Counter 09 · Cost of Living
Verified 06 Aug 2026
International Living
INCountry-level cost and lifestyle guides for longer stays and relocation
International Living publishes detailed, country-by-country breakdowns of everyday costs, visas and lifestyle aimed at people considering a longer stay or a full move abroad, not just a short trip. It leans toward retirees and long-term expats more than short-stay nomads, but the underlying cost data is genuinely useful for anyone weighing a base for six months or more. Free articles cover the basics; the paid membership adds deeper country reports.
International Living is a publisher of country-by-country cost-of-living and relocation guides for people planning a long-term move or retirement abroad, not a short trip. It has been running since 1979, is part of the Agora publishing network, and its best-known product is the annual Global Retirement Index, which ranks countries on cost, healthcare, visas and climate for people relocating full-time.
What it covers
The free content is mostly newsletter-style articles on specific countries and cities: rent ranges, grocery budgets, healthcare access, residency visa paths, and firsthand reports from expats already living there. A paid membership adds fuller country reports, downloadable relocation guides, and discounted access to its in-person retire-overseas conferences, which are a separate paid event.
Is it good for digital nomads
Mostly, no. The editorial focus is retirees and people settling into one country for a year or longer: Portugal, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, the usual retirement circuit. A nomad hopping cities every few weeks won't find much use here. It earns a place in a nomad's research if the plan is a slow base, six months to a year in one country, where its visa and long-stay cost detail beats most nomad blogs.
The catch
International Living also sells real estate referrals, insurance products and conference tickets, and the editorial tone reflects that: articles skew optimistic and read more like sales copy than neutral reporting. Treat its published cost figures as a starting point, then check them against Numbeo, expat forums or embassy visa pages, since numbers for a specific country can lag real local price changes.
Pricing
The core articles and country round-ups are free. The paid membership is a modest annual fee for full reports and toolkit downloads, less than hiring a relocation consultant. Conference tickets are a separate, larger purchase for anyone who wants in-person Q&A with expats and immigration lawyers.
What works
- Deep, country-specific detail on visas, healthcare and long-stay costs that goes beyond generic nomad cost calculators
- Firsthand reporting from expats who actually live in the countries covered
- Free tier covers a real amount of useful content before any paywall
- Long track record since 1979 with an extensive back catalog covering dozens of countries
What to watch
- Built around selling real estate referrals, insurance and conference tickets, so the editorial tone leans promotional rather than neutral
- Aimed at retirees and full-time relocators, not short-stay or fast-moving digital nomads
- Cost figures can lag real-world local prices and should be cross-checked before budgeting a move
Questions at the counter
Is International Living legit or a scam?
It's a legitimate, long-running publisher (since 1979), not a scam, but it's a marketing-driven business that profits from membership sales, real estate referrals and conference tickets. Read its country reports as informed but interested content, and verify big financial decisions with independent sources.
How much does International Living membership cost?
It runs on a freemium model: articles and country overviews are free, and a paid membership tier adds deeper country reports and toolkit downloads for a modest annual fee. Its in-person retire-overseas conferences are a separate, larger ticket purchase.
Is International Living good for digital nomads?
Only partially. It's built for retirees and people planning a long-term or permanent move to one country, so a nomad moving every few weeks will find little use for it, but anyone considering a slow-travel base of six months or more can use its visa and cost detail.
What is the International Living Global Retirement Index?
It's International Living's flagship annual ranking of countries for retirement and long-term relocation, scoring factors like cost of living, healthcare, visas, climate and safety. It's a useful starting shortlist, but should be paired with current local cost data before committing to a country.