More and more Americans are looking overseas to reinvent their lives, whether in search of a lower cost of living, better healthcare, or a more affordable retirement. But with so many countries offering different lifestyles and costs, deciding where to put down roots can be difficult.
Business Insider compiled a list of 12 cities with relatively low living costs compared with the US, using data from Numbeo, a crowdsourced cost-of-living comparison website.
Numbeo’s estimates include monthly costs for a single person and a family of four, as well as city-center rent and home prices. It also tracks typical spending on coffee, a meal for two, and a gym membership. Because its methodology relies in part on user-submitted data, the figures should be treated as a guide rather than definitive costs.
Many of these cities also rank well on quality-of-life measures, but each comes with its own challenges. Lower costs can sometimes mean concerns about safety, healthcare access, or air quality, and, as such, people looking to relocate should research the latest travel advisories from the US State Department before moving. And even where dining and entertainment are inexpensive, buying a home may still be costly.
All prices have been converted to US dollars, and city populations are sourced from United Nations data, unless otherwise noted. Because the UN uses a standardized definition of city boundaries, its 2025 estimates may differ from official city or metro-area population figures.
Read on to learn more about these places, including India’s “Pink City” and a Colombian city set against the dramatic landscape of the Andes.
Accra, Ghana
Population: 5.6 million (2025)
Known for: Ghana is one of West Africa’s fastest-growing countries, and its capital, Accra, has become a lively landing spot for expats from around the world. Many make their homes in central neighborhoods like East Legon, drawn by the city’s coastal setting, beach culture, and growing business and creative scenes.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $679.15
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $264,920
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $762.10
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,841.0
Cost of a cappuccino: $4.43
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $51.14
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $71.43
Someone who lives there said: “Ghana is not a typical expat destination unless you get a well-paying job there or go as a volunteer. Based on my own experience, though, I would recommend it,” Elin, the travel blogger behind A Taste of Slow, told Nomad Girl.
Bogotá, Colombia
Population: 10.6 million (2025)
Known for: Bogotá, Colombia’s capital and largest city, is a vibrant, multicultural city set high in the Andes. It is especially known for La Candelaria, its historic district of cobblestone streets and 17th- and 18th-century Spanish colonial and republican-style architecture.
While Bogotá is popular with digital nomads and expats, visitors should be aware of the US State Department’s travel advisory for Colombia (Level 3 – Reconsider Travel) and take precautions against street crime.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $752.16
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $245,310
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $678.30
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,449.90
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.44
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $40.25
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $32.27
Someone who lives there said: “We’re a lot more active,” Jennifer Jamali, who moved to Bogotá from Texas in 2025, told Business Insider. “And because we’re saving more, the pressure we put on ourselves has gone down, the quality of life is better, and we’re having better experiences.”
Braga, Portugal
Population: 105,073 (2025)
Known for: Braga is home to the University of Minho and has the feel of a small college town. With numerous churches and cathedrals, Braga is often called the “Portuguese Rome” and nicknamed the “City of Archbishops.”
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $925.43
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $233,670
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $713.70
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,590.9
Cost of a cappuccino: $1.91
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $48.04
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $45.48
Someone who lives there said: “I tell you what, I could not recreate this kind of life back in Napa. It’s half the cost, and you can live well,” Bob, a retired military lawyer from California, told International Living.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Population: 627,000 (2025)
Known for: With temperatures between 59° and 97° Fahrenheit year-round, the largest city in northern Thailand is a tropical paradise. The city is renowned for its ornately decorated ancient temples and its sprawling night market, which features local crafts, street food, and other knick-knacks.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $462.18
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $179,470
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $537.40
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $1,969.30
Cost of a cappuccino: $1.70
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $19.28
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $37.45
Someone who lives there said: “One of the draws of Chiang Mai was the slightly more raw and rough feeling of the town,” Skye Class, a travel blogger, said in a post. “It’s nice to see a lot of development in the city, yet part of the charm of Chiang Mai is the crude underdevelopment.”
Jaipur, India
Population: 4.1 million (2025)
Known for: Home to some of India’s most ornate royal palaces, forts, and temples, Jaipur has been dubbed the Pink City because a 19th-century Maharaja painted the buildings in anticipation of the Prince of Wales’s visit. The capital and largest city of Rajasthan, a state located in northwestern India, Jaipur is also a destination for jewelry, fabric, antiques, and arts and crafts.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $217.15
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $76,790
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $306
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $1,086.6
Cost of a cappuccino: $1.50
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $12.47
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $15.98
Someone who lives there said: “People are constantly going out of their way to make sure my needs are met, whether it’s at a restaurant, mall, or visiting a hotel, the staff always make sure you are satisfied,” an American expat, Laura, told Expat.com. “Friends and strangers alike are always offering to cook for you, or invite you to holiday celebrations in their home.”
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Population: 8.4 million (2025)
Known for: Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s cultural and economic hub, shaped by Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences. Its growing expat community is especially concentrated in Mont Kiara, a neighborhood known for luxury high-rises and international schools. The city also has an emerging tech scene, with companies such as Oracle and Microsoft maintaining offices there.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $618.02
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $377,210
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $591.60
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,160.60
Cost of a cappuccino: $3.10
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $29.37
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $48.90
Someone who lives there said: Joshua Webley, who moved to Kuala Lumpur in 2023, told Business Insider that he fell in love with Malaysia but initially found it difficult to meet new people in the city. “Now, things are different. I’ve actually made friends and built a beautiful community of people that I can love and trust,” he said.
Nairobi, Kenya
Population: 6.1 million (2025)
Known for: Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is known as the “Green City in the Sun” for its lush gardens and forests, which sit alongside its urban skyline. Nairobi’s location in East Africa has also made it a major economic hub, and it is home to several international companies, including Microsoft and IBM, as well as the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Program.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $446.53
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $122,600
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $584.40
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,145.10
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.65
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $34.73
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $50.49
Someone who lives there said: “It’s a marvelously strange juxtaposition to be driving through a Kenyan grassland with giraffes and zebra surrounding you and then to look northward and see the skyscrapers of the city on the horizon,” a woman named Hedi said on an expat blog.
Rabat, Morocco
Population: 2.1 million (2025)
Known for: Located on the Atlantic Ocean about 54 miles from Casablanca, the Moroccan capital is home to the Royal Palace, the official residence of the King of Morocco, and the country’s most historically significant museum, the Museum of History and Civilizations. The city is sometimes compared to Washington, DC, for its abundance of government buildings and embassies.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $532.73
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $186,730
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): n/a
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): n/a
Cost of a cappuccino: $1.94
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $41.14
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $28.66
Someone who lives there said: “Even if you live in a quiet neighborhood in Rabat, you can always find areas with restaurants and cafes to go out and have fun,” Elizabeth Gribbs, an English teacher from the United States, told the Arab Weekly in a 2019 story about Rabat becoming “Morocco’s expat hot spot.”
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Population: 2 million (2025)
Known for: Santa Cruz de la Sierra is Bolivia’s commercial hub and one of its fastest-growing cities. Located in the country’s tropical lowlands along the Piraí River, it blends a modern skyline with a lively food and cultural scene. The city is also home to Cristo Redentor, a prominent monument and local landmark.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $274.30
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $123,030
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $381.10
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $1,400.80
Cost of a cappuccino: $1.91
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $18.15
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $20.73
Someone who lives there said: “It was incredible living in a ‘big-ish’ city with all the modern amenities one would want — while still being able to go on hikes or hit the sand dunes in a quick day trip,” Jake Nomada, a blogger, wrote in a post on the travel website, Nomadic Hustle.
São Paulo
Population: 18.9 million (2025)
Known for: São Paulo is South America’s financial capital and home to B3, Latin America’s largest stock exchange. But the city is just as well known for its rich culture, diverse immigrant communities, and standout entertainment scene. It is also home to world-renowned museums, including the São Paulo Museum of Art.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $636.53
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $246,080
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $703.2
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,578.20
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.48
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $48.26
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $34.77
Someone who lives there said: Isaiah Reynolds, who moved from Chicago to São Paulo, told Business Insider that while he was worried he’d feel like an outsider, he found many Brazilians eager to connect with him. “This openness to connect has softened a lot of the original culture shock during my move,” he said.
Seville (Sevilla), Spain
Population: 699,504 (2025)
Known for: Spain’s fourth-largest city, Seville blends centuries-old landmarks with striking contemporary design. Some of its most notable architectural sites include the Royal Alcázar of Seville, whose origins date to the 10th century; Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral; and the Metropol Parasol, one of the world’s largest wooden structures.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $939.85
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $421,160
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $782.70
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,866.5
Cost of a cappuccino: $1.91
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $67.82
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $40.57
Someone who lives there said: “Seville is truly a magical, colorful city,” Tania Gruenberg, an American-German expat who moved to Seville in 2020, told blogsite Mapping Spain, “I have traveled to so many places around the world, and yet when I arrived in this beautiful city, something happened to me. I felt a sense of calm.”
Tirana, Albania
Population: 833,020 (2025)
Known for: Tirana is Albania’s capital and largest city. Once relatively isolated under communism, it has evolved considerably in the decades since. Its warm Mediterranean climate, proximity to the coast, and distinctive mix of Ottoman-era and Italian-influenced architecture alongside modern high-rises and lively cafés have helped make it an increasingly popular destination for tourists.
Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom home in the city center: $836.40
Average cost to buy a 1,000-square-foot home in the city center: $408,690
Monthly costs for a single person (excluding housing): $763
Monthly costs for a family of four (excluding housing): $2,822.5
Cost of a cappuccino: $2.27
Cost of a three-course meal for two (excluding drinks): $55.47
Monthly cost of a gym membership: $56.23
Someone who lives there said: “As someone who enjoys staying on top of travel trends, Albania piqued my interest,” Greyson Ferguson, a digital nomad who moved to Tirana in 2025, told Business Insider. “The coastal photographs looked so nice that I thought they were AI-generated.”
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