Always it seems, between the lines there is this caveat: If you live exactly the same lifestyle anywhere as you live in the US you won’t save money.

The key to living cheaper even in a country where labor is cheap is to live more like the locals which means for most a reduction in lifestyle. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, there aren’t too many Jones’s there to try to keep up with.

Another key is to stay away from the biggest cities where prices are usually highest. This will especially apply to housing and transportation – transportation simply because it is bigger to get around in. You may not like the local buses if they have them.

In Thailand I rode a $US2,200 Yamaha 125cc scooter instead of driving a $30,000 car. That danged scooter would do 65 mph and get 100 mpg. For “scooter” think of the Vespa with the floorboards, rather than a Western motorcycle. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki – take your pick.

In that heat and humidity it sure would be nice to have an air conditioned car though.

I could be most happy in a humble but climate controlled dwelling in a small town of maybe 25,000 people but I would still spend more than the locals. There are some Western things I wouldn’t be without like bread in Asia (buy a bread maker for $65) or a toothbrush, LOL.