Where could we live, really well, on about £1800 a month?

[KatyMac]

We could go pretty much anywhere I guess - but where would it be a good life?

eg we could go to Jamaica, but (according to DH) we might be quite restricted in where we could live & there is a lot of violence

we could go to spain but there are an awful lot of british people there & neither of us speak Spanish

So where could we go?

I think that's true Zippi - it was an idle Saturday evening thread - that has started real possibilities for us as a family

There are lots of variables which we need to address but it is now a real possibility

For some reason I know lots of teachers that have lived in Thailand and had an amazing standard of living compared to what they would have here.

Don't fancy that somehow

I earn that, live in provincial France and have been supporting a family of on that salary for three years. I would not say that we live really well.
You could certainly live well in Mauritius, but flying back to the UK if you want to visit friends and family is another matter. And I'd want to check out healthcare. I lived near Mauritius and some people used to travel out of Mauritius to where I was for operations, etc.
I'm not sure about the education system either, having taught some Mauritian students (though I think the the best ones didn't come to the university I was working in...).

"have been supporting a family of three for the last three years", that should say...

That always happens to me too

I would also agree that it's worth looking into SA. Challenges are that there is crime, you cannot deny that and that you might find it hard to get work as a CM as there will be lots of local women doing that.

Having said that, if you've got equity to put into a house on arrival with your £1800 you could live well, without even getting a job - especially at current exchange rates. You would benefit from good weather and excellent medical care, and you'd be in (more or less) the same time zone as family and friends in the UK - don't underestimate how important that is.

Depending on how much equity you have, I would have thought you could also save, or certainly get to point that in 9 years, your mortgage is entirely paid off.

DH is a little wary (probably unreasonably) about SA - because we have had problems enough about being a mixed marriage in the UK

Mmm... I can understand that. But to be honest, I'd say that really it is not an issue any more. In fact, you're far more likely to be seen as an excellent example of the New South Africa (until they hear your accents, obviously! )

What my scouse & DH's Jamaican with DD throwing in a little bit of Norfolk