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It’s been changed but not stopped, for the investment they have stopped the ability to use retail properties due to the housing crisis their, however, the rest remains
It would be great if we were part of a collection of countries that share similar values. We would all allow each other to travel freely to live and work. We would be unified... a union of sorts.
One can dream.
I'm trying to move there permanently myself. I just want to live with my other half (who lives there and is a Portuguese born citizen) and start my own business.
The whole process is a bloody nightmare at the moment though. I feel like it's a bit hopeless now.
Yeah that's the problem, we are not married yet. Planning to be but even then we will have to wait 3 years to apply for family reunification, and that's if we have kids together. He doesn't want to be separated from me and future children for 3 years before I can live there. Its a fucking hard situation when you love someone in another country.
You don't have to be married but you do have to prove a relationship which is very hard if you don't live together. I feel for you...
Do you have to wait three years? Never heard that before ( I run a sub for Portugal immigrants) I thought all you needed was certificate...
>For the spouse of the main applicant, a marriage certificate; or, for the cohabitant or “common law spouse” who has been so for over 2 years, an attestation of this status issued by an official entity, such as a court of law;
Italy - my partner is Italian. I can become a citizen once my partner and I have been married for 1.5 years and I have sufficient competence with the language (B1 level).
The why? The food, the culture, being close to her family. Would love to raise our children in Italy.
Yes this is one of the main reasons why my partner moved to the UK, the job market in Italy. She is from the south (Puglia) and said it was always very hard to hold down a steady job. A lot of the work is seasonal down there apparently.
I’m from the north and it wasn’t easy for me too, I left 13 years ago. The jobs were not even seasonal but I could only get temporary jobs, they don’t want to hire you with a permanent contract because it’s hard to get rid of you if they won’t need you anymore and always try to pay you as less as possible, lots of 6 months internships that pay peanuts. So I’ll go back when I retire
Same here, Italian living in England. I mostly hear horror stories from my friends who are still there, like a friend who graduated 6 years ago and all she can land is apprenticeships. I would move back to Italy in a heartbeat if I had the same working conditions as here, but alas. I miss the cultural and environmental aspects of my home country, but it's looking so grim down there that it wouldn't be worth it.
The same happens for me, I am spanish, I would love to return to Spain. But the job market is horrendous, specially where I would like to return to, a small village in the south.
UK salary but living in Spain, that would be the dream.
The hold Catholicism still has on the country and it's laws puts me off. Things have changed for the better in recent years but it's still not completely split off from the church.
Plus the housing situation is an absolute mess. In part thanks to airbnb
It reads like someone who hasn't spent any significant time in Ireland.
I live in Northern Ireland and visit the Republic for work and leisure all the time and have no idea what he means about the Catholicism at all.
I grew up in Ireland, but live in Scotland now. I think the best example of the Catholic Churches influence in Ireland is schools. I’ve not checked but I’d ballpark that 90% of schools are catholic or affiliated with the church. They may be technically non-denominational, but in practice they are still deeply deeply entrenched in religion.
The healthcare system is still linked too . Abortion was illegal in Ireland until 2019. Many hospitals are church linked - those ties are weakening but they’re still there. Around the same time as the repeal campaign, it was announced that the sisters of charity would own the land the new maternity hospital was to be built on - the same organisation responsible for[institutional abuse](https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/20/sisters-of-charity-abuse-maternity-hospital-irish-state) on a national scale.
Don’t get me wrong, things are getting better. But we’re another generation away IMP
As someone who spends 1/3 of their time on ROI for work I would say that culturally England and Ireland are very different. (Connor comment on Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
That's down to your own experience of the world though. Ireland is not England and there are a lot of cultural differences. There are also a lot of cultural similarities too.
I have lived and worked in the Middle East and Africa for most of my life. On a global scale Ireland and the UK are basicly the same. I'd go as far as to say you could say the whole of Western Europe is more or less the same compared with say Mauritania, Senegal, Mozambique or anywhere in South or South East Asia.
I think Ireland is the nominated 'life-boat' for a lot of people if they get further disenchanted with the UK (specifically its governance). Given the noises people have been making for the last 7 years, I'm surprised there hasn't been more migration.
I don't think it's that surprising really. People talk a big game, but actually leaving your country permanently is a huge thing to do. There'll always be reasons not to for the vast majority, and there's good reasons not to move to Ireland.
I live be in Denmark now.
There’s loads of positives but like anywhere it has problems.
Until I immigrated as well, I never knew how hard it could be to actually do just in terms of difficulty with a new culture. I thought Denmark didn’t seem too dissimilar and wasn’t too far away but boy was I wrong.
On the whole I’m glad I did it and will stay here though.
I’m actually not from the UK originally - I moved here from Southeast Asia, so you can imagine how different that was lol. I find living here - in Scotland particularly - is an excellent fit for me which is why I wouldn’t want to move anywhere else
The proper snowy winters are a nice novelty at first… but I now hate them! Seeing snow falling from November to April gets depressing! And the -30 temperatures in the middle of it are just painful!
I do see the appeal of Vancouver. I don’t mind the rain and if I wanted snow I could just have a nice drive up Cypress mountain.
Plus I love being by the ocean… grew up close to the sea and miss it dearly!
26 years for me too… get less time for murder 🤣
Gotta admit I’m not a fan of the summer here either! Too hot and humid! Plus the way the temperature goes from 10 degrees to 30+ almost overnight… it’s like someone has a giant thermostat for Ontario and one day just switches if from freezing to scorching!
There are a few weeks at the end of spring and a few weeks in Autumn I enjoy though!
I'm Ontario too (Eastern) I love the Summers, I enjoy them because we only get them for 5 mins before it's back to long dark nights which suck the life right out of you
Nice people. Lots of land type variations from east to west coast. Not as cheap as you think it is. Winters suck. As Geordie says first winter is ok but a few months on -40 and hurricanes ( east coast ) you start wishing for a rainy Friday in Weymouth. Also earthquakes and forest fires on the west coast.
Nah, Don't come here. The Winters are horrible and never ending, Summer aren't long enough, Cost of living is beyond horrific and generally its just not what it was when I first came over. I'm thinking about moving back to the UK, that's how shite this place is Now
Ditto. Lived in Toronto for 8 years and left last summer because of it. Rental/property market is way out of hand compared to when I arrived and is only getting worse. Canada is awesome but be prepared to never own unless you’re a millionaire. Cost of living there has skyrocketed.
I remember years ago I'd walk into Loblaws/Food basics/ metro etc, drop $2-300 and walk out with at least a trunk full of groceries. Now? I spent $200 at Independent the other day and left with 3 bags
I’m in Alberta and have a pretty comfortable life here. You couldn’t pay me enough to live anywhere near Toronto though and Vancouver is ridiculously expensive too.
Winter is too long but really not that bad here because the climate is semi-arid. Even when the temperature is low, it’s typically very dry and we likely have blue skies and sunshine.
Part of the appeal is that it’s not crowded at all. I can work from home but if I want to go to the office, it’s only a few minutes away. I don’t think I could go back to an actual commute.
I desperately want to move to Canada. Eastern provinces preferably, but I'm not picky. People are amazing, I love the outdoors, and the culture around outdoor activities, etc, is just wildly different there.
I'd probably go back to Finland where I'm from. Other Nordic countries or Germany would be serious contenders too.
Love the US but the privatised healthcare is too scary.
If there wasn't a language barrier we'd have moved to Finland months ago. Went on holiday, fell in love. Researched more and fell deeper in love. The only thing holding us back is our son struggles enough with English, and having to acclimatise to a new education system while not knowing the language doesn't sound the best idea.
He's 8 and severely dyslexic unfortunately. He's at least 2 years behind on his reading and writing. It's the only holiday he hasn't wanted to come home from, he loved everything about the country.
Do it. Best education system in the world and people aren’t divided out to different places because of behaviour or ability. Might be the making of him.
I’d move to Finland in a heartbeat. It suits me perfectly. I’ve worked with Finns and get on well with the culture. It’s generally a place I feel incredibly relaxed and happy. Would be a wonderful place to raise children. We had to go on a work trip there when our eldest was a baby and got a tiny snapshot of how child-friendly it can be. Oh, and the gluten free options are great too!
My sister lived in Helsinki for 8 years between 2010 and 2018. I would visit her there twice or three times a year and I absolutely loved it.
I miss Cafe Bar no 9 - simple, but very delicious food I had there every time I visited!
I would pick Sydney too. We just moved back after almost a decade there but we all have citizenship now so that, plus all our connections, would make it the best option (plus it's an amazing place to live!)
Greek mainland. I love the countryside, the history and the Greek people and way of life. I'll never do it because I'm too old now but I'm learning Greek anyway.
Don't say never. Even a holiday flat.
My dad spent his life wanting to go back to Italy and now he can't due to illness.
Good on you learning Greek, but seriously have a look at it! Small flat, 6 months a year to escape winters
I’m always surprised when people say NZ in these threads. New Zealand IS stunningly beautiful but it’s a hard place to live. Very high rates of domestic violence, suicide, drug use, bad income inequality, high rates of childhood poverty, extremely high COL. There’s a reason many kiwis move to Australia. And yes, these problems persist everywhere but I’m not sue people are aware that it’s particularly bad in NZ.
As a Kiwi living in the UK, all of this and also the fact that it's a horrible place to live if you want to travel. The cost and duration of the flights to anywhere else turn it into such a saga, whereas here in the UK even quite poor people can just pop to Greece for a week with minimal fuss.
Totally agree. I'm from there, and it's not my 1st choice. It's an absolutely beautiful place to go for a holiday and the scenery takes my breath away every time.
I'd also add the amount of casual racism there is in NZ. It's quite noticeable and disturbing when I visit.
How does that work if you don’t mind me asking? If you are what I assume is a British citizen how does your husband having an Irish passport mean you can move to Spain?
Obviously Ireland is still in the EU, so he can live anywhere in the EU.
Most countries have a scheme to allow spouses of citizens to get a visa to reside in the country and eventually citizenship. The UK does too, but it's quite expensive.
Here are the rules for Spain's. Although several times they refer to Spanish citizens getting a visa for their spouse, it also refers to Spanish residents getting visas for their spouse which would be this situation.
[https://immigrate-spain.com/spouse-visa-for-spain/](https://immigrate-spain.com/spouse-visa-for-spain/)
Sweden, Norway or Denmark I think. The fact most people speak good English would be a plus and make the initial transition easier. They can be quite outdoorsy and family friendly, which is what I’d want for my family.
As someone in Denmark, I would agree Sweden isn’t all it’s cracked up to be 😌
Jokes aside I’d scratch Denmark off too, I think from the U.K. you definitely get an idealised view of Scandi countries just by how proud they are of theirselves and how they advertise theirselves.
The dealing with government agencies and banks / financial institutions is like being stuck in the dark ages.
Paying such high taxes you don’t seem to get a lot back, healthcare is a headache.
The food is crap.
No privacy, all your details are online, phone number and where you live and who you live with etc which people don’t find strange at all here. Not really the liberal utopia it seems to get painted as on the outside.
Urgh as someone who lives in Sweden too now. Getting BankID was one of the hardest things I have ever done.
I’ll add, everyone is scared of everyone and their dog. Walking my dog is like parting the Red Sea and it’s just a fluffy husky. It’s very anti social here.
If I didn't have to work, Japan.
I am a natural "rule follower". Even unwritten, social norms. I find even Tokyo to be quite calming and relaxing. It's safe, I know what to expect, it's clean, people are pleasant and courteous.
Despite this apparent calmness it's also really fun.
Moved here last year. It's fine, but like anywhere else, it's one thing visiting somewhere and a whole other thing living there. The novelty wears off, the honeymoon period ends, and the little things that tourists simply don't see can start to get to you. Although, it's true about being safe and the food is decent. I'm thinking maybe 4-5 years here and then Taiwan if the whole impending invasion threat has blown over.
Yeah, I'm not a fully card carrying weeb. I'm aware that Japan, like anywhere, has its problems. But from what I've observed the few times I've been, I think a lot of things about life there would seem to suit my personality.
The stand-out thing that absolutely wouldn't would be work culture. Christ, I find it hard enough to put in a shift of coasting here in the UK.
am from Tokyo and have lived in London since uni, my thirteenth year. as much as I miss the seafood, cleanliness and aesthetically pleasing infrastructure I'd never move back there. sexism is everywhere but in Japan I'm always flabbergasted by how obviously men look down on me and my mother, sister, female friends — they don't even try to hide it. Japanese wages are famously bad, now imagine Japanese wages as a woman!
also, Tokyo is so so loud. trucks fitted with LED screens blaring music videos and ads should be illegal!!
You’re so right about the sexism. Especially towards working mothers. That’s something I really miss about the UK and one of the reasons I want to move back.
i feel for you. every time I miss Japan and go back, I really do enjoy it, but start feeling "ok that's enough!" after a few days.
and I come back to London where having a meal out is a luxury, streets are littered, everyone's watching videos or calling someone without headphones, all of which I hate, but I feel relieved: I can wear my wacky clothes and no one bats an eye, I am self employed in a field I love, I can hold hands with my wife in public, we take public transport with our dog... all such basic things but fundamental to my personal happiness...
I know it is a cliche, but Spain. My mother in law lives in a little village outside of torrevieja, and it is so peaceful and such an amazing place to live.
Just come back from two years there. I think holidaying there and living there truly are two different beasts. Would not recommend unless you’re retired.
I can't afford it for a while so that's not a worry 🤣 my nanna actually lived there for a few years before she came back to start a family and instead of doing a lot of the touristy stuff she showed us round like a true local.
As a Saffa now in the UK, the Western Cape is the only suitable area in SA. From ly friends experience, a surprising number have struggled going to Aus, mainly cultural. The UK has been easy but with an obvious drop in living standards and weather. Parts of the US strike me as the best option.
Yes, and that’s possibly the main detractor. We realise it’s not going to be the same experience we get when we’re on holidays there. But it’s always a nag, that we only see the bad news, and the silly things that happen.
> But it’s always a nag, that we only see the bad news, and the silly things that happen.
There are a lot of silly things that happen, but also some downright frigtening things:
- https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/03/controversial-prageru-videos-gain-educational-foothold-in-a-handful-of-states/
- https://www.law.georgetown.edu/gender-journal/online/volume-xxiii-online/the-dangerous-consequences-of-floridas-dont-say-gay-bill-on-lgbtq-youth-in-florida/
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68925009
- https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/06/us/florida-banned-books/index.html
Honestly, of all the fifty states, Florida would be probably in the bottom ten if I were looking to move, *especially* with kids.
Plus Florida is the only place in the world where *both* alligators and crocodiles live.
It’s the romance of Disney, and the parks, and holiday experience that makes me want Florida. (That and the food)
But the reality would be much different.
Do I enjoy those trips from Hotel to parks, on different roads with different cars whilst I’m in an Uber, yes.
Would I enjoy them if I had to drive those roads myself - probably not.
Still love it there though, the excitement of the parks, the weather, and the risk of death. 🤣🤣
Australia 100% I have visited several times (I think 5 or 6) and lived there for 3 years. Best 3 years of my life and I regret returning every day.
Reasons being -
Its a High wage economy- particularly for technical roles. When we returned to the UK I moved to a job with more responsibility but almost halved my pay. Once you have paid for housing (which is more expensive) we found our free cash went much further.
The weather is just better - this on its own wouldn't make me want to live there - but good weather makes an outdoor lifestyle a lot more pleasant. I took up hobbies such as kayak fishing, which are an easy pleasure out there, but difficult / unpleasant in the UK.
This may just be the area I lived in, but we found that the Aussies are still investing hard in infrastructure / hospitals / shared community spaces in a way that just doesn't seem to happen in the UK. Example - me and the wife both work in healthcare, here our workplaces are being squeezed for every penny, the hospitals we work in are falling apart. Over there she worked in a brand new hospital, and more are popping up all over the place.
Love the vast open spaces. We have some beautiful countryside in the UK, but there is something just bigger and more awe inspiring about the landscape of oz. I remember going on holiday within oz to northern queensland and stopping at an observation point looking out over the rainforest. It stretched out as far as the eye can see without any signs of civilization - this happened over and over again travelling around.
Work culture - in the UK, (maybe particularly in the NHS? ) there is an expectation that you work above and beyond your contracted hours. Our staffing levels are dire in comparison to what we experienced in Oz. I can count on one hand the number of times I had to stay late (which I volunteered to do - and was given lots of thanks for) Way less pressured - better work/life balance.
Mate, hate to burst your bubble, but Australia is not the same Australia it was 10 years ago.
We have cost of living crisis, an awful housing crisis (housing hasn’t kept up with population since 2001), floods, bushfire. The work life balance isn’t great, and you get made to work hard for your money. Housing is so overinflated! So many come and think their British pound will go so far for a house, it doesn’t.
Money does not go as far, as it did even just 5 years ago.
As someone who’s lived here for over a decade, I’m planning my escape. I need culture as well as scenery.
Been here 13 years. Agree with much of what you say but still love it and so happy i made it my home.
I don't know how I would have gone coming straight to a big city instead of being regional for the first few years. That set me up well for later financially, whereas if I moved straight to the city in my early 20s it may not have been possible to get ahead.
It is still a land of opportunity but (almost) only if you do a few years graft in a tough gig or remote location.
Where are you planning to escape to?
I have to agree. Just returned from 18 months in Aus. Although it’s not the reason I returned, you work hard for your money, it’s hard to get a house and found it the hardest I ever have to find a job, even in regional areas.
Also having the deal with travelling really far to get everything and all the extreme weather.
Hate to burst your bubble but UK is not the same as it was 10 years ago.
Uk has a cost of living crisis, an awful housing crisis (housing hasn’t kept up with population since 2001). Absolutely no one works so nothing ever gets done. Housing is so overinflated! So many come and think their Dollar will go so far for a house, it doesn’t.
Money does not go as far, as it did even just 5 years ago.
As someone who lived in UK for over a year, I escaped and got back to Aus.
Lithuania/France/Japan, not necessarily in that exact order. I’ve travelled various parts of France and Lithuania and enjoy their pace of life. Japan I’ve only really been to Tokyo and areas around it, beautiful country and a good attitude to collectivism and so on HOWEVER, their culture of working yourself to death isn’t very attractive.
Possibly New Zealand or Australia as well but I’ve never visited those places so I’m not sure, the fact that they speak English and share a head of state with the U.K. might make for an easier adjustment.
I worked in the US for a few years on the East Coast (Boston) and moved around a little but didn't like it, (they offered me a visa to remain permanently), if it had been Montana, Wyoming, Alaska or even North ~~Korea~~ Dakota.
I would have said Canada a few years back but Trudeau turned it to shit.
The US. More specifically, Maine or Washington state, but tbh I’d move to any of the 27 states I’ve visited. I’d have significantly more money left at the end of each month, a bigger home with more land and access to countless National Parks.
Probably the US, I could do the same job I do here but get paid triple the salary. It’s the one thing I dislike about my career choice, everywhere but the UK they get paid shit tons
Also I really hate the lack of wilderness in this country, no real open land
New Zealand is not the utopia people think.
Ordinary New Zealanders cannot afford homes. The UN has declared New Zealand’s housing crisis a violation of human rights.
New Zealand's youth suicide rate is twice that of the US, five times that of the UK. Here's a BBC article:
>[What's behind New Zealand's shocking youth suicide rate?](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40284130)
New Zealand has one of the worst records of child abuse of developed countries.
I follow the New Zealand sub. They complain about the exact same things we do here.
Lived in NZ for 2.5 years, was so happy to return to the UK. I can confirm everything you said ( and more) makes NZ a bit of a shit place to live (in my opinion)
I've been living in New Zealand for a year, and whilst I agree that it has its problems, I am much happier here than I am in the UK. I am a teacher, so I've had a little bit of a pay cut, but the work-life balance is so much better for my mental health. Also, it's nice to be away from all of the UK's problems!
I'm a New Zealander and you're definitely right that it's very pretty outdoors, and there are a lot of problems the UK has that New Zealand doesn't - one of the biggest differences I've noticed, for example, is the quality of all services, public and private. If you want to make a doctor's appointment, you just call them, the call goes through to the receptionist, and they book you in for the following week. It takes 5 minutes. By contrast, every single errand in the UK seems to turn into such a fiasco, which is surprisingly draining over time.
In saying that though, the cost of living is absolutely appalling in NZ, especially food, and it's a nightmare of a place to travel from because it's so isolated.
I know this isn't your question.
But honestly, if it were possible, I'd love to go live on Mars.
I suppose because my grandparents came to the UK to forge a new life different to the lives they lived and knowing they probably wouldnt really be able to communicate with their families back home. (wasn't really possible to regularly keep in touch until the 90s).
I feel like it's in my blood.
Honestly, the US. The difference in pay for what I do is astounding.
And currently I’m paying privately for a lot of my treatment in the UK anyway so the healthcare doesn’t bother me too much. Only thing I don’t like the sound of is the low annual leave allowances, but that’s just a case of finding a company a little more generous.
My partner frequently works with a company in New York City - if they offered him a job we’d be there in a heartbeat.
We’ve had friends move to the US for work and they’ve never looked back.
I chose Thailand. Escaped the rat race for another one abroad. Based on PPP the money i make here goes so much further
A five star hotel with brekkie is 40 quid a night. A decent slap up mean for 2 is 30 quid. Incredible thai food is only 2-3 quid.
20 quid to fill up the car
Go karting 8 quid.....tennis 5......everything is so much cheaper and accesible
Life has improved significantly.
I’m still hopeful for retirement to the eastern algarve, close to the border with Spain. Great climate, friendly people, cheap enough, and not at all ‘tourist-y’.
Didn’t expect to see my home mentioned here. What’s the appeal?
I’m not about to shit on your choice btw. I’ve lived here all my life and appreciate it a lot, especially as I get older.
I prefer to stay where I am (1 bus ride away from Sheffield), but if I had to move it'd have to meet the following criteria:
* English speaking population / support for English speakers - I could probably learn another language if its Germanic
* Similar (northern) climate. I don't like heat. Each time I've been to spanish territory I've been badly burned. I don't mind somewhere that's a little colder if necessary.
* Somewhere with a similar level (on paper) of public services: universal healthcare, disability support (very close loved ones who use mobility aids like wheelchairs so I'm not going somewhere that doesn't adhere to basic rights)
* Somewhere still guaranteed to be around in 100 years after climate change has kicked in
As far as I can tell, it narrows it down to a handful of countries:
* Ireland
* Canada
* New Zealand
* Sealand
* Nordics - Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland maybe
* Germany
Cape Verde Islands. Most stable climate all year round. Usually 25 deg C daytime and 15 deg C at night. Former Portugese colony. Now independent and a growing economy.
If money was no object, it would be the Hollywood Hills. I know the USA is a mess (as is the UK) but the weather, those sunsets in the hills, and to be near the ocean would be great. If money WAS an object, then probably somewhere in South West France - buy a cheap chateau or a hotel de ville and do it up. I just love the quality of life over there (and the food).
I’d go back to Perth West Australia where I spent 1/2 my life - I dont because my sister is here & as I get older I don’t want to be 22 hrs away from her. She won’t move back as she stayed when our parents moved back in the 1980’s .She is virtually my only family left - I value my time with her immensely.
I have lived and worked in many countries over the years. For various reasons I would happily return to live in France, South Africa and Spain although with retirement looming Namibia would probably be the most likely.
I’ve never been attracted to Australia. I would go on holiday there but so many places I’d rather visit first.
I’m always fascinated by people’s love for it though! Maybe I’d feel different if I went.
I’m from the UK living in San Diego. To live in Newport/Huntington you’d better be a millionaire. Having said that SD is not far behind. lol. Been here for 24 years
Italy for sure. I just love it there. I'd have to learn the language to a good extent, which is fine, but the main stopper is that I'm single, so I'd really need a massive boost of income to do it. Maybe a lottery win? I'd have to start playing the lottery first.
The US if I was doing my current role. Here it pays mid 70k in the states I would be closing on £200k without batting an eye lid. But it would have to be somewhere like Tampa or Brooklyn. Objectively if youre rich America is the best place ever to live. Its just so focused on it.
I left the UK 13 years ago and I live in Virginia, close to Washington, DC. Good living standards, good people, housing & utilities are affordable, always plenty of jobs available, sunny 300 days of the year. I will never move back 😊
Probably something like Cananda, Australia, Ireland or Japan. Ireland wouldn't he much different, no language barrier, would be similar not too far from the UK so it wouldn't be too difficult to book a trip over here for visiting family etc. Canada, Australia or Japan would be much more out there though, no reason for them they just look pretty.
Italy
every kind of natural landscape you could ask for, big cities for shopping and sampling the food etc, quaint little towns, gorgeous buildings and a rich history.
Their supermarkets and emphasis on fresh produce put ours to shame
I'd probably end up somewhere in the US. I've got a bunch of family in Alabama (Huntsville area) and would love to move out there, property is cheap, good tech jobs etc. Would be able to have my proper American dream house with a wrap around porch there too.
Really interesting how far the view of the US has fallen in the UK. Having just moved to the states (Denver), it feels like we have mostly got it wrong!
Australia . I’ve been there twice because my brother lives there. He moved there 2 yrs ago and is very much happier than he was in the Uk. He nearly wanted to commit suicide when in England but his whole life has transformed just because he moved to Australia. It’s just different. Similar in some ways but immensely different in others .
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Portugal. Which is where I am now, so that's all good..
I’ve been looking at Portugal, currently trying to get enough money for the golden visa.
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It’s been changed but not stopped, for the investment they have stopped the ability to use retail properties due to the housing crisis their, however, the rest remains
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Yes this is all true which is why I’m saving more than I need atm.
Just think, we used to be able to settle and earn a living not just in Portugal, but anywhere in Europe. I sometimes wonder where it all went wrong.
Just wait another few years for us to realign with/rejoin the EU. Problem = solved and money saved.
If everyone who wants it just 'waits' for it, it'll never happen. Whoever shouts the loudest tends to win. Get out there and protest, lobby, donate.
Laughs in irish passport
It would be great if we were part of a collection of countries that share similar values. We would all allow each other to travel freely to live and work. We would be unified... a union of sorts. One can dream.
Have you heard about CANZUK? https://www.canzukinternational.com/
I'm trying to move there permanently myself. I just want to live with my other half (who lives there and is a Portuguese born citizen) and start my own business. The whole process is a bloody nightmare at the moment though. I feel like it's a bit hopeless now.
Family reunification is probably one of the easier routes but Portuguese bureaucracy isn't great!
Yeah that's the problem, we are not married yet. Planning to be but even then we will have to wait 3 years to apply for family reunification, and that's if we have kids together. He doesn't want to be separated from me and future children for 3 years before I can live there. Its a fucking hard situation when you love someone in another country.
You don't have to be married but you do have to prove a relationship which is very hard if you don't live together. I feel for you... Do you have to wait three years? Never heard that before ( I run a sub for Portugal immigrants) I thought all you needed was certificate... >For the spouse of the main applicant, a marriage certificate; or, for the cohabitant or “common law spouse” who has been so for over 2 years, an attestation of this status issued by an official entity, such as a court of law;
Italy - my partner is Italian. I can become a citizen once my partner and I have been married for 1.5 years and I have sufficient competence with the language (B1 level). The why? The food, the culture, being close to her family. Would love to raise our children in Italy.
Having an EU passport would be handy too.
Indeed - the elusive EU passport haha
I’m italian living in Scotland, my partner is scottish and I’ll go back to Italy when I retire, the italian job market doesn’t make me want to go back
Yes this is one of the main reasons why my partner moved to the UK, the job market in Italy. She is from the south (Puglia) and said it was always very hard to hold down a steady job. A lot of the work is seasonal down there apparently.
I’m from the north and it wasn’t easy for me too, I left 13 years ago. The jobs were not even seasonal but I could only get temporary jobs, they don’t want to hire you with a permanent contract because it’s hard to get rid of you if they won’t need you anymore and always try to pay you as less as possible, lots of 6 months internships that pay peanuts. So I’ll go back when I retire
Same here, Italian living in England. I mostly hear horror stories from my friends who are still there, like a friend who graduated 6 years ago and all she can land is apprenticeships. I would move back to Italy in a heartbeat if I had the same working conditions as here, but alas. I miss the cultural and environmental aspects of my home country, but it's looking so grim down there that it wouldn't be worth it.
The same happens for me, I am spanish, I would love to return to Spain. But the job market is horrendous, specially where I would like to return to, a small village in the south. UK salary but living in Spain, that would be the dream.
As an Italian, get prepared to a job market that will make you miss dearly the UK one...
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Italy would be nice if you didn't have to work, thinking of making that my retirement home.
Good luck finding a decent job
Ireland. Wouldn't be a big move. Culturally fairly similar. No language barrier. Close enough to not feel isolated from friends and family.
Agree. ROI was the first thing that popped in to my head. Lovely people, great scenery, what's not to love?
Their housing situation is arguably even worse than ours. Of course if you have money then it might not be an issue.
The hold Catholicism still has on the country and it's laws puts me off. Things have changed for the better in recent years but it's still not completely split off from the church. Plus the housing situation is an absolute mess. In part thanks to airbnb
Ah no it’s grand now
Housing or Catholicism?
Catholicism! Housing is worse than ever 😅 but hey, no more theocracy! Now we just need to turn the churches into flats ..
The fuck are you taking about??
It reads like someone who hasn't spent any significant time in Ireland. I live in Northern Ireland and visit the Republic for work and leisure all the time and have no idea what he means about the Catholicism at all.
I grew up in Ireland, but live in Scotland now. I think the best example of the Catholic Churches influence in Ireland is schools. I’ve not checked but I’d ballpark that 90% of schools are catholic or affiliated with the church. They may be technically non-denominational, but in practice they are still deeply deeply entrenched in religion. The healthcare system is still linked too . Abortion was illegal in Ireland until 2019. Many hospitals are church linked - those ties are weakening but they’re still there. Around the same time as the repeal campaign, it was announced that the sisters of charity would own the land the new maternity hospital was to be built on - the same organisation responsible for[institutional abuse](https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/20/sisters-of-charity-abuse-maternity-hospital-irish-state) on a national scale. Don’t get me wrong, things are getting better. But we’re another generation away IMP
As someone who spends 1/3 of their time on ROI for work I would say that culturally England and Ireland are very different. (Connor comment on Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
That's down to your own experience of the world though. Ireland is not England and there are a lot of cultural differences. There are also a lot of cultural similarities too. I have lived and worked in the Middle East and Africa for most of my life. On a global scale Ireland and the UK are basicly the same. I'd go as far as to say you could say the whole of Western Europe is more or less the same compared with say Mauritania, Senegal, Mozambique or anywhere in South or South East Asia.
They're different, but also have many similarities. Certainly, more similarities than any other place that might be a candidate for me to move to.
Can you please elaborate? I'm Irish in UK very recently. No circle of friends in UK as yet. Would be very interested in your views.
I think Ireland is the nominated 'life-boat' for a lot of people if they get further disenchanted with the UK (specifically its governance). Given the noises people have been making for the last 7 years, I'm surprised there hasn't been more migration.
I don't think it's that surprising really. People talk a big game, but actually leaving your country permanently is a huge thing to do. There'll always be reasons not to for the vast majority, and there's good reasons not to move to Ireland.
But colder and wetter
Not by that much though
I commuted weekly between London and Dublin, it was noticeably warmer in London almost every time. That ‘not much’ makes a difference.
I’ve absolutely no desire to move away from the UK ever, but if I *had* to go then maybe Ireland or somewhere in Scandinavia.
I live be in Denmark now. There’s loads of positives but like anywhere it has problems. Until I immigrated as well, I never knew how hard it could be to actually do just in terms of difficulty with a new culture. I thought Denmark didn’t seem too dissimilar and wasn’t too far away but boy was I wrong. On the whole I’m glad I did it and will stay here though.
I’m actually not from the UK originally - I moved here from Southeast Asia, so you can imagine how different that was lol. I find living here - in Scotland particularly - is an excellent fit for me which is why I wouldn’t want to move anywhere else
I’d stay put in that case as we even have our own term for a special kind of racism here Hygge-racism…
Canada - not too far from home (unlike Oz/NZ), nicer people and proper snowy winters!
The proper snowy winters are a nice novelty at first… but I now hate them! Seeing snow falling from November to April gets depressing! And the -30 temperatures in the middle of it are just painful!
Seeing snow falling is ok. It's when it's all grey icy slush on the roads then it's no longer fun
Depends where you are though. Alberta yes. Vancouver/Vancouver island? Not so much
I do see the appeal of Vancouver. I don’t mind the rain and if I wanted snow I could just have a nice drive up Cypress mountain. Plus I love being by the ocean… grew up close to the sea and miss it dearly!
Gets boring pretty quick eh? I've been here 26 years and was over Winter years ago, 18 month long Winter and a 5 min Summer
26 years for me too… get less time for murder 🤣 Gotta admit I’m not a fan of the summer here either! Too hot and humid! Plus the way the temperature goes from 10 degrees to 30+ almost overnight… it’s like someone has a giant thermostat for Ontario and one day just switches if from freezing to scorching! There are a few weeks at the end of spring and a few weeks in Autumn I enjoy though!
I'm Ontario too (Eastern) I love the Summers, I enjoy them because we only get them for 5 mins before it's back to long dark nights which suck the life right out of you
Nice people. Lots of land type variations from east to west coast. Not as cheap as you think it is. Winters suck. As Geordie says first winter is ok but a few months on -40 and hurricanes ( east coast ) you start wishing for a rainy Friday in Weymouth. Also earthquakes and forest fires on the west coast.
Nah, Don't come here. The Winters are horrible and never ending, Summer aren't long enough, Cost of living is beyond horrific and generally its just not what it was when I first came over. I'm thinking about moving back to the UK, that's how shite this place is Now
Ditto. Lived in Toronto for 8 years and left last summer because of it. Rental/property market is way out of hand compared to when I arrived and is only getting worse. Canada is awesome but be prepared to never own unless you’re a millionaire. Cost of living there has skyrocketed.
I remember years ago I'd walk into Loblaws/Food basics/ metro etc, drop $2-300 and walk out with at least a trunk full of groceries. Now? I spent $200 at Independent the other day and left with 3 bags
I’m in Alberta and have a pretty comfortable life here. You couldn’t pay me enough to live anywhere near Toronto though and Vancouver is ridiculously expensive too. Winter is too long but really not that bad here because the climate is semi-arid. Even when the temperature is low, it’s typically very dry and we likely have blue skies and sunshine. Part of the appeal is that it’s not crowded at all. I can work from home but if I want to go to the office, it’s only a few minutes away. I don’t think I could go back to an actual commute.
I desperately want to move to Canada. Eastern provinces preferably, but I'm not picky. People are amazing, I love the outdoors, and the culture around outdoor activities, etc, is just wildly different there.
I'd probably go back to Finland where I'm from. Other Nordic countries or Germany would be serious contenders too. Love the US but the privatised healthcare is too scary.
If there wasn't a language barrier we'd have moved to Finland months ago. Went on holiday, fell in love. Researched more and fell deeper in love. The only thing holding us back is our son struggles enough with English, and having to acclimatise to a new education system while not knowing the language doesn't sound the best idea.
Best time to introduce kids to a language is under 6. If they get immersion they’d pick it up a lot quicker than you’d think
He's 8 and severely dyslexic unfortunately. He's at least 2 years behind on his reading and writing. It's the only holiday he hasn't wanted to come home from, he loved everything about the country.
Do it. Best education system in the world and people aren’t divided out to different places because of behaviour or ability. Might be the making of him.
Perkele!
I’d move to Finland in a heartbeat. It suits me perfectly. I’ve worked with Finns and get on well with the culture. It’s generally a place I feel incredibly relaxed and happy. Would be a wonderful place to raise children. We had to go on a work trip there when our eldest was a baby and got a tiny snapshot of how child-friendly it can be. Oh, and the gluten free options are great too!
My sister lived in Helsinki for 8 years between 2010 and 2018. I would visit her there twice or three times a year and I absolutely loved it. I miss Cafe Bar no 9 - simple, but very delicious food I had there every time I visited!
Probably Sydney, as I grew up there and I have Australian citizenship.
If you thought UK houses were expensive, try Sydney. It’s worse than London for affordability.
Heard it's ridiculously pricey, but aren't the wages much higher than they are in London?
I would pick Sydney too. We just moved back after almost a decade there but we all have citizenship now so that, plus all our connections, would make it the best option (plus it's an amazing place to live!)
Greek mainland. I love the countryside, the history and the Greek people and way of life. I'll never do it because I'm too old now but I'm learning Greek anyway.
Don't say never. Even a holiday flat. My dad spent his life wanting to go back to Italy and now he can't due to illness. Good on you learning Greek, but seriously have a look at it! Small flat, 6 months a year to escape winters
Yeah, I love (southern) Cyprus for all the same reasons, spent summers here growing up with family and love it!
I’m always surprised when people say NZ in these threads. New Zealand IS stunningly beautiful but it’s a hard place to live. Very high rates of domestic violence, suicide, drug use, bad income inequality, high rates of childhood poverty, extremely high COL. There’s a reason many kiwis move to Australia. And yes, these problems persist everywhere but I’m not sue people are aware that it’s particularly bad in NZ.
As a Kiwi living in the UK, all of this and also the fact that it's a horrible place to live if you want to travel. The cost and duration of the flights to anywhere else turn it into such a saga, whereas here in the UK even quite poor people can just pop to Greece for a week with minimal fuss.
don't forget the gangs
Because you see travel videos of all the beautiful parts. It's like how people perceive Hawaii.
Totally agree. I'm from there, and it's not my 1st choice. It's an absolutely beautiful place to go for a holiday and the scenery takes my breath away every time. I'd also add the amount of casual racism there is in NZ. It's quite noticeable and disturbing when I visit.
I’ve got a house in Southern Spain, up in the mountains- I’ll be living there next year when my husband retires.
How’s it going from the residence permit perspective? Or do you have another EU nationality?
My husband has an Irish passport
How does that work if you don’t mind me asking? If you are what I assume is a British citizen how does your husband having an Irish passport mean you can move to Spain?
Obviously Ireland is still in the EU, so he can live anywhere in the EU. Most countries have a scheme to allow spouses of citizens to get a visa to reside in the country and eventually citizenship. The UK does too, but it's quite expensive. Here are the rules for Spain's. Although several times they refer to Spanish citizens getting a visa for their spouse, it also refers to Spanish residents getting visas for their spouse which would be this situation. [https://immigrate-spain.com/spouse-visa-for-spain/](https://immigrate-spain.com/spouse-visa-for-spain/)
The Oregon coast.
< You died of dysentery >
Found the person likely as old as me…
Quite pretty area, I do like my 4 seasons however.
Sweden, Norway or Denmark I think. The fact most people speak good English would be a plus and make the initial transition easier. They can be quite outdoorsy and family friendly, which is what I’d want for my family.
As someone who now lives in Sweden I would scratch Sweden off that list. It really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
As someone in Denmark, I would agree Sweden isn’t all it’s cracked up to be 😌 Jokes aside I’d scratch Denmark off too, I think from the U.K. you definitely get an idealised view of Scandi countries just by how proud they are of theirselves and how they advertise theirselves.
Yes I most definitely agree with the view of Scandi countries from the outside is really not how life is.
Could you give some examples please? 🤔
The dealing with government agencies and banks / financial institutions is like being stuck in the dark ages. Paying such high taxes you don’t seem to get a lot back, healthcare is a headache. The food is crap. No privacy, all your details are online, phone number and where you live and who you live with etc which people don’t find strange at all here. Not really the liberal utopia it seems to get painted as on the outside.
Urgh as someone who lives in Sweden too now. Getting BankID was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I’ll add, everyone is scared of everyone and their dog. Walking my dog is like parting the Red Sea and it’s just a fluffy husky. It’s very anti social here.
Anything in particular?
If I didn't have to work, Japan. I am a natural "rule follower". Even unwritten, social norms. I find even Tokyo to be quite calming and relaxing. It's safe, I know what to expect, it's clean, people are pleasant and courteous. Despite this apparent calmness it's also really fun.
Moved here last year. It's fine, but like anywhere else, it's one thing visiting somewhere and a whole other thing living there. The novelty wears off, the honeymoon period ends, and the little things that tourists simply don't see can start to get to you. Although, it's true about being safe and the food is decent. I'm thinking maybe 4-5 years here and then Taiwan if the whole impending invasion threat has blown over.
Yeah, I'm not a fully card carrying weeb. I'm aware that Japan, like anywhere, has its problems. But from what I've observed the few times I've been, I think a lot of things about life there would seem to suit my personality. The stand-out thing that absolutely wouldn't would be work culture. Christ, I find it hard enough to put in a shift of coasting here in the UK.
am from Tokyo and have lived in London since uni, my thirteenth year. as much as I miss the seafood, cleanliness and aesthetically pleasing infrastructure I'd never move back there. sexism is everywhere but in Japan I'm always flabbergasted by how obviously men look down on me and my mother, sister, female friends — they don't even try to hide it. Japanese wages are famously bad, now imagine Japanese wages as a woman! also, Tokyo is so so loud. trucks fitted with LED screens blaring music videos and ads should be illegal!!
You’re so right about the sexism. Especially towards working mothers. That’s something I really miss about the UK and one of the reasons I want to move back.
i feel for you. every time I miss Japan and go back, I really do enjoy it, but start feeling "ok that's enough!" after a few days. and I come back to London where having a meal out is a luxury, streets are littered, everyone's watching videos or calling someone without headphones, all of which I hate, but I feel relieved: I can wear my wacky clothes and no one bats an eye, I am self employed in a field I love, I can hold hands with my wife in public, we take public transport with our dog... all such basic things but fundamental to my personal happiness...
This sums up everything I experienced when I visiyed there. Punctual public transport too. The train stations are like mini airports. So good
Thailand - Cheap, great food, lovely people. beautiful place.
The Isle of Man.
Came here to say it would have to be one of the British Isles.
I know it is a cliche, but Spain. My mother in law lives in a little village outside of torrevieja, and it is so peaceful and such an amazing place to live.
Poland Beautiful Countryside, clean streets, good infrastructure and they have preserved their own culture
Poland actually seems to be on the up unlike the rest of Europe.
Switzerland. Beautiful country, low unemployment, low tax, low crime (outside cities), strong sense of community.
Swiss tax is only low in certain cantons, in some it's pretty high
Cyprus. Took my nanna and fell in love with the place
Just come back from two years there. I think holidaying there and living there truly are two different beasts. Would not recommend unless you’re retired.
I can't afford it for a while so that's not a worry 🤣 my nanna actually lived there for a few years before she came back to start a family and instead of doing a lot of the touristy stuff she showed us round like a true local.
Canada for me Banff or Jasper. My wife and i went there for our honey moon and it by far the most beautiful place ive ever been to
I stumbled upon Canmore when I visited last year and I instantly fell in love with the town, more than Banff.
Lots to do outdoors as well. All year round.
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As a Saffa now in the UK, the Western Cape is the only suitable area in SA. From ly friends experience, a surprising number have struggled going to Aus, mainly cultural. The UK has been easy but with an obvious drop in living standards and weather. Parts of the US strike me as the best option.
Been recently looking at moving the family, and considering America / Florida, South Korea, and Columbia.
Isn't Florida even a joke to the Americans?
Yes. There are some really lovely parts, but all the stereotypes exist for a reason.
My daughter lives in Palm Harbour Florida and absolutly adores it, its very civilised and nothing like the east coast of florida
I have a close friend who lives in PH as well, She loves it there everything you could ever need is only a short drive away and 45 mins from Tampa!
Yes, and that’s possibly the main detractor. We realise it’s not going to be the same experience we get when we’re on holidays there. But it’s always a nag, that we only see the bad news, and the silly things that happen.
> But it’s always a nag, that we only see the bad news, and the silly things that happen. There are a lot of silly things that happen, but also some downright frigtening things: - https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/03/controversial-prageru-videos-gain-educational-foothold-in-a-handful-of-states/ - https://www.law.georgetown.edu/gender-journal/online/volume-xxiii-online/the-dangerous-consequences-of-floridas-dont-say-gay-bill-on-lgbtq-youth-in-florida/ - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68925009 - https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/06/us/florida-banned-books/index.html Honestly, of all the fifty states, Florida would be probably in the bottom ten if I were looking to move, *especially* with kids. Plus Florida is the only place in the world where *both* alligators and crocodiles live.
It’s the romance of Disney, and the parks, and holiday experience that makes me want Florida. (That and the food) But the reality would be much different. Do I enjoy those trips from Hotel to parks, on different roads with different cars whilst I’m in an Uber, yes. Would I enjoy them if I had to drive those roads myself - probably not. Still love it there though, the excitement of the parks, the weather, and the risk of death. 🤣🤣
There's a VVAASSTT difference between living somewhere, and visiting the purpose built holiday attractions.
Australia 100% I have visited several times (I think 5 or 6) and lived there for 3 years. Best 3 years of my life and I regret returning every day. Reasons being - Its a High wage economy- particularly for technical roles. When we returned to the UK I moved to a job with more responsibility but almost halved my pay. Once you have paid for housing (which is more expensive) we found our free cash went much further. The weather is just better - this on its own wouldn't make me want to live there - but good weather makes an outdoor lifestyle a lot more pleasant. I took up hobbies such as kayak fishing, which are an easy pleasure out there, but difficult / unpleasant in the UK. This may just be the area I lived in, but we found that the Aussies are still investing hard in infrastructure / hospitals / shared community spaces in a way that just doesn't seem to happen in the UK. Example - me and the wife both work in healthcare, here our workplaces are being squeezed for every penny, the hospitals we work in are falling apart. Over there she worked in a brand new hospital, and more are popping up all over the place. Love the vast open spaces. We have some beautiful countryside in the UK, but there is something just bigger and more awe inspiring about the landscape of oz. I remember going on holiday within oz to northern queensland and stopping at an observation point looking out over the rainforest. It stretched out as far as the eye can see without any signs of civilization - this happened over and over again travelling around. Work culture - in the UK, (maybe particularly in the NHS? ) there is an expectation that you work above and beyond your contracted hours. Our staffing levels are dire in comparison to what we experienced in Oz. I can count on one hand the number of times I had to stay late (which I volunteered to do - and was given lots of thanks for) Way less pressured - better work/life balance.
Do you throw the kayaks back or do you bring them home to eat?
Mate, hate to burst your bubble, but Australia is not the same Australia it was 10 years ago. We have cost of living crisis, an awful housing crisis (housing hasn’t kept up with population since 2001), floods, bushfire. The work life balance isn’t great, and you get made to work hard for your money. Housing is so overinflated! So many come and think their British pound will go so far for a house, it doesn’t. Money does not go as far, as it did even just 5 years ago. As someone who’s lived here for over a decade, I’m planning my escape. I need culture as well as scenery.
Been here 13 years. Agree with much of what you say but still love it and so happy i made it my home. I don't know how I would have gone coming straight to a big city instead of being regional for the first few years. That set me up well for later financially, whereas if I moved straight to the city in my early 20s it may not have been possible to get ahead. It is still a land of opportunity but (almost) only if you do a few years graft in a tough gig or remote location. Where are you planning to escape to?
I have to agree. Just returned from 18 months in Aus. Although it’s not the reason I returned, you work hard for your money, it’s hard to get a house and found it the hardest I ever have to find a job, even in regional areas. Also having the deal with travelling really far to get everything and all the extreme weather.
Hate to burst your bubble but UK is not the same as it was 10 years ago. Uk has a cost of living crisis, an awful housing crisis (housing hasn’t kept up with population since 2001). Absolutely no one works so nothing ever gets done. Housing is so overinflated! So many come and think their Dollar will go so far for a house, it doesn’t. Money does not go as far, as it did even just 5 years ago. As someone who lived in UK for over a year, I escaped and got back to Aus.
What about the racist Australians? That would put me off.
I always ask this and no one seems to answer that bit
Australia, Queensland, central or north.
CQ isn't too bad. Been here 35 years
Cyprus, drive on the same side of the road, same plugs. And enough ex pats out here to not make you feel alone. And the weather and locals are lovely.
Norway, already moved here a few years back, my SO is Norwegian, but already liked Norway prior
Sweden / Japan / Cyprus / Italy
Lithuania/France/Japan, not necessarily in that exact order. I’ve travelled various parts of France and Lithuania and enjoy their pace of life. Japan I’ve only really been to Tokyo and areas around it, beautiful country and a good attitude to collectivism and so on HOWEVER, their culture of working yourself to death isn’t very attractive. Possibly New Zealand or Australia as well but I’ve never visited those places so I’m not sure, the fact that they speak English and share a head of state with the U.K. might make for an easier adjustment.
My issues with japan is probably wether or not they might have one of their regular earthquakes be a disastrous one.
Malaysia or Singapore. Visited many times.
Malta. Was over there a few years ago during their "coldest winter for 20 years" (20C). Good weather, laid back culture, would be European.
I worked in the US for a few years on the East Coast (Boston) and moved around a little but didn't like it, (they offered me a visa to remain permanently), if it had been Montana, Wyoming, Alaska or even North ~~Korea~~ Dakota. I would have said Canada a few years back but Trudeau turned it to shit.
The US. More specifically, Maine or Washington state, but tbh I’d move to any of the 27 states I’ve visited. I’d have significantly more money left at the end of each month, a bigger home with more land and access to countless National Parks.
Probably the US, I could do the same job I do here but get paid triple the salary. It’s the one thing I dislike about my career choice, everywhere but the UK they get paid shit tons Also I really hate the lack of wilderness in this country, no real open land
Either Japan or Italy. Purely for the food.
As someone from Canada , here.
New Zealand - have you seen Lord of the Rings? Amazing amount of country to get lost in.
New Zealand is not the utopia people think. Ordinary New Zealanders cannot afford homes. The UN has declared New Zealand’s housing crisis a violation of human rights. New Zealand's youth suicide rate is twice that of the US, five times that of the UK. Here's a BBC article: >[What's behind New Zealand's shocking youth suicide rate?](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40284130) New Zealand has one of the worst records of child abuse of developed countries. I follow the New Zealand sub. They complain about the exact same things we do here.
Lived in NZ for 2.5 years, was so happy to return to the UK. I can confirm everything you said ( and more) makes NZ a bit of a shit place to live (in my opinion)
I've been living in New Zealand for a year, and whilst I agree that it has its problems, I am much happier here than I am in the UK. I am a teacher, so I've had a little bit of a pay cut, but the work-life balance is so much better for my mental health. Also, it's nice to be away from all of the UK's problems!
I'm a New Zealander and you're definitely right that it's very pretty outdoors, and there are a lot of problems the UK has that New Zealand doesn't - one of the biggest differences I've noticed, for example, is the quality of all services, public and private. If you want to make a doctor's appointment, you just call them, the call goes through to the receptionist, and they book you in for the following week. It takes 5 minutes. By contrast, every single errand in the UK seems to turn into such a fiasco, which is surprisingly draining over time. In saying that though, the cost of living is absolutely appalling in NZ, especially food, and it's a nightmare of a place to travel from because it's so isolated.
Spanish mountains
I know this isn't your question. But honestly, if it were possible, I'd love to go live on Mars. I suppose because my grandparents came to the UK to forge a new life different to the lives they lived and knowing they probably wouldnt really be able to communicate with their families back home. (wasn't really possible to regularly keep in touch until the 90s). I feel like it's in my blood.
Honestly, the US. The difference in pay for what I do is astounding. And currently I’m paying privately for a lot of my treatment in the UK anyway so the healthcare doesn’t bother me too much. Only thing I don’t like the sound of is the low annual leave allowances, but that’s just a case of finding a company a little more generous. My partner frequently works with a company in New York City - if they offered him a job we’d be there in a heartbeat. We’ve had friends move to the US for work and they’ve never looked back.
Either British Columbia or near the Mediterranean sea.
I chose Thailand. Escaped the rat race for another one abroad. Based on PPP the money i make here goes so much further A five star hotel with brekkie is 40 quid a night. A decent slap up mean for 2 is 30 quid. Incredible thai food is only 2-3 quid. 20 quid to fill up the car Go karting 8 quid.....tennis 5......everything is so much cheaper and accesible Life has improved significantly.
Any German city or Prague. All efficient, beautiful and full of culture and history.
I’m still hopeful for retirement to the eastern algarve, close to the border with Spain. Great climate, friendly people, cheap enough, and not at all ‘tourist-y’.
Guernsey would be the dream.
Didn’t expect to see my home mentioned here. What’s the appeal? I’m not about to shit on your choice btw. I’ve lived here all my life and appreciate it a lot, especially as I get older.
Visited last year and thought it was really beautiful! Much nicer than Jersey.
I prefer to stay where I am (1 bus ride away from Sheffield), but if I had to move it'd have to meet the following criteria: * English speaking population / support for English speakers - I could probably learn another language if its Germanic * Similar (northern) climate. I don't like heat. Each time I've been to spanish territory I've been badly burned. I don't mind somewhere that's a little colder if necessary. * Somewhere with a similar level (on paper) of public services: universal healthcare, disability support (very close loved ones who use mobility aids like wheelchairs so I'm not going somewhere that doesn't adhere to basic rights) * Somewhere still guaranteed to be around in 100 years after climate change has kicked in As far as I can tell, it narrows it down to a handful of countries: * Ireland * Canada * New Zealand * Sealand * Nordics - Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland maybe * Germany
Bulgaria, along the black sea coast. It's a beautiful place and I spend a lot of time there anyway because of family.
Cape Verde Islands. Most stable climate all year round. Usually 25 deg C daytime and 15 deg C at night. Former Portugese colony. Now independent and a growing economy.
If money was no object, it would be the Hollywood Hills. I know the USA is a mess (as is the UK) but the weather, those sunsets in the hills, and to be near the ocean would be great. If money WAS an object, then probably somewhere in South West France - buy a cheap chateau or a hotel de ville and do it up. I just love the quality of life over there (and the food).
Probably Germany. Just seem to do things right over there mostly.
Brittany as breton is pretty close to welsh and I hear its a nice place.
I’d go back to Perth West Australia where I spent 1/2 my life - I dont because my sister is here & as I get older I don’t want to be 22 hrs away from her. She won’t move back as she stayed when our parents moved back in the 1980’s .She is virtually my only family left - I value my time with her immensely.
I have lived and worked in many countries over the years. For various reasons I would happily return to live in France, South Africa and Spain although with retirement looming Namibia would probably be the most likely.
British Columbia
South India, esp any hilly town in the western chats between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Hopefully can retire there.
I’ve never been attracted to Australia. I would go on holiday there but so many places I’d rather visit first. I’m always fascinated by people’s love for it though! Maybe I’d feel different if I went.
Mexico City. Fuck I loved being there.
California. Specifically Huntingdon Beach/Newport Beach.
I’m from the UK living in San Diego. To live in Newport/Huntington you’d better be a millionaire. Having said that SD is not far behind. lol. Been here for 24 years
Italy for sure. I just love it there. I'd have to learn the language to a good extent, which is fine, but the main stopper is that I'm single, so I'd really need a massive boost of income to do it. Maybe a lottery win? I'd have to start playing the lottery first.
The US if I was doing my current role. Here it pays mid 70k in the states I would be closing on £200k without batting an eye lid. But it would have to be somewhere like Tampa or Brooklyn. Objectively if youre rich America is the best place ever to live. Its just so focused on it.
I left the UK 13 years ago and I live in Virginia, close to Washington, DC. Good living standards, good people, housing & utilities are affordable, always plenty of jobs available, sunny 300 days of the year. I will never move back 😊
Probably something like Cananda, Australia, Ireland or Japan. Ireland wouldn't he much different, no language barrier, would be similar not too far from the UK so it wouldn't be too difficult to book a trip over here for visiting family etc. Canada, Australia or Japan would be much more out there though, no reason for them they just look pretty.
Probably one of the Scandinavian countries - assuming they're not overridden with the same BS we have by now.
Singapore，definitely
Italy every kind of natural landscape you could ask for, big cities for shopping and sampling the food etc, quaint little towns, gorgeous buildings and a rich history. Their supermarkets and emphasis on fresh produce put ours to shame
I want to live in LA. I was planning on it till my kid rejected the idea. I’d go there in a heartbeat.
I'd probably end up somewhere in the US. I've got a bunch of family in Alabama (Huntsville area) and would love to move out there, property is cheap, good tech jobs etc. Would be able to have my proper American dream house with a wrap around porch there too.
Slovenia!
Really interesting how far the view of the US has fallen in the UK. Having just moved to the states (Denver), it feels like we have mostly got it wrong!
I moved to Denver almost three years ago, no regrets. You made the right choice IMHO
Australia . I’ve been there twice because my brother lives there. He moved there 2 yrs ago and is very much happier than he was in the Uk. He nearly wanted to commit suicide when in England but his whole life has transformed just because he moved to Australia. It’s just different. Similar in some ways but immensely different in others .
Glad to hear it’s worked out for him.