Emigrating from America: the most popular locations for US expats
The number of Americans moving overseas has risen over the years, and that number’s expected to continue to rise. With over 9 million American expats and counting, the American population are making new homes of countries around the world.
We’ve already delved into the reasons why US citizens move abroad, so this week we look at where they go when they move. This is our deep-dive into the most popular locations around the globe for American expats.
Mexico
With a border with the US spanning from east to west, and shared first and second languages, a high proportion of American expats make their home south of the border. Making a home here is made extra attractive by the great food and music culture, as well as the great climate.
Canada
America’s ‘great white north’, Canada is a very popular location for those emigrating from the US. Thanks to shared first languages and lots of shared culture, Canada remains one the most popular US expat destinations in the world, with over 300,000 US expats currently calling it home. Canada makes a great home for US nationals, boasting excellent gas and property prices as well as the (generally) low crime rates and exceptional landscape.
Costa Rica
Fancy living in an eco-friendly, sustainability focussed tropical paradise where the cost of living’s around 25% cheaper than in the USA? Well, if this sounds great to you, you’re not the only one. Costa Rica’s currently home to around 120,000 American citizens who’ve moved to this South American country. And thanks to the centuries old relationship between Costa Rica and the US, they report lack of culture shock and the nature as the main motivating factors behind their moves.
Czech Republic
Home to around 6000 Americans and growing, the Czech Republic is becoming a popular US expat location. The capital city, Prague is particularly attractive: thanks to a booming tourism industry there are new job opportunities all the time. And the city is beautiful, historical and very affordable – with living costs over 40% cheaper than life in the US.
While the first language is Czech, around a quarter of the population do speak English. But we’d recommend that anyone moving overseas learns the home language to at least a conversational level before moving!
Germany
There are over 110,000 US citizens currently calling Germany home, and it’s easy to see why. More than half the population speak English, and the cost of living is lower than the average US costs by about 10%. From impressive lakes to sprawling forests, mountain skiing to bustling cities, Germany offers a lot. And thanks to its great location in Europe, US expats living here can hop on a train or a short direct flight to almost every other European country. So, do you fancy a great job in a booming career market, whilst enjoying excellent cheap beer and plenty of schnitzel?
Thailand
Asia boasts incredible beaches, ancient history and culture, and incredible food. And if that wasn’t enough there’s also the very impressive cost of living, with the average US expat seeing a drop in their expenses of around 50%. This combination of culture and competitive costs has seen around 35,000 US expats move to Southeast Asia to make Thailand their new home.
South Korea
Over 100,000 American citizens have made the move to South Korea. Much of the American expat community reside in Seoul – the metropolitan capital city that offers up a complete mix of eastern and western cultures. The city is easy to travel around, and with up to 50% of the population speaking English (mostly amongst the younger generations) the culture shock here is mitigated.
Are you an American citizen considering a move abroad? We have a dedicated US team of move co-ordinators who are here to support you at every stage of your move. And if you’re looking to move but unsure of where would suit you best, our relocation experts can advise you of the best match.
