Cheapest Countries 2010

Posted by Forest in Cheapest Places To Live, General Articles, Opinion, Saving Money & Finances

cheapest countries 2010 I am living in Egypt and am having to deal with a visit to Sweden in a few days…. Not a cheap place. So I wanted to take a look at the cheapest countries, 2010 to see where my money would have been better spent….

This exercise is not just to make myself feel sick at the prices in Sweden but also important because I am thinking of moving to a new country next year. Moving to another country in retirement or just because your job is portable (online or by phone, or you are on a grant for research or writing as examples) is a great way to save a ton of cash, be inspired and generally live a better life.

You may also be interested in the article we have on the cheapest cities to live, 2010.

Egypt

I already live in Egypt but not at the cheapest that I can. From my travels it seems that I could live almost as comfortably on under half the price (first need to move from the expat area). It’s possible to find good quality hostel/hotel’s down in Luxor for less than $5 per night. You can also eat for next to nothing per day with a meal in a local restaurant available often for less than $1. Internet is about the same price as USA but if you can find a decent cafe or are staying in a hostel you can normally get reasonable free wifi. Some of the coastal towns like Dahab or even more Egyptian places can give you a life of paradise at dirt cheap prices…. I love Egypt for this.

India

Like Egypt India sounds like it is possible to spend a lot of money but in similar respects if you stay off the beaten path things get cheap very quickly with many travelers reporting living for around $3-$5 per day.

Thailand

I don’t think Thailand is the cheapest these days but it can be luxurious. $20-$30 a day can get you around for the most part and luxury is easy to find at much more affordable prices than USA.

Other places

Now these are some of the popular destinations, all full of tourist attractions but for the quiet life you could find many places in South America, including Brazil and Argentina. Sadly Greece just had a collapse but it may be the best time to get in there quick and also Pakistan, China and maybe even New Zealand are other destinations to consider right now. Also remember Iceland went bankrupt and could be an excellent place to look at…

Forbes, cheapest countries in 2009

Forbes published an article featuring some of the cheapest countries in 2009 to see in the recession. According to their list based on dollar growth the 15 cheapest countries were:

Zambia
Fiji
Czech Republic
Chili
Romania
Iceland
Jamaica
Norway (I’m not sure about this one!!! I hear it’s darn expensive in all of Northern Europe)
Russia
United Kingdom (Definitely NOT!)
Brazil
Columbia
Poland
Sweden (Errr, I don’t think so!)
Hungary

I really think Forbes should have looked at a bit more here but much of their list make sense.

Your experience and further discussion for the cheapest countries, 2010?

I want to know what you know or have heard. Leave a comment and let us know of take a hike over to our forum and start discussing it here: Frugal Zeitgeist Forum, Cheapest Countries, 2010.

Thanks for your time and don’t hesitate to ask any questions.

19 Responses to “Cheapest Countries 2010”

Funny about Money

27. Jun, 2010

That’s an odd list, the Forbes thing. What about Mexico? They’re in the middle of a huge depression–Mexico has had three recessions comparable to our Great Recession, one after another. A Mexican friend tells me there literally are NO jobs there. This means people will fall all over themselves to work as your servants for next to nothing.

Of course you have to deal with the small matter of a de facto civil war. But that’s currently confined to just a few areas. So far.
Funny about Money´s last blog ..Update- Shoulder fiasco

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- Forest
  
  17. Jul, 2010
  
  Yeah it is odd… It’s related to falling currencies and economy I think though rather than actual ground zero cost….. Like this is the best time to visit them.
  
  Mexico is a good option and in many ways it’s responsible tourism to go and spend your cash in places where they need the money most…. Share the wealth!!!
  
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Austin @ Foreigner's Finances

28. Jun, 2010

What’s happening in Sweeden?
Austin @ Foreigner’s Finances´s last blog ..The FF Podcast Ep 4- Money -amp Relationships with Elle from Couple Money

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  17. Jul, 2010
  
  Hey Austin, I just got back from Sweden actually and all seems fine there….. people seem to be employed, social welfare is working but it’s darn expensive, especially when compared to Egypt!!!
  
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Penniless Parenting

02. Jul, 2010

What are you including to make something count as cheap? Rent? Food? Clothing? Salary? Or are you simply looking for a place with a good exchange rate because you’re living off of dollars? For example, central america is a cheap place to live, but unless you’re earning your income in dollars, it is very hard to survive there, because in addition to cheap living, it also means nothing salaries.

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  17. Jul, 2010
  
  Hey Penniless Parenting, this article is fairly loose but for me cheap includes the actual cost to live but most of the time I relate it to earning in dollars as I work on the internet.
  
  To truly rate the cheapness of a country I think it would involve working out the mean wage and compared to the mean cost of living for each place (assuming you would work in the said country).
  
  Central America is a good option I think if you have $$$$$$.
  
  Reply to this comment
Bytta@151DaysOff

12. Jul, 2010

I think they include UK due to weakening GBP compared to USD, EUR and AUD. In that sense, it is cheaper to go to GBP these days… although I see the rise pretty soon.

I would include Malaysia and Indonesia on the list.

However, as far as I’m concerned, naming cheapest country can be inaccurate as living standard and cost within a country could vary widely.
Bytta@151DaysOff´s last blog ..Day 33- Annual Goals Update- Personal Goals

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  17. Jul, 2010
  
  Hey Bytta, yes these lists are never exactly accurate as everyone’s situations are different. For me Egypt is cheap as I earn in USD and I can get internet here to continue work…. The cheapest places in the world are unlikely to have the internet for me to work so they are no good for me personally.
  
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Denise

22. Jul, 2010

Very interesting article. Thank you for sharing!

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  25. Jul, 2010
  
  Thanks Denise for your comment .
  
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darris

28. Jul, 2010

lol chili is food Chile is a country.

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  28. Jul, 2010
  
  Hey Darris, oops did I miss the cap C somewhere?
  
  Reply to this comment
susan

13. Aug, 2010

Subscribe to International Living-they also discuss the ins and outs of living in certain countries.
Currently on my list, and i will list them in order of least expensive t o most expensive for you though that is not all Im looking at: Ecuador, Uruaguay, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Belize. This is according to things i have read so it may be a little out of order but close enough. You’d want to visit a place you were seriously considering and ask questions anyway.

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  15. Aug, 2010
  
  Thanks Susan, I will definitely be checking out International Living. I am interested in finding out more about Belize especially right now.
  
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Mike Klein

13. Aug, 2010

Bosnia is also relatively cheap. Basic pension accommodation in Sarajevo is about $30, and excellent meals range from $5-$20. Beer, wine and local brandies (Bosnians, while nominal Muslims are often prodigious drinkers) are also as cheap as $1 per drink. Certainly from a European perspective, nowhere in Europe can match Sarajevo and Bosnia’s match of prices and quality.

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  15. Aug, 2010
  
  Thanks Mike, I have never thought about looking at Bosnia before, I will definitely check it out some point soon.
  
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Paul Soh

16. Aug, 2010

Chiang mai Thailand is very cheap compared to Bangkok, Phuket or the other islands. A lunch is still US$0.80 for noodles or $1.00 for fried rice. Property prices are very low with a 30 year lease for a 92sq meter (1000 sq feet)house at USDS100,000 or US$ 9.00 per day.

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  16. Aug, 2010
  
  Hey Paul, thanks for the tip. I want to visit Thailand and was thinking of trying to avoid Bankok for the most part…. Once you find a cheap country it really pays to look around inside to find the idea place.
  
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