal expats buy a used scooter for $800 and a couple of helmets. Whether by Baht Bus or scooter fuel, that will be about $50 per month. That would leave $70 for miscellaneous costs, entertainment, and an occasional beer.
Most expats don’t live on these numbers because they have more money.
More typical expats double that frugal budget by spending more on modern or Western-style apartments closer to tourist areas, eating more often in international-style restaurants, drinking craft beer in expat sports bars, going on more dates, and spending more on entertainment.
Other towns we love in Thailand include Bangkok for big city lovers; Jomtien for crazy nightlife and golf lovers; and Koh Samui, if you want to live in the Instagram photo on a white sand beach and have deeper pockets. But we have 20 feet on the ground reports to help you choose your favorite City in Thailand.
Vietnam, Dalat
Over the last 10 years, Vietnam has slowly become my favorite place in the world. And I’m not the only one. The world has begun to learn what a lovely country Vietnam is. Everyone’s talking about Vietnam.
I don’t speak any Vietnamese. But when I smile at Vietnamese people, they light up like a light bulb. But as my Irish mother would say, “They are the salt of the earth.” This is not your grandfather’s Vietnam.
We love the food. We love the culture. We love the night markets. We love the beaches, the mountains, and the gorgeous countryside. Life is easy in Vietnam. And most of the expats we meet in Vietnam feel the same way.
Like most of the world, Vietnam has become more expensive over the last decade, but the cost of living for frugal expats is still low compared to much of the world.
So, in 2026, a single frugal person can still live on $1,000 per month in many parts of Vietnam if they are not a typical or traditional expat. In a moment, I will discuss the talents of a frugal expat, but first… let’s talk about a frugal budget in 2026.
A frugal single’s budget isn’t typical in Vietnam. More typical single expats in Vietnam spend 1,500 to 2,500 per month. Typical expats spend 30 to 40% more than they did 5 years ago.
Let’s start with the bad news. Vietnam does not have a retirement visa.
Over 100,000 foreigners live in Vietnam year-round. It seems like about 20% have marriage, business, or work visas. The other 80% do visa runs every 90 days.
That may seem crazy, but if you lived in Vietnam, a visa run would be about as hard as flying from Miami to Orlando on a $100 airfare for a long weekend, 4 times per year. These countries are that close.
In many cities, Vietnam visa agents run buses to the border and back in one day and help you get your new 90-day visa. That costs about $150 four times per year.
Da Lat, Vietnam offers a famously cool highland climate that provides a refreshing escape from the typical tropical heat. December and January are the coolest months, with an average daytime high of a crisp 72°F (22°C) and brisk nighttime lows around 52°F (11°C). April and May are the warmest months, yet even then, the average daytime high only reaches about 77°F (25°C), and evenings remain pleasantly cool and refreshing.
On particularly chilly or misty mornings, residents and travelers layer up in sweaters and light jackets, often retreating to the city’s cozy, French-inspired lakeside cafes for hot coffee. They comfortably explore the outdoor flower gardens, pine forests, and vibrant street markets all day long without the burden of heavy humidity, enjoying the crisp mountain air that naturally cools the city year-round.
But don’t worry. Flip-flop and T-shirt living is at the beach. Vietnam has an endless set of beaches that will suit your fancy. Our favorites are Danang, Nha Trang, and Quy Nhon.
In Da Lat, Vietnam, frugal single expats look for a one-year lease on a comfortable, possibly slightly dated, studio or small one-bedroom apartment about a mile outside the tourist or expat hubs, starting at about $300 per month.
Food costs are another $300 a month, eating mostly at local-style restaurants, shopping at public markets, cooking less often at home, and eating only sparingly at tourist or expat restaurants. Mobile phone data, utilities, and internet are another $100 per month.
The key to a frugal life overseas is choosing a neighborhood that is walkable to food, public markets, and a few local restaurants and food carts you enjoy several times a week.
Some frugal expats buy a used scooter and a helmet for around $800 and spend another $30 on fuel. Frugal expats without a scooter generally walk whenever possible to stay healthy and only spend about $30 a month on Grab Taxis.
That would leave another $145 for miscellaneous costs, entertainment, and an occasional beer.
Most expats don’t live on these numbers because they have more money.
More typical expats double that frugal budget by spending more on modern or Western-style apartments closer to tourist areas, eating more often in international-style restaurants, drinking craft beer in expat sports bars, going on more dates, and spending more on entertainment.
Other towns we love in Vietnam include Da Nang for soft landings for new expats overseas; Ho Chi Minh for nightlife and the best shopping; Quy Nhon for small-town beach lovers. But we have 11 feet-on-the-ground reports to help you find your favorite City in Vietnam.
3 New Talents A Frugal Person Needs
Now I’m not telling you how to live your life. If you’re a typical expat, paying 2, 3, or 4 times as much for your budget, and you have the money, all the power to you. I’m not judging you.
When I was already living overseas and lost my remote-work contract at age 56, I decided I would never work for anyone else again. So these are frugal living-overseas tricks we learned so we could burn as little savings as possible while we built our online income.
Luckily, we succeeded. Our online income now exceeds what we need to slow-travel the world. But we share these ideas from time to time, so people with smaller budgets learn how we lived frugally overseas.
Accommodations. The first talent you have to develop is finding locally priced accommodations on a long-term lease. The monthly rents we quote in the 5 places above are not on Airbnb, Agoda, or Booking.
You will have to learn how to find accommodations as locals do, as we discuss in our accommodations-hunting report. The report covers two main ideas. The best deals are found with (a) your feet on the ground walking neighborhoods, or (b) finding out the online sources locals use to find apartments in the local language and using Google Translate to access them.
That means you book a place online for 4 or 5 days when you first arrive. Then you spend that entire time finding a great deal with your feet on the ground.
Typical expats bust their rent budget by booking a month online before they even arrive in a city. That’s fine if you have the money, but it doesn’t work for frugal people.
Food
The second talent you have to develop is finding local food that you absolutely love and crave. Every country has food that you will love if you take the time to find it.
And if you end up in the rare country where there’s very little food you actually love, you will have to learn how to go to the public market, buy ingredients that you love, and cook at home.
Typical expats double or triple their food budget by eating at restaurants serving Western-style food. The truth is, those Western-style foods never actually taste like the food from your own country.
No matter what your home country’s food is, it’s quite rare to ever find it, exactly like you remember. It’s never what you expect. And here’s what makes that even worse. You’re going to pay 3, 4, or even 5 times as much for Western food that doesn’t really satisfy you and leaves you way over budget.
But most typical expats I meet just keep doing it over and over again. So what’s the way out of this? Almost every country I’ve been to has several dishes I absolutely miss when I leave.
And they’re typically 50 to 70% cheaper than the fake Western restaurants. Your new talent challenge as a frugal person will be developing awareness of the local foods that you absolutely love.
And you’ll never develop that talent if you keep going back to the Western restaurants that never live up to your expectations. To handle the food problem, frugal people either have to learn local foods they love or learn how to cook.
And the truth is, you really never understand the country you’re living in until you understand your favorite foods in that country. Food and culture are intertwined, as are the relationships you will develop by breaking bread with locals in their world.
Safety Net
Not everyone who moves overseas is successful. So no matter what your monthly pension or passive income is, you need to have a healthy safety net in savings that you can turn to in an emergency or a medical problem or to fly home for family problems in your home country.
I don’t know what a healthy safety net is for you. I have no advice for you. I’m just telling you how I think about this stuff. Here is my video and report about how I decided what my safety net should be.
Reality Check
The only way you will know what your cost of living is is to do an exploratory visit. See what you would choose to rent, where you would choose to eat, how you would entertain yourself, and what your other costs would be.
Don’t rely on my numbers or anyone else’s when you’re computing your cost of living overseas. We are all different. You have to do your own homework with your feet on the ground in your countries of choice.
Also, this video was filmed in September of 2026. So these numbers do not account for inflation, currency devaluation, or how you would live differently anywhere in the world.
Visa rules, whether tourist visa, retirement visa, or any other kind of residency, change periodically, so do not assume that anything in this video is correct
In these videos, expats report living on $1,000 or less per month.
This video explains all the resources we have to help you retire overseas and make money online. 50% off ends Sept. 20, 2026, at midnight, Pacific Time.
Have an amazing day!