Is It Cheaper to Travel the World Than to Live in the USA? The Surprising Truth

The Secrets No One’s Telling You.

Here’s a list of reasons why and how it can be evidently cheaper to travel the world rather than live in the USA. This may apply to various other countries with major cities.

1. Inexpensive Countries: Some countries have a much cheaper cost-of-living compared to others. Your money may go farther there rather than here. For example, I spend $2.50 USD to ride the L-train in Chicago and $0.31 USD to board the metro in Ukraine. If you choose wisely then you can find wonderful living situations around the world that cost less than cities in the USA. This can make a big difference on the amount of financial stress you feel. Money moves quickly. When I arrived in eastern Europe, I felt at ease because I knew my money wasn’t bleeding out of my pockets as rapidly as it would in any major US city.
2. No Energy Bills: You likely won’t have to pay for heating or air conditioning. Nor water or electricity. These resources will most likely be provided by your place of accommodation. You don’t even have the cost of Wifi. All you’ll need to spend is for food, transportation and a roof over your head. The hostel, hotel or Airbnb will most likely always have free wifi available. Make sure you use a VPN so that you don’t get hacked on an open network. Alternatively you can go to a public place such as a cafe or library to do some work and use the WIFI. I love not having to pay for a router, modem and monthly internet fees.
3. Life in Hostels: A hostel with a shared dorm room will often cost a fraction of the price of an AirBNB or Hotel. The average price is often $10–$20 per night or more depending on how boujee you are. If I was traveling with another person, I may choose to stay at an Airbnb for a change of pace or some privacy. Other than this case, it’s hostels all the way. I prefer these because its much easier to make friends in this space. While traveling solo, it can get lonely if I’m not connecting with people each day. At the hostel there will likely always be friends to make and money to save.
4. No Apartment Lease: If you sign an apartment lease you will be responsible to pay this same price every month, plus all the bills, entertainment, groceries and so on. It may be possible to find a cheap apartment room with roommates, but I’ve found I always spent more while locked into a lease. Even if your life situation changes, you have an emergency or loss, you can not change this costly commitment. If you purchase a condo, it can be even more with those association fees. Buying a home will require a mortgage. Work and financial situations may change during that duration. Without a lease, there is flexibility to adjust your expenses if necessary. Hey you could even live in a tent on camp ground for a while if need be.
5. No Home Goods: You won’t need to buy items such as appliances, decorations, a television, cleaning-supplies, carpets, furniture, etc. If you want to stay put and build a home for yourself, these items really do bring a sense of comfort and stability. If you want to see the world, you won’t need to be spending money on these items. A huge amount of money will be saved without the purchase of these home-making expenses.
6. Less Accumulation: While traveling, we develop a tendency to carry as little as possible. To lighten your burden. Unless you’re crazy and want to be stressed AF. I feel much more cautious about my purchases of new items while on the move. It’s so easy to unconsciously buy something and bring it home while living in commercial America. However on the road; with baggage weight restrictions, back pain from a heavy pack and the challenges of organization, it’s more likely that you won’t accumulate as much as we naturally do in the USA.
7. Useless Items Diminished: You won’t be buying expensive things to show off. Nor will you be buying useless this-and-thats just because Target triggered you into buying it. You will be traveling with essentials, it won’t be about fancy possessions anymore, it will be about fulfilling experiences, flights, horizons, moments with friends and exploring the globe. Only whats necessary or feels good for your journey will be important.
8. Thrift and Dollar Stores: Perhaps you’ll need to acquire some clothes or a miscellaneous item while traveling. There may be a thrift store nearby in which you can buy some items for the low-low. At one point I needed to acquire a throwaway pair of shoes and I found some for $10 USD. This was exactly the price I wanted to pay for sneakers that I didn’t intend to keep long term. Consider that these secondhand shops are your best friend, especially for items that you don’t intend to keep around.
9. Free Activities: When living in a US city, we consistently need some entertaining stimulation because we become bored of being in the same place for too long. Instead — go to parks, rooftops, outdoor attractions, see skylines, sunsets, beaches, landscapes and more. I personally don’t like expensive tourist traps such as museums, zoos and those “You need to go there.” type places. I’d rather walk around the park, down some side-streets or make a new friend. I could swim in the ocean, hike mountains for a view, do a photoshoot in a prairie or explore the feeling of daily life. All these activities are fulfilling and don’t really have any cost. Aside from perhaps the transportation required to arrive at these locations. Don’t feel pressured to spend much to be amused. Climate does have an effect on this. If it is very cold, wet or snowy, you’ll likely want to spend less time outside. This will direct you toward indoor locations which may be an expense. Remember that nature and warm outdoors will likely always take it easy on your wallet.
10. Public Transportation: Taking the bus and train will be cheaper than a taxi or Uber. There is no denying it. This also gives you a better sense of what it’s like to be a local. Traveling and living like a local is the best way to go anyway. Additionally if you take this route, you won’t need to own a car. Owning a car results in gas, maintenance and insurance payments. Plus the cost of purchasing a car. Simply living without the possession of a car is a huge reduction in cost. Tickets are also of consideration. You won’t be getting parking, speeding or red light tickets without a car. As we know, the US loves ticketing as frequently as possible.
11. Eat In: This likely means you’ll need to live somewhere with a kitchen and cutlery. Once I stayed at a hostel that didn’t even have plates or utensils (not recommended). I was making sandwiches on a handkerchief in my bed with a plastic knife that I got for free at the grocery store. I did feel resourcefully proud of myself for this, but it wasn’t exactly optimal. Moral of the story: Buy groceries at the store, you don’t have to eat out every time just because you’re traveling. You’ll spend substantially less if you’re getting food from the market. Take it home and prepare it in the kitchen.
12. Shared Meals: It can be a financially savvy to make some meals with other travelers and comrades. This is a communal aspect of traveling. Connections are made because of food. It’s a benefit for all involved. Share food, share expenses, share smiles.
13. Live off the Land: Earth grown foods will often be cheaper than products made by companies and brands. I try to eat fruits and veggies as frequently as possible, not only because they’re healthy, but they’re cheap. Buying these foods will be budget friendly. Some great examples are: Rice, bananas, nuts, clementines, potatoes, avocado, peppers. These really can be life-savers.
14. Be a True Rebel: Drink less or no alcohol. This can be a huge expense. I’m sober from alcohol and smoking and I find that I’m able to conserve more money than people who go out to bars and clubs frequently while they’re traveling. Partying is fun and all, but it does come at an expense. The more lit you are, the less financially responsible you’ll be. You might be drinking all your money away. Stay sober and save it. If you want to go to parties and social events, it’s still okay to go and hang out without splurging on liq, weed and uppers. There’s nothing wrong with the occasional drink or smoke. However if you’re saving money on these, your travel expenses will be lower.
15. It’s not a Vacation, it’s a Way of Life: Theres no need stay at the most expensive resort, buy tons of souvenirs and dump all your savings into one short trip (unless that’s your thing). It should be a marathon not a sprint. Don’t save all your money just to blow it on one travel event. Make it last, travel on a budget, produce money while you’re on the run. Use your computer to generate income. Play to your strengths, see if you can use them to gain funds while on the road. Think outside the box. Consider it as your lifestyle, not solely a short-term work-free expensive adventure.

Good luck on your journey. Happy travels!