Are you wondering which country is the best to live as a freelancer with kids?
Would you like to have more time with your family but you have so many bills to pay at the end of the month?
Are you living in an expensive country that you are basically working to pay the monthly price of the childcare?
Do you want to start to work from home but you think it’s impossible in your place as the cost of living is too high?
I get your point! I am French and living there is just not a solution for my lifestyle.
In France, I would have to work 3 or 4 more times than I am working now just to make ends meet honestly.
Here, in Spain, I can afford to only work 8 hours a week, go out and meet my friends.
A lot of international mums I know here, told me the same in fact.
They live in Spain because it’s a way for them to see their child grow without needing to go back to work. They don’t need to put them in daycare if they don’t want to.
Of course, working at home is tough with a child but I wouldn’t give away this freedom never ever!
That’s why, today, I decided to provide you with a list from the best countries to live in to work at home and have time with your family.
For this list, I took into account the cost of living and the criminality rate as well. I am not looking at the Internet Speed because honestly nowadays even on the smallest island you can get a good connection.
1- Ukraine
I have to admit that I am biased on this one because I love this country and its people very much. They are down-to-earth and the cost of living is just super low!
If you love nature, you won’t be disappointed there! They have amazing mountains, seaside, beautiful towns and they have a big culture!
I lived there a couple of months and it’s super safe as well!
If you like big cities, then I would recommend you Kyiv, Lliv or Odessa. My favorite one is definitely Lliv as it’s close to the mountains, is not too big and as an amazing Chocolate Factory Cafe 🙂
By the way, if you love eating well, it’s also a great place! Even for vegans, there are more and more options!
Cost of living: 65% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 48 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? a very few people speak English. better to learn Russian or Ukrainian for the West to live there
2- Georgia
Like Ukraine, this is a gorgeous country for nature lover and with very loving people as well.
There aren’t many big cities in Georgia, there are Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi.
If you are a wine lover, Georgia is not as famous as other countries in the world for it but it’s definitely well-known in the region for its wine!
The food is also very rich there! There aren’t as many vegan options as in other places though.
Cost of living: 61% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 19 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan) This is one of the lowest worldwide!
Language barrier? a very few people speak English, some speak Russian. better to learn Georgian to live there
3- The Philippines
One of the jewels of Asia! I am sure you have already seen pictures of its beaches and islands!
I have been a couple of times already there, and for me one thing I would always remember from there are the smiling and nice people!
In this country, saying hello to everyone who passing by in the street in normal -except in the big city Manilla-. For happiness, this is a very important factor.
The nice weather all year round is also a big plus for this country!
Cost of living: 55% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 41 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? Most of the people speak English there
4- Indonesia
As for the Philippines, you have probably seen pictures from Indonesia or heard about its most famous place Bali before!
As a vegan, Indonesia and Bali is a top choice, since it’s becoming a vegan paradise!
It’s also a true paradise for families!
Cost of living: 55% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 46 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? Most of the people speak English there
5- Vietnam
If you are a food lover, then this country is definitely for you!
I love Vietnam for its food, its people, its diverse nature and for how cheap it is!
As a vegan, I loved staying in Hanoi which is full of amazing vegan restaurants!
My favorite places there are around Hoi An and Da Nang for the nice towns and beach life!
If you want bigger cities than I would advice Hanoi over Saigon which is for me really too big. Hanoi has a lot of cultural places to offer!
People there are also very relaxed and enjoying life! It’s so nice to see!
Cost of living: 50% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 49 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? A lot of the people speak English there
6 – Malaysia
If there is one thing I love about Malaysia it’s how multicultural it is and how well they accept each culture!
Being a foreigner is very well accepted and it’s a great country for families! Kuala Lumpur is amazing with its parks!
As vegan, the quantity of Indian restaurants there makes it a top choice for me.
It’s a bit more expensive than other countries in South East Asia but you can have a great quality of life!
In Kuala Lumpur, thanks to Airbnb we stayed in an amazing Condominium with a 5* pool and gym for 15$/night!!!
Cost of living: 49% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 61 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? Most of people speak English there
7 – Ecuador
When I visited this country, my first host told me that he was paying US$200 for his perfect house with a garden and hammock!
I thought “wow, this is definitely a country I would love to live in”!
If you are thinking about moving to South America, my advice would be to pick Ecuador. It’s a perfect place for freelancers!
You have the mountains, the sea, the Amazon, good food. Your kids will love it as it’s a natural paradise with lot of animals!
Cost of living: 44% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 49 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? Some people speak English, most speak Spanish.
8- Thailand
We just came back from a trip to Thailand last winter and we just loved it!
We could definitely see ourselves living there! People are so happy there!
The food is good, the country offers a mix of everything.
If you want to move to Thailand, I would recommend either Chiang Mai or Ko Phanghan. Both places are a good mix of locals and expats.
Cost of living: 39% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 47 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? Some people speak English, the rest speak only Thai.
9- Mexico
One of the mom blogger I really like and admire is Amoya from the Trippin’ Momma. She is now living in Mexico with her kids as a single mom!
I haven’t been there so I can’t talk about it so much for myself but the cost of living is not high and it’s a beautiful country with amazing food!
From what I see, she seems to love it there!
Cost of living: 53% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 52 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? Most of the people speak English and the rest speak Spanish.
9 – Spain
The country where we are living now! Everyone I am meeting in Valencia says the same: having this quality of life is amazing here!
If you want to move to Spain, I would say that Valencia is the best choice for you.
There is the sun almost all year round, the beach, amazing nature around and it’s quite cheap place to live!
The expat community is very big and very open to new comers.
Cost of living: 21% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 32 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? A lot of the people speak English and the rest speak Spanish.
10- Portugal
I have been 3 times to Portugal and I even did the Way – Camino de Santiago right before getting pregnant.
I can tell you one thing from this country for sure: it is very beautiful, the food is amazing and the people are very friendly.
It’s a great place for family and both big cities Lisbon and Porto don’t seem to be that big. They are great cities to live as freelancers in I think.
In fact, another freelancer I love following – Danielle– is spending a few months every year there.
Cost of living: 27% less expensive than the US
Criminality Index: 32 / 100 (47/100 in the US, the lowest rate is 13/100 in Japan)
Language barrier? A lot of the people speak English and the rest speak Portuguese.
Over to you? Which country do you think is best to live with your kids as a freelancer?
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I’m Natacha, a French vegan Airbnb host who has been working online for the past 4 years. I help hosts stand out and make more money online so they can have a good work-life balance!
I loved this! All the countries looked lovely. I lived in Penang for 6 months with my 4 kids under 5years which was under school age here in Sweden. Amazing! Longing to do it again. What are your thoughts on school abroad?
Hi Niomi, it’s so true I could live with my kid in any of those countries, it’s the best thing as a freelancer to be able to choose any country of the world to locate yourself! are you back in Sweden now? I don’t have experiences on school abroad except what I hear from other moms living in Spain. We are planning to unschool / homeschool our daughter. Penang must be super nice to live for a while!! I was there once for holidays.