👉 Watch the full episode: The Freedom Score Deep Dive on YouTube

You see a life where your biggest stressor is choosing which local cafe has the best espresso. We call this the “Vacation High.” It is that feeling of possibility that comes when you realize your hard-earned savings could buy you a much larger, more vibrant life abroad.

But as MJ and I have learned through the GenXit Project, a pretty view is only one piece of the puzzle. When you are planning an international relocation, you are moving more than your luggage. You are moving your legal rights, your safety, and your peace of mind. That is why we need to talk about a metric most lists ignore: The Freedom Score.

What Is the Freedom Index?

The Freedom Index is an annual report published by Freedom House, a nonpartisan organization that has been tracking global liberty since 1941. They score every country on a scale of 0 to 100 based on two main categories: Political Rights and Civil Liberties.

As global nomads, we use this as a “health check” for a potential home. It isn’t just about politics. It is about the practicalities of daily life.

• Rule of Law: Can you trust the local courts if you have a property dispute?

• Personal Autonomy: Can you travel freely and own a business?

• Expression: Is it safe to share your life and opinions on social media?

A number without context is just a number. But when you are looking at early retirement abroad, this number becomes your framework for risk.

The Baseline: Where Does the US Rank?

To make sense of the world, we have to look at the environment we are leaving behind. In the 2026 Freedom Index, the United States scores an 81 out of 100.

That 81 is our baseline. It means there are roughly 69 countries that score the same or higher than the US. Some of these are the “usual suspects”, cold, expensive northern European countries like Finland (a perfect 100) or Norway (99). They are incredible, but they often don’t align with the low cost of living goals most of us have for retirement.

The real magic happens when we find the “Sweet Spot”, countries that offer high freedom scores, great weather, and a financial “breathing room” that the US simply can’t match.

The Americas: Proximity vs. Liberty

Many of us look to the Americas first because of the flight times and timezone alignment with family back home. But the freedom scores here vary wildly.

Mexico: The Expat Paradox (Score: 58)

Mexico is the most popular destination for American expats, yet it scores a 58 (Partly Free). The report cites concerns over press freedom and cartel influence in certain regions.

The Expat Reality: Does this mean you shouldn’t move to San Miguel de Allende? Not necessarily. Over a million Americans live happy, safe lives in Mexico. The score tells us to be geographically selective. Your experience in an established expat hub will feel very different from the aggregate score of the entire country.

Panama: The Stable Giant (Score: 82)

Panama actually scores one point higher than the US. For a country with the world-famous Pensionado Visa, this is a huge green flag. It offers a dollarized economy, modern infrastructure, and a high level of personal autonomy. It is one of the most reliable international relocation bets on the map.

Costa Rica: The Pura Vida Leader (Score: 91)

Costa Rica is the overachiever of the region, scoring ten points higher than the US. They abolished their military decades ago and put that money into healthcare and education. As a result, it is a stable, peaceful democracy that consistently attracts those looking for a “Blue Zone” lifestyle.

Link to GenXit Toolkit: Dream Destination Worksheet

Not sure if Mexico or Costa Rica is the right fit? Use our 15-question diagnostic tool to move past “vacation feels” and identify the Tier 1 dealbreakers that lead to long-term happiness in a new home.

The European Dream: High Liberty, High Lifestyle

Europe is where we see some of the highest freedom scores paired with the history and culture many Gen Xers crave.

Portugal: The Safe Haven (Score: 96)

Portugal is the top scorer of our European picks. Scoring a 96, it offers a level of safety and civil liberty that is hard to beat globally. When you combine that with the D7 Passive Income Visa, you have a pathway to residency in a country that is stable, welcoming, and deeply respectful of individual rights.

Spain: The 300-Day Sun Strategy (Score: 91)

Spain ties with Costa Rica at 91. It is a mature democracy with world-class healthcare and a Non-Lucrative Visa that makes it very accessible for those with social security or pension income. From a freedom perspective, Spain is a total green light.

Greece: The Rising Star (Score: 85)

Greece has recently topped several “Best Places to Retire” lists, and its freedom score of 85 backs up the hype. It is a stable, functioning democracy where your rights as a resident are protected, all while offering a Mediterranean lifestyle that is surprisingly affordable.

The Asian Adventure: Navigating the Not-Free

Asia offers some of the most dramatic lifestyle upgrades for your dollar, but the freedom scores require a more nuanced conversation.

Thailand: The Great Contrast (Score: 33)

Thailand scores a 33 (Not Free). For many, this is a shock because the “Land of Smiles” feels so welcoming. The score is driven by strict laws regarding the monarchy and restrictions on political expression.

The Expat Reality: In daily life, you likely won’t “feel” oppressed. The healthcare is world-class and the people are incredibly kind. However, you must understand that “freedom of speech” has different boundaries there. Interestingly, Thailand recently legalized same-sex marriage, showing that social progress can happen even when political scores are low.

Malaysia (53) and The Philippines (58)

Both land in the Partly Free category. Malaysia offers incredible infrastructure and English proficiency, while the Philippines offers a deep personal connection and affordability. In both cases, the freedom concerns are usually concentrated in political or journalistic circles—areas most retired global nomads aren’t active in.

Why “Running the Math” Isn’t Enough

We know you want to make sure the money works. We’ve done that work, too. But moving abroad is about more than geographic arbitrage. It is about finding a place where you can relax.

If you are constantly worried about the stability of the local government or the safety of your property, you aren’t really retired, you are just stressed in a different language. We use these scores to ensure that the “Freedom Date” we are working toward is actually a date with true freedom.

Link to The GenXit Bridge Fund Calculator

Ready to find your exit date? Use our practical tracking tool to measure the gap between today and your move. Visualize your savings growth so you can pinpoint your projected “Freedom Date.”

The Expat Safety Check

For many of us, especially women traveling or moving solo, safety is the primary concern. MJ often points out that a country’s Freedom Score often correlates with how women are treated in public spaces and in the legal system.

A high score in “Personal Autonomy” usually means a safer environment for solo travelers. It means better lighting, more reliable public transit, and a society that respects personal boundaries.

Link to GenXit Toolkit: The Solo Woman’s Travel Guide

Confidence is the best safety gear. MJ has compiled the essential safety and lifestyle habits for solo female travelers to help you navigate the world on your own terms.

Final Thoughts: Look Beyond the Beach

The Freedom Index is a tool, not a rule. A low score doesn’t mean you should cross a country off your list, but it does mean you need to do more homework.

Before you fall in love with a villa or a sunset, ask yourself:

1. Does this country’s “Rules of the Road” align with my lifestyle?

2. Am I comfortable with the trade-offs I’m making for a lower cost of living?

3. Is the “vibe” backed up by the data?

We are on this journey with you, researching the countries, testing the visas, and finding the truth behind the glossy brochures. The world is waiting, and it is more accessible—and freer—than you might think.

Links Mentioned in This Article

• 👉 Watch the full episode: The Freedom Score Deep Dive on YouTube

• Freedom House: The Freedom House 2026 Report

• The Dream Destination Worksheet: Link to GenXit Toolkit: Dream Destination Worksheet

• The Bridge Fund Calculator: Link to The GenXit Bridge Fund Calculator

• The Solo Woman’s Travel Guide: Link to GenXit Toolkit: The Solo Woman’s Travel Guide

Who We Are Mike & MJ are the voices behind The GenXit Project, a resource for Gen X’rs exploring early retirement, financial independence, and life abroad. We cover international relocation, expat finance, and the real logistics of leaving it all behind (in the best way). Follow our journey on YouTube and and the website as we turn “what if” into “what’s next.”

For the first time since the Great Depression, more people left the United States than moved into it. Not people who were forced out. Not people who were deported. American citizens, ordinary people with ordinary lives, who looked at their options and chose somewhere else.

We’ve been living this conversation for years now. And when the Wall Street Journal published a data-backed investigation spanning more than fifty countries, it confirmed what a lot of us have quietly known: the life you actually want may be more available somewhere else than it is at home.

Here’s what the data shows, what it means, and why it matters if you’re seriously thinking about what comes next.

The Number That Stopped Us Cold

The Brookings Institution estimates the U.S. lost a net 150,000 people in 2025. That number will likely grow in 2026.

To understand why that’s significant, consider this: when Gallup asked Americans during the 2008 recession how many wanted to permanently leave the country, the answer was one in ten. Last year, during no recession, the answer was one in five. That number doubled in less than two decades.

Forty percent of American women between the ages of fifteen and forty-four said they’d like to permanently move overseas if they could. That’s a larger percentage than sub-Saharan Africans who say the same, a region the world typically associates with economic desperation.

These aren’t fringe numbers. This is a measurable, documented shift in how Americans feel about where they live.

👉 Watch the full breakdown on YouTube: [Link to episode]

Who Is Actually Leaving

Here’s the part that surprises most people: it’s not who you’d expect.

For years, the image of the American abroad was young, credentialed, a little adventurous. The laptop-and-Bali crowd. One relocation company founder, herself a 54-year-old Alabama native who moved to Yucatán in 2024, put it plainly: “Previously, the Americans leaving were super-adventurous and well-credentialed. Now they’re ordinary people, like me.”

The WSJ profiled Kelly McCoy, 45, from Buffalo, New York. She was making $80,000 a year as an insurance analyst and struggling to keep up. She moved to Albania in 2024 to take advantage of a special visa that allows Americans to live and work there with no tax on foreign income for a year. She broke her arm shortly after arriving. She went to the local hospital, got treated, and wandered the halls afterward confused, because nobody came to charge her.

She has since helped fifteen Americans on Social Security or disability make the same move. Her assessment: you can live comfortably in Albania on $1,000 a month.

Then there’s Chris Ford, 41, who works remotely for a Dallas real estate investment firm from Berlin, where he coaches a kids’ baseball league. He told the Journal: “The wages are higher in the U.S. but the quality of life is higher in Europe.”

That sentence is the whole conversation.

If You’re Still Figuring Out Where You’d Even Go

That’s exactly where most people get stuck. Not “should I leave” but “where would I even start?”

We built the GenXit Dream Destination Worksheet for this moment. It’s a 15-question diagnostic tool designed to move you past “vacation feels” and help you identify the dealbreakers that actually determine long-term happiness in a new home, things like healthcare quality, visa ease, walkability, and what it really means to move with a partner.

[Link to GenXit Dream Destination Worksheet]

The Geography of the Exit

The WSJ analyzed data from more than fifty countries. The pattern is consistent and undeniable.

In nearly every one of the European Union’s twenty-seven member states, the number of Americans arriving to live and work is at an all-time record.

Portugal has seen its American population jump more than 500% since the pandemic, and grow another 36% in 2024 alone. Americans now represent 58% of all foreign home buyers there. House prices in some historical districts have doubled in five years.

Ireland welcomed 10,000 Americans in 2025. Double what came the year before.

Last year, more Americans moved to Germany than Germans moved to America. The flow reversed.

Spain and the Netherlands have nearly doubled their American resident populations in the past decade. There’s a square in Madrid that locals have nicknamed “Plaza U.S.A.”

France is one we’ve been paying close attention to, and MJ just came back from Paris.

She went over President’s Day weekend, stayed in Le Marais, and spent four days keeping both eyes open. Not as a tourist. As a global nomad asking the question that actually matters: could we afford to live here?

The honest answer? Paris and Chicago landed in roughly the same cost ballpark. A mid-range dinner for two runs about $83 in Paris versus $100 in Chicago. A one-bedroom in the city center comes in around $1,596 a month versus $2,469 in Chicago. Those numbers sound promising until you realize that for geographic arbitrage to work for us, retiring at 57, living off savings before Social Security or retirement accounts kick in, a destination needs to meaningfully stretch our bridge fund dollars. Paris doesn’t do that. It matches what we’re already spending. It doesn’t beat it.

MJ put it simply: “You’re not moving to Paris to save money. You’re moving there for a specific lifestyle.”

She loved it. She’d go back in a heartbeat. But it didn’t make the top five.

On friction, getting an apartment, navigating bureaucracy, the language barrier day in and day out, she put Paris at a seven or eight out of ten. Doable. But not easy. And the walkability is real, with one caveat she wanted to flag for anyone whose knees have opinions: some of the deeper metro stations are a serious stair climb. She got lapped by a couple in their 70s. She’s still not over it.

The full Paris episode is worth watching if France is on your list.

👉 [Watch: Is Paris Worth It for Early Retirement? What MJ Actually Found]

In Norway, a country Trump has mentioned in rallies as a source of desirable immigrants, the number of natural-born Americans living there now exceeds the number of Norwegian-born residents living in the U.S. The direction of that flow reversed too.

The WSJ’s analysis of just fifteen countries identified at least 180,000 Americans who moved to those countries in 2025 alone. The real number is almost certainly much higher.

What’s Actually Driving This

The Journal describes the motivations of people leaving as “a tangle of economic incentives, lifestyle preferences, and disenchantment with the trajectory of America.”

Cost of living is the most obvious thread. Healthcare abroad versus healthcare in the U.S. is not a close comparison in most developed countries. Housing in major American cities has priced out an entire generation. Childcare. Student debt. The general feeling that no matter how hard you work, you’re running in place.

But there’s something underneath the economics.

A father named Chris moved his family to Berlin because he didn’t want his five-year-old doing active shooter drills in kindergarten. A family in Lisbon relocated after their son’s school had its second active shooter scare. A Texan fintech specialist in Madrid discovered that by canceling his American health insurance plan and buying European private coverage instead, he saved enough to afford tuition at one of the capital’s elite schools.

These are not people who ran the numbers on a spreadsheet and made a cold calculation. These are people who hit a threshold and decided something had to change.

If You’re Still Figuring Out the Money Side

The financial piece of international relocation is where most people stall. Not because they can’t do it, but because they don’t know how close they actually are.

The GenXit Bridge Fund Calculator was built to answer that question directly. It helps you visualize the gap between today and your exit date, tracking debt elimination and savings growth so you can pinpoint your actual projected Freedom Date.

[Link to GenXit Bridge Fund Calculator]

The Students, the Retirees, and the Long Game

One signal the WSJ highlights that suggests this isn’t a passing moment: education.

More than 100,000 American students are currently enrolled abroad for more affordable university degrees. The number of Americans obtaining a degree in Europe has doubled since 2011, rising 14% last year in the U.K. alone. Of the twelve American students the Journal spoke to, studying across Spain, Scotland, and England, only one planned to return to the U.S.

When students build networks, careers, and relationships overseas, mobility becomes generational.

Renunciations of U.S. citizenship jumped 48% in 2024. The U.S. government now has a months-long backlog of Americans asking to formally renounce. Americans are applying for British citizenship at the highest rate since records began in 2004. Irish passport applications from Americans hit nearly 40,000 in 2025.

These are not the actions of people who are experimenting. These are the actions of people who have decided.

What This Means for People Like Us

The Journal ends their piece with a genuine question: are these emigrants a credit to American strength, people empowered by American salaries to go live well somewhere else? Or do they represent something else, a loss of faith, a vote against the direction the country is heading?

We think it’s neither one nor the other cleanly. For most people it’s both, tangled together in ways that are hard to separate.

We’re not leaving because we hate where we come from. That part isn’t simple, and anyone who tells you it is isn’t being honest with you. But we’re also clear-eyed about what we see. The cost of healthcare in retirement in the United States is a genuine financial threat. The cost of housing in desirable areas has made a comfortable retirement much harder to achieve than it was for our parents’ generation.

And when you look at what your dollar actually buys in Lisbon, or Valencia, or the Algarve, and compare that to what it buys at home, the conversation changes.

A Temple University researcher named Caitlin Joyce, who has spent years studying this migration trend, said it plainly in her Journal interview: “Americans move abroad and find they like life better abroad.”

At the end of her interview, she asked the reporter, based in Europe, what it was like living over there.

Because she was thinking about moving too.

The Option Has Always Existed. Now It’s Accessible.

What’s changed isn’t that life abroad is possible. It’s that it has become practical for ordinary people, not just the adventurous or the wealthy.

The infrastructure exists. The visa pathways are real. The communities of Americans who have already made the move are large enough that you won’t be starting from zero. And the data now confirms what a lot of us have felt for a while: this is not a fringe idea. This is a direction that millions of people are moving in, for reasons that make complete sense.

The only question is where you are in that conversation.

Links Mentioned in This Article

• 📰 Full WSJ Article, “Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers” by Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson (Feb. 25, 2026)

• 📋 GenXit Dream Destination Worksheet, [Link]

• 📊 GenXit Bridge Fund Calculator, [Link]

• 🎬 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube, [Link]

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  Who We Are Mike & MJ are the voices behind The GenXit Project, a resource for Gen X professionals exploring early retirement, financial independence, and life abroad. We cover international relocation, expat finance, and the real logistics of leaving it all behind (in the best way). Follow our journey on YouTube and Substack as we turn "what if" into "what's next."

There’s a version of your future where you wake up in a centuries-old apartment, grab a fresh baguette from the corner bakery, and walk to a cafe along the Seine for your morning coffee. For a lot of us, that version has a name: Paris.

But here’s the question we actually had to ask ourselves: is Paris meaningfully cheaper than where we already live? Because if it’s not, if moving abroad doesn’t actually stretch our bridge fund further, then the dream needs a harder look.

We sent MJ over President’s Day weekend to find out. She traveled solo, stayed in Le Marais, and spent four days keeping both eyes open, not just as a tourist, but as a global nomad asking real questions about real life in Paris.

Here’s what she found.

Paris vs. Chicago: The Cost of Living Reality Check

We use Chicago as our baseline because that’s where we live now. So when we pulled up the Numbeo comparison between Paris and Chicago, the headline number stopped us cold.

According to Numbeo, the overall cost of living in Chicago, including rent, runs about 7% higher than Paris. Strip out rent and Chicago is actually about 5% cheaper for day-to-day expenses. But that rent gap is where it gets interesting: Chicago rents run roughly 35% higher than Paris overall.

Here’s what that looks like in real numbers:

• A mid-range dinner for two (three courses, no drinks): $83 in Paris vs. $100 in Chicago

• A cappuccino: basically the same, $5.19 in Paris, $5.56 in Chicago

• Monthly utilities for a typical apartment: $273 in Paris vs. $166 in Chicago, Paris runs noticeably higher here

• Mobile phone plan: $17/month in Paris vs. $71 in Chicago, this one genuinely surprised us

• Broadband internet: $34/month in Paris vs. $67 in Chicago, another Paris win

• A one-bedroom apartment in the city center: $1,596 in Paris vs. $2,469 in Chicago

So what’s the honest takeaway? Paris and Chicago are in roughly the same cost ballpark. You’re not moving to Paris to save money, you’re moving there for a specific lifestyle. And for us, that’s the problem.

We’re planning to retire at 57, which means we’ll be living on savings and investment returns for several years before Social Security or retirement accounts become accessible without penalty. Every destination on our list needs to meaningfully stretch those bridge fund dollars, not just match what we’re already spending. Paris doesn’t do that. For geographic arbitrage, we need to look elsewhere.

Solo Female Travel in Paris: How Safe Does It Actually Feel?

This question comes up constantly in our community, and it deserves a straight answer.

MJ rated Paris roughly a two out of ten on a safety concern scale, with one being the safest. Her take: treat it like any major city, because it is one. The same instincts that keep you comfortable in Chicago or New York work just fine here.

For context, Numbeo’s current data puts Paris’s crime index at 58 out of 100, moderate for a major European city, roughly on par with Manchester and London. It’s not alarming, but it’s not Zurich either.

The most practical moment of MJ’s trip came one evening when her phone couldn’t connect and she couldn’t order an Uber after watching the sunset near the Louvre. She was about a mile and a half from the hotel, it was getting dark, and she made a simple call: cross to the side of the street with the restaurants and cafes, where the outdoor seating, the lights, and the people created a natural buffer. She walked with purpose, didn’t look lost, and made it back without a single uncomfortable moment.

That instinct, stick to well-lit, populated areas and walk like you belong, is one of the core principles in our Solo Woman’s Travel Guide.

[LINK TO SOLO WOMAN’S GUIDE TO SAFETY HERE]

One more tip worth repeating: at Charles de Gaulle, skip the guys roaming the arrivals hall offering rides. Walk past them and go straight to the official taxi stand. Uber works seamlessly in Paris, and G7 is the local licensed alternative worth having on your phone.

Walkability: Yes, But It’s a Different Kind of Walk

Walkability was one of our non-negotiables when we built out our destination criteria. After moving from Florida to Chicago, we realized how much we love not needing a car, and we’re not going back.

Paris scores extremely high for walkability. MJ was staying in Le Marais, a neighborhood with real residential density, locals, kids, morning routines, not just tourists. You can absolutely live there without a car.

But the rhythm of daily life is genuinely different from what we’re used to in the U.S. Forget the one-stop grocery run. In Paris, you go to the bread shop for bread, the cheese shop for cheese, the wine store for wine, the farmers market for produce. Each stop is its own small errand. It’s charming on vacation. Day in and day out, it’s a lifestyle adjustment that deserves a real conversation before you commit.

The metro more than compensates for distance, there were roughly four stops within five blocks of where MJ was staying. One practical note: some of the deeper metro stations require a serious stair climb. There’s one in particular where MJ was lapped by a couple in their 70s. Worth flagging for anyone whose knees have opinions about stairs.

Bottom line: no car required. But you do need to make peace with a more intentional, neighborhood-based way of living.

The Friction Factor

We talk about friction a lot because it quietly shapes your happiness more than any famous landmark will.

On a scale of one to ten, where one is “moving to another U.S. state” and ten is complete chaos, MJ put Paris at a seven or eight. The language barrier is real. French bureaucracy for finding an apartment, setting up utilities, or navigating residency paperwork is famously challenging. There are long-term American expats in Paris who will tell you that even after years of living there, the administrative side of French life never fully stops being its own ongoing project.

That’s not a reason to cross Paris off the list. It is a reason to factor it into your planning.

If you want a clean framework for evaluating friction, safety, walkability, and cost across every country you’re considering, our Destination Worksheet is a good place to start.

[Link to Dream Destination Worksheet here]

The Moment That Made It All Worth It

We asked MJ if there was a moment over the weekend where she just felt the joy of being a global nomad.

She was walking two blocks off the main road when she spotted a crowd gathering at Pont Neuf just as the sun was setting, everyone there to catch the Eiffel Tower in the fading light. She had that same feeling again on Sunday, walking near the Louvre when the Tower’s lights suddenly switched on and the spotlight started sweeping.

She wasn’t at the base of it fighting the crowds. She was just... there. In Paris. Watching it.

Those moments are why we do this.

So Does Paris Make Our Top Five?

With some sadness, no.

The cost of living is close enough to Chicago that it doesn’t give our bridge fund any meaningful breathing room. The bureaucratic friction for establishing residency is significant. And the language barrier adds a layer of complexity that other destinations on our list handle more gently.

That said, wherever we eventually land, Paris will be a short flight away. MJ made peace with that.

Quick Tips for Anyone Heading to Paris Solo

Plan the trip and buy the ticket, don’t wait for the perfect moment. Pick your top three must-see experiences and consider the trip a win if you hit them. Everything else is a bonus and a reason to come back.

Set your service expectations before you arrive. French cafe culture isn’t slow or rude, it’s just different. They won’t rush you out, and they won’t hover either. Ask for the check when you’re ready. That’s all it takes.

Walk like you belong. Keep moving, keep your head up, and stay on the well-lit side of the street after dark.

🗺️ GenXit Country Snapshot: France (Paris)

Our standardized scorecard for every country we scout. Same criteria, every time, so you can compare.

Links Mentioned in This Article

• Solo Woman’s Travel Guide: HERE

• Dream Destination Worksheet: HERE

• Bridge Fund Calculator: HERE

• Watch the full Paris episode on YouTube: HERE

• Join our email list for country-by-country updates:

  Subscribe now

We are a Gen X couple on a two-year mission to pay off our debts, build our bridge fund, and retire internationally at 57. Follow along as we scout ten countries and figure out where we’re actually going to land.

The short answer is yes. But the confusion is real, and the myths are everywhere. Some people believe leaving the country automatically cuts off their retirement income. Others think there’s mountains of paperwork or bureaucratic nightmares waiting for them. We’ve even heard folks say they’d lose everything they’ve paid into the system for decades.

None of that is true. But the details matter, and that’s exactly what we’re unpacking today.

The Basic Truth About Social Security and International Living

If you’re an American citizen receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you can continue collecting those payments while living in most countries around the world. The Social Security Administration doesn’t penalize you for choosing to spend your retirement years in Mexico, Portugal, Thailand, or dozens of other destinations that global nomads call home.

This applies whether you’re 62 and just starting to collect early retirement benefits, you’ve hit full retirement age, or you’re receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The rules remain consistent: if you qualified for benefits while living in the United States, those benefits travel with you.

👉 Watch the full episode to see us walk through the Social Security Administration’s screening tool in real time.

The Two Countries Where It Won’t Work

Here’s where reality gets a bit more complicated. There are exactly two countries where the United States will not send Social Security payments: Cuba and North Korea.

We realize this probably doesn’t affect most readers, but we can imagine specific scenarios where it matters. Perhaps you left Cuba after Castro’s rise to power, became a U.S. citizen, built a life here, and now want to return to the country where you were born. We get it. Family ties run deep, and the desire to spend your final years in familiar places is powerful.

But if you move back to Cuba, your Social Security payments will stop. The Social Security Administration will hold those funds, and you can collect all the back payments once you return to the U.S. or move to an acceptable country. The money isn’t gone, but you can’t access it while living there.

The same applies to North Korea, though we’re guessing that’s even less common among our community.

Eight More Countries With Special Arrangements

Beyond those two, there are eight additional countries where the Social Security Administration can’t send payments through normal channels: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Notice a pattern? These are all former Soviet republics with complicated banking relationships with the United States.

The good news is that “can’t send payments through normal channels” doesn’t mean “can’t send payments at all.” It means you’ll need to contact the Social Security Administration directly and work out special arrangements on a case-by-case basis. We don’t know exactly what those arrangements look like because they vary depending on your specific situation, but the option exists.

So out of every country on the planet, only ten present any complications at all. That’s pretty manageable.

How You’ll Actually Get Your Money

Understanding the rules is one thing. Figuring out the practical logistics of accessing your monthly payment in another country is another.

We’ve seen global nomads use two main approaches, and both work perfectly well.

Keep Your U.S. Bank Account

Many people maintain their existing U.S. bank account and use an ATM card to withdraw cash overseas. This is simpler than it sounds. Walk up to an ATM in Mexico City, Bangkok, or Lisbon, insert your card, and pull out local currency.

Your Social Security payment still gets deposited in U.S. dollars. When you withdraw funds, the bank handles the exchange rate automatically. If you’re receiving $1,500 per month and you’re in Mexico, you’ll pull out roughly 30,000 pesos based on current exchange rates. In Thailand, that same amount becomes about 50,000 baht.

One thing to watch: ATM fees add up fast when you’re relying on this method for regular access to cash. International ATM withdrawals often trigger fees from both the foreign bank and your U.S. bank. Over the course of a year, those $3 and $5 charges become real money.

The solution? Look for U.S. banks that reimburse international ATM fees. Charles Schwab is one name that comes up frequently in global nomad circles, though we’re not specifically endorsing them. Just do your homework and find a bank that won’t nickel-and-dime you every time you need cash.

Open a Local Bank Account

The other option is opening a bank account in your new country and having Social Security deposit your payment directly there. The United States has international direct deposit agreements with most countries, so this process is more straightforward than you might expect.

How you open a foreign bank account varies wildly depending on where you land. Some countries make it incredibly easy. Others require residency permits, proof of address, or multiple in-person visits. We can’t give you a universal answer because every country handles banking differently.

But once you’ve got that account set up, the Social Security Administration can send your monthly payment straight there. No ATM fees, no exchange rate surprises, no maintaining ties to a U.S. bank if you’d prefer a clean break.

The Questionnaire Nobody Tells You About

Here’s something that catches people off guard: the Social Security Administration will send you a questionnaire every year or two after you move abroad.

This isn’t an audit or an interrogation. They’re simply confirming that your situation hasn’t changed in ways that affect your eligibility. Did you get married or divorced? Did you start working overseas? Did you move to a different country? Have you, unfortunately, passed away, and is someone else trying to collect your benefits?

These are basic check-ins to make sure the information they have on file still matches reality. Answer honestly, return it promptly, and your payments continue without interruption. Ignore it, and you’re creating unnecessary problems for yourself.

What About Social Security Disability?

If you’re currently receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, the same rules apply. You can collect those payments while living overseas, and the Social Security Administration will continue depositing funds as long as you remain disabled according to their criteria.

Just like in the United States, if your medical condition improves to the point where you’re no longer considered disabled, your payments may stop. But that’s true whether you’re living in Des Moines or Medellín.

The one thing we want to emphasize: everything we’re discussing assumes you already qualify for these benefits. Moving overseas doesn’t magically make you eligible for Social Security if you weren’t eligible before. Get that sorted first, then worry about where you’ll spend your retirement.

Supplemental Security Income Is Different

Here’s where things get tricky for some people: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not follow you overseas.

SSI is different from Social Security retirement and disability. It’s designed for people with extremely limited income and resources, and the program operates under different rules. The Social Security Administration will not continue SSI payments if you move outside the United States, and those benefits will stop within about 30 days of your departure.

The reasoning makes sense when you understand the program’s intent. SSI is meant to be temporary support while you work toward financial stability, typically through employment. Since most countries restrict or prohibit foreigners from working, the program doesn’t extend internationally.

If SSI is your primary income source, moving abroad probably isn’t viable under current rules. But if you’re receiving regular Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you’re in much better shape.

Non-Citizens Can Collect Too

We’d be remiss if we didn’t address this: you don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to collect Social Security while living overseas.

The rules get more nuanced depending on your citizenship, how long you lived and worked in the United States, and how you originally qualified for benefits. We can’t cover every possible scenario because there are simply too many variables.

But non-citizens absolutely can and do collect Social Security retirement benefits. We’ve known people who worked in the U.S. for years, earned their 40 credits, qualified for benefits, and then returned to their home countries to retire. The checks kept coming.

If this describes your situation, your best move is contacting the Social Security Administration directly to walk through your specific circumstances. They deal with these cases constantly and can give you accurate guidance based on your exact details.

How to Check Your Specific Situation

The Social Security Administration offers a simple online screening tool that answers the question definitively: can you collect benefits in the country where you want to live?

It takes about two minutes to complete. You’ll answer four or five basic questions about your citizenship status, what type of benefits you receive, and which country you’re considering. The tool then tells you exactly whether your payments will continue.

We walked through this tool step-by-step in the video version of this article, showing you exactly what to expect. Whether you’re a U.S. citizen planning to retire in Mexico or a non-citizen returning to the Philippines, the tool gives you a clear yes or no answer with no ambiguity.

Check your eligibility using the Social Security Administration’s payment abroad screening tool

The Bottom Line for Global Nomads

For the overwhelming majority of Americans receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, moving overseas doesn’t interrupt your income. The myths about losing everything or facing bureaucratic nightmares just don’t hold up against reality.

Ten countries out of nearly 200 present any complications at all. Two prohibit payments entirely. Eight require special arrangements but don’t make it impossible. Everywhere else works smoothly with either direct deposit to a foreign bank or ATM withdrawals from your U.S. account.

We’ve watched people agonize over this decision, convinced they’d have to choose between their dream of living abroad and their financial security. That’s a false choice. You’ve paid into Social Security your entire working life. Those benefits are yours whether you spend retirement in Phoenix or Puerto Vallarta.

The real question isn’t whether you can collect Social Security abroad. It’s whether the life you’ll build overseas is worth making the move. And that’s a question only you can answer.

Links Mentioned in This Article

Social Security Administration Payment Abroad Screening Tool
Check whether you can receive Social Security benefits in your intended country of residence
https://www.ssa.gov/international/payments_outsideUS.html

Social Security Administration International Programs
Complete information about receiving benefits outside the United States
https://www.ssa.gov/international/

We are building our relocation plan the hard way. We are testing countries, walking neighborhoods, tracking costs, and facing real health scares. Today we share the five deal breakers that guide every decision we make as global nomads. If a destination fails one of these, we walk away. No matter how beautiful or popular the place looks online.

👉 Watch the full episode

Start With Reality, Not Fantasy

Many people begin with a map and a dream. Beach. Cheap rent. Warm weather. Freedom. Then reality shows up. Healthcare. Visas. Safety. Taxes. Access to family. These shape daily life far more than scenery.

We built a simple system to stay grounded. Our Dream Destination Worksheet breaks your thinking into three groups:

• Five deal breakers you must have

• Five nice to have features

• Five bonus factors

This forces clarity. You stop chasing perfect places and start choosing compatible ones.

Deal Breaker One: Cost of Living That Matches Your Plan

You cannot outrun math forever. Lifestyle matters more than spreadsheets, but your numbers must support your life.

We love Paris. We love New York. We also know early retirement without Social Security changes the equation. If your income comes from savings and investments, every dollar counts. A city that drains your runway shortens your freedom.

Cost of living is personal. One couple lives well on $2,500 a month. Another needs $6,000. Neither is wrong. What matters is alignment between your spending and your long term plan.

We track four core categories:

• Housing and utilities

• Healthcare and insurance

• Daily living and food

• Travel and lifestyle

Many global nomads reduce costs by 30 to 60 percent compared to major US cities. Thailand, Mexico, Portugal, and parts of Eastern Europe often provide high quality living at lower costs. But cheap alone is not enough. Cheap with healthcare, safety, and stability matters.

If you want to test your numbers, our Bridge Fund Calculator shows how long your savings support your relocation plan and what monthly budget works best for your timeline.

Deal Breaker Two: Healthcare You Trust and Can Afford

Nothing clarifies priorities like a health scare.

We once planned a relocation scouting trip. Two days before departure, cancer entered the conversation. Plans paused. Reality stepped in. Healthcare moved from “important” to non negotiable.

As global nomads in our 50s, we evaluate healthcare on three levels:

1. Quality equal to or better than what we trust today

2. Affordable without destroying our retirement plan

3. Access to specialists and emergency care

Many countries surprise people. In Bangkok, a full annual physical with labs and specialists can cost around $300 out of pocket. No insurance. Clean facilities. Modern equipment. Short wait times.

Healthcare abroad often combines lower cost with strong outcomes. Countries like Thailand, Spain, Portugal, and Costa Rica rank highly for medical tourism and expat care. Still, each country differs. Catastrophic insurance, prescription access, and hospital quality must be verified before you commit.

We always ask one question: If something serious happens, would we feel safe here?

Deal Breaker Three: Safety and Personal Freedom

Safety is not abstract. It is daily life.

We want to walk at night. Travel alone. Live without fear or restrictions. Safety shapes freedom, especially for solo travelers and women.

We evaluate safety in layers:

• Personal safety and crime rates

• Political stability and rule of law

• Infrastructure reliability

• Comfort moving independently

A place can feel beautiful yet unstable. Another may look modest yet feel secure. We trust lived experience more than rankings.

For solo travelers, preparation matters. Situational awareness, location sharing, safe transport choices, and neighborhood selection reduce risk dramatically. Our Solo Woman Travel Guide includes practical safety strategies tested across multiple countries.

Safety does not mean perfection. It means you feel free to live your life.

Deal Breaker Four: A Visa You Can Actually Use

Dream destinations collapse quickly when visas do not match your situation.

Many countries welcome retirees, but requirements vary widely. Some demand guaranteed pension income. Others require large bank deposits, property investment, or business ownership. Some allow only short stays with frequent border runs.

We define an “easy visa” as one that fits our current life, not a future version of us.

We look for:

• Qualification based on savings or passive income

• Long stays of six to twelve months minimum

• Renewal options without constant travel

• Clear rules and predictable processing

Border runs every 90 days create friction. Travel costs rise. Stability drops. If you own belongings or pets, re entry uncertainty becomes stressful. We prefer visas that allow us to live, not constantly reset.

Visa strategy also shapes tax planning. Residency rules determine where you pay taxes, how long you can stay, and whether foreign income triggers obligations. We always review tax treaties, residency thresholds, and reporting requirements before committing to a country.

Deal Breaker Five: Access to Major Airports and Easy Travel

Global nomads rarely cut ties with home. Family, holidays, and emergencies still matter.

A beautiful town loses appeal if reaching an international airport requires a six hour drive plus a long flight. Travel fatigue accumulates. Flexibility disappears.

We prefer locations with:

• Major international airports nearby

• Direct or simple routes to home country

• Reliable regional transportation

• Predictable travel time

This does not mean living in the biggest city. It means staying connected. Easy travel preserves relationships and peace of mind.

The Quiet Deal Breaker Many Ignore: Walkability

This did not land in both of our top five, yet it shapes daily happiness.

Walkability reduces stress. You move more. You explore more. You rely less on cars and traffic. Grocery runs become routines instead of tasks. Life feels lighter.

Many global nomads gravitate toward walkable cities with strong public transportation. Lisbon, Valencia, Chiang Mai, and parts of Mexico City attract long term relocators for this reason. Walkability often signals urban infrastructure, healthcare access, and community density.

If daily lifestyle matters to you, test walkability before committing.

What Happens When Partners Disagree

Relocation is not a solo spreadsheet exercise. It is a shared life decision.

We discovered overlap in most of our deal breakers. Cost of living, healthcare, safety, and visas aligned easily. Others required conversation. Walkability mattered more to one of us. Airport access mattered more to the other.

This is normal. The worksheet helps couples negotiate priorities early. You avoid discovering conflicts after you move.

Ask three questions together:

• Is this truly a deal breaker or a preference

• Can we adapt or compromise

• Does another destination satisfy both

Clarity now prevents regret later.

The Bigger Picture: Lifestyle First, Logistics Second

International relocation is not about escaping. It is about designing a life.

We think like global nomads. We may live in one country for two years, then try another. Residency and citizenship may come later. Flexibility matters more than permanence in early relocation stages.

We focus on:

• Freedom of movement

• Sustainable finances

• Health and safety

• Lifestyle alignment

• Long term adaptability

Money supports the journey. It does not define it.

Your Next Step

If you are planning international relocation or early retirement abroad, start with clarity. Use the Dream Destination Worksheet. Define your deal breakers before you fall in love with a place that cannot support your life.

Then test your numbers with the Bridge Fund Calculator. Understand how long your savings support your move and what lifestyle fits your timeline.

👉 Watch the full episode
👉 Download the worksheet and planning guides

Links Mentioned in This Article

Dream Destination Worksheet
Bridge Fund Calculator
Solo Woman Travel Guide
Early Retirement Calculator
GenXit YouTube Channel

Whether you're scouting your future retirement city or just testing the waters in a new country, traveling solo gives you the unfiltered experience you need to make smart relocation decisions.

Getting out of your comfort zone doesn't have to mean living in a state of anxiety. It's about building a sisterhood of travelers who move with purpose. I've found that when you prioritize a few simple safety habits, you stop "managing" fear and start actually enjoying the adventure.

Solo travel isn't just about seeing the sights, it's your best tool for honest assessment. When you're navigating a city alone, you learn the real rhythms:

• How safe do you feel at night?

• Can you handle daily tasks in the local language?

• Is the infrastructure what you actually need?

These reconnaissance trips are how you turn a retirement dream destination into a confident relocation decision.

Prepping for Paris

I am currently getting ready for my upcoming solo trip to Paris! I’ll be filming plenty of content while I’m there to show you exactly how I navigate the city, from vetting the right rides to finding those perfect quiet corners. I promise to link those videos right here as soon as I’m back and the editing is done.

But before I even think about boarding that flight, I’m going through my own checklist. Even though I’ve done this a hundred times, I never skip the foundational steps.

Why I Still Use Paper (The “Take With You” Strategy)

In our digital world, we rely on our phones for everything, maps, translation, banking, and our exit plans. But as any seasoned traveler knows, batteries die and phones get lost.

That is why I am currently filling out the “Take With You” sections of our new Solo Woman’s Travel Guide.

• The Analog Backup: I fill out my local emergency numbers, embassy addresses, and my “Breadcrumb” contact info on paper.

• Document Redundancy: I keep my passport and insurance policy numbers written down so I’m never stranded if my tech fails.

• The Language Bridge: I make sure I have key phrases like “I am lost” or “Please call an ambulance” written in the local language.

Having this information physically on me gives me the peace of mind to put my phone away and actually look up at the architecture. Confidence isn’t about being fearless; it’s about being prepared so that your intuition can do its job.

Beyond the paperwork, I also carry a few physical essentials that give me an extra layer of security. I’ve put together a list of the gear I actually use and trust over at our [Amazon Personal Safety Store]. (Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases).

Join the Journey

Planning a scouting trip to your shortlist cities? Download the guide and use the 'Take With You' sheets to build your safety baseline before you go. Whether you're spending two weeks or two months testing a location, you'll move through it like you already live there.

The guide includes everything I learned the hard way: from vetting accommodations in unfamiliar neighborhoods to setting up your 'breadcrumb' check-in system with someone back home. It's the resource I needed twenty years ago, and the one I still reference today.

[Download the GenXit Solo Woman’s Travel Guide Here]

MJ

One of the biggest hurdles for any aspiring global nomad isn’t the flight or the visa, it’s the math. Specifically, the “Bridge Fund.” If you plan on retiring before you can access your social security or traditional pension accounts, you need a strategy to fund those middle years without draining your nest egg prematurely.

In our latest video, we break down the mechanics of the GenXit Debt and Savings Tracker, which doubles as a comprehensive Bridge Fund Calculator.

GET THE FREE CALCULATOR HERE

Connecting the Dots: Your Retirement Ecosystem

While the Debt and Savings Tracker helps you manage the day-to-day “how” of getting out of debt and building your bridge fund, you also need to keep an eye on the “when.”

I recommend using this new tracker alongside our GenXit Retirement Calculator already on the site. Think of them as two sides of the same coin:

• The Retirement Calculator: Gives you the high-level view of your long-term sustainability and projected retirement date.

• The Bridge Fund Calculator: Drills down into the specific years between your exit date and your traditional retirement age.

Using them together allows you to run the math with precision, ensuring that your bridge is strong enough to carry you until your long-term investments and social security kick in.

Why This Tool Matters

Most retirement calculators are built for people staying put. They don’t account for the unique cost-of-living shifts or the debt-clearing hurdles that come with moving abroad. We’ve designed this spreadsheet to help you:

• Visualize the Finish Line: See exactly how much you need to save to cover the gap.

• Crush Your Debt: Track your progress as you clear the runway for your international move.

• Run the Logistics: Plug in real-world numbers to see if your dream destination is financially feasible.

How to Use These Tools Together

1. Step 1: Use the Retirement Calculator to determine your how much you’ll need in the long run.

2. Step 2: Download the Debt and Savings Tracker to map out your monthly path to that date.

3. Step 3: Use the Bridge Fund tab to ensure you have the liquid cash needed to cover those early years abroad.

Download the Tools

We’ve made both of these resources available for free to help you stop guessing and start planning.

• Download the GenXit Debt and Savings Tracker Here

• Access the Online Retirement Calculator Here

A Note from the Road

We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we are big believers in transparency and data. Retirement shouldn’t be a guessing game. By getting your debt under control and understanding your bridge fund requirements, you’re taking the most important step toward freedom.

For the last two years, the “Happy Trekkers” channel has been pretty quiet. We stopped posting travel videos. We stopped sharing road trips. To the outside world, it looked like we just gave up.

But on the inside, we were scrambling.

A few years ago, a cancer scare forced MJ and me to look at our lives, our stressful jobs, our high cost of living, and our “someday” retirement plans, and realize the math didn’t work. We didn’t want to wait until 65 to be free.

So, we made a decision. We aren’t just going on another vacation. We are leaving.

Welcome to The GenXit Project.

YOUTUBE: We’re Leaving the USA. (The GenXit Launch)

What is the GenXit Project?

Unlike our old travel vlogs, this isn’t about pretty sunsets. This is about logistics.

Over the next 24 months, we are documenting the brutal reality of disentangling ourselves from the American system. We will share:

• The Numbers: Exactly how much we need to retire abroad.

• The Scouting: Honest reports on healthcare, safety, and rent in countries like Portugal, Thailand, and Panama.

• The Move: Selling the house, shipping the cat, and handling the taxes.

We Need Your Help Right Now

We have a shortlist of countries, but we don’t know where to start our major scouting mission for 2026.

We just launched a poll to let you decide where we focus our resources. Do you want to see the cost of living in Southeast Asia? Or the visa process in Southern Europe?

Click Here to Vote in the Poll

This is going to be the biggest adventure of our lives. We’re glad you’re here for the ride.

Mike & MJ

The GenXit Project: Real Numbers. Real Adventure.

Welcome to the new direction. For the last few months, things have been quiet here, but behind the scenes, Mike and I have been officially pivoting. We are no longer just “thinking” about retirement; we are actively engineering our exit.

We’ve spent the last six months analyzing visas, healthcare costs, and cost-of-living data for over 30 countries. We looked for places where a Gen X budget buys a Tier 1 life.

We found 10 strong contenders. But we can’t move to 10 countries. We need to scout the best ones first.

This is where you come in.

We want to build this journey with you. Below is our “Shortlist” of 10 finalists, broken down by region. Read through the list, then cast your vote in the poll at the bottom. Which region should we scout first?

🇪🇺 The European Dream

For the Gen Xer who wants culture, history, and walkable cities.

• Portugal: Safe, sunny, and English-friendly. It’s the “California of Europe” (without the traffic).

• Spain: High energy, late dinners, and world-class healthcare.

• Greece: The dream of island life, history, and a slower pace.

🌎 The Americas

For the Gen Xer who wants to stay in the same time zone as the grandkids.

• Panama: The strategic choice. Dollarized economy and the best retiree discounts in the world.

• Costa Rica: The “Pura Vida” choice. Nature, wellness, and total decompression.

• Colombia: The high-value choice. Cosmopolitan city life for a fraction of US costs.

• Mexico: The familiar choice. Easy logistics, incredible food, and a massive expat community.

🌏 The Asian Adventure

For the Gen Xer who wants luxury for pennies and total culture shock.

• Thailand: The land of smiles, beaches, and 5-star living on a 2-star budget.

• Malaysia: The “easy mode” of Asia. Great infrastructure and amazing food.

• The Philippines: The “connection” choice. Friendly, tropical, and English is spoken everywhere.

The Next Step

Once the votes are in, we will book tickets to the winning region and start filming deep-dive scouting videos on the ground.

We aren’t just looking for a pretty beach; we are looking for a home.

Thanks for helping us steer the ship.

— Mike & MJ - The GenXit Project