14 Comments
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Expat Prep's avatar

This post is useful and awesome - thank you! Based on my July travel in BA and MVD, it’s accurate, too.

Benjamin Hies's avatar

Thanks man! We still have to do that fishing trip!

Daniel Catena's avatar

Interesting price breakdowns here! The only place I've visited on the list was Lima. Are you basing this on your experience or sites like Numbeo?

Benjamin Hies's avatar

I visited almost all the places I write about, and rely on my experience, but I always double-check with other sources (local + online) since sometimes it's been a while since I've been.

Practical Globetrotters's avatar

Great post! And I think you got your numbers spot on. We’ve just spent 2 1/2 months in San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City and earlier this year spent two months in Buenos Aires and a week in Montevideo and your numbers align with our experiences. Too many Youtubers and bloggers underestimate the true cost of living in their posts, and I worry that it creates an unrealistic expectation of what life will really be like in those places.

Benjamin Hies's avatar

Ha thanks guys! Yeah it's easy to underestimate cost of living in some places, and I'm always surprised when I check out new places. Next on my personal travel list are Fukuoka (Japan), Kotohira (Japan) and Yerewan (Armenia) which will surely yield some interesting results. I was also thinking of posting pictures of me actually being in those places, that should add some credibility to the numbers dropping ;)

Judy Barfell's avatar

Excellent detail! Thanks for sharing

Danica's avatar

Would love to see another post similar to this on some of the higher cost of living European hubs, like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Spain, Portugal, etc.

Benjamin Hies's avatar

Great idea, will prepare an overview of those ✌🏻

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Sep 5, 2025
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Benjamin Hies's avatar

Put them on my list just now 👌🏻😎

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Sep 6, 2025
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Benjamin Hies's avatar

Full disclosure, haven't been to Iceland yet, but I been to Bali many times, and can surely give reliable intel from there haha ;)

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Sep 7, 2025
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Benjamin Hies's avatar

Bali is good and bad, I would not recommend the super overcrowded areas such as Canggu and Ubud in some cases (the traffic is insane) but there are still great spots on the island ;)

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Sep 7, 2025
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