Published Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, 9:20 am
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Moving abroad is one of the best ways to get outside of your comfort zone and see everything the world has to offer. With new opportunities, cultural experiences, and unique destinations to explore, it’s understandable why so many individuals choose to become expats every single year.
Deciding where to go is one of the challenging parts, and it’s not always easy. With so many things to take into consideration, you want to make sure that you get it right. Moving is expensive after all, especially when it’s overseas.
In this article, we are going to talk about some advice on how to choose the perfect place to move abroad. Sound interesting? Then let’s get started.
Centrality
One thing that you definitely should consider when choosing a new location is the centrality of the place. For example, moving to somewhere like Australia is excellent, but it is very far away from the rest of the world. By thinking about the centrality of each country, you can plan future travels and save money when visiting your loved ones back home. Just make sure you look into getting Visitors Insurance if you plan on doing a lot of travel. You want to make sure your covered, just in case anything happens.
Crime rates
Every part of the world has good places and bad places, so one thing you should make sure you look into is the different crime statistics. This is especially important if you are moving by yourself and don’t know anyone else around you.
Some of the most crime-free countries include Finland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Iceland. In comparison, some places with the highest crime rates include Venezuela, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and Afghanistan.
Language barrier
While the language barrier between yourself and some countries shouldn’t hold you back (you can always learn a language), it’s understandable why some people prefer living somewhere where they can communicate effectively. It’s much easier to find work, ask for assistance, and complete day to day tasks without the fear of not being understood. While most countries do speak some amount of English, it still is something you may want to think about.
Climate
If you enjoy endless sunshine and beaches, then you might want to think again about moving to Russia, Greenland or Canada. While it might seem like something small, the climate of a location should undoubtedly impact where you ultimately choose to live. The last thing you want is to suffer freezing cold or boiling hot nights all year round.
Healthcare
If you’re still in your youth, you might not be so concerned about the healthcare that is offered in your new home. However, it’s certainly something you want to look into. Not all healthcare is free, and you don’t want to end up with a huge hospital bill that puts you into enormous debt. You want to think about your future, especially if you do plan on retiring abroad.
Job opportunities
One of the most important things that should influence your final decision is the number of career opportunities. You don’t want to move all that way and find out that there is a lack of available jobs. Try and browse around in advance online to see what is available.
While it might seem strange, there are many benefits of hiring expats, which means you could be in high demand. Some of the most popular jobs include language teacher, sales, editor, marketing, and tourism.
Cost of living
As mentioned above, moving abroad can have many benefits, and one of them is that it can be much more affordable. Panama, Portugal, Malaysia, Spain, and Costa Rica are just a few places with the lowest cost of living. This includes all things from real estate, groceries, and utility bills. You can save money and experience all the beauty that these places have to offer. It’s really is a win-win.
Friends and family
Finally, the last thing to think about before choosing your new destination is your friends and family. If you still want to visit each other regularly, you might not want to move to the other side of the globe. Flights will be more expensive, and you may not get to see them during the holiday seasons. While it is crucial to make your own decisions, you don’t want to become overly stressed and anxious about moving away. Not all of us are extroverts after all.
And that’s it. These were some tips to help you choose the perfect place to move abroad. While it might be stressful, the more research you do on each of the above, the easier it will be to come to your final decision. Just think about all the incredible opportunities that are waiting for you.
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