These 4 Americans moved overseas—and do not plan on coming again anytime quickly: ‘I’m happier right here’

These days, the American Dream for many individuals is leaving the United States.

With its high cost of living, political tensions and sometimes exhausting hustle culture, there are quite a few causes Americans search a special way of life overseas. They might wish to see their cash go additional or crave a extra relaxed tradition. 

Regardless of their causes, lots of the Americans dwelling overseas interviewed by CNBC Make It report elevated life satisfaction and little need to return to the States.

Here’s why 4 Americans who’ve settled overseas do not plan on coming again for a while. 

For Cara West, her daughter’s security was a significant factor in choosing to relocate to another country. West and her household lived in Austin, Texas, in 2022 when the lethal mass taking pictures occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

“There have been so many issues that began to come back to mild after changing into a mom within the U.S. that made me really perceive that the U.S. does probably not assist households and moms and kids,” she instructed CNBC Make It earlier this yr.

The 33-year-old luxurious journey concierge and content material creator first introduced her household to Portugal in January 2023 to offer dwelling overseas a three-month trial. The slower tempo of life in Europe had an instantaneous impression.

″[My husband] noticed how glad I used to be, how a lot of a glow I had, how a lot time we have been spending with one another and as a household,” West mentioned.

From Portugal, they returned to the U.S. and began planning and packing up their life in Texas. By July of 2023, when the lease on their condominium ended, West and her husband have been prepared to start dwelling as digital nomads. After practically a yr of roaming round, they settled in Syros, Greece, in June 2024.

“In the United States, it is all about hustle tradition and your price is tied into your productiveness,” West mentioned. “But right here in Greece … relaxation is admittedly valued.”

She and her household have additionally loved the benefit of touring round the remainder of Greece from their dwelling on the island of Syros. 

“It’s very easy to get across the nation. You can take the ferries, you possibly can take flights,” West says. “Overall, our life is simply a lot extra fulfilling right here in Greece.”

West is worked up to develop her household and provides her daughter a world training by homeschooling and persevering with to journey.

“Just having the ability to see the world, to fulfill new individuals, to expertise a brand new language, cultures, traditions — it is simply so particular and one thing that we aren’t actually uncovered to sufficient within the United States,” she mentioned.

Steven Guo first grew to become an entrepreneur as a preteen internet hosting Minecraft servers. Since then, he is continued to construct profitable companies. Now in his early 20s, he is based a number of e-commerce manufacturers on observe to herald practically $2 million in mixed income this yr.

Despite that monetary success — which earned Guo a wage of over $250,000 this yr — he selected to maneuver to Bali, Indonesia, the place it prices a “fraction” of what he was beforehand paying to stay in Southern California.

“I’m positively a lot happier in Bali due to how nice the life-style is,” Guo beforehand instructed Make It. “Bali actually is a spot the place my work-life stability lastly is sensible.”

Guo spends his mornings working and usually goes browsing or explores the outside within the afternoons. He splits a four-bedroom Airbnb in Canggu, a resort village on the southern coast with perfect browsing situations.

“I get to spend tons of time with my associates. I additionally get to spend so much of time doing the actions that I like,” Guo mentioned.

Though he makes an honest dwelling, Guo is aware of how success can change rapidly for a enterprise. He lives frugally to assist guarantee he can navigate any challenges or setbacks, which he is in a position to do with out skimping on high quality in Bali.

“I usually do not prefer to spend an excessive amount of cash on myself,” he mentioned. “Most of my bills go in direction of meals, but when I do spend cash, it is usually in direction of presents for household or my girlfriend.”

At first, Iceland appeared like a wild card for native New Yorker Jewells Chambers. But after dwelling there for greater than eight years, she now earns a dwelling sharing the nation together with her 1000’s of podcast and YouTube subscribers.

“It felt as if there was one thing magnetic that has been pulling me on this course, and I nonetheless have not been in a position to put my finger on it precisely,” Chambers mentioned of her transfer to Iceland. “I do know it has one thing to do with the character, as a result of that has been and continues to be such a rejuvenating piece for me.”

Chambers was impressed to maneuver overseas when she was in highschool in Brooklyn.

“While the professor was speaking about U.S. economics and politics, one thing in my mind was identical to, ‘I do not assume I’m meant to stay within the U.S.,'” she mentioned.

After faculty, she wound up marrying an Icelandic man in 2015. He wished to return to his dwelling nation and Chambers obtained on board after she landed a job with an Icelandic tourism firm. The couple moved to Iceland in 2016.

To do her job as a marketer higher, Chambers began making an attempt among the distinctive outside adventures Iceland has to supply. Her “life modified,” she mentioned. “Everything grew to become about nature and understanding, respecting after which having the ability to market that out to our potential clients. And I liked it.”

Chambers began her personal podcast, All Things Iceland, in 2018 as a solution to share her experiences and reply questions her family and friends had about her expat journey. In August 2020, she left her day job to concentrate on All Things Iceland full time. 

She and her husband divorced in 2023, however her enterprise has continued to develop and allowed her to stay properly in Iceland whereas taking full benefit of the nation’s pure magnificence and monetary benefits. She does not pay any medical insurance premiums, for instance.

“When I made that call and stepped my foot down that day after I got here to the nation full time, it simply felt proper and it has continued to really feel that approach,” Chambers mentioned. “So for the foreseeable future, Iceland is my dwelling.”

Valerie Valcourt had it made, by some requirements, incomes over $100,000 a yr working in tech in Seattle. But “the paycheck wasn’t definitely worth the detriment to my psychological well being,” she beforehand instructed CNBC Make It.

Valcourt determined to meet a childhood dream of attending pastry college in France, the place she now lives. She initially utilized and was going to start out her pastry chef coaching in 2021, however she did not really feel financially ready on the time. 

When she lastly moved to France in 2022, she deliberate to remain for simply seven months. But her internship was prolonged and he or she landed a full-time job in November 2023. She’s now planning on staying in France for the foreseeable future, she mentioned earlier this yr.

“I’m happier right here than within the U.S. It’s been pretty,” Valcourt mentioned. “I really like having the ability to journey, the accessibility to nature, discovering new components of the nation. It’s been a lot enjoyable. And after all, the entire pastries.”

She’s making a fraction of the six-figure salary she earned working in tech, now incomes about $30,000 a yr in France. But Valcourt pays significantly much less in hire and says contemporary, high quality meals is reasonably priced within the French countryside.

Additionally, Valcourt appreciates the French way of life, which feels extra enjoyable than the American hustle tradition that burned her out. “The French tradition is like, when it is time to relaxation, it is time to relaxation, and still have a glass of wine from time to time,” she mentioned.

Still, she expects to return to the U.S. finally.

“My household and associates are there, and I miss them greater than I can say,” she mentioned. “And it feels essential to at some point return to my roots and produce what I’ve realized from France to the U.S.”

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