The trend of leaving the United States.

The number of members in groups like Amerexit or I Want Out on Reddit has reached nearly 3 million as more and more people realize how difficult life in America is.

Amelia Basista and JP Stonestreet called 2015 "the year of hell"—the final straw that led them to move to South America.

That year, Stonestreet, 43, was diagnosed with congenital spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. He had to undergo two surgeries and was unable to work. His wife, Basista, also quit her job to stay home and care for him. Their income decreased significantly while Stonestreet's insurance premiums skyrocketed.

They realized they couldn't afford the mortgage interest, car payments, and all the other expenses. "A normal American lifestyle is no longer within our reach," he said.

They sold their house in Denver, but it wasn't enough to pay off all their debts. The two planned to leave the United States. In 2017, they moved to Cuenca, Ecuador, and resumed their old jobs remotely. Their expenses decreased by 70%.

Basista and Stonestreet are part of a new generation of Americans who are tired of the cost of living and seeking a better quality of life in other countries. They read shared experiences in groups like AmerExit , which has 57,000 members, and I Want Out , with 2 million members on Reddit. They consult relocation and special assistance providers, which cost hundreds to thousands of dollars at a time, and share their experiences with others on how to leave.

In these groups, the concepts of geoarbitrage (saving money by moving to a cheaper place) and FIRE – an acronym for financial independence, retire early – are the goals and mantras.

Some, like Basista and Stonestreet, see leaving the U.S. as the first step in a long-term plan that will culminate in retirement abroad. Others pursue a digital nomadic lifestyle—a flexible way of traveling while also earning income through remote work.

There are no precise statistics on the number of Americans who have moved abroad, but as of 2023, nearly 161 million U.S. passports were in circulation, representing almost half of the total American population. In contrast, previously only 10% of Americans held passports. The State Department estimated that in 2020, a total of 9 million Americans lived overseas, including dual citizens born and raised abroad. This is compared to an estimated 5 million in 2010.

A recent Monmouth University poll found that approximately 33% of Americans said they wanted to settle in another country. In 1995, a similar Gallup survey showed only 12% saying so. A 2023 InterNation survey of 12,000 expatriates from 172 countries found the United States to be the country of origin with the highest percentage of expatriates.

Those struggling with high bills are not surprised by the desire to live abroad. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average monthly cost of living for a U.S. household increased from $5,100 in 2020 to over $6,000 in 2022. In a new survey by the FinTech Association, 61% of American workers said they are spending every penny they earn.

Despite enjoying a higher standard of living than most other countries, the US lags behind Western nations in several quality of life indicators: Americans work more, take fewer vacations, spend more on healthcare, and die earlier than people in other high-income economies .

These factors may explain why some Americans are moving to countries considered to have a lower cost of living. Data from global recruitment firm Deel shows that the UK, Germany, Canada, and France are among the top seven international destinations for job seekers in the US.

In places with universal healthcare, government-subsidized childcare, and cultures that encourage a better work-life balance, the value of the US dollar may increase.

Maliya Fale, 22, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was a digital nomad and content creator who traveled throughout Latin America for nearly three years. This February, she left the United States permanently.

In March, she arrived in the coastal town of Puerto Morelos, Mexico, and was planning for the future. Life abroad offered a flexibility that America couldn't provide.

Those who left the US via similar routes say they never regretted the past. In November 2015, writer Cristina Johnson packed three suitcases and boarded a one-way flight from Pennsylvania to Belize, a Central American country.

The 53-year-old writer, who has a disability, finds it difficult to make a living in the US. In Belize, however, her monthly expenses are only $250. There, Johnson can build a house, save thousands of dollars, while earning around $1,200 a month from writing content marketing copy.

"Even if I saved a million dollars, it wouldn't be worth the mental, emotional, and physical well-being I've gained here," she said.

Mariana and Dustin Lange's Mexico Relocation Guidance company, founded in 2019, capitalizes on the growing trend of people wanting to leave the United States. Mariana says the company doesn't promote the idea that people can "live like kings with very little money" because that's not the reality. However, those leaving the U.S. can achieve a better quality of life with the same amount of money, or even less.

Since lockdown restrictions due to the pandemic eased, the Lange family's business has boomed.

Mark Zoril, founder of PlanVision, a North Carolina-based financial planning company, began working with clients looking to move abroad eight or nine years ago. His business helps them manage assets across borders and save for the future while living overseas.

Zoril said most of his clients plan to stay abroad indefinitely, largely due to the high cost of return. Central America, Portugal, and Spain are particularly popular destinations because of their relatively low cost of living and mild climate.

Leaving the U.S. isn't all advantages. Lower living costs often come with reduced income, which can hinder some people's chances of returning. Cultural differences and language barriers add to the complexities and risks of alienation.

Other destinations for expats also present their own challenges. Amidst political instability in Ecuador, Stonestreet and Basista moved to Europe to live a semi-nomadic, "slow travel" lifestyle.

However, they have no regrets about leaving America. Their only regret is not doing it sooner.

Within three years of leaving the U.S., the two paid off $60,000 in consumer debt and doubled their savings for retirement. While living in their home country, they wouldn't have even dared to imagine they could retire.

"We think we can work until we're completely exhausted, but life is short. We never know what tomorrow will bring," Stonestreet said.

Nhat Minh (According to BI )

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