Showing 15 of 1216 blogs
Rome, Italy Retire in Italy with €31,000/year passive income via Elective Residence Visa. Southern Italy offers 7% tax rate on foreign pensions. Costs €1,500-3,500/month by region.
Marco Rossi 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Health insurance mandatory for all expatriates in Saudi Arabia; employers must provide coverage for employees and dependents. Car insurance costs SR 400-800/year (third-party) or SR 1,500-4,000 (comprehensive). Life insurance available via Shariah-compliant Takaful, SR 1,000-5,000 annually. Visitors need $50K medical coverage for visas.
Washington, United States US self-employed pay 15.3% self-employment tax plus 10-37% income tax, effective rate 25-30% plus state taxes. Quarterly estimated payments required if owing $1,000+. Major deductions include home office ($5/sq ft), vehicle (67¢/mile), health insurance, and 20% QBI deduction. Report on Schedule C; file by April 15.
Lisbon, Portugal Portuguese passport processing takes 3-6 weeks after citizenship approval. Total timeline 7-9 years including 5+ years residency plus 12-24 months citizenship processing. Requires A2 Portuguese language proficiency, clean record. Citizenship by descent available for Portuguese children/grandchildren (6-18 months processing). Passport provides EU rights and visa-free access to 190+ countries.
Maria Santos 
Amsterdam, Netherlands Netherlands offers free childhood vaccinations for all residents covering 12 diseases through National Immunization Program. Adults 60+ get free annual flu shots. Children vaccinated at GGD health centers; adults through huisarts. Travel vaccines cost €30-€100. No mandatory vaccinations for immigration but 95%+ coverage rate.
Madrid, Spain Famous Spanish mythological creatures include El Coco (bogeyman), La Llorona (weeping woman), Basajaun (Basque forest protector), Ojáncano (one-eyed giant). Santiago Matamoros legend symbolizes Reconquista; Camino de Santiago attracts 300K+ annual pilgrims. Regional variations: Basque has Mari goddess, Galicia has Celtic water spirits, Catalonia has Caga Tió Christmas log.
Amsterdam, Netherlands Top Dutch insurers: Zilveren Kruis (largest), VGZ (competitive), CZ (young/healthy), ONVZ (cheapest). All offer identical basic coverage; compare on price and service via independer.nl. Switch annually November 12-December 31. Supplementary insurance (€20-€60/month) highly recommended for dental, physio, glasses. Non-payment leads to salary withholding and debt accumulation.
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo rent averages ¥80K-¥150K/month (1-bedroom central), with upfront costs of 4-6x monthly rent including deposit, non-refundable key money (reikin), and agency fees. Budget ¥400K-¥600K initial costs. Guarantor required; foreigners use guarantor companies (30-100% annual rent). Only 10-30% of properties accept foreign tenants.
Sarah Tanaka 
Berlin, Germany Top German flea markets: Berlin Mauerpark (Sundays), Munich Riem Arcaden (Saturdays), Hamburg Flohschanze (Saturdays). Haggling expected; start 50-70% of asking price. Find vintage furniture, antiques, vinyl, clothing, books. Most operate weekends 8:00-17:00. Arrive early (8:00-9:00) for best selection. Bring cash. Best months May-September.
David Miller 
London, United Kingdom UK term life insurance costs £10-£20/month for healthy 35-year-olds with £250,000 coverage over 25 years. Smokers pay 2-3x more. Whole-of-life policies £100-£300/month. Medical exams required for coverage over £250,000 or applicants 50+. Expats with UK residency eligible; international policies available at 20-40% premium for mobile expats.
Priya Sharma 
Global, Global Every expat gets asked seven predictable questions: where you're from, how long you've been there, what you're doing, and whether you like it. These questions help build connections.
Amsterdam, Netherlands The 30% ruling offers 30% tax-free salary for skilled migrants earning €46K+ (€35K for young Masters) who lived 150km+ from Dutch border. Saves €10K-€12K annually on €100K salary. Employer must apply within 4 months. Valid for 60 months, transferable between jobs. Scales down over time in 2024+ rules.
Paris, France Wise, Revolut, and OFX offer GBP accounts in France with no/low monthly fees (€0-€14). Traditional banks charge €10-€30/month. Ideal for UK pension recipients, property owners, or frequent UK transactions. Wise charges 0.4-0.6% conversion; banks 2-3%. UK pensioners save €500-€900/year avoiding poor bank conversion rates. Multi-currency cards enable euro spending from GBP balances.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Major Luxembourg supermarkets include Cactus (local), Delhaize (premium), Aldi/Lidl (discount, 30-40% cheaper). Groceries 20-30% more expensive than Germany/Belgium; weekly shopping €80-€150. Most closed Sundays except Howald Belle Etoile (Sunday mornings). International foods in Gare district Asian markets and hypermarket international sections.
Thomas Weber Amsterdam, Netherlands Dutch maintain healthy weights through cycling (average 2.9km/day burning 200-400 calories) and moderate eating habits. Breakfast is bread with cheese/hagelslag and coffee (3-4 cups daily). Dinner served early (17:30-18:30) following AVG principle: potatoes, meat (100-150g), vegetables. Simple, unprocessed meals with minimal snacking. Obesity rising but still lower than many Western countries.
