Do NOT Move to These 7 Countries in 2025. Here's Why
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You forgot the worst of them all and that is The United States of America!
Every other country you mention is more stable, cheaper, has healthcare and is much, much safer.
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We love Portugal. So wonderful and inexpensive. A couple lives really well for $2k a month. Much better than in Canada or the USA. Having made the move recently, we can tell you that are entirely wrong about Portugal. We spent 2 prior years in Vietnam but after numerous crimes and a violent mugging, we just gave up and went to Portugal.
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The lifestyle side gets all the attention. The residency rules, banking access, tax treatment, and long-term stability usually matter a lot more once you're actually living there.
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Move to Cape Town for the scenery. Stay because you got murdered.
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Then why build your dreamhouse right next to the beach?! Philippines has over 7k islands to choose from. There's no real perfect situation in every country, and politics definitely doesn't affect our daily lives, BTW.
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▶️ Watch next:
CDMX Incredibly diverse. 98% Mexicans.
I Love Vietnam. Here’s Why → https://youtu.be/o9aNcuCMUVw?si=TLvnn5zeceduEsMh
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Number one country to never move to? The United States.
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"The view on the ocean from Barcelona?"
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Living in Costa Rica for the past 6 years. It definitely has its ups and downs. It is not a budget country by any stretch of imagination. Here are the pros and cons:
PROS
- No income tax on any foreign income (retirement, rental, employment, etc).
- Easy immigration.
- Affordable housing, childcare, domestic services (compared to Canada).
- Accessible private healthcare (minor procedures are relatively cheap, major things are expensive).
- Genuinely child-friendly, family-oriented culture. Friendly, welcoming people overall, especially outside of tourist areas.
- Warm, tropical climate.
- Year-round access to fresh, local produce.
- Very safe gated communities.
- Political stability; functional democracy/institutions.
- Proximity to Canada/US.
- Some English, especially among professional services. Plus Spanish is WAY easier to learn than Vietnamese or Thai.
- Beautiful nature and incredible biodiversity. Costa Rica is famous for this, and it's not an exaggeration.
- Pura Vida lifestyle (way less stress, way more relaxed and easy-going).
CONS
- Bad roads. Highways are actually decent, just congested. City roads are terrible. Mountain roads are suicidal.
- Overall mid-range cost of living (rent, groceries, utilities, transportation). Don't expect to rent a beach-front villa for $500/month. It simply doesn't exist.
- Unremarkable night life. Some nice bars and restaurants exist. Asia (and even Canada) was much better.
- Very inconsistent safety in public areas. Most places are fine. Some are very dangerous. Petty crime is common. It's a very, VERY bad idea to just wonder around aimlessly to "explore" without knowing where you're going. You will want to live in a gated community, which are extremely common everywhere. Almost everything nice is behind a gate.
- Regular (but short) power outages.
- More limited shopping. Everything from beauty products to car parts and electronics can be hard to come by, if available at all. We end up importing most niche products.
- Pura Vida lifestyle. The easy-going attitude applies to everyone, not just to you personally. Doing business of any kind is always an adventure. Even simple things like sending a letter or hiring a plumber can become very frustrating for people who are used to a Western way of doing things. This is 100% mindset, honestly. After 6 years, for me this just feels normal.
In conclusion, there are no magical, perfect countries in the world. It's always a game of trade-offs. Costa Rica can make sense strategically if you're a mid-to-high income earner looking for low taxes, relative comfort and mid-range affordability. Costa Rica has a territorial tax policy, which makes it way, WAY cheaper than pure tax havens like Bahamas or Monaco. We came here mostly because we wanted to start a family. It's worked out great for us so far. I make decent money working full time. I am not a millionaire or trust-fund baby. I am able to support a 4-person family on a single income. We bought our first house last year. We can afford nannies, daycare and a maid while living here. My wife was able to give birth in a private hospital twice with an extremely attentive, world-class OB and a team of nurses looking after her. If we move back to Canada, all of this goes away instantly. The taxes alone would make it impossible for us to survive on a single income, and the "healthcare" is joke. It's funny: our crazy, wild dream is to live quietly in the suburbs, minding our own business, raising our children. A boring, middle-class lifestyle which was considered an automatic default for any functional Canadian adult just 30 years ago now requires "hustling" and a "global mindset". How times change.
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I'm born and raised Cape Town South Africa, but unfortunately, I would never ever recommend someone live here😂
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It's interesting that many expats and retirees think exactly the opposite about Costa Rica. Of course, if you're talking about places like Santa Teresa and other highly touristy destinations, prices can be very high because demand is huge and luxury tourism is a major part of the local economy.
However, the expats and retirees living in the city where I live often describe Costa Rica as a great place to live: affordable, safe, and with a high quality of life. In the end, a lot of this comes down to personal experience, lifestyle, and the specific area someone chooses to live in.
If you come looking for a luxury lifestyle in places where luxury is the norm, whether in Costa Rica, the United States, Spain, or anywhere else, you'd better bring your wallet. High-end locations come with high-end prices. That's not unique to Costa Rica; it's simply the reality of choosing to live in some of the most exclusive and sought-after areas.
More User Perspectives
Who wants to live in Vietnam Cambodia or Malaysia ? HELL NO
@smithIsaacAs an ex pat living in PDC Quintana Roo, I think you’re way off base. I’m not a douchebag back packer. M not here to make Me ice an American suburb . I pay 6500 pesos a month for a large studio apartment not in the tourist area. But in an actual Mexican neighborhood called Colosio. I have never experienced racism. Yes there is crime, yes, there’s corruption, yes, there is violent crime. But nowhere near on the level of what I experienced growing up in East Los Angeles through the 70s 80s 90s and 2000s. If you think you’re gonna come here and live some hipster lifestyle, and be, feel, or look more important than the locals. Then yes, you will experience problems on a daily basis. But if you come here with humility and try and ingratiate yourself into the culture, you’ll be accepted with open arms. Yes, you have to be smart and keep your head on a swivel, but you have to do the same thing in any midsize American city. I can’t speak on any other places you mentioned this video. Honestly, I quit watching it. Because the first segment on Mexico was so far off base it’s Reprehensible when you come to Mexico, you need to temper your expectations, and become Mexican. If not, don’t move to Mexico. No unforced you to move here. I will tell you this from actual life experience and I’m still living to this day. If you treat people with kindness and respect, and you show humility. You will be accepted, and not just accepted, but treated like family. And yes, I am tattooed. Head to toe. And I literally mean head to toe. I am blonde hair with hazel eyes. And I didn’t even speak fluent Spanish when I moved here. I have lived full-time, in Tulum, Playa, Del, Carmen, and Cancun.
@PastorofPunkRockMalaysia over Thailand or the Philippine? No thanks! Malaysia is even more strict than the Philippines when it comes to controlling speech and lifestyles. I’ll take the Philippines and Thailand over Malaysia. I should make a video about what YouTube channels for people to avoid and put yours on the list.
@tenchi586This is a great video with fantastic breakdowns!
@CriticalThinker1960A colonizer in Spain! Funny.
@VVanderingI love visiting CR but prices have skyrocketed
@baldmanarizSo true, travel actually sucks now
@silaslaYes, the united states either don't move here
@IsraelVargas-u6zIt is Philippines, not Phillipines.
@catherinegramze6029I'm Catalan I live I Barcelona I i 100% agree with the commentary. We haven't fought to preserve Catalan culture and language, which has been repeatedly suppressed and persecuted, only for foreigners and everyone else to come here and not want to make the slightest effort to leave their bubbles and try to adapt others visions. If you don't like Catalan culture, there are other autonomous communities where only Spanish is spoken. But wanting everything to be aesthetically pleasing or in English just to look exactly the same as any other gentrified place? You'd be better off staying home. My grandparents who have eaten orange peel, who suffered a dictatorship that has taken away their language and suppressed any kind of regional culture, so that now people who don't even make the effort to inform themselves about the political, cultural and linguistic context of Catalonia give us their opinions without having any idea about the subject.
@GerardFerreres3443You talk too much. Your video is quite boring. Sorry.
@PilyoPapa-i9eLiving in Thailand for more than 10 years. Moving from England . No country is 100% perfect. Thailand is the best place we choose.
@aspirit7776How can you talk aboot Cape Town when you have never been there?
@mmc-v4tThis is the first time someone actually explained why these countries are no longer great options instead of just romanticizing them. Really solid points.
@MurrayValeroMy father moved to Thailand 30 years ago. He learned the language and has a wife that he has been with for at least 20 years. It worked for him but he is very well integrated and respects the culture.
@CollinYusufhow to start a blog
@ShohagAhamefSpain and Portugal are overcrowded but they let Africans in by the thousands.
@johnsmith-gk4ryWow so it’s almost like they are not thrilled to welcome immigrants that disrupt their way of life
@catholicexplorer9231What about Vietnam's weather? Monsoons, etc. sound tough...
@modrewв 2026 Дананг во Вьетнаме резко подорожал, как раз из за большого числа подобных блогеров, удобное жилье подскочило на 50%+
@AK-fr8lvThe United States has never, not for a single nanosecond, been safe.
@tq2769Just stay home, we don't want you here
@geekledgt7448Can you consider not having your words flashing on the screen? It’s uncomfortable and deters from your otherwise good video. Thx
@catherinekingston897There is no place like home. But in my view there tons of people find their new home abroad. Its the best of both worlds.
@travellingkalagTuned out when he said visit Capetown.
No go zone
You’re totally wrong about Cape Town! Please do proper research!!
@BrettEmmerson-q5iCanada is not safe
@bramptoncrimevideosJust because it's convenient for you doesn't mean you should behave arrogantly as usual.
Yankee Go Home.
Yankee Go Home.
Yankee Go Home.
I hope this slogan doesn't erupt all over the world.
Well, first of all, stop suddenly speaking to locals in American English.
Malaysia is a big NO because of crime! Pick pockets are common in public places including tourist hotspots especially in Kuala Lumpur.
@Kate-f8v8dI can't imagine ANYONE considering Cape Town nowadays.
@achoice2bmadeWho is familiar with Chile, Croatia, and Serbia?
Thanks.
After electing Donald Trump, Americans are welcome in fewer and fewer places.
@lsvieirahgood but weird camera angles of your face
@niallsutherland8224💯💯🎯
@ExquisiteKinkyCoilsTamarindo is the VERY LAST place to go for more than a few days in CR (apologies Cheryl and other old pals) and definitely a major rookie mistake for those who winter there. I mean....just trying to breath in that ridiculous humidity. There is an entire country to choose from yet seems Tamarindo does targeted marketing to a particular demographic who are easy to con.
@kimberleymansfield1099