You're staring at a Zillow listing for a stone cottage in Tuscany or maybe a sleek apartment in Mexico City. It's late. You're tired of the healthcare bills, the political shouting matches on the news, or maybe just the feeling that you’re running a race on a treadmill that keeps getting faster. You ask yourself: should I leave United States? It's a heavy question. It’s a question that more Americans are asking now than at almost any point in recent history. But here’s the thing—moving abroad isn't just a change of scenery. It is a total recalibration of your existence.
Moving is hard. Really hard.
According to data from the Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO), there are roughly 9 million U.S. citizens living abroad. That’s a massive number. It’s like the entire population of New Jersey just decided to pack up and go. People leave for all sorts of reasons—cost of living, romance, adventure, or just a desperate need for a slower pace. But if you think your problems disappear once you cross the border, you're in for a massive reality check.
Why Everyone Is Suddenly Asking Should I Leave United States
The "Great Resignation" didn't just happen in the workplace; it happened in the way people view their home soil. If you've been scrolling through "Amerexit" TikTok or Reddit’s r/Expat, you know the vibe. People are frustrated.
Cost is the big one. In cities like San Francisco, New York, or Austin, the median home price has detached itself from reality. Compare that to Portugal’s Silver Coast or parts of Southeast Asia where your dollar stretches until it snaps. In Panama, the Pensionado program offers incredible discounts to retirees, making it a haven for those who realized their 401k won't actually cover a decent life in Florida.
Healthcare is another beast. It’s the number one reason I hear from people over 50. In the U.S., a major illness is a financial death sentence for many. In Spain or France, the "User Experience" of being sick is fundamentally different. You aren't arguing with an insurance adjuster while you’re recovering from surgery. That peace of mind? It’s addictive.
But let’s be real. It isn't just about money. It’s the culture of "always-on" work. The U.S. is a high-octane environment. It’s great for building wealth if you’re at the top, but it’s exhausting for everyone else. Many people looking into whether they should leave United States are just looking for a way to sit at a cafe for two hours without a waiter dropping the check after ten minutes.
📖 Related: Bridal Hairstyles Long Hair: What Most People Get Wrong About Your Wedding Day Look
The Brutal Reality of Being an Expat (The Stuff No One Tells You)
Listen. I’ve talked to people who moved to the "paradise" of Bali only to realize they hate humidity and the lack of reliable infrastructure.
Expats face a unique kind of loneliness. You are always the "other." In Japan, even if you speak the language fluently, you will likely never be seen as Japanese. That’s a psychological weight that starts light but gets heavier every year. You’ll miss Thanksgiving. You’ll miss the specific way a Target smells (don’t lie, you will). You’ll miss the ease of speaking your native tongue without thinking about verb conjugations.
Taxes: The Uncle Sam Shadow
The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world—alongside Eritrea—that taxes based on citizenship, not just residency. This is a massive "gotcha." Even if you live in a hut in the middle of the jungle and earn every cent there, you still have to file with the IRS. You might get the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE), which as of 2024 covers up to $126,500, but you still have to deal with the paperwork. And if you have a foreign bank account with more than $10,000 at any point? You have to file an FBAR. Fail to do that, and the penalties are ruinous.
The Residency Maze
You can't just move to France because you like the bread. You need a visa.
- Digital Nomad Visas: Countries like Spain, Greece, and Italy have introduced these, but they require proof of a specific income level (usually between $2,500 and $4,000 a month).
- DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty): If you're an entrepreneur, this is a "cheat code" for moving to the Netherlands. It allows Americans to start a business there with relatively little capital.
- Ancestry: If your grandparents were from Ireland, Italy, or Poland, you might be sitting on a "golden ticket" to an EU passport.
Should I Leave United States for My Career?
It depends on what you do. If you are a software engineer in Silicon Valley making $300k, you are going to take a massive pay cut almost anywhere else. Salaries in Europe are significantly lower. A senior dev in Berlin might make €80,000. That sounds okay until you realize your take-home pay after those high European taxes is much smaller than what you’re used to.
However, your "quality of life" might go up. Your rent is lower, your food is better quality, and you don’t need a car. You have to do the math. Are you working to live, or living to work?
👉 See also: Boynton Beach Boat Parade: What You Actually Need to Know Before You Go
For freelancers and remote workers, the calculation is different. If your boss doesn't care where your laptop is, "geo-arbitrage" is your best friend. Earning USD while spending Pesos or Baht is how you build wealth fast. But check your contract. Many companies have legal and tax "nexuses" that prevent them from letting employees work outside the country for more than a few weeks.
The Emotional Cost of the "Grass is Greener" Syndrome
We have this habit of romanticizing "away." We think a new zip code will fix our anxiety or our boredom. It won't. If you're miserable in Chicago, you might just be miserable in Lisbon, but with better weather and more expensive butter.
I’ve seen families move to Costa Rica thinking it would "bring them closer," only for the lack of familiar conveniences to tear them apart. Simple things like getting a plumber to show up or navigating a grocery store where nothing is familiar can become massive stressors.
Honestly, the most successful expats are the ones who aren't running away from the U.S., but are running toward something specific in their new home. They love the history, the language, or the specific community. If you're just running away, you'll eventually find that your problems packed themselves in your suitcase.
Is It Time to Go? A Decision Framework
So, should I leave United States? Don't decide based on a bad news cycle. Decide based on a long-term vision.
First, go for a "trial run." Don't quit your job. Don't sell your house. Rent an Airbnb in your target city for three months—not during "vacation season," but during the "bad" weather months. If you still love London when it’s been grey and raining for twenty days straight, you might have a winner.
✨ Don't miss: Bootcut Pants for Men: Why the 70s Silhouette is Making a Massive Comeback
Second, look at your community. Americans are surprisingly bad at maintaining long-distance friendships. When you move, your social circle will shrink to almost zero. Are you okay with rebuilding your entire support network from scratch at age 35? 45? 65? It takes a specific kind of extroverted energy to make that work.
Third, the "safety" factor. People often cite gun violence or political instability as reasons to leave. Those are valid. But every country has its "stuff." In some parts of Europe, you’ll deal with rising far-right movements. In Latin America, you might deal with corruption or petty crime that makes you paranoid. Nowhere is perfect. You're just trading one set of problems for another.
Actionable Next Steps for the Aspiring Expat
If you’re serious about this, stop daydreaming and start doing the logistics. It's time to get practical.
- Audit Your Passport: Do you have at least two years left on it? If not, renew it now. Some visas require your passport to be valid for a significant window after your stay.
- The "Six Month" Savings Goal: You need enough cash to survive for six months without a single cent of income. Moving costs, security deposits for foreign apartments (which can be triple for foreigners), and "settling in" fees add up fast.
- Tax Consultation: Hire a CPA who specializes in U.S. expat taxes. It will cost you $500–$1,000, but it will save you tens of thousands in potential IRS mistakes. Ask them specifically about the "Exit Tax" if you’re considering renouncing citizenship (which most people shouldn't do).
- Language Immersion: Start the Pimsleur or Italki lessons today. Not tomorrow. Today. If you move to a country without speaking the language, you are essentially a giant toddler. You can’t handle your own utilities, you can’t talk to the doctor, and you can’t make real friends.
- Join Local Groups: Find the "Expats in [City Name]" Facebook group. Read the complaints. That’s where the truth lives. If everyone is complaining about the bureaucracy, believe them.
The United States is a complicated, high-pressure, high-reward place. Leaving it is a radical act of self-determination. It might be the best thing you ever do, or it might be a very expensive lesson in appreciating what you had. Just make sure you’re moving for the right reasons.
Check your "why." If your "why" is strong enough to survive a six-hour wait at a foreign immigration office, then you're ready. Otherwise, maybe just take a longer vacation first.