Americans Moving Abroad:
The Numbers Behind the Wave
The largest US emigration shift in decades, measured. Every figure below is either computed live from our dataset or linked to its original source, and free to cite.
The Exodus
How Many Americans Are Leaving
The scale of the current emigration wave.
US citizens moved abroad in the past year, per a 2026 US Census Bureau analysis.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2026Americans are estimated to live outside the United States. No agency keeps an exact count, which is why estimates vary this widely.
Source: State Department & AARO estimatesSpike in Google searches related to moving abroad in the days after the November 2024 US election.
Source: VisaGuide.WorldYear-over-year growth in new registrations reported by expat tax provider MyExpatTaxes for the 2026 season.
Source: MyExpatTaxes, 2026Intent
How Many Want to Go
Survey data on emigration intent, by group.
Of Americans say they'd like to leave the US permanently. Among women aged 15–44 it rises to 40%.
Source: Gallup, 2025Have considered or plan to relocate abroad, including 63% of Gen Z and 52% of Millennials.
Source: The Harris PollOf people considering a move cite remote work as an enabling or primary factor.
Source: The Harris Poll, 2025Of Gen Z respondents have considered leaving, the highest share of any generation surveyed.
Source: The Harris PollCost of Living
The Cheapest Countries to Live In
Baseline monthly cost for one person, 74 countries ranked. These are the 12 lowest.
The median across all 74 countries is $1,600/mo. 8 countries cost under $1,000/mo, and 32 cost under $1,500/mo. Figures exclude one-time relocation costs.
Savings Runway
How Long $100,000 Lasts Abroad
Years of living costs $100K covers for a single person, no additional income.
For comparison, $100K covers roughly 2 years of rent-plus-basics in the average US city. The same sum stretches to over a decade in the cheapest destinations.
Early Retirement
The Portfolio You Need to Retire
Savings required at a 4% withdrawal rate to cover local costs indefinitely. The US bar towers over every destination.
In 40 of 74 tracked countries, the required portfolio is below $500,000, less than half the ~$1.05M needed for a typical $3,500/mo US lifestyle.
Taxes
How the World Taxes Income
Tax system of every tracked country. US citizens owe US federal tax on worldwide income regardless of where they live.
Countries with no personal income tax at all:
Legal Pathways
Digital Nomad Visas
35 of 82 tracked countries now offer an official digital nomad visa: a legal medium-term path for remote workers, no employer sponsorship needed.
The Full Dataset
Cost of Living & Retirement, Every Country
Monthly cost, the FIRE portfolio it implies, and tax system for all 74 countries. Sorted cheapest first. Search to jump to any country.
Swipe to see all columns
| Country | Single /mo | Couple /mo | FIRE number | Tax system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | $700 | $1,100 | $210K | Worldwide |
| India | $750 | $1,150 | $225K | Worldwide |
| Sri Lanka | $750 | $1,150 | $225K | Worldwide |
| Nepal | $800 | $1,250 | $240K | Worldwide |
| Rwanda | $800 | $1,250 | $240K | Worldwide |
| Georgia | $850 | $1,300 | $255K | Territorial |
| Turkey | $850 | $1,300 | $255K | Worldwide |
| Vietnam | $900 | $1,400 | $270K | Worldwide |
| Thailand | $1,000 | $1,550 | $300K | Territorial |
| Indonesia | $1,000 | $1,550 | $300K | Worldwide |
| Colombia | $1,000 | $1,550 | $300K | Worldwide |
| Malaysia | $1,050 | $1,650 | $315K | Territorial |
| Cambodia | $1,050 | $1,650 | $315K | Worldwide |
| Kenya | $1,100 | $1,700 | $330K | Worldwide |
| Dominican Republic | $1,100 | $1,700 | $330K | Territorial |
| Romania | $1,150 | $1,800 | $345K | Worldwide |
| Bulgaria | $1,150 | $1,800 | $345K | Worldwide |
| Argentina | $1,150 | $1,800 | $345K | Worldwide |
| Philippines | $1,150 | $1,800 | $345K | Worldwide |
| Ghana | $1,150 | $1,800 | $345K | Worldwide |
| Serbia | $1,200 | $1,850 | $360K | Worldwide |
| Montenegro | $1,200 | $1,850 | $360K | Worldwide |
| Albania | $1,250 | $1,950 | $375K | Worldwide |
| Poland | $1,300 | $2,000 | $390K | Worldwide |
| Morocco | $1,300 | $2,000 | $390K | Worldwide |
| Brazil | $1,300 | $2,000 | $390K | Worldwide |
| Ecuador | $1,350 | $2,100 | $405K | Worldwide |
| Peru | $1,350 | $2,100 | $405K | Worldwide |
| Mexico | $1,400 | $2,150 | $420K | Worldwide |
| Hungary | $1,450 | $2,250 | $435K | Worldwide |
| North Macedonia | $1,450 | $2,250 | $435K | Worldwide |
| South Africa | $1,450 | $2,250 | $435K | Worldwide |
| Croatia | $1,500 | $2,350 | $450K | Worldwide |
| Panama | $1,550 | $2,400 | $465K | Territorial |
| Saudi Arabia | $1,550 | $2,400 | $465K | No income tax |
| Lithuania | $1,550 | $2,400 | $465K | Worldwide |
| Taiwan | $1,550 | $2,400 | $465K | Territorial |
| Czech Republic | $1,600 | $2,500 | $480K | Worldwide |
| Jamaica | $1,600 | $2,500 | $480K | Worldwide |
| Chile | $1,650 | $2,550 | $495K | Worldwide |
| Costa Rica | $1,700 | $2,650 | $510K | Territorial |
| Latvia | $1,700 | $2,650 | $510K | Worldwide |
| Slovakia | $1,750 | $2,700 | $525K | Worldwide |
| China | $1,850 | $2,850 | $555K | Worldwide |
| Greece | $1,900 | $2,950 | $570K | Worldwide |
| Uruguay | $1,900 | $2,950 | $570K | Territorial |
| Estonia | $1,950 | $3,000 | $585K | Worldwide |
| Portugal | $2,000 | $3,100 | $600K | Worldwide |
| Slovenia | $2,000 | $3,100 | $600K | Worldwide |
| Malta | $2,050 | $3,200 | $615K | Territorial |
| Cyprus | $2,100 | $3,250 | $630K | Worldwide |
| UAE | $2,150 | $3,350 | $645K | No income tax |
| Spain | $2,200 | $3,400 | $660K | Worldwide |
| Qatar | $2,200 | $3,400 | $660K | No income tax |
| South Korea | $2,250 | $3,500 | $675K | Worldwide |
| Singapore | $2,250 | $3,500 | $675K | Territorial |
| Italy | $2,300 | $3,550 | $690K | Worldwide |
| France | $2,450 | $3,800 | $735K | Worldwide |
| Germany | $2,500 | $3,900 | $750K | Worldwide |
| Belgium | $2,650 | $4,100 | $795K | Worldwide |
| Austria | $2,650 | $4,100 | $795K | Worldwide |
| Japan | $2,700 | $4,200 | $810K | Worldwide |
| Netherlands | $2,750 | $4,250 | $825K | Worldwide |
| Canada | $2,850 | $4,400 | $855K | Worldwide |
| United Kingdom | $2,900 | $4,500 | $870K | Worldwide |
| New Zealand | $2,950 | $4,550 | $885K | Worldwide |
| Finland | $2,950 | $4,550 | $885K | Worldwide |
| Sweden | $3,050 | $4,750 | $915K | Worldwide |
| Denmark | $3,200 | $4,950 | $960K | Worldwide |
| Australia | $3,350 | $5,200 | $1005K | Worldwide |
| Ireland | $3,350 | $5,200 | $1005K | Worldwide |
| Norway | $3,500 | $5,450 | $1050K | Worldwide |
| Iceland | $3,600 | $5,600 | $1080K | Worldwide |
| Switzerland | $4,000 | $6,200 | $1200K | Worldwide |
FIRE number = monthly cost × 12 ÷ 0.04 (the 4% rule). Costs exclude one-time relocation expenses and health insurance.
Destinations
Where Americans Actually Go
The countries absorbing the wave.
Americans live in Canada, one of the largest and longest-established communities.
Source: Global Citizen SolutionsAmerican relocations to Portugal have nearly tripled since 2024, the fastest growth of any destination.
Source: Forbes, 2026Countries tracked here across cost, safety, healthcare, taxes and visas, refreshed monthly.
Source: LeavingAmerica.co, methodologyFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Estimates range from 5 to 9 million US citizens living outside the United States. No agency keeps an exact count. A 2026 US Census Bureau analysis estimated around 180,000 Americans moved abroad in the past year alone.
Among the 74 countries tracked here, Egypt has the lowest baseline cost at about $700/month for a single person. India, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka also come in under $1,000/month at a normal lifestyle.
Using the 4% rule, the cheapest tracked countries require a portfolio of about $210,000, versus roughly $1.05 million for a typical $3,500/month US lifestyle. In 40 of 74 tracked countries the requirement is below $500,000.
Of the countries tracked, 3 levy no personal income tax at all: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar. US citizens still owe US federal tax on worldwide income regardless of where they live.
Yes. The US taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can shield up to $130,000 of foreign-earned income (2025 tax year), and foreign accounts over $10,000 combined must be reported via FBAR. See the Expat Tax Guide.
35 of the 82 countries tracked here offer an official digital nomad visa, giving remote workers a legal medium-term path to live there without employer sponsorship.