14 Places You Can Live On $20 A Day

Life in America is a grind and you really need to earn thousands just to stay afloat in one of the hardest economies in living memory. Of course, there is another way. You could just leave, put it all behind you and go to live in a banana republic, working online as a digital nomad.

Lots of people have done it and now there are thriving expat communities all around the world made up of free spirits that rejected the rat race and went looking for something better.

Now I wanted a cheap place to live that had the basics, like internet and cable TV. I have endured cold showers, I have lived with some interesting neighbors and I now have a luxury apartment that costs me just $10 a day.

Food costs a few dollars and then that still leaves seven for fun That’s a night out here. You really can live comfortably in the Dominican Republic for $20 a day.

Your Money Goes Further Overseas

That got me thinking about expat communities where you can live on less than that magical number. That means if you’ve got $1000 a month then you’re living well and if you get $1500 a month then you can live like an absolute baller.

One thing I have found is that the cheapest places in the world to live, as I’m going to define them, are often the best for a single man as well. If you want to meet local women and you’ve got no objection to a Seeking Arrangement-type deal then the poorer countries are inevitably going to work for you.

Your SMV goes through the roof when you land in some of these places. Now you’re not the guy next door, you’re an exotic foreigner, and girls will pretty much fight over you. At first, that will be entertaining.

So what are the best places in the world to live on $20 a day?

1. Philippines

Stay out of Manila and this budget is enough to live like a King in a lot of the Philippines. It’s one of the world’s most beautiful countries, the women can be absolutely stunning and a lot of digital nomads fall in love with the place and simply never leave.

The people are respectful, it’s easy to get laid or get a girlfriend and it’s perfectly normal for a 65-year-old man to live with a 20-year-old girl. Everybody knows the score, but nobody will say anything.

I think I’ll end up down there, but for now I am looking enviously from the other side of the world.

2. Nicaragua

Some people reckon this is the best place in the world to live if you’re on a budget, particularly as it is close to the USA if you’re from there. Granada, San Juan del Sur and Leon have become expat havens and you will feel right at home there. It’s different, but it comes with a sense of community that is pretty much gone back home.

Granada is on the shores of a massive lake that basically turns it into a beach town, more or less. It is also loaded with Colonial architecture and Nicaragua’s trademark colorful streets.

The country has some of the world’s best cigars and coffee, thanks to a temperate climate and lush countryside that marks the country apart.

3. Dominican Republic

I think the DR has a bad rap after living here for two years. It’s great, it’s better than great, it’s amazing. It’s way safer than everybody thinks, I have had no problems with criminals, apart from a hooker selling me my own passport back to me, and that was kind of my fault.

Sosua is absolutely stunning, if you learn to leave the nightlife behind. And you do, when you have lived here a while. Now I go to the beach in the day, have a few chicas on speed dial and hang out with the random street dog who moved in. Life has never been simpler.

It’s an easy life, with the beautiful Caribbean Sea just a few minutes away. There are no sharks, jellyfish, anything really and it’s one of the best places in the world to just relax.

Punta Cana might seem like a better option, but it’s really only there for the resorts. If you’re going to go for something quieter, try La Romana, or even Juan Dolio, near Santo Domingo. You will be in paradise and $1000 a month is more than enough.

The girls are tough down here and not so sweet and innocent as their Asian counterparts. If they are, it’s an act. But get to know them and there’s sometimes a heart of gold behind the tough exterior. Just don’t fall in love. If you do, they’ll take every penny you have…

You will need to learn Spanish, but the visa situation is pretty good. You simply pay a fine for your overstay, which can last for years.

4. Chiang Mai

All those nomads can’t be wrong…

Chaing Mai has become the digital nomad hangout in recent years and has left a lot of real serious contenders trailing in its wake.

There’s a ready-made creative community, with co-working spaces, and it really is more like going away to camp than an actual different life abroad. That’s good in a way, because you’ll be able to get your partying and sightseeing out your system and you’ll still be able to work without any issues.

Basically, if you want to hook up with a local girl then everything is negotiable, too, if you get my drift.

5. Roatan

The Honduran island is insulated from the vicious drug trade that has turned the capital city into a warzone. It’s safe, it’s peaceful and it’s cheap.

The Whale Sharks come by here every year and boat and diving tours provide a lot of the island’s income. The internet is solid enough, you can live like a King on $20 a day and there really isn’t a crazy social life that could distract you.

Rent an apartment for a couple of months, soak up some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see and recharge. There are plenty of expats who went to do exactly that and simply never left.

Some of the world’s best beaches and dive sites are right here and yes, you can find a local girl without too much trouble.

Feminism just isn’t a thing there, and women need a traditional provider. If you’re prepared to give them what they need, they’ll give you everything you could dream of.

6. Bali

It might sound strange, Bali is the original home of the luxury vacation after all, but the island is surprisingly cheap to live on. You can live by the beach or in Ubud by the mountains. It’s a stunning place, it’s cheap and the local women are very friendly. If you know what I mean…

Bali often gets overshadowed by Pattaya, but it’s a mongering hotspot in its own right and pretty much every hot girl that’s talking to pasty white guys is available. Go for the girlfriend experience, or something simpler. That’s your call.

Everybody speaks English, too, which is a massive bonus if you’re not good with languages. This budget is actually more than enough for a nice studio apartment and street food every day.

7. Mauritius

Seriously, you can rent an apartment on Mauritius for $400 a month on Airbnb. And it’s a good one. Get there, do the first month like that and then find something local.

Visa issues can be a problem and you can’t stay that long. But two or three months on this tropical paradise is a time in life you could look back on forever.

Now you’re definitely not on the resort, this is the real island life and it’s a bit different. But it is still one of the most spectacular places on this Earth and you can live there for $1000 a month.

Everybody speaks English here, too, and it really is an island paradise. If you could worm your way into the local scene then you’ll be blown away by the women.

They’re a collision of Indian, African and European features and some of them are just breathtaking.

8. Cape Verde

These islands off Africa are another all-inclusive star, but step off the plantation and you can seriously live on this island paradise for $1000 a month. Visas beyond 90 days are an issue, but you could do a visa run to the mainland if you’re feeling brave and live there indefinitely.

Cape Verde is beautiful and it’s made up of three main islands. Sal has basically nothing on it, a tiny town, a few bars, one road, some all inclusive resorts and a big empty salt beach, and that’s the one you can afford to live on with this budget. You could go stir crazy, or it could be just what you’re looking for in life right now. I could easily see myself there for a month or two, maybe more.

The other islands have more going for them in terms of life and action, but you will have to pay slightly more for the privilege. You can easily find a local girl to join you for your time on Sal anyway…

The women are a mix of Portugese and African and they’re generally considered some of the sexiest black women in the world.

If a girl is interested in you here, she’s available and she’ll expect to get paid. Just so you know.

9. Koh Samui

You can rent a luxury pad in Koh Samui for less than $500 a month straight off Airbnb. We’re talking serious luxury here and you can further on this island that has reinvented itself as an exclusive resort for the rich and famous.

Koh Samui has shed its age-old hippy image and now has the world’s best resorts and restaurants lining its shores. But you can still rent a condo or beach house cheaply and easily. The local girls are always open to a little pay for play fun and you’ll have a great time.

Prices are similar in Pattaya, but that might be too intense. Koh Samui is laid back, classy and the beaches on this island are pure paradise. There are lots of cheaper places in Thailand, but this place is cheap, connected and amazing.

10. Antigua, Guatemala

Guatemala is off the beaten track, but if you want to retire in a lakeside village then they’ve got communities set up just for you. I’m not quite ready to retire just yet, but Antigua is the city where all the action is.

Do Mezcal, party with the locals and wake up with a beautiful girl who doesn’t know how to spell metoo. It could be the trip of your lifetime, it’s one of those places.

Guatemala also has some stunning women and you’d undoubtedly be a star if you turn up and set up camp in Antigua. Guatemalan women can look European, or full-on Latina, but they tend not to be as dark as Brazilian women. Just useful information…

Get in to Guatemala City if you really want an adventure, but make sure you stay somewhere upscale like Santa Catarina Pinula. Airbnb private rooms start from about $300 and whole apartments from $400 in a decent neighborhood. So when you’re on the ground, you can probably get a place for $300 without too much trouble through a local connection.

11. Jaco Beach, Costa Rica

This has quietly turned into the sex tourism capital of the Caribbean and basically everybody is available if the price is right. Some of the girls are tourists and they might even give it up for free. If not, Jaco Beach is one big whorehouse and if you can’t get laid here then there’s something seriously wrong.

You could probably do a season here. Any more could seriously mess with your mind.

12. Cali, Colombia

A lot of nomads want to return to Cali and some could easily call it home. The city is beautiful, the climate isn’t too oppressive, the place is kind of European.

It has a sense of history, a sense of drama, and the women are some of the most beautiful you will find anywhere in this world.

You will get all the action you can handle and then some in Colombia, just make sure your frame is tight and you can keep a rotation of two or three girls. It will cost you a little, it always does, but helping out with a bill or two can be all it takes to have a great time.

I know this list isn’t close to complete. Send me your favourite places you have lived for $20 a day and I’ll add them here.

13. Nha Trang, Vietnam

This small beach town seems a world away from the likes of Pattaya and Koh Samui, but check the video. It’s closer than you think in terms of ‘spirit’.

It’s a proper city and a beach resort, so you could live there with ease, rent is cheap, you could live on $1000 a month no problems at all and probably have a top drawer girl on call.

14. Shanghai, China



China is cheap to live, the women still think the big white Western man is a catch. The country is turning into a powerhouse, it’s slowly taking over from the USA as the world leader and it’s an attractive option for the tradcons among us.

With Western Civilisaiton going down the tubes, a lot of men are heading out East. Some find the Thai and Filippina lifestyle just a bit too much, but China is more civilised and less hedonistic.

Some guys even go back to the plantation in China and settle down with what they hope is an old-school wife.