Yahoo Finance 10 Places To Live in Asia That Are So Cheap You Could Quit Your Job
Asia is home to some of the world's oldest cultures, religions, traditions and historical sites. It's also generally blessed with temperate-to-tropical climates, some of the most popular cuisine in the world -- and low costs.
Although there are exceptions to every rule -- and Asia is a huge continent -- there are plenty of countries in the region where living expenses are so low that you might be able to consider quitting your job. To determine where these places are, GOBankingRates used data from LivingCost.org's "International Cost of Living Calculator" to compare costs between U.S. averages and those in various Asian countries. Here are just a few of the ones that came out on top.
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Philippines
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in the Philippines: $1,512
The Philippines is blessed with beautiful beaches, a friendly, English-speaking population and incredibly low costs. Housing for a family in the Philippines costs an unbelievably low $588 per month on average, vs. the $2,220 the average family spends in America. Food expenses are just 38% of what they are in the U.S., at $208 vs. $543 per month, respectively.
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Thailand
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in the Thailand: $2,274
Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles" for good reason, as its friendly population is quite welcoming to foreign tourists and expats alike. If you love Thai food, golden beaches and Buddhist-inspired hospitality, this extremely affordable country might be a good choice for you. The overall cost of living in the country is roughly one-third of the U.S. average, with food and lodging costs being particularly affordable.
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Vietnam
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in the Vietnam: $1,741
Vietnam remains a dark cloud in the mind of many Americans, but for the very youthful Vietnamese, it's hardly a concern. Americans are welcomed in this emerging country filled with thousands of years of history, great beaches and one of the best cuisines in the world.
The long, narrow strip of a country has many different regions, but on average, the cost of living in the United States still runs 3.4 times that of Vietnam. In a country where food, lodging, transportation and other living expenses average just $622 per month for a single person, your dollars can last an extremely long time.
Indonesia
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in Indonesia: $1,422
In a country where the average monthly salary after tax is just $326, you can expect a very low cost of living by U.S. standards. Indonesia has low costs across the board, in terms of housing, food, transportation and other expenses. A family could pay just $511 in monthly rent, for example, vs. the average of $2,220 in the United States.
Whether you're looking for the frenetic, Southeast Asian energy of Jakarta or a more laid-back experience on the beaches or mountains of Bali, Indonesia offers a lot of options to those looking to stretch their dollars.
China
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in China: $1,960
China may be an economic powerhouse that rivals the U.S., but it's still incredibly affordable to live there. China is a large nation with a huge rural population, which helps bring down average costs, but some of the differences remain striking. The overall cost of living for a single person in China, for example, is just $758, far below the $2,112 required for a single person in the USA.
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Malaysia
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in Malaysia: $1,393
Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, is often cited as one of the very best cities in the world for digital nomads, thanks to its fast internet service to its affordable way of life. Other cities across the archipelago are even cheaper, although they may not offer all of the amenities of world-class Kuala Lumpur.
Overall, the cost of living in the U.S. is 3.68 times that of Malaysia, where a person could pay just $257 per month on average for rent, $218 for groceries and $41.30 for transportation.
India
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in India: $1,027
India has the fifth-largest economy in the world, ahead of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada and Russia. However, due in part to its immense population, it has a very low GDP per capita. It is also one of the most inexpensive nations in which to live in the whole world.
The cultural heritage of India, its deep spiritual history and its unique topography are all major draws for expats, as are its booming technical and scientific expertise. While its more modern cities obviously come with higher expenses, on average, living in the United States is more than five times as expensive as living in India. A single person in India, for example, pays just $165 per month in rent, with a total cost of living of only $416 per month.
Cambodia
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in Cambodia: $2,157
There's no way to avoid the fact that Cambodia has had a troubled history, and the country is emerging only slowly from its dark past. But the country's economy is "firmly on a path to recovery," in the words of the World Bank, and its real growth hit 5.2% in 2022.
If you're got a bit of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft in you, the country's temples -- highlighted by the magnificent Angkor Wat -- may hold you spellbound forever. The country's affordability won't hurt either. Rent for a single person comes in at an astonishing 29% of the U.S. average.
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Laos
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in Laos: $2,330
Laos is often overshadowed by its more well-known neighbors in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Vietnam. But a country with a rich culture and history that isn't yet swarming with tourists -- and still maintains a very low cost of living -- might have a lot of appeal to potential expats.
Overall, average expenses in Laos are a bit less than half of those in the U.S., from housing and transportation to groceries. Known as the "Land of a Million Elephants," Laos boasts stunning man-made and natural features, from reclining Buddhas and temples to waterfalls and UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Plain of Jars.
Japan
Monthly cost of living for a family in the U.S.: $4,790
Monthly cost of living for a family in Japan: $2,988
Japan has a reputation of being a high-cost nation, but taken as a whole, this simply isn't true. While Tokyo remains one of the priciest cities in the world, there are plenty of less-developed or even rural sections of the country that remain extremely affordable.
Rent, for example, costs less than half of what it does in the United States on average. Individuals pay just $531 per month on average in Japan, vs. the $1,325 average one-person rent in America.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Places To Live in Asia That Are So Cheap You Could Quit Your Job
