10 WORST Countries for Expats (according to other expats)

Related Videos:
Where To Retire on Social Security
10 Places To Live with $1,000 per Month
The Best Places To Live in France
10 Places To Retire Cheap Overseas
Places for Americans To Move Abroad
Places To Live Well with $1,000

Videos Mentioned:
Cost of Living in the UK
Culture Shock in Ireland
Talking to Locals in Dublin
Living in Norway Expat Guide

Check Out My Favorite Travel Gear: ✈️

🎙 Subscribe to my travel podcast

Chapters:
00:00 Worst Places to Live
00:34 UK
2:44 Ireland
4:39 Malta
7:29 Italy
10:34 Norway
12:32 Canada
14:03 Germany
15:27 Finland
17:18 Turkey
19:35 Kuwait
21:15 Best Places for Expats

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

👱🏻‍♀️ About: Kristin Wilson is the author of Digital Nomads For Dummies and the host of the Traveling with Kristin Podcast and YouTube channel. She's traveled to more than 60 countries and has been helping people move abroad since 2005.

PS: This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not consulting or advice. Video descriptions may contain affiliate or refer-a-friend links for products I use and recommend. Thanks for supporting the channel!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

#worstcountries #expat #livingabroad

[unknown-user]

If I find the best place, I will never tell anybody. If you don’t know already, any place pumped on social media is a very obvious place to avoid. Let’s not forget how the media ruined Portugal for everyone. Portugal now is a total shithole.

[enjoystraveling]

As to people smoking too much tobacco in Germany, most of the restaurants since a few years ago have made the whole restaurant non smoking. Used to be that they just made one room for smokers, but now most restaurants have made the whole restaurant non-smoking.

[nbjmxou]

On a recent flight to Cancun, the couple next to me literally ignored me until I spoke to them. I began by asking the usual; where are you traveling to, etc. They are from Norway traveling to Cancun for vacation. Their English language skill and their knowledge of current affairs in the United States were so good that had they told me they were from the American Midwest, I would have believed them. Nonetheless, my point is that, once, again, europeans in general aren't as intrusive, or nosey, as some of us southerners. My experience is they are more reserved until introduced.
In fact, my wife, God rest her soul, is from Bronx, NYC. And after we began dating she asked me; "Do you always just start talking to people you've never met before?"
"All the time! Besides, did you forget how we met?" 😉
"Reach out and touch Somebody's hand Make this world a better place If you can." ❤
-Ashford & Simpson

[rabbit_scribe]

Cost of living and housing have become universal problems, unfortunately. No matter what other virtues a place may have those two have such a huge impact on quality of life its just hard to get past them.

[enjoystraveling]

I used to live in Germany and I’m a native English speaker. I learned the language to intermediate level, but it’s because I took lessons and focused on it with motivation.
German is actually somewhat easy to learn more than some other languages because it is related to English and maybe 25% of the words of English are the same or similar. Of course the grammar is harder, but if you’re motivated to study, then you can learn it.
About friends I still kept five of my German friends and I had very good times hiking and bicycling with them. Did the people who say they can’t make friends get out and try, I went out to meet ups and other places. I started hikes and invited people, and if I went on a bicycle ride with one person, and then I would invite a different person to go on the bicycle ride to another Village that I learned.
I don’t mind the colder climate in the winter. It’s good for skiing and also enjoying the many hot springs and no scheme doesn’t always have to be expensive if you go cross country skiing.
The only problem I have with Germany is the high taxes and the bureaucracy. You even have to pay at church tax on your whole amount that you earn unless you get out of the church!

[steveburke]

I'm a UK/US dual citizen expat retired in Mexico since 2018. I love it. Friendly ppl, incredible food, culture, history AND (from someone coming from London and Seattle) 320 days of clear blue sky and sunshine/ yr.

[michaelking]

I spent a month in Turkey. I met a Turkish guy when I was in Fethiye and he as a Turkish person that was super nice. He and I rode his motorcycle all the way around the country for a month and turned out he was a wealthy guy with properties all over the country. So we just wen from place to place staying with his family and friends or in his places. It was a blast. Food was great and people are so lovely. Love going to places and having tea in businesses and in homes.

[enjoystraveling]

I’d visit Turkey again, but I would never live there. I am easily adaptable, but there I wouldn’t fit in different religion vastly different culture.

[katie.r.vannuys]

For me, expats lists are always skewed towards warmer places. We’re looking for more UK/Irish weather! I just don’t want to sweat all the time. So lots of these countries are at the top of my expat destinations!

[TexasDoug]

Puglia region of Italy for an expat retiree with passive income from abroad seems like a good option. That whole Adriatic/Ionian area has some interesting options for places to visit in addition to all of Italy.

[lindadorman]

I'm always surprised the United States doesn't show up on some of these "worst" lists. I'm an American that has lived, worked or traveled to 40 countries since 1990 and, honestly, America is near the bottom of my list for cost of living, safety/crime (especially gun violence), healthcare (expensive and not very accessible), unfriendliness to foreigners, lack of public transportation and poor job security. No country is perfect but with the vast resources and wealth of the US, we could do a lot better.

[zcott]

Kristin, have followed you for years, and always like your videos. You're amazing on many important levels

[colettelongo]

Least friendly of the 26 countries I've been to:: Austria.. lived there 7 years. It offers an outstanding quality of life at a reasonable price, but the people are cold, racist and chain smoke.

[greglewis]

Another excellent video Kristin. Thank you!

[dallassukerkin]

Not so long ago I would have been insulted to see the UK on this list but now ... would someone tell the million or so immigrants we are getting per year the news? Oh wait, they don't have to worry about cost of living ... my taxes take care of that for them. And non native Brits wonder why those of us who can are leaving the place.

Hmm ... surprised that Finland is on this list. The comments on the job market are close to the mark - unless you are an engineer or in health care then I can imagine the doors are rather closed. As to the language! For me it is the most beautiful language I have ever heard - if I tell you that Tolkien based one of the Elven languages on it (the other being based on Welsh) that should give an idea of how lovely it is. But it is hard to learn, that is true. Swedish will help you in a linguistic pinch but Finns don't really like to speak it due to historical reasons :grins:

[almartin]

I was fortunate (and honored) to serve under President Reagan as a Senior NCO in the US Army, stationed in the occupied city of West Berlin from 1981 to 1984. The Cold War was at its peak then, mostly as a clear confrontation between NATO (commercial west) and the Warsaw Pact (communist east). President Reagan made his first official visit to West Berlin in June of 1982 and spoke initially to those of us in the Allied military forces stationed there. This was long before his famous ‘Wall’ speech.

I was attached to the Military Intelligence (MI) Detachment as an interrogator tasked with interviewing defectors (Border Guard / Military) and refugees (civilians) from all of the various Warsaw Pact countries. They were fleeing similar oppression with many vivid stories of their own. We had an almost constant flow during my time there. We even had 4 East German Border Guards who defected through various routes.

Everyone wanted American cigarettes because the local brands were very harsh. The US Forces Command had directed soldiers could only pass 10 cigarettes a month to local citizens as we wished. We were authorized to purchase two cartons (21 cigarettes each) monthly. I became very popular at a a local disco when I donated a whole carton of cigarettes before learning about the ‘10 cigs limit’. My boss was not happy about that because there were trafficking rules then: arrest and suspension.

Regards

[anniesshenanigans]

I would LOVE to live in Italy, but the income requirements are stupid high, considering the cost of living there. They obviously do not want retirees.

[williamdoyle]

Kirstin, really good video. Big suprise that Canada is on the list, but totally understand how expensive it is. Thanks

[Radiancegrace]

Thank you another insighful video which lends to some of what I was already sensing. I need to be in an environment that’s open and friendly for most part and less in places where others hold me suspect or seem more hardened 🙏

[WrldExplorer]

When I left the Germany for three years while in a military, I always said I wanted to live here permanently. I was 24 at that time. I visited last year for a month at 52 and I think I do agree with everything on that list moving there as a retiree. I do love the roads. The food not so much. But it is very beautiful. I will still continually go there on vacation.