More Americans Considering Move From the U.S.

Since May 2020, International Living.com has seen a massive 504.97% surge in traffic to its “How to Move Out of the U.S.” coverage, which identifies the steps for successfully planning a move.

In greater numbers, people are using search terms like, “moving out of the U.S.,” “I want to move out of the U.S.,” “moving out of America,” “how to leave America,” and “leaving America”—with the top search volume coming under the phrase “how to move out of the United States.”

Jennifer Stevens, executive editor, International Living, speculates that uncertainty surrounding the election is driving some of the traffic. People are considering a ‘Plan B’ should their preferred candidate lose, she says. “We saw this same trend in 2016, though to a lesser degree.”

In addition, Stevens says, the COVID-19 pandemic has created huge financial challenges for millions of people. “Worried about staying afloat in the States, it stands to reason that they’re looking right now to explore good-value places abroad where their dollars will stretch further,” she says. According to International Living, in the best-value places abroad, expats are able to lower their cost of living but raise their quality of life.

“On a budget that would have you living hand-to-mouth in the States, you could live extremely well in a place where health insurance can cost less than $1,000 a year, you could have a housekeeper help you out three days a week for $135 a month, and rent on a furnished two-bedroom home could be $750 or even less,” Stevens says. This is one reason retirees consider moving abroad.

She also speculates that people are considering where they would rather be next time a pandemic and/or shutdown happens.

“People may be seeking information on moving abroad because they feel pushed to do so right now, but once they see how far their dollars can stretch, I predict they’ll feel encouraged and excited by the prospects they have,” Stevens says.