Our place Independent Lifestyle: What Does It Cost?

before going into detail about exactly how much our way of life costs us each month, it’s most likely a great concept to talk about what being place independent really means! This is a term that we very first heard about a couple of years ago, as well as is one that we believe fits our way of life perfectly. Here’s exactly how Wikipedia explains place independence:

“A place independent expert – or digital nomad – uses new innovation to style a way of life that enables them to online as well as work anywhere they want – be it from home, the Web cafe, on the beach, or even from the other side of the world.”

Yep, that absolutely seems like us!

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This is what a lunch break in the Caribbean looks like!
Nick as well as I have been fortunate sufficient to online as well as work abroad for three years now. Our very first task was teaching English in China, as well as during our time teaching, we were able to work on this travel blog as well as produce articles. We understood that our true place self-reliance would not only come from teaching, however from composing about our travels – that was our true passion.

Since leaving China in July, 2013, we have lived off of an earnings earned solely from our website, as well as different chances that have arisen (and continue to arise) from it. The money we make monthly is sufficient to online comfortably, travel when we want to, as well as put some money in the bank. We’ve lived as well as worked on the internet in a few countries now: Grenada for a overall of 10 months, Mexico for 2 months, as well as Guatemala for 2 months.

Working at a awesome coffee shop in Guanajuato, Mexico
Our travel style has altered considering that we ended up being severe about our website, as well as we absolutely travel at a slower speed these days. Not only does snail travel enable us to immerse ourselves additionally into the cities as well as cultures that we’re exploring, however it enables us the time we requirement to be able to work on different partnerships, service campaigns as well as freelance writing.

The costs of living this laptop way of life vary depending upon which country, city or part of the world we are in. However, we try to keep our monthly costs to around $1,500 USD for the both of us. You would believe that our monthly expenses would be substantially less when we are getting complimentary lodging from house/pet sitting, however that just isn’t the situation as we’ve accepted jobs that are in countries with higher living costs (Grenada as well as Costa Rica).

Living in Costa Rica wasn’t cheap, however it was worth it to take care of Jack!
Here’s an quote of where our money goes each month, damaged down into the countries we’ve spent a considerable amount of time living in:

(All costs are provided in us Dollars)

Living in Grenada – Monthly Expenses

Accommodation costs (Oceanfront Home)
$0.00 (Pet-Sitting)

Utility Costs
$0.00 (Included)

Cooking Gas
$7.50

House Cleaner
$22.00

Groceries
$1,050.00

Restaurant / Entertainment
$266.00

Alcohol at Home
$50.00

Drinking Water
$0.00 (Water is risk-free to Drink)

Transport (Car included)
$76.00 in Petrol

Phone / Wi-Fi
$7.52 (Cell Phone Pay-As-You-Go)

Total Costs
$1,479.00

If we had to pay for lodging while living in Grenada, our costs would be much higher, as a fundamental apartment or condo would expense around $600 / month. Being able to home / pet sit in Grenada has been genuinely an amazing experience, as well as this will be our digital nomad base for 5 – 6 months of the year. We are able to online off of approximately $1,500 each month, which includes living a quite extravagant way of life full of online music nights, eating at restaurants, enjoying cheese as well as white wine platters, as well as being able to check out the island.

Sunset from one of the gorgeous houses we take care of in Grenada
For a lot more on living in Grenada, inspect out:

The expense of Living in Grenada

Living in Grenada: Our Life in Photos

61 incredible things To perform in Grenada

Introducing Grenada: A Drive around The Island of Spice 

Living in San Pancho, Mexico – Monthly costs

Accommodation costs (2 Bedroom, 2-Level Apartment)
$380.00

Utility Costs
$0.00 (Included in Rent)

Groceries / Drinking Water
$500.00

Restaurant / Entertainment
$1,000.00

Transport
$0 around town (Walked), $9.60 Bus to next town (4 Return Trips)

Phone / Wi-Fi
$60.00

Extras (Pilates class, golfing, celebration costs)
$200.00

Total Costs
$2,150.00

During our two months in the bit west coastline town of San Pancho, we had 5 sets of household members come as well as go to us! This indicated that we spent much a lot more money than normal on activities, eating at restaurants, as well as celebration nights! Plus, we lived there during Christmas as well as new Year’s, so we spent a lot more money on celebrations as well as events than normal.

Our monthly costs during our time spent living in San Pancho might have been substantially more affordable than provided above, as well as absolutely would have been if it were just the two of us living our typical lifestyle.

The lower level of our apartment or condo in San Pancho.
For a lot more on living in San Pancho, inspect out:

Finding an apartment or condo in San Pancho, Mexico

Introducing San Pancho

15 things To See as well as perform in San Pancho

Living on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala – Monthly Expenses

Accommodation costs (Lakefront, 2-Level Apartment)
$550.00

Utility Costs
$0.00 (Included)

Gas for cooking as well as hot Water
$36.00

House Cleaner
$0.00 (Included)

Groceries
$517.00

Restaurant / Alcohol / Entertainment
$114.00

Drinking Water (Five 18L Bottles)
$13.00

Transport
$48.32 (Boats as well as Tuk-Tuks)

Phone / Wi-Fi
$6.50 (Cell Phone Pay-As-You-Go)

Total Costs
$1,284.00

Our cost of living in Guatemala was extremely low, particularly thinking about we had to pay for our lodging there! With this budget, we were able to travel to other villages around the lake, go kayaking as well as wake-boarding, as well as eat / drink a lot. as well as honestly, that view from our apartment or condo was priceless!

View from our apartment or condo on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
For a lot more on living on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, inspect out:

The expense of Living on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Travelling to Lake Atitlan, A guide to The Villages

A excursion of Our Lakefront Casita on Lake Atitlan

We can’t believe exactly how bit it costs us to online abroad, particularly when we believe of exactly how much money we spent monthly while living in Canada – our home loan alone was over $1,500 USD / month! On top of that, there were costly grocery bills, utility costs, automobile maintenance, gas, insurance, residential or commercial property tax, condominium fees, etc.

We determine that we spent around $3,675 USD / month in Canada on necessities alone! That’s not including any type of enjoyment whatsoever. That’s just what we needed to online in a house, eat, pay expenses as well as get to as well as from work every day.

Since ending up being place independent as well as working on our website, we’ve been able to online as well as travel in tropical countries, immerse ourselves in the city that we’re visiting, and online the way of life of our dreams. Eating, drinking, playing, living, travelling, checking out as well as pet-sitting, all for less than the expense of our rent/mortgage in Canada. Now, that’s a great deal!

Royal Carmel Waterfalls in Grenada.

This is why we continously write about this topic as well as try to influence you to think about this alternate lifestyle. As always, we’re not trying to boast about this life, we’re just trying to shed some light on the truth of what it costs to live abroad as well as exactly how enlightening the experience can be.

There are lots of locations in the world where the dollar / pound / euro etc. will go much additionally as well as life is a lot more relaxed. This style of living definitely isn’t for everybody as well as we don’t presume that, however if you’re reading this article, we will assume that you are seeking to try something new.

This will be our method of life for the foreseeable future as well as we invite you to join us! In our minds, it’s $1,500 per month well spent ?

For a lot more info on place Independence, inspect out these articles:

7 reasons Why We like The place Independent way of life (and Why You might Too!)

27 inspiring pictures That will inspire You To ended up being a digital Nomad Today

Our digital Nomad Lifestyle: Answering Your money Questions

What do you believe of the place independent lifestyle? tell us below!

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