Cheapest country for a live aboard?

[valhalla360]

Assuming a paid off boat with relatively simple systems and you are reasonably handy...USA or most of Europe is very realistic...very few countries would living expenses be the problem.

Visas can be an issue if you can't prove a reliable source of income or some other reason for them to offer you a long term visa. Living on a boat, I would struggle to spend $800/month in Thailand. While you don't have to spend it, a long term retirement visa to Thailand you have to prove $2000/month income. Similar stuff in a lot of countries.

Then you have to consider does the country allow long term anchor out liveaboards. Some countries charge anchoring fees others may limit the duration or just otherwise hassle you.

But really, my experience is people to move to a country with the primary goal being CHEAP...usually wind up bitter and disappointed.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Iains boatyard

The criteria was live on a sail boat not in barracks

OK, he can join the Navy!

[GoneDiving]

What's the priority, cost of living or being on a boat? Long term, I could live on land in most of South East Asia cheaper than on water esp when pricing in boat maintenance and repair. For semi permanent residence, visas also become a lot easier and cheaper. The Philippines have a very easy tourist visa extension program allowing someone to be in country years before needing to leave for a visa run.

With the current issues world wide, relocating within a country or leaving all together is also much easier, should the need arise.

[boatman1]

Years ago I had a Danish couple wax eloquent about how exotic a trip up the Gambia (river) was. I expect that if one were willing to eat what the locals do over yonder it would be quite inexpensive to “live” there. You’d sure have bragging rights in any future conversation about living the non-pretentious lifestyle.

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by skipmac

If you live on a boat, anchor out, don't own a car, pick the right location and cook your own meals then I assure you that you can live in the US for $800/month. This does assume you don't run into any big, unexpected boat repair bills.

Have not been to the Philippines but have had friends that spent time there. If you aren't living in a fancy apartment in a city then you should be able to live modestly even on land for that much. Have a friend who retired to Thailand who lives very, very well on $2,000/month. Again if you live modestly you should be able to live ok on $800.

If we are to be sensible and realistic then I am going to disagree with this. Not to pick a fight but to simply say that on average across YEARS, I don't think this is possible. Sure- this month you can spend $600, next month maybe $750, but the big moonths with big bills will happen. So, even if I agree that you can average it out to be ~$800, every month won't be so then you cannot live on $800 per month unless you keep a rainy day fund.


And, if one factors in health care (preventive and emergent) plus the boat upkeep, then no way you are doing $800/month.


Waiting for those who have to tell me I am wrong... and then we will get into the details.

[wingssail]

I don't think $800/mo is realistic over the long term, anywhere.

If you add up your basics, food, fuel, clothing, local transportation, occasional cheap restaurant meal, a few beers now and then, OK. It works.

But what you can do for a few months eventually you can't do for the long haul.

Medical bills? A Phone? Internet? Broken computer? Engine repairs? A new pair of sneakers?

These things come up and and they often are not cheap. Eventually you're going to run down your "rainy day" fund and you'll be waiting for your next check so you can buy something to eat. And you'll be waiting several months to get your engine fixed, (handy does not buy parts).

I've lived in many of these countries. Stuff still costs money. I've seen this happen.

It depends on how primitively you want to live. The locals might be able to do it on $800, but you'd have to go native.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by wingssail

...It depends on how primitively you want to live. The locals might be able to do it on $800, but you'd have to go native.

This. The median household income in the world is $9733/year -> $811/month. That means half of all households in the world live on the OP's $800/month or less. And they do it year in/year out. Most of them probably don't have internet for posting on CF.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/co...ome-by-country

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I don't think $800/mo is realistic over the long term, anywhere.

If you add up your basics, food, fuel, clothing, local transportation, occasional cheap restaurant meal, a few beers now and then, OK. It works.

But what you can do for a few months eventually you can't do for the long haul.

Medical bills? A Phone? Internet? Broken computer? Engine repairs? A new pair of sneakers?

These things come up and and they often are not cheap. Eventually you're going to run down your "rainy day" fund and you'll be waiting for your next check so you can buy something to eat. And you'll be waiting several months to get your engine fixed, (handy does not buy parts).

I've lived in many of these countries. Stuff still costs money. I've seen this happen.

It depends on how primitively you want to live. The locals might be able to do it on $800, but you'd have to go native.

It's possible but not fun and there can be moral questions:
- $100/month for food...beans & rice, maybe some foraging, maybe another $20 for cooking fuel.
- Anchor out and not moving around, $10-20/month for propulsion fuel.
- No phone/internet.
- Simple outboard and the handiness to rebuilt, should result in minimal costs.
- Clothes/Shoes: Good Will: $5-10/month should be plenty.
- No cheap restaurants or transport, you walk and you eat on the boat.

That's under $200/month, so a stray bigger expense could be covered.

A medical issue would be the biggest issue and morally questionable but in most places they will provide emergency treatment and if you have no money, as they say, "you can't get blood from a turnip".

Again, not a fun lifestyle in my mind and explains why a lot of super cheapo expats tend to be bitter with life.

[GoneDiving]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

A medical issue would be the biggest issue and morally questionable but in most places they will provide emergency treatment and if you have no money, as they say, "you can't get blood from a turnip".

Again, not a fun lifestyle in my mind and explains why a lot of super cheapo expats tend to be bitter with life.

Sorry but this is laughable. Most developing countries we are discussing have no safety social nets. Without money for medical services and you die. It's not unusual for prepayment to be demanded before treatment even starts. No money for food and you beg or starve. This is especially true of entitled foreigners expecting to displace their own poor and sponge of the "system".

[Boatguy30]

Originally Posted by seandepagnier

probably Bangladesh

as for Philippines, it cost $20 a month to rent a 3 room house when I was there, so you wouldn't need to live on the boat once there. It depends on the island though. I managed about $100 a month there.

NZ is bad value. Lots of stuff there has high prices which is strange as it doesn't cost any more to send container ships there than anywhere else.

You could live in any country in the world on $800 a month.

Actually it does especially during Covid as we are at the end of many supply chains.

It’s all good as all the Opp shops have everything you need. Even quality NZ and English/German/Japanese tools.

Food it probably higher than world average prices, but lots of fish and mussels and become mates with a farmer and then you have eggs, beef, pork. Just repair a tractor or ATV once in awhile.

Cheers

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by GoneDiving

Sorry but this is laughable. Most developing countries we are discussing have no safety social nets. Without money for medical services and you die. It's not unusual for prepayment to be demanded before treatment even starts. No money for food and you beg or starve. This is especially true of entitled foreigners expecting to displace their own poor and sponge of the "system".

Agree Completely. And this IN PART explains why healthcare costs in the US are so high... because of the charitable component that US society lives by. The ones who CAN pay are paying more so those who cannot do not pay.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Iains boatyard

The criteria was live on a sail boat not in barracks

Navy.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by GreenWave

Agree Completely. And this IN PART explains why healthcare costs in the US are so high... because of the charitable component that US society lives by. The ones who CAN pay are paying more so those who cannot do not pay.

I don’t think that’s the problem. They charge the ones without money the same 10x over cost they charge the insurance companies.

If they charged a normal margin on the service, I’m sure plenty of people would pay their bill.

I went in for a little problem recently. 3 nights in the hospital. This is ONLY the hospital stay. Not the operating doctor/cardiologist. They simply fed me 3 unhealthy meals a day, watched my vitals and ran some blood tests. . $96,000. For 3 nights.

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I don’t think that’s the problem. They charge the ones without money the same 10x over cost they charge the insurance companies.

If they charged a normal margin on the service, I’m sure plenty of people would pay their bill.

I went in for a little problem recently. 3 nights in the hospital. This is ONLY the hospital stay. Not the operating doctor/cardiologist. They simply fed me 3 unhealthy meals a day, watched my vitals and ran some blood tests. . $96,000. For 3 nights.

It is not all of the problem. It is a contributor.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by GoneDiving

Sorry but this is laughable. Most developing countries we are discussing have no safety social nets. Without money for medical services and you die. It's not unusual for prepayment to be demanded before treatment even starts. No money for food and you beg or starve. This is especially true of entitled foreigners expecting to displace their own poor and sponge of the "system".

My experience in developing countries is that they have medical services for the people who cannot pay, but they are meager. You don't have to pay to see a doctor or get admitted, but your family has to bring you food and pay for your medicines. Surgical procedures may be waitlisted, or not using advanced techniques. Diagnostic tests may be primitive. The hospital may be a wood frame building that has not been painted since WWII.

If you are an expat presenting yourself at these clinics, they don't discriminate, you get treatment, but don't expect it to be excellent care you'd get in NZ or USA.

Note: There is discrimination in some islamic countries. I've seen this. Where they resent Christians (or white people) who come to their hospitals, and they do give worse treatment.

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

...Food it probably higher than world average prices, but lots of fish and mussels and become mates with a farmer and then you have eggs, beef, pork. Just repair a tractor or ATV once in awhile. Cheers

I've spent a bit of time in the Philippines. Fish and mussels are not plentiful. The country is mostly fished out. I've seen a boat worker catching 4" fish off the docks which they grilled and shared with two other people. And I don't think it is reasonable to think that one could find a farmer to be a mate with who wouldn't have several dependents already.

It is not good advice to give to people that they can live in any of these countries on "almost nothing". People starve in a lot of these countries.

The OP who is hoping to live on $800 a month is due for a reality check or a very basic existence.