Where do you live if you have a good standard of living?

[Lanternnights]

Just curious, looking for ideas.

DH and I are generally pretty miserable and demotivated with rising costs. I know I'm not alone in that and I likely am more fortunate than lots of others.

It's been this way for months and we've decided to do some research into making changes. Ultimately we don't like where we live, we don't feel like we have a good standard of living for the output, and we are generally stressed out, feel older, and our health is taking a toll now.

I don't think it's a job issue as we earn the average in our industry in UK, so switching jobs wouldn't help.

I am curious if you have a good standard of living or know someone who does and where do they live? We are interested in emigrating as we've no children and both work for global companies who advertise transfers.

Or am I silly and everywhere is the same?

I'm looking for somewhere our money goes further and we are less stressed/on autopilot.

@sanferryanne
I know the nhs is shit, but it was awful where I lived before (I worked in it). I've had quick and excellent care here for a cancerous mole and my nephew has had an ASD diagnosis within 1 year. So it's not all bad. I do have very comprehensive private health that covers cancers.

Perthshire.

Food is expensive when directly compared but housing is very cheap outside the big cities. We have a 3 bed house out in the forest with a small guest house in the garden. No neighbours within screaming distance but 10 minutes from the train station for commuting. You could buy this house for under £50k. So we have more money in our pocket. DD applied for social housing when she finished university. Two months later she was offered a 2 bed flat, across the road from hèr work place, and pays around £700 a month which includes heating.

The North of England. We don't earn loads between us but manage to afford everything fine, have 2 kids who do whatever they want activity wise and no money worries.

I'm PT and haven't worked full time for the past 16 years.

The OP has said she is interested in emigrating- so not sure if Rotherham etc will quite cut it.

@Lanternnights unfortunately post Brexit it's not that straightforward for the EU anymore , depending what you do, whether you are in a shortage industry or whether you can get an internal transfer- EU citizens are prioritized- even if you could get a transfer, it kind of has to be that you have specific skills that others can't satisfy in many countries criteria- scandi countries and Netherlands really strict. some countries though do have nomad visas which you would probably fit criteria wise (mainly income and health related) but they are for a year and you have to keep extending and continue to fit the criteria and can't work within their system- so need to be earning from elsewhere

On a nomad visa my picks to fit your criteria would be Spain, Germany, Portugal and Croatia , Czech Republic and Hungary - Germany is good all round with quite an easy application. It's also got good rental conditions for tenants. I know 2 digital nomad visa guys in Prague - and that has worked well for them and still quite cheap . Poland has similar D1 visa that is designed for freelancers - krakow isa really nice place to live and still cheap

None of the Scandi countries, Netherlands or France does nomad visas- Italy does but they are very fiddly.

Outside of EU somewhere like Malaysia or Thailand are good if you have work options, Canada good too- but to be honest most places that are nice to live really are not cheap when you factor in housing and work. Australia is incredibly expensive as are better bits of USA-but depends really what you can achieve in income and whether you fit the criteria or can get a work transfer.

Central Europe.

Wow so many helpful replies, thank you everyone.

I am interested in Portugal. I've heard really good things. We are visiting friends who bought property over there soon. I'll ask lots of questions.

Love Germany as a place to visit but I'd really need to speak German well, I think. That would take some time!

I've heard US is nearly impossible to get into. Canada is beautiful. I'd die in Oz heat and NZ seems too isolated from the rest of the world.

My concern with Ireland is... is it quite backwards? Could have the wrong idea completely but a friend lived there for 2 years and said the attitudes were quite old fashioned.

Malaysia and Thailand sound like good options for making money go further and possibly working less (the dream!).

Lots of research to do.

Also thanks to PP who spoke about visa requirements. Yes this will pretty much dictate where/if we are able to go and I don't fancy being in limbo waiting to see if we are granted another year.

Scandanavia does seem like a utopia of sorts! So much so I'm almost skeptical 👀

My concern with Ireland is... is it quite backwards? Could have the wrong idea completely but a friend lived there for 2 years and said the attitudes were quite old fashioned.

No it is not backwards.
The cheek of you!😉
What particular attitudes was your friend referring to out of interest?

Ireland had a male prime minister who has a husband… how is that backwards? Ireland has changed a LOT in the last couple of decades. I think you’re friend might be out of date.

Well the UK has a brown PM, has that made people any less racist? Erm no.
I found attitudes in Ireland variable. Some places can be quite insular.... it really depends... of course the capital is diverse but crazy property prices/rent.

Surrey/Kent Borders...Close to London and M25, in lovely countryside and an hour from the sea. Works for us!

Lots of lovely places to live - but it really depends on what your definition of a good standard of living is. Do you want all the latest techy gadgets and mod cons with two flash cars, several foreign holidays per year and kids in private school etc etc or do you consider a good standard of living to be a (nice?) roof over your head, to be able to buy food without worrying, have the heating on and be able to have a nice view and good public transport and hold down a job which isn’t silly hours - that might help suggest where would be great for you.
A good standard of living is very subjective! Needs a bit of clarification.

We live in Malaysia and CoL is very cheap compared to Uk and ME (where we were previously). We are lucky as our school fees are paid for as DH is a teacher.

Ireland was the first country in the world to vote for the legalisation of same-sex marriage, so if you're suggesting that the country remains homophobic even though our Taoiseach is gay then you'd be on shaky ground.

@Filletofcheddar oops sorry if I've offended any Irish folks. She said it was mostly the treatment of women, the expectation to have children, but yes when she lived there abortion wasn't even legal!

when i think of ireland i think of one thing and one thing only

rain

Sorry standard of living for me would be having TIME. So, I'd like to work a bit less, have a bit more time, but be able to afford a house and to go out at the weekend, holidays would be a bonus. Don't care about cars, designer clothes, gadgets etc.

Northumberland. It's beautiful. Everyone really is more friendly. None of the keeping up with Jones stuff.
We live in a lovely old house near Hexham which has LOADS of art and cultural events on all the time. We shop in lovely family owned shops and the local farmers market. Access to brilliant schools (near to the best secondary in the north east).
Our house is 4 bed detached with a huge garden. We paid £350 for it. It's a 'naice' area.
There are no private secondary schools or grammars nearby so none of the weird competitive anxiety that breeds in parents.
We earn decent salaries but not huge. Because of our low mortgage we both work part time.
We found it easy to make friends because of strong community connections and just the culture of people being warm and friendly.
Life is genuinely good. We're happy and feel in no part of any rat race.

Yes @everygreensock I'd like to escape the rat race! That sounds wonderful.

I think an issue for us is that our house is Victorian and requires lots of maintenance, heating, money poured into it. We bought it cheaply but maintaining it costs. The area is very historic and there's not many newer houses. At the same time, I don't fancy living in a new build estate as we don't have any kids to benefit from it and I'd rather be on a main road or near transport links tbh

Not really. PP used a gay leader as an example of not being backwards. I simply pointed out that having a 'diverse' figurehead doesn't mean that the country is open.
Backwards can mean any number of things, some places like Italy for example while outwardly 'open' still have misogynistic attitudes regarding women being high achievers.

I don't fancy living in a new build estate as we don't have any kids to benefit from it and I'd rather be on a main road or near transport links tbh
We went for a new build (small estate of 80 homes) near a good bus and train service plus in an area with lots to do.
We’ve been in this house for 10 years and not needed to do any work except for get some rooms painted and buy new carpet which wasn’t essential. Our energy bills are very low too, it’s been a great house for enhancing our lifestyle as we love to travel and not worry about saving up for a new roof etc.

@NewYear24 that's actually really helpful to know. I need to find a newer style house near amenities I think.

@NewYear24 that's actually really helpful to know. I need to find a newer style house near amenities I think.

Its good to look at your life as a whole and imagine your lifestyle there. I chose somewhere that isn’t posh or fancy but that I liked as there is lots to do. This in turn has meant I’ve joined things and made some good friends. Over the years every time I’ve joined a gym I’ve made a new really good friend. This has been life enhancing for me.

I live in a pricey part of the uk but I can walk to a pool, beach, gym library cafes and shops. I cycle to work cinema see friends galleries theatre etc. can be in remote country side within an hour. I could move to a cheap area and have more money but I would be miserable. I don’t put the heating on much and have cut back on luxuries but I consider myself to have a great standard of living