Expat-Advice

International Living’s expat network is your key to a new life in a new country. Get real, honest advice from people just like you. Discover the tips, tricks, shortcuts, and strategies you can use to cut through red tape and improve your life overseas right away.

Read about and learn from real-life experiences our expats have had in their new home countries, from health care to taxes, earning an income overseas to buying real estate…and much more.

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Expat-Advice Archives

Enjoying a Simpler Life in Costa Rica’s “Hidden” Valley

Enjoying a Simpler Life in Costa Rica’s “Hidden” Valley

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June 23, 2016

For Steve and Nancy Riley…it’s paradise. They live on a little over 12 acres of land on a hillside, with panoramic views of the surrounding forest and farmland thanks to the elevation of 4,300 feet. A former coffee plantation, they’ve transformed their property into a botanical garden with walking trails and thousands of tropical plants like heliconias, bromeliads, 550 different species of orchids, and more. It’s Nancy’s vision and passion, and with a helper, she works hours a day in the garden.

Why Living in Costa Rica’s Central Valley is Good for Your Health

Why Living in Costa Rica’s Central Valley is Good for Your Health

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June 18, 2016

Three years and 45 pounds ago, I moved to Costa Rica with my wife. We left corporate America behind, searching for a healthier and happier life; we found it in the hills of the Central Valley. As the name implies, living in the Central Valley means living in an area surrounded by mountains. The valley includes many popular expat locations such as San Ramon, Atenas, and Grecia. The region also incorporates the country’s largest cities: the capital San José, Alejuela, and Cartago. Nearly three quarters of the country’s population live in the Central Valley.

Coastal Living in Ecuador: Over 900 Miles of Perfection

Coastal Living in Ecuador: Over 900 Miles of Perfection

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June 18, 2016

Much has been written about Ecuador as one of the most ecologically diverse countries on earth, with near-perfect climates to choose from and landscapes including plains, mountains, coastal, and everything in between. For a country about the same size as Wyoming, this is impressive. Choose the weather and terrain you like best, and most likely you can find the ideal spot in Ecuador.

Chiriquí, Panama: Your Perfect Climate Awaits

Chiriquí, Panama: Your Perfect Climate Awaits

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June 15, 2016

There are plenty of valid reasons to rent a home before you buy when you relocate overseas. For those who choose to live in Panama’s Western-most province, Chiriquí, one major reason is to check out the weather in various locations to find what suits you best. Despite being a small country in the middle of the tropics, you’ll find Panama has a variety of climate zones and even within the province there are variations in temperature, rainfall, wind, and cloud cover.

My Top 10 Insider Tips For Moving Overseas

My Top 10 Insider Tips For Moving Overseas

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June 10, 2016

I’m often asked what advice I would give to would-be expats as well as to “already are” expats, so I created this “Top 10” list. This really is a favorite subject of mine and I have much advice to give (just ask my husband!), so let’s get started with these 10 “tip of the iceberg” tips: Examine your motives. Make sure you’re contemplating a move overseas for the right reasons. As the saying goes, “Take your luggage but leave your baggage behind.” You might want to escape a bad marriage, debts, or the toxic political and economic environment of home. And that’s okay. But don’t just run from, but to something. Make this about finding adventure and an overall better lifestyle and that’s exactly what you’ll do.

Appreciating the Beauty in Our Back Yard in Costa Rica

Appreciating the Beauty in Our Back Yard in Costa Rica

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June 3, 2016

There are many reasons my wife Jen and I love living in Costa Rica. We enjoy the slower pace compared to the busy lives we led in the U.S. We enjoy the pleasant temperatures provided by living in the mountains of the Central Valley. But mostly, we love the abundance of nature and wildlife that exists all around us. I enjoy taking a hike each morning. I usually do one of three hikes I have found that take me through coffee farms, over rivers, and up into the mountains that surround Poas Volcano, near where I live.

Quiet Beach Town Living on Panama’s Pacific Coast

Quiet Beach Town Living on Panama’s Pacific Coast

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May 30, 2016

Santa Catalina is one of those out-of-the-way beach towns with its own quiet charm. As you walk through town along one of the two narrow streets you pass young men with their surfboards under their arms, headed for the break. Kids on bicycles roll past, avoiding a dog or two. The bus from Santiago arrives and a few backpackers get off, hoisting their loads as they're passed down from the top of the bus.

Living an Affordable Beach Lifestyle in Placencia, Belize

Living an Affordable Beach Lifestyle in Placencia, Belize

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May 29, 2016

With 17 miles of continuous golden-sand beaches, a low key, laidback Caribbean lifestyle, a small population, and plenty of top notch restaurants and funky beach bars, it’s not surprising that expats are pulling up stakes to move to Belize’s Placencia peninsula… In February of 2014 Laura and Dave Diffendal left Cleveland, Ohio, for Placencia Village...

Captivating Mountain Views in Cerro Azul, Panama

Captivating Mountain Views in Cerro Azul, Panama

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May 29, 2016

To sit on a porch in the tiny mountain town of Cerro Azul is to experience true serenity. That's how I feel as I relax in an old Adirondack-style chair, gazing at hillsides carpeted in green. A single pick-up truck is the only vehicle that trundles past. Though I don't know him, the driver gives me a friendly wave. Earlier in the day I took a mini-hike to a hilltop mirador (lookout point) and caught far-off glimpses of both the Pacific and the Caribbean. Now I sit sipping my coffee and watching a pretty blue tanager swoop around the garden.